The red blood cell appears to have swelled and burst, which is a clear indication that it was placed in a hypotonic solution. In a hypotonic solution, the concentration of solutes outside the cell is lower than that inside the cell. This difference in concentration causes water to move into the cell through osmosis. As water enters the cell, it causes the cell to swell. If the influx of water continues, the cell may eventually burst, a process known as lysis. Understanding the effects of different types of solutions on cells is crucial in biology, particularly in the study of osmosis and cell physiology.