A student placed a small sample of blood onto a microscope slide and added a drop of distiller water. When viewed at a high power, the student observed that the red blood cells had burst. In a similar procedure using plant epidermis, the student observed that the plant cells did not burst. Explain these observations.
- Cell cytoplasm has a lower water potential than distilled water.
- Water moves down a water potential gradient.
- It entered the cells by osmosis.
- The plasma membrane of animal cells/the red blood cell is weak and burst (haemolysed) under pressure when enough water moved into it.
- Plant cells have a strong cell wall that provides support and can withstand pressure.
- The plant cell would have become turgid, which decreases water uptake.
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