Final answer:
Diffusion becomes less efficient as cell size increases due to a decrease in surface area-to-volume ratio, leading to a greater diffusion distance. Larger molecules also diffuse more slowly, further impacting diffusion efficiency in larger cells. Adaptations are required for large cells to maintain efficient transportation of materials. The correct option is b.
Step-by-step explanation:
How does increasing cell size affect the ability of diffusion to provide the materials required by the cell? Diffusion becomes less efficient as cell size increases (B). The essential factor in this process is the surface area-to-volume ratio, which declines as a cell grows. A larger surface area compared to the volume allows materials to diffuse more rapidly into and out of the cell, effectively meeting the needs of the cell's interior. However, as cells increase in size, their surface area does not expand proportionately to their volume. This mismatch between the surface area and the volume leads to a decrease in efficiency because the diffusion distance inside the cell becomes greater, slowing down the transfer of materials. Additionally, the diffusion rate for larger molecules is slower, so they will diffuse more slowly as cell size increases.
Considering the implications of this, large cells must adopt certain adaptations to cope with the transportation challenges—for example, having a more complex internal structure, such as membrane folds or organelles, to increase the surface area inside the cell or developing elongated shapes to minimize the diffusion distance.