Question #4142c
1 Answer
The amoeba would take on water from its surrounding to become isotonic with its surroundings.
Explanation:
The contents of the amoeba (ie. dissolved materials in the cytoplasm) compared to the cotnent of the surrounding environment (hypotonic solution) create a concentration gradient (the inside is high, the outside is low in concentration of solutes)
Solutes that can't cross the membrane via diffusion create osmotic potential , a force that drives water from the hypotonic solution into the hypotonic solution in order to achieve equilibrium (ie. isotonic ). This results in a constant influx of water into the amoeba, causing it to swell and eventually burst.
Many single-celled organisms avoid this by possessing a contractile vacuole (akin to baling out water from inside a leaky boat).
