Question

Two cells have the same volume but significantly different surface area values due to differences in their shapes. The cell with the greater surface area is likely to

a:take in nutrients more rapidly than the other cell

Scientists have two samples of cells from the same patient. They find the endoplasmic reticulum of the liver cells have more folds than the endoplasmic reticulum of the skin cells. Which of the following is the best explanation?
a:The greater number of folds allows for greater surface area for synthesizing lipids.

As a cell grows, its demand for nutrients increases. Which of the following best describes how the cell's ability to absorb nutrients through diffusion changes as it grows?
this answer is wrong: It increases because the cell now has more volume to store acquired nutrients.

The following table presents data on the extent of diffusion of iodine into cubes of potato over a period of five minutes:

Cube Volume (cm3) Percent of Total Cube Volume That Absorbed Iodine
0.25 75.2%
1 51.3%
4 21.2%

The potato cubes act as a representation of cells of different sizes. The iodine represents diffusion of nutrients into the cell. What does the data indicate about the relationship between cell volume and nutrient absorption?
a: The smallest cell was most successful at nutrient uptake.


Two cells are measured under a microscope, and their dimensions are used to calculate their surface area and volume. The cells are examined again after a period of growth, and their measurements are recorded in the table below. Which of the following best explains which cell will eliminate wastes via diffusion more quickly?
a: Cell B, since it now has a greater surface-area-to-volume ratio than Cell A

When a cell is placed in a hypertonic solution, the cell may shrink. If the cell decreases in size, its ability to eliminate wastes by diffusion would
answer is wrong: decrease because the cell would now have less waste needing to be disposed of


Which of the following would cause a decrease in the rate at which a bacterium is able to acquire nutrients from its surroundings through diffusion?
answer is wrong: Fission of the bacterium into two daughter cells

your welcome :)

Answer 1

Cells are so small that you need a microscope to examine them. Why?

To answer this question we have to understand that, in order to survive, cells must constantly interact with their surrounding environment.

Gases and food molecules dissolved in water must be absorbed and waste products must be eliminated. For most cells, this passage of all materials in and out of the cell must occur through the plasma membrane (see diagram above).

Each internal region of the cell has to be served by part of the cell surface. As a cell grows bigger, its internal volume enlarges and the cell membrane expands. Unfortunately, the volume increases more rapidly than does the surface area, and so the relative amount of surface area available to pass materials to a unit volume of the cell steadily decreases.

Finally, at some point, there is just enough surface available to service all the interior; if it is to survive, the cell must stop growing.

Surface Area to

Volume Ration The important point is that the surface area to the volume ratio gets smaller as the cell gets larger.

Thus, if the cell grows beyond a certain limit, not enough material will be able to cross the membrane fast enough to accommodate the increased cellular volume. When this happens, the cell must divide into smaller cells with favorable surface area/volume ratios, or cease to function.

Step-by-step explanation: