Biology - Cells Flashcards
What are the characteristics of a light microscope?
- Can magnify objects of up to 1000X
- Colour images
- 2D
- Ultrastructure of cells not shown
What are the characteristics of an electron microscope?
- Uses an electron beam instead of light
- Magnifying power up to 200 000X
- Reveals the ultrastructure of cells
- Colourless
- 3D
Define the term ‘magnification’.
Magnification refers to the number of times the image of an object is larger than the actual size.
What is the formula and unit for magnification?
Magnification = Image Size/Actual Size
The same unit has to be used for the size of image and size of specimen.
Size of image should be converted to micrometer (μm): 1mm = 1000μm
What is a cell and what does it consist of?
A cell is the building block of an organism. It consists of nucleic acids, proteins, carbohydrates and lipids.
What do all eukaryotic cells consist of?
All eukaryotic cells have a plasma membrane, cytoplasm, and nucleus.
Two major types of cells
Prokaryotes and Eukaryotes
What are the characteristics of a prokaryotic cell?
- Smaller than eukaryotic cells
- Simpler internal structure
- Lack membrane-bound organelles
- Bacteria are all prokaryotic cells
What is the structure of a bacterial cell?
- Single circular DNA as genetic material
- Has a cell wall, ribosomes, small circular DNA molecules (plasmids), flagellum
- Some are pathogenic (disease-causing)
What is the structure and characteristics of a virus (NOT A/MADE OF A CELL)?
- Protein coat and genetic material inside
- Living and non-living
- Does not grow, move, feed, respire or excrete
- Reproduces only in a host as the host contains enzymes and organelles like ribosomes for reproduction
Characteristics of eukaryotes
- Occur in organisms e.g. algae, fungi, plants, animals
- Generally much larger than prokaryotes
- Contain a distinct nucleus, cytoplasm and plasma membrane
- Compartmentalised internal cell structure and many membrane-bound organelles
What are the characteristics of a plasma membrane?
- Forms a physical boundary (separates) between the cytoplasm and the physical environment
- Selectively permeable
- The CELL MEMBRANE encloses some organelles in eukaryotes e.g. nucleus, mitochondria, Golgi apparatus
Define ‘selectively permeable’ and ‘partially permeable’.
Selectively permeable: Able to regulate the movement of substances according to the needs of the cell (e.g. plasma membrane)
Partially permeable: Only allows smaller molecules to pass through but excludes larger molecules. (e.g. Visking tubing)
What are the characteristics of a cell wall?
- Encloses the whole cell including plasma membrane
- Made of cellulose
- Protects cell and gives it a fixed shape
- Fully permeable
- Absent in animal cells
What are the characteristics of cytoplasm?
- In a eukaryotic cell, it is the site where most cellular reaction occurs
- An aqueous medium that contains dissolved substances and enzymes
- Contains many organelles