Red blood cells placed in pure water will swell and burst. What process is causing this to happen?

A) Ions are diffusing across the plasma membrane and destabilizing the phospholipids.
B) Water is diffusing across the plasma membrane from a region of high (outside the cell) to low (inside the cell) "free" water concentration.
C) Water is diffusing across the plasma membrane from a region of low (outside the cell) to high (inside the cell) "free" water concentration.
D) Solutes are being drawn into the cell across the plasma membrane.
E) Water is being pulled into the cell by the cell's solutes.


Answer: B

Biology & Microbiology

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