What occurs to a cell placed in a hypotonic solution?

When a cell is placed in a hypotonic solution, the concentration of solutes outside the cell is lower than that inside the cell. This gradient leads to the movement of water into the cell by osmosis, as water tends to move towards the area of higher solute concentration in order to balance the concentrations on both sides of the cell membrane.

As the water enters the cell, it causes the cell to swell. If the cell continues to take in water without an adequate means of releasing it, the internal pressure may increase to the point where the cell membrane can no longer withstand it, resulting in the cell bursting, a process known as cytolysis. This phenomenon is especially observed in animal cells as they do not possess a rigid cell wall that can withstand increased internal pressure.

Therefore, the primary consequence of placing a cell in a hypotonic solution is that it swells significantly and has the potential to burst if the influx of water is not regulated. This concept is fundamental in understanding how cells interact with their environments and the osmotic behavior of different solutions.