Osmosis, water potential and cells

Cells in solutions of high water potential (e.g. pure water):

• Water potential gradient from outside the cells to inside the cells
• Water molecules move down a water potential gradient into the cell by osmosis.
• Cells swell and in animal cells they eventually burst open meaning it is hameolysed.
• In plant cells, the cell becomes turgid but does not bust because of the cell wall (think of the balloon in a box analogy)

Cells in solutions of…