Question

what happens to plant cells placed in a high salt (10%) solution? salt moves into the cells and they burst. water diffuses into the cells and they swell up. salt moves out of the cells and they shrink. water diffuses out of the cells and they shrink. nothing happens; the cells remain unchanged.

Explanation:

A 10% salt solution is hypertonic relative to plant cell cytoplasm. Water moves by osmosis from an area of lower solute concentration (inside the cell) to higher solute concentration (outside the cell). This causes the cell to lose water and shrink (plasmolysis). Salt movement is limited by the cell membrane, so water diffusion is the key process here.

Answer:

D. Water diffuses out of the cells and they shrink.