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Multiple Choice
What is the primary function of contractile vacuoles in protists?
A
To facilitate cell division
B
To store nutrients for the cell
C
To expel excess water from the cell
D
To produce energy through photosynthesis
Verified step by step guidance
1
Understand that protists are a diverse group of eukaryotic microorganisms, and many of them live in aquatic environments.
Recognize that in such environments, water can enter the cell by osmosis, which is the movement of water across a semipermeable membrane from an area of lower solute concentration to an area of higher solute concentration.
Identify that the contractile vacuole is an organelle found in some protists that helps to regulate the water content within the cell.
Learn that the primary function of the contractile vacuole is to expel excess water that accumulates inside the cell, preventing the cell from bursting due to osmotic pressure.
Conclude that the contractile vacuole maintains osmotic balance and homeostasis within the protist cell by periodically contracting and expelling the excess water out of the cell.