What term describes a plant cell that has lost water, causing its vacuole to shrink and the cell membrane to pull away from the wall?

Prepare for the SQA National 5 Biology Exam. Utilize multiple choice questions and flashcards, each offering hints and explanations. Ace your exam with confidence!

The term that describes a plant cell that has lost water, resulting in the shrinkage of its vacuole and the cell membrane pulling away from the cell wall is "plasmolysed." In this condition, the vacuole, which normally helps to maintain cell turgor pressure, decreases in volume as water leaves the cell, often due to a hypertonic environment where solute concentration is higher outside the cell. This loss of water leads to the cell membrane detaching from the rigid cell wall, a key characteristic of plasmolysis. The phenomenon is significant in plant biology, as it affects the structural integrity and overall health of plants.

In contrast, a "plump" cell would mean it is full of water, and "turgid" describes a state where a plant cell is swollen and firm due to high internal pressure from water being retained in the vacuole. A "flaccid" cell indicates a less desirable state where cells are not full enough of water, but they haven't yet reached the plasmolysed state where the membrane has pulled away from the wall. Thus, the unique features of "plasmolysed" specifically relate to the process and the state of the cell described in

Subscribe

Get the latest from Examzify

You can unsubscribe at any time. Read our privacy policy