How would you describe the swelling of a piece of wood when placed in water?

Step-by-step solution

The swelling of a piece of wood when placed in water is an example of temporary swelling. It isn't growth or permanent increase in size as it can shrink back to the original size after removing it from water.Generally, growth is accompanied by metabolic processes (both anabolic and catabolic), that occur at the expense of energy. Growth can be defined as an irreversible permanent increase in size of an organ or its parts or even of an individual cell.