[Campbell Biology P.183] Why do limp celery stalks become crisp when placed in a glass of pu... | Practice Question
Why do limp celery stalks become crisp when placed in a glass of pure water?
A: The pure water is hypertonic to the celery cells, causing them to lose water and become rigid.
B: The pure water is hypotonic to the celery cells, causing water to enter the cells and exert turgor pressure against the cell walls.
C: The pure water is isotonic to the celery cells, leading to a stable water balance that makes them crisp.
D: The celery stalks absorb solutes from the pure water, which makes their cells swell and become crisp.
Explanation
Pure water is hypotonic compared to the solutes inside the celery cells. This causes water to move by osmosis from the pure water into the celery cells. As plant cells have rigid cell walls, they swell and the plasma membrane pushes against the cell wall, generating turgor pressure, which makes the celery crisp and firm.