Question

When 5% NaCl solution is used to mount red onion cells, what do you expect to see under a microscope? Also the phenomenon happening in the above cells is called as

Answer 1

In our small intestine, fatty acids and lipids are broken down and digested. The breaking down of fat globules into small droplets is called emulsification. This is catalysed by lipases, present in pancreas. Bile juice produced in liver comes from the hepatic duct into duodenum, and helps in emulsification of fats. Digestion of fats makes the absorption in small intestine cells, easier.

NaCl is basically salt solution. When the cells are kept in salt solution for a period of time, cells start to shrink as the water goes out of the cell from higher to lower concentrations, this phenomenon is known as osmosis. Thus condition becomes hypertonic( cell shrinkage). We also call it as plasmolysis.

Thus an experiment can be conducted to investigate qualitative effects of water and salt solution on onion cells.