Bacteria Living in a Freshwater Stream That are Transferred to Ocean

Question

Bacteria living in a freshwater stream that are transferred to ocean water would _______.
A) become dehydrated due to the loss of water
B) gain water
C) be in an isotonic solution
D) be in a hypotonic solution

Accepted Answer

Bacteria transferred from a freshwater stream to ocean water would become dehydrated due to the loss of water. This is because ocean water is hypertonic relative to the cytoplasm of freshwater bacteria, leading to water moving out of the bacteria to the saltier environment, causing dehydration.