Multiple choice

When the concentration of solutes is high in a solution or medium, the bacteria or fungi entering the medium is destroyed by a process called ______.

  1. symbiosis

  2. autolysis

  3. plasmolysis

  4. electrolysis

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

When microbes are placed in a high-solute (hypertonic) environment, water moves out of their cells via osmosis. This causes the cell membrane to shrink away from the cell wall, a process known as plasmolysis. This dehydration effectively inhibits growth or destroys the bacteria and fungi.