Biology Topic 1

• What type of cells are plant and animal cells?

  Eukaryotic Cells
• What type of cell are bacterial cells?

  Prokaryotic Cells
• What type of cell is bigger, prokaryotic or eukaryotic?

  Eukaryotic cells
• What 3 components do all eukaryotic cells have?

  Cell membrane, cytoplasm and DNA stored in the nucleus
• What is the equation to calculate magnification?

  Magnification = observed image size/actual size
• What 5 organelles do most animal cells contain?

  A nucleus, cytoplasm, a cell membrane, mitochondria, ribosomes
• What extra organelles, aside from the animal organelles, do plant cells contain?

  Chloroplasts, a vacuole and a cell wall.
• What is the function of mitochondria?

  To release energy through respiration
• What is the function of ribosomes?

  To build proteins
• What is the function of the cell wall?

  To keep the structure and support a plant cell
• What is the function of the cell membrane?


  To control what enters and leaves a cell
• What is the function of chloroplasts?

  To make food through photosynthesis, and contains chlorophyll
• What is the function of the nucleus?

  To control the cell activities and stores DNA
• What is the function of the cytoplasm?

  The site of cellular reactions
• What is the function of the vacuole?

  Contains cell sap
• What is a specialised cell?

  A cell which has adapted unique features to perform its function(DIFFERENTIATION)
• What are sperm cells specialized for?

  Reproduction
• Why do sperm cells have a tail?

  To allow them to swim
• Why do sperm cells have mitochondria near their tail?

  To release energy quickly to the site of movement
• Why do sperm cells have an acrosome?

  It contains digestive enzymes to digest through

  the eggs' cell membrane
• Why do sperm cells have a streamlined shape?

  To help them swim efficiently
• What are nerve cells specialized for?

  Rapid Signalling
• Why do nerve cells have a long axon?

  To allow them to transmit an impulse quickly and to cover more distance
• What are muscle cells specialized for?

  Contraction
• Why do muscle cells have lots of mitochondria?

  To release lots of energy needed for them to contract
• Why do muscle cells line up in the same plane?

  To increase the force they can produce
• What are root hair cells specialized for?

  Absorbing water and minerals
• Why do root hair cells need a large surface area to volume ratio?

  To increase the amount of water and nutrients that can move into the cell
• Define osmosis


  The movement of water molecules from an area of high concentration to an area of low concentration across a partially permeable membrane.
• How does water move into a root hair cell?

  Via osmosis
• Why do root hair cells have a large vacuole

  To push mitochondria near to the cell membrane
• Why do root hair cells have lots of mitochondria


  Absorbing minerals through active transport requires energy.
• What are Ploem and Xylem cells specialized for?

  Transporting substances
• What adaptations do xylem cells have?

  A tube of dead cells connected end to end, strengthened by lignin.
• What is cell differentiation?


  The specialisation of a cell
• When do cells differentiate in animals?

  At an early stage in development
• When do cells differentiate in plants?

  Throughout their life
• What is the function of cell division in mature animals?


  Repair and replacement
• How have microscopes helped us to understand cells?


  They have allowed us to see inside in much more detail
• How is an electron microscope different to a light microscope?

  It has much higher magnification and resolution to see more detail inside a cell