Final answer:
The statement is TRUE because small cells have a higher surface area to volume ratio, which is important for efficient diffusion and exchange of materials necessary for survival. Larger cells have lower ratios, which can lead to inefficiencies in nutrient uptake and waste removal, potentially causing the cell to divide or die if the ratio is too low.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that most living cells are small in size because they need a large surface area to volume ratio is TRUE. Cells are small because a high surface area to volume ratio is crucial for efficient diffusion of substances in and out of the cell. As cells grow larger, the surface area increases by the square of its radius, but the volume increases by the cube of the radius. Therefore, larger cells have smaller surface area to volume ratios, which impedes efficient diffusion and exchange of materials necessary for cell survival.For example, prokaryotic cells, which are generally smaller, have a higher surface area to volume ratio compared to eukaryotic cells.
In cases where a cell’s volume is too large relative to its surface area, the cell can either divide to restore a favorable ratio, or in absence of such mechanisms, it may die. The large ratio supports a cell's need to absorb nutrients and expel waste efficiently through the cell membrane.Adaptations in eukaryotic cells, such as foldings of the cell membrane or development of specialized organelles, also aim to increase cell efficiency. These strategies effectively increase the surface area without a proportional increase in volume, thus maintaining a higher surface area to volume ratio necessary for proper cellular function.