animal and plant cells Flashcards
What are two types of microscopes that can be used to see cells?
Light microscopes and electron microscopes
What does the nucleus do?
Controls the activities of the cell
What does the nucleus contain?
Chromosomes
What is the function of the chromosomes?
They carry the instructions for making the proteins needed to build new cells or new organisms
What is the cytoplasm?
A liquid gel in which most of the chemical reactions needed for life take place
What two things does the cell membrane do?
- controls the passage of substances such as glucose and mineral ions into the cell
- controls the movement of substances such as urea or hormones out of the cell
What are the biggest animal cells?
Eggs
What are the mitochondria?
These are structures in the cytoplasm where oxygen is used and most of the energy is released during respiration
What happens in the ribosomes?
Protein synthesis, which makes all the proteins needed in the cell
What does photosynthesis do for plants?
It enables them to make their own food
What additional features could a plant or algal cell have (compared to an animal cell)?
- cell wall (made of cellulose)
- chloroplasts (containing chlorophyll)
- permanent vacuole
What are algae?
Simple aquatic organisms, which make their own food and have many similar features to plant cells
What do all plant and algal cells have?
A cell wall made of cellulose
What does the cell wall in plant an algal cells do?
It strengthens the cell and gives is support
Where are chloroplasts found?
In the green parts of the plant
Why are parts of a plant green?
Because they contain the green substance chlorophyll
What does the chlorophyll in a plant do?
It absorbs light energy to make food by photosynthesis
Why do root cells not have chloroplasts?
Because they are underground and so do not photosynthesise
What is the permanent vacuole?
This is a space in the cytoplasm filled with cell sap
Why is the permanent vacuole important?
It keeps the cells rigid to support the plant
What features are in an animal cell?
- nucleus (with genes on chromosomes)
- cytoplasm
- cell membrane
- mitochondria
- ribosomes
What features are in a plant cell?
- nucleus (with genes on chromosomes)
- cytoplasm
- cell membrane
- mitochondria
- ribosomes
- cell wall (made of cellulose)
- [chloroplasts]
- chlorophyll
- permanent vacuole
What features are in an algal cell?
- nucleus (with genes on chromosomes)
- cytoplasm
- cell membrane
- mitochondria
- ribosomes
- cell wall (made of cellulose)
- chlorophyll
