If placed in tap water, an animal cell will undergo lysis, whereas a plant cell will not. what accounts for this difference? if placed in tap water, an animal cell will undergo lysis, whereas a plant cell will not. what accounts for this difference? the expulsion of water by the plant cell's central vacuole the relative inelasticity and strength of the plant cell wall the relative impermeability of the plant cell wall to water the fact that plant cells are isotonic to tap water