Why are cells so small?

Goal: Explain why cells are microscopically small using the surface area to volume ratio.

Background: Each lab table has a tray with 3 different size agar cubes that will represent cells of different
sizes. Agar is simply a Jell-O like substance that dissolves in water when heated up and solidifies when it cools
back down (we will use a nutrient agar to culture bacteria in lab 6).

These particular agar cubes also had some phenolphthalein mixed in while they still liquid. Phenolphthalein is
an indicator chemical that detects the presence of acids and bases (chemical is a clear color in acidic / neutral
pH and pink in basic pH).

The different agar cubes have already been pre-soaked in a dilute base solution (0.1 M sodium hydroxide or
NaOH). Thus, the cubes should be fully pink inside (the base has already diffused into all parts of the cube).
Your group will eventually place these pink cubes into an acidic solution (0.1 M hydrochloric acid or HCl). As
the acid diffuses in, it will neutralize the base and turn that part of the cube clear again.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=163&v=7zds4RfBx9M&feature=emb_title
Look at the video and answer the question:

Discussion:
1) Which of the cubes showed the most diffusion throughout its “cell”? Explain your results.
The smallest cube showed the most diffusion throughout its cell because it turned clear the fastest. The
indicators are already pink since they indicate a basic solution, and they should turn clear in the acidic solution.
Diffusion occurs that allows the acidic solution to turn clear, and the cube that turned clear faster would have
the faster diffusion.

2) What cell structure does the surface area of the agar cube represent in this modeling activity (hint: it is letting
the HCl “nutrients” in, every cell has this structure)? What does the volume inside the cube broadly represent?
Explain two advantages to having membrane bound organelle structure.
The surface area represents the cellular membrane, and the volume represents the things inside the cell. Having
membrane bound organelle structures would increase the surface area of the cell and increase diffusion rates
because the membranes of the organelle increase surface area and surface area increases diffusion rates.
Membrane bound organelle structures also regulate what comes in and out of the organelle and cell because the
membranes are selective and can control what enters and leaves.

3) Explain why cells are microscopically small in general.

In general, cells are microscopically small to maintain the surface area to volume ratio. Increasing the size of
cells would increase the volume while the surface area does not increase much, causing the cell to be inefficient
and slow in diffusion. In order to maintain metabolism, cells are small in size to match the volume to the surface
area so the cells are effective.
4) There are two ways to maximize the SA / V ratio – either ___increase___ surface area, and / or
____decrease____ volume. What would be the ideal shape for a large cell and as efficient as possible?
The large cell would need to be thin to be as efficient as possible.