# A student places a plant cell into a concentrated sugar solution. Describe what happens to the plant cell, using the terms turgid, flaccid, plasmolysis and partially permeable membrane in your answer.

> Cambridge International IGCSE Biology (0610) — 3.2 Osmosis · Describe · 4 marks

## Mark scheme (4 marks)

1. The solution is more concentrated than the cell contents, so water moves out of the cell by osmosis
2. Water moves from a region of higher water concentration (inside the cell) to a region of lower water concentration (the surrounding solution) across the partially permeable membrane
3. The cell loses water and becomes flaccid (the volume of the cell decreases / the cytoplasm shrinks)
4. If water continues to leave, plasmolysis occurs — the cytoplasm pulls away from the cell wall

## Key terms

- [partially permeable membrane](https://www.gradenine.co.uk/glossary/partially-permeable-membrane)
- [turgid](https://www.gradenine.co.uk/glossary/turgid)
- [flaccid](https://www.gradenine.co.uk/glossary/flaccid)
- [plasmolysis](https://www.gradenine.co.uk/glossary/plasmolysis)

## Related

- [Revision notes for Cambridge International IGCSE Biology (0610)](https://www.gradenine.co.uk/learn)
- [How to answer "Describe" questions](https://www.gradenine.co.uk/tools/command-word-cheatsheet)
- [Practice this with AI marking (free)](https://www.gradenine.co.uk/start)

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Source: [GradeNine](https://www.gradenine.co.uk/q/a-student-places-a-plant-cell-e51d41d3) · Published by Druglandscape Ltd.