Osmosis

What causes osmosis in plant cells?

The difference in water potential between the cell's cytoplasm (low water potential) and the surrounding solution (higher or lower water potential).

What happens when a plant cell is placed in a hypotonic solution?

Water enters the cell by endosmosis, causing it to swell and become turgid due to increased turgor pressure.

What is turgor pressure?

The outward pressure exerted by the cytoplasm and vacuole against the cell wall when a plant cell takes in water.

What happens when a plant cell is placed in an isotonic solution?

There is no net movement of water, and the cell becomes flaccid due to the lack of internal pressure.

What happens when a plant cell is placed in a hypertonic solution?

Water leaves the cell by exosmosis, causing the cell to plasmolyse as the cytoplasm shrinks away from the cell wall.