Osmosis driven by water potential gradient in hypertonic solution

Steps:

• Concentrated sucrose solution has low water potential due to high solute concentration.
• Plant cell contents initially have higher water potential than the external solution.
• Water moves from high to low water potential, exiting the cell via osmosis.
• This causes cells to appear shrunken as water loss exceeds gain.

Why B is correct:

• Water potential gradient dictates osmosis: water flows from higher ψ (cell contents) to lower ψ (solution), resulting in net water outflow.

Why the others are wrong:

• A: Cell contents have higher, not lower, water potential than solution.
• C: "Membrane wall" is incorrect term; cell wall is non-permeable to water.
• D: Water does move out due to potential difference; no net movement is false.

Final answer: B