The cell

• What is the basic unit of all living things?

  Cells
• What type of microscope is used to see very small parts of a cell?

  Scanning electron microscope (SEM)
• What is the purpose of microscopes?

  To magnify very small objects
• What is a key feature of the scanning electron microscope (SEM)?

  It allows great detail to be observed.
• What are the main components of cell structure?

  1. Nucleus
  2. Cytoplasm
  3. Cell Membrane
  4. Vacuoles
  5. Chloroplasts
  6. Cell Wall
  7. Mitochondria
  8. Ribosomes
• What are the main components of a typical light microscope?

  • Eyepiece
  • Revolving nosepiece
  • Arm
  • Objective lens
  • Diaphragm
  • Light stage
  • Coarse focus
  • Fine focus
• What does the nucleus contain?

  DNA
• What is the function of the nucleus?

  It controls the activities of the cell
• What is the role of cytoplasm in a cell?

  It allows cell reactions to take place
• What is the consistency of cytoplasm?


  Jelly-like
• What does the cell membrane do?

  It controls what enters and exits the cell
• What do vacuoles primarily contain?

  Mostly H₂O
• How do vacuoles differ in plant and animal cells?

  They are large in plant cells and small in animal cells
• What is the function of chloroplasts?


  To make food in plant cells
• What chemical do chloroplasts contain?

  Chlorophyll
• What is the function of the cell wall?

  To give extra strength and shape to plant cells
• What is the primary function of mitochondria?

  To provide energy
• What do ribosomes do?

  They make proteins
• What are the main differences between plant and animal cells?

  • Plant cells have a cell wall; animal cells do not.
  • Plant cells contain chloroplasts; animal cells do not.
  • Plant cells have a large vacuole; animal cells have a small vacuole (may be absent).
• How do cells organize into tissues and organs?

  • Cells of the same type group together to form a tissue (e.g., muscle cells form muscle tissue).
  • An organ contains two or more tissues that work together (e.g., muscle, blood, and nervous tissues form the heart).
  • A number of organs working together form a system (e.g., heart, blood, and vessels form the circulatory system).
• How do tissues and organs relate to each other in biological organization?

  Tissues group together to form organs, which work together in systems
• What is the highest level of organization in living organisms?

  A body or organism