Question

What does a surface area/volume ratio of 3:1 mean for a cell’s ability to get materials across its membrane, compared to the cell with a ratio of 6:1?

Answer 1

That ratio means SURFACE AREA to VOLUME of the cell. Surface area pertains to the area outside/around the cell and volume is the amount of space inside. Cells need to be small, meaning ratio of 3:1, in order for them to easily diffuse substances in and out of the cell. As a cell grows, diffusion becomes less efficient since there is more membrane to penetrate. As the cell diffusion becomes less efficient, resulting in cell processes slowing down, the cell will then stop growing. It needs to divide into two smaller cells in order to have a larger surface area to volume ratio, in order to diffuse substances efficiently again. P.S. It's just how I understand it. :)

Answer 2

As compared to 6:1, the SV ratio is lower for cell with ration 3:1 and hence more will be the crossing of material across 6: 1 cell

Step-by-step explanation:

Cell with surface area/volume ratio of 3:1 has lower permeability or "ability to get materials across membrane" as compared to cell with surface area/volume ratio of 6:1 . The smaller the SV ratio, the smaller will be the surface area of the cell that allow absorption and transmittance of substance across a membrane and hence the permeability will be smaller for 3:1 S V cell.