One of the following three things could happen : 1. if the medium surrounding the cell has a higher water concentration than the cell, meaning that outside solution is very dilute, the cell will gain water by osmosis such a solution is known as a hypotonic solution. Water molecules are free to pass across the cell membrane in both directions, but more water will come into the cell that will give the net (overall) result is that water enters. The cell is likely to swell up. 2.If the medium has exactly the same water concentration as the cell there will be no net movement of water across the cell membrane such solution is known as a isotonic solution. Water crossing the cell membrane in both direction but the amount going in is the same as the amount going out so there is no overall movement of water. The cell will stay the same size. 3.If the medium has a lower concentration of water than the cell, meaning that it is a very concentrated solution, the cell will lose water by osmosis such solution is known as hypertonic solution. Again water crosses the same membrane in both directions but this time more water leaves the cell than enter it. Therefore, the cell will shrink.