Question

True or false: Some protists, like Paramecium are able to move through a watery environment with thousands of short extensions on the cell called cilia.

Answer 1

Some protists, such as Paramecium, indeed move using thousands of tiny, hair-like structures called cilia. These cilia beat in coordinated patterns to propel the organism through its aquatic environment while also aiding in feeding and osmoregulation.

Step-by-step explanation:

True: Some protists, like Paramecium, utilize thousands of short extensions known as cilia to move through watery environments. The Paramecium species are part of a group of protists called ciliates that showcase structural complexity. These organisms possess numerous hair-like structures, the cilia, which they coordiante in a synchronous fashion to effectively facilitate locomotion and feeding.

This mode of movement is made possible through the rhythmic beating of their cilia, which are composed of microtubules, and cover their outer surface. The presence of an oral groove utilizes cilia to direct food into the cell, where digestion occus in specialized vacuoles. Moreover, contractile vacuoles are used to regulate water balance by expelling excess water from the cell, showcasing the intricate functions these cilia perform beyond mere propulsion.