Biology 2008 JAMB Past Questions - Question 19: What will happen when two equal sized pieces of unripe pawpaw labelled X and Y are dropped into equal volumes of concentrated salt solution and distilled water respectively?

Correct Answer

C

Explanation

C Thecytoplasm and vacuoles of the pawrpaw cells have greater osmotic concentrationand therefore exert higher osmotic pressure on the surrounding distilled water.The pawpaw draws water from the distilled water across the semi permeablemembrane into the paw-paw cells.-The contents of the cells enlarge and thecells become turgid. Paw-paw 'Y' will lose water because the salt solution hashigher osmotic concentration and exerts higher osmotic pressure which drawswater from the paw-paw cells. The cells become plasmolysed or decreased insize.