If a cell is placed in hypertonic salt water, water will:

Answer

The correct answer is 'Leave the cell and cytoplasm and cell membrane shrink'. By definition, a hypertonic solution has a higher concentration of solutes (like salt) compared to the inside of the cell. Due to the process of osmosis, water molecules naturally move from an area of higher water concentration (inside the cell) to an area of lower water concentration (the external salt water). As water exits the cell to balance the concentration gradient, the cell loses volume, causing the cytoplasm to decrease and the cell membrane to shrink or shrivel.