Question

What will happen if a fully turgid plant cell is placed in a hypertonic solution? Name the phenomenon.

Answer 1

Hint: Turgid means a state of being turgid or swollen, especially due to high fluid content. The force exerted by the cell wall of a plant over the protoplast is called wall pressure (WP). Wall pressure is equal and opposite to the turgor pressure except when the cell becomes flaccid. The value of these two opposing forces continue to arise till the cell of a plant becomes fully swollen or turgid.

Complete answer:
If a plant cell is kept in a hypertonic solution, it loses water. The volume of the central vacuole decreases. The protoplast is reduced in size. The decrease in turgor pressure or pressure potential is corresponding to the wall pressure. Solute potential becomes slightly more negative. The cell attains its minimum size when turgor pressure is zero. If the external solution doesn't cause any further changes in the exosmosis,then the value of its water potential will be equal to the solute potential of the cell.
If exosmosis continues, the protoplast shrinks from the cell wall and The phenomenon is called plasmolysis.

Note:
A solution having low osmotic concentration, hence low osmotic pressure, but less negative solute potential, as compared to another solution, is known as a hypotonic solution.
Turgor pressure has a number of important functions, i.e.,
It keeps the cells and organelles stretched.
It provides support to the non-woody tissues.
It keeps the leaves expanded and oriented to light.
Flowers, young stems and other soft organs of plants are able to maintain their form due to turgidity.