The reason why plant cells and animal cells behave differently when place in fresh water
Biology
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The reason for the different behavior lies in the presence or absence of a cell wall.
Both plant and animal cells take in water by osmosis when placed in fresh water.
- Animal cells lack a cell wall. As water enters, the cell swells and the cell membrane cannot withstand the increasing internal pressure, causing the cell to burst (lyse).
- Plant cells have a rigid cell wall outside their cell membrane. This strong wall prevents the cell from bursting as water enters and the cell swells. Instead, the cell becomes turgid, with the cell membrane pushing against the cell wall.
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