The initial response of the root cells of a tomato plant watered with seawater would be to
A)rapidly produce organic solutes in the cytoplasm.
B)rapidly expand until the cells burst.
C)begin to plasmolyze as water is lost.
D)actively transport water from the cytoplasm into the vacuole.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Seawater has a higher solute concentration than the cytoplasm of root cells, leading to water loss from the cells to the external environment in an attempt to reach osmotic equilibrium. This process results in plasmolysis, where the cell membrane pulls away from the cell wall due to water loss.

The Initial Response of the Root Cells of a Tomato