Question

When plant cells are kept in a concentrated salt solution, they are
A. Deplasmolyzed
B. Plasmolysed
C. Remain as such
D. Become turgid

Answer 1

When cells are kept in a hypertonic solution, then exosmosis occurs which is known as plasmolysis. Hypertonic solution is the solution in which the concentration of the solution is more than the surroundings. Moreover, exosmosis is the movement of the water out of the cell.

Complete step by step answer: Let us see what happens when plant cells are kept in a concentrated salt solution. The salt solution is hypertonic. This is because as compared to the plant cells the concentration of the solution is less in the salt solution. Plant cells have comparatively a lesser concentration of solutes in them. Now, according to osmosis the water always moves from its higher concentration to lower concentration. This means that water will move from inside of the cell to the salt solution. This is known as exosmosis. Exosmosis is made up of two words, Exo meaning outside, and Osmosis. Due to the movement of water outside the cell, it shrinks up. This is known as plasmolysis. When a plant cell is put in the hypertonic solution then exosmosis occurs. Gradually the protoplast gets shrunk. This process is known as plasmolysis and the fully shrunken protoplast is called the plasmolyzed cell. Thus, based on the above information, we can conclude that when a plant cell is kept in a concentrated solution, then it gets plasmolyzed.
Hence, the correct answer is option (B).

Note: Plasmolysis is differ from deplasmolysis. Deplasmolysis is the process in which the plasmolyzed cell is kept in the water or the hypotonic solution. Due to endosmosis, the water moves inside the cell and the cell regains its original shape and size.