AMSA Advanced Nursing 2 Practice Test

When a cell is placed in a hypertonic solution, the concentration of solutes outside the cell is higher than that inside the cell. As a result, water moves out of the cell in an attempt to balance the solute concentrations on both sides of the cell membrane. This process is driven by osmosis, where water flows from an area of lower solute concentration (inside the cell) to an area of higher solute concentration (outside the cell).

As water leaves the cell, it causes the cell to lose volume and ultimately shrink. This shrinkage can lead to significant changes in cell function and is a critical factor in cellular responses to different osmotic environments. The other options describe cellular behaviors that do not occur as a direct response to being in a hypertonic solution. Instead, the hypertonic environment primarily induces the loss of water and a reduction in cell size.