What organelle do plants have that functions in a similar way to a contractile vacuole and helps to prevent the cell from becoming destroyed in hypotonic environments? Explain how it works.

CELL WALL

Explanation:

Plants can prevent their cells from becoming destroyed when placed in hypotonic environment through the help of the rigid cell wall surrounding the cells.

Hypotonic solution is a solution of lower solute concentration that is they are rich in solvent molecules such as water. The rigid cell wall provides a form of pressure called tugor pressure as a result of the action of the pressure pushing against the cell wall from the swelling of the cell. For instance, when a plant cell is exposed to an hypotonic solution, water enters into the cells and the cell swells, instead of the cell exploding, the rigid cell wall prevents that from happening.

The rigid cell wall of plants consist of polysaccharides cellulose, pectins and other strong materials and these help the plant to withstand varying internal osmotic pressures from hypotonic environments.