What will most likely happen to a person's cells if they receive distilled water via IV?

When a person receives distilled water via IV, the cells are likely to swell and potentially burst due to the principle of osmosis. Distilled water is hypotonic relative to the body's cells, meaning that it has a lower concentration of solutes compared to the interior of the cells.

As a result, water will move into the cells in an attempt to balance the concentration of solutes inside and outside the cell membranes. This influx of water causes the cells to swell as they take on more water. If enough water enters the cells, they can reach a point where the internal pressure exceeds their structural limits, leading to lysis, or bursting of the cells. This situation is particularly relevant for animal cells, which lack a rigid cell wall, making them more susceptible to the effects of hypotonic environments.

Therefore, the correct answer reflects the osmotic response of cells to an environment where the external solute concentration is significantly lower than that inside the cells.