Q106 · UPPSC Prelims 2021 · Set D · General Studies

← Q105 Q107 →

After cutting cucumber if salt is added, then water comes out due to

A Active transport
B Passive transport
C Osmosis
D Diffusion

Correct answer: (c) Osmosis

Explanation

  1. A

    Active transport

    Active transport moves solutes against a gradient using metabolic energy (ATP). Water leaving salted cucumber slices is not an ATP-driven pump of water. Calling it active transport mislabels a passive water movement.

  2. B

    Passive transport

    Passive transport is a broad class (diffusion, facilitated diffusion, osmosis) without ATP. The question asks the specific process when salt draws water from cucumber cells. Osmosis is the precise name; ‘passive transport’ is too generic for this key.

  3. C

    Osmosis

    (c) Official key: Salt outside the cut cucumber raises external solute concentration, so water moves out of cells across membranes from higher water potential to lower — osmosis. That is why slices weep liquid. Among active transport, passive transport, osmosis and diffusion, the keyed process is osmosis.

  4. D

    Diffusion

    Diffusion is net movement of a substance down its own concentration gradient. Water movement through a selectively permeable membrane under a solute gradient is specially termed osmosis. Diffusion is related but not the keyed name here.

Summary. Official key is (c). Adding salt to cut cucumber creates a hypertonic exterior; water leaves the tissue by osmosis. Active transport would need energy and is the wrong class; ‘passive transport’ and ‘diffusion’ are related but not the specific textbook name. The process to mark is osmosis.

Same topic · past papers

UPPSC has asked this before

These previous-year questions sit on the same topic. Open one to practise the earlier ask.

  1. 2025 · Q123 · UPPGS

    Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana comes under which of the following? 1. Ministry of Corporate Affairs 2. Ministry of Rural Development 3. Ministry of Finance Select the correct answer from the code given below:

    View answer →

PDF