Question

The following are structural differences between plant and animal cells:

a. Plant cells have a rigid cell wall, animal cells do not.
b. Both plant and animal cells have a nucleus,
c. The Elodea leaf tissue cells had green chloroplasts easily visible at 400X. No chloroplasts are present in animal cells.
d. All of the above are true.

Answer 1

The correct answer is 'd. All of the above are true', detailing that plant cells have a rigid cell wall and chloroplasts for photosynthesis, unlike animal cells, and both cell types have nuclei.

Step-by-step explanation:

Among the structural differences between plant and animal cells, several key distinctions stand out. The option 'd. All of the above are true' is the correct answer to the question at hand:

• Plant cells have a rigid cell wall made of cellulose which provides structure to the plant and facilitates growth upright. In contrast, animal cells do not possess a cell wall.
• Both plant and animal cells contain a nucleus, which acts as the command center of the cell.
• Unique to plant cells are chloroplasts, the organelles responsible for photosynthesis, allowing them to harness energy from sunlight. This is why many plant cells appear green, particularly when observed under a microscope at a 400X magnification as seen with Elodea leaf tissue cells. Animal cells lack chloroplasts.

In addition to these, other unique features in plant cells include plasmodesmata, large central vacuoles, and plastids used for storage, none of which are found in animal cells.