Question:

Given below are two statements
Statement I: Cell sap and water, both are permeable to cell membrane
Statement II: Cell sap and water, both are impermeable to cell membrane
In light of the above statements, choose the most appropriate answer from the options given below

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The plasma membrane is selectively permeable: it is highly permeable to water (the solvent) but regulates the passage of dissolved solutes (the components of cell sap).
  • Both Statement I and Statement II are correct
  • Both Statement I and Statement II are incorrect
  • Statement I is correct but Statement II is incorrect
  • Statement I is incorrect but Statement II is correct
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The Correct Option is B

Solution and Explanation

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
The plasma membrane is a lipid bilayer that acts as a selectively permeable barrier between the cell's interior and the external environment.
This selective permeability allows cells to regulate the passage of substances, maintaining homeostatic equilibrium.

Step 2: Detailed Explanation:

Let us evaluate the permeability of water and cell sap solutes:
1. Permeability of Water: Water is a small, polar molecule that can pass freely through the plasma membrane via simple diffusion or facilitated diffusion through specialized protein channels called aquaporins.
Therefore, the cell membrane is highly permeable to water.
2. Permeability of Cell Sap: Cell sap is a complex aqueous solution located within the vacuole or cytoplasm, containing dissolved sugars, amino acids, mineral salts, and metabolic wastes.
The plasma membrane is selectively permeable to these solutes.
It restricts the free diffusion of large, polar molecules and charged ions, requiring specialized transport proteins (such as carriers, channels, or pumps) to facilitate their passage.
Because the cell membrane is selectively permeable, it is neither freely permeable to all components of the cell sap (which would lead to solute loss) nor completely impermeable to water and necessary solutes.
Therefore, Statement I (stating both are fully permeable) and Statement II (stating both are completely impermeable) are biologically incorrect.

Step 3: Final Answer:

Both Statement I and Statement II are incorrect.
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