Question

Question #0db0e

Answer 1

The cells either expand and burst or shrink, depending on the concentration of the solution

Explanation:

Take red blood cells as an example: the concentration of solutes is about 300 mOsmols within the cell. Should this cell be placed in a solution with <300 mOsmol solutes, say 100 mOsmol, water will move into the cell. As animal cells have no cell walls, and the membranes just aren't strong enough, the cell bursts because of the large amount of water that enter the cell.
Should the cell be placed in a solution with >300 mOsmol of solutes, water will move out of the cell, causing the cell to shrink, and sometimes show "spikes" caused by the membrane hanging on the cytoskeleton.