After soaking for one hour in a solution of unknown concentration, a slice of potato appears to be very soft and limp. You can determine that the solution is
Hypertonic
Hypotonic
Isotonic
Tonic
The Correct Answer is A
Choice A rationale: A hypertonic solution has a higher solute concentration than the potato cell, which means it has a lower water potential. Water will move out of the potato cell by osmosis, causing it to shrink and become soft and limp.
Choice B rationale: A hypotonic solution has a lower solute concentration than the potato cell, which means it has a higher water potential. Water will move into the potato cell by osmosis, causing it to swell and become turgid and firm.
Choice C rationale: An isotonic solution has the same solute concentration as the potato cell, which means it has the same water potential. Water will move in and out of the potato cell at the same rate, causing it to remain unchanged in size and shape.
Choice D rationale: Tonic is not a valid term to describe the solute concentration of a solution. The correct terms are hypertonic, hypotonic, or isotonic.
Choice E rationale: I cannot determine anything without comparing multiple solutions is incorrect because the appearance of the potato slice after soaking in the solution provides enough information to determine the relative solute concentration of the solution.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is B
Explanation
Choice A rationale: The variant is a term used to describe a viral genome that may contain one or more mutations. It is not related to the difference in concentration between two areas. ³
Choice B rationale: The concentration gradient is the correct term for the difference in concentration between two areas. It is a measure of how steep the change in concentration is. ¹
Choice C rationale: Level gradient is not a term used in biology or chemistry. It may refer to the slope of a surface or a line, but not to the concentration of solutes in a solution.
Choice D rationale: The osmotic pressure is the minimum pressure required to prevent the flow of solvent molecules through a semipermeable membrane. It depends on the concentration of solute particles in the solution and is calculated with the formula π = iCRT. It is not the same as the concentration gradient, although it is related to it. ⁴
Choice E rationale: Turgid pressure is the force exerted by stored water against a cell wall. It is caused by the osmotic flow of water and occurs in plants, fungi, and bacteria. It is also called hydrostatic pressure and affects cell growth, movement, and dispersal. It is not the same as the concentration gradient, although it is influenced by it. ⁵
Correct Answer is D
Explanation
Choice A rationale: The cell membrane did not change at all because of the protection of the cell wall is incorrect because the cell wall does not prevent the movement of water across the cell membrane. The cell wall only provides mechanical support and prevents the cell from bursting in a hypotonic solution.
Choice B rationale: The cells burst because the solution was hypotonic is incorrect because the solution was hypertonic, not hypotonic. A hypertonic solution has a lower concentration of water than the cell, so water moves out of the cell and into the solution by osmosis, causing the cell to shrink.
Choice C rationale: The cell membrane shrank, but the central vacuole remained full is incorrect because the central vacuole also loses water in a hypertonic solution. The central vacuole is a large organelle that stores water and other substances in the plant cell. When water leaves the cell, the central vacuole shrinks and the cell loses its turgor pressure.
Choice D rationale: The cell membrane shrank away from the cell wall because the solution was hypertonic is correct because this is what happens when a plant cell is placed in a hypertonic solution. The cell membrane and the cytoplasm contract and pull away from the cell wall, creating a gap between them. This is called plasmolysis and it can damage the cell.
Choice E rationale: The cell became turgid is incorrect because the cell becomes turgid in a hypotonic solution, not a hypertonic one. A hypotonic solution has a higher concentration of water than the cell, so water moves into the cell and out of the solution by osmosis, causing the cell to swell and press against the cell wall. This is called turgor and it helps the cell maintain its shape and rigidity.
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