What would happen to a marine algie cell if it was placed in fresh water??

Question

If a marine algie cell ended up in fresh water, what would happen to the cell? Would it die? Would it live? Please help! You biologcal help is needed!!!

Answer 1

Probably Expand and Blow Up, Die.

Answer 2

Because it's so used to a marine environment where so much salt is on the outside, it's entire cell function depends on it. There are so many solutes inside to keep water from rushing to the outside that when it is placed in a freshwater environment the water would rush in and cause osmiolysis and consequently cell death.


You might want to look up hypotonic and hypertonic solutions to get a better idea.

Answer 3

The fresh water would rush into the marine algae cell and in an attempt to make the concentration of salt in the cell, the same as on the outside. The algae cell would eventually take on so much water it would burst.

Answer 4

sorry, i was going to answer this question if no-one else had... but the answers you've already given are confusing me.... I get the whole osmosis part, but the cell would die? i always thought that through the process of osmosis the cell would basically become a freshwater cell instead :S. Please explain?

Answer 5

It would die