The physical process which occurs when a red blood cell is placed in distilled water causing it to burst and break down is known as

Answer Details

The physical process which occurs when a red blood cell is placed in distilled water causing it to burst and break down is known as haemolysis. Haemolysis occurs when red blood cells are placed in a hypotonic solution such as distilled water, which has a lower concentration of solutes than the cytoplasm of the cell. As a result, water moves into the cell causing it to swell and burst, leading to the breakdown of the cell and release of its contents into the surrounding fluid.