Biochemistry question: What will happen if you put salt water plants in freshwater?

Question

Hello,

What will happen if you put salt water plants in freshwater? Will the plants die from the difference of the water concentrations? Please explain from a molecular level since this is a biochemistry essay question.

Thanks a lot!

Answer 1

Water goes where the salt is.

If you put salt water plants into fresh water, the cells will absorb water and explode.

Conversely, if you put  fresh water plants into salt water, the salt water will dehydrate the freshwater plants, sucking the water out of the interstitioal spaces, and the cells themselves.

Think about how adding salt to foods preserves them. It helps to dry the fluids in the jerky, dried fish, etc.

Answer 2

water test like chopsey