What happens to a cell when it is placed in a hypotonic solution?

Answer:

Water rushes into the cell causing the cell to get bigger and could potentially lyse (burst) if too much enters. There is more solute (salt/sugar...) on the inside of the cell than the inside, so the water has to compensate for the imbalance, so it moves in. Think of hypOtonic, the cell gets big like an "O".

First answer by ID2819171864. Last edit by Gmrfish. Contributor trust: 138 [recommend contributor recommended]. Question popularity: 6 [recommend question].