Question #e4471
1 Answer
Jun 13, 2017
The cell wall is not elastic, it is only able to extend slightly.
Explanation:
The living contents of a cell are contained inside the cell membrane. Most animal cells, if placed in distilled water will continue to absorb water and swell until they burst. However, the cellulose cell wall of plants acts as a more or less rigid container that stops the cell contents from expanding.
The result is, the cell contents 'push outwards' against the cell wall and the cell wall 'pushes inwards' giving a balance of the 2 forces. This state is called being turgid.
