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Multiple Choice
What accounts for about 90% of a plant cell's expansion?
A
Additional organic material in a plant's cytoplasm
B
Mineral uptake by the roots
C
Additional organic material stored in vacuoles
D
Water stored in the nucleus
E
The uptake of water that is stored in a large central vacuole
Verified step by step guidance
1
Understand that plant cells have a large central vacuole, which plays a crucial role in cell expansion.
Recognize that the vacuole can store a significant amount of water, which contributes to the cell's turgor pressure.
Turgor pressure is the pressure of the cell contents against the cell wall, which helps maintain the cell's shape and supports the plant structure.
When a plant cell takes up water, the vacuole expands, causing the cell to enlarge. This process accounts for a significant portion of the plant cell's growth.
Therefore, the uptake of water stored in the large central vacuole is the primary factor accounting for about 90% of a plant cell's expansion.