Question

Which structure is responsible for maintaining the amount of water in amoeba?

• A. Contractile vacuole
• B. Food vacuole
• C. Cytoplasm
• D. Plasma membrane

Answer 1

Answer:

A. Contractile vacuole

• The structure responsible for maintaining the water balance (osmoregulation) in an amoeba is the contractile vacuole.

• Amoeba lives in freshwater environments where the concentration of solutes outside the cell is lower than inside (hypotonic environment). Due to osmosis, water constantly enters the amoeba's cytoplasm.

• The contractile vacuole is a specialized organelle that actively collects this excess water and periodically expels it from the cell.

• This process of pumping out water is crucial for osmoregulation, preventing the amoeba from swelling and bursting.