Final answer:
Plant cells generally have a lower surface area to volume ratio than animal cells due to factors like the rigid cell wall, large central vacuole, and chloroplasts which all increase volume without adding much surface area, whereas animal cells are more flexible and do not contain these voluminous structures.
Step-by-step explanation:
In considering which type of cell might have a lower surface area to volume ratio, one must take into account the internal structures that differentiate plant cells from animal cells. Plant cells typically have a rigid cell wall, chloroplasts, and a large central vacuole, all contributing to a larger overall volume relative to their surface area. In contrast, animal cells lack a rigid cell wall and generally have a more flexible shape, allowing them to maintain a higher surface area to volume ratio. The metabolism occurs in the cytoplasm and relies on diffusion through the cell's surface, meaning a cell with a high surface area to volume ratio can more efficiently exchange nutrients and wastes with its environment.
The inclusion of a large central vacuole in plant cells significantly increases their volume without a proportional increase in surface area, leading to a lower surface area to volume ratio as compared to animal cells which do not have such large vacuoles. Moreover, plant cells have to maintain a rigid structure to support the plant's upright growth, which again, reduces their surface area relative to their volume. Therefore, based on the necessity of a cell to efficiently exchange materials with its environment, it can be inferred that animal cells would have a higher surface area to volume ratio than plant cells.