Figure 5 shows some onion cells that have been soaked in a concentrated salt solution - Edexcel - GCSE Biology - Question 4 - 2022 - Paper 1
Question 4
Figure 5 shows some onion cells that have been soaked in a concentrated salt solution.
(i) The cells in Figure 5 have been stained.
Give one reason why the cells ha... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:Figure 5 shows some onion cells that have been soaked in a concentrated salt solution - Edexcel - GCSE Biology - Question 4 - 2022 - Paper 1
Step 1
The cells in Figure 5 have been stained.
Give one reason why the cells have been stained.
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Answer
One reason the cells have been stained is to make the cell components, such as the nucleus or cytoplasm, more visible under the microscope.
Step 2
Which is the name of the structure labelled V?
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Answer
The structure labelled V is the vacuole.
Step 3
Explain why the cytoplasm shrinks away from the sides of the cell when the cells are in salt solution.
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Answer
When the onion cells are placed in a concentrated salt solution, osmosis occurs. The water inside the cytoplasm moves out of the cell to the area of higher solute concentration (salt solution) outside the cell. This leads to a decrease in volume of the cytoplasm, causing it to shrink away from the cell wall.