What happens to a normal cell placed in a hyperosmotic solution?

In a hyperosmotic solution, the concentration of solutes outside the cell is higher than that inside the cell. This results in a lower water concentration outside compared to inside the cell. Water will move out of the cell in an attempt to equalize the solute concentration on both sides of the cell membrane. As water exits the cell, the cell will lose volume and therefore shrink in size.

While the answer suggests that the cell may vary in size depending on solute properties, the defining characteristics of a hyperosmotic environment dictate that the normal physiological response should be a shrinkage due to water moving out. Thus, a typical cell will consistently experience shrinking, regardless of specific solute properties, unless other factors interfere with this basic osmotic behavior.

Ultimately, cells in hyperosmotic solutions generally undergo shrinkage as they respond to the osmotic gradient, consistent with the fundamental principles of osmosis.