Final answer:
The prokaryotic cells grow more rapidly than eukaryotic cells due to their smaller size and simpler structure, allowing for faster nutrient exchange and waste disposal which contributes to quick replication cycles. Prokaryotes' higher surface-to-volume ratio and streamlined cellular processes without complex organelles also facilitate their faster growth rate.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question at hand is asking why the prokaryotic cell population has significantly grown larger than the eukaryotic population after 24 hours in an ideal growth environment. Prokaryotes tend to have a faster growth rate compared to eukaryotes. This rapid proliferation is primarily due to their smaller size and simpler structure which allows for quicker nutrient absorption and waste disposal, enabling fast replication cycles.
Prokaryotic cells are typically <0.1 to 5.0 µm in diameter which is considerably smaller than eukaryotic cells that range from 10 to 100 µm. Their smaller size gives prokaryotes a higher surface-to-volume ratio, facilitating fast diffusion of substances across the cell membrane. This is in contrast to eukaryotic cells that, due to their larger size, have developed more intricate mechanisms for intracellular transport, thus usually cannot replicate as rapidly as prokaryotes.
Additionally, the lack of complex organelles in prokaryotes streamlines cellular processes, allowing them to divide and multiply quickly with less energy expenditure compared to the more complex eukaryotic cells. Therefore, the significant growth in the prokaryote population can be attributed to a combination of their smaller size, higher surface-to-volume ratio, and streamlined cellular processes which all contribute to a faster growth rate.