A pupil accidentally "watered" a potted plant with concentrated salt solution after sometime the plant began to wilt. The wilting of the plant is due to the...

A pupil accidentally "watered" a potted plant with concentrated salt solution after sometime the plant began to wilt.

Answer Details

The wilting of the plant is due to the fact that the salt solution has caused water loss from the plant cell, leading to the loss of turgor. Normally, water moves from a region of high concentration to a region of low concentration, which is the plant cell. However, the concentrated salt solution has a higher concentration than the plant cell, causing water to move out of the cell, resulting in the loss of turgor pressure. When the plant loses turgor, the leaves and stem begin to wilt. The high concentration of salt in the soil can also lead to the death of the root hairs, which are responsible for absorbing water and minerals from the soil.