Question:

When a fresh water protozoan possessing a contractile vacuole, is placed in a glass containing marine water, the vacuole will

Updated On: Oct 13, 2023

  • Disappear 

  • Increase in size 

  • Decrease in size

  • Increase in number

Hide Solution
collegedunia
Verified By Collegedunia

The Correct Option is A

Solution and Explanation

Freshwater protozoans thrive in hypotonic solutions, which means they live in environments where the external solution has a lower concentration of solutes than their internal protoplasm. To cope with the influx of excess water that enters their protoplasm through endosmosis, these protozoans develop contractile vacuoles. However, when these protozoans are introduced into marine water, which is hypertonic (meaning it has a higher solute concentration than their internal environment), they begin to lose water through the process of exosmosis. Consequently, as they lose water, the contractile vacuoles within the cells disappear.
Was this answer helpful?
0
0

Top Questions on Biomolecules

View More Questions

Questions Asked in NEET exam

View More Questions

Concepts Used:

Biomolecules

Biomolecules are the most essential organic molecules, which are involved in the maintenance and metabolic processes of living organisms. These non-living molecules are the actual foot-soldiers of the battle of sustenance of life.

There are four major classes of Biomolecules –  Carbohydrates, Proteins, Nucleic acids and Lipids.

  1. Carbohydrates are chemically defined as polyhydroxy aldehydes or ketones or compounds which produce them on hydrolysis.
  2. Proteins are another class of indispensable biomolecules, which make up around 50per cent of the cellular dry weight. Proteins are polymers of amino acids arranged in the form of polypeptide chains. The structure of proteins is classified as primary, secondary, tertiary and quaternary in some cases.
  3. Nucleic acids refer to the genetic material found in the cell that carries all the hereditary information from parents to progeny. There are two types of nucleic acids namely, deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and ribonucleic acid (RNA). The main function of nucleic acid is the transfer of genetic information and synthesis of proteins by processes known as translation and transcription.
  4. Lipids are organic substances that are insoluble in water, soluble in organic solvents, are related to fatty acids and are utilized by the living cell.