Biology Weekly Exercise

G10 S1 PB – Cells
Name: _____________________________ Date: ______________________

Solve the following problems

1. Copy and complete the following table, which compares light microscopes with electron mcroscopes. Some boxes
have been filled in for you

Feature Light microscope Electron microscope

Source of radiation

Wavelength of radiation used

Maximum resolution

Lenses

Specimen

Stains

Image

2. Label diagrams of light microscope and electron microscope

Light Microscope Electron Microscope

3. Write the definiton of magnification and resolution !

Resolution is the ability to distinguish between two objects very close together; the higher the resolution of an image,
the greater the detail that can be seen.

Magnification is the number of times greater that an image is than the actual object;

magnification = image size ÷ actual (real) size of the object

4. Write the formula of magnification !
magnification = image size ÷ actual (real) size of the object

5. label diagrams of plant and animal cells as seen under an electron microscope.
- Plant cell

-
- Animal cell
6. Cell surface membrane is partially permeable membrane whereas cell wall is fully permeable. What does it mean?

A fully permeable membrane allows all substances to flow freely across the membrane. A partially permeable
membrane allows some substances to cross the membrane, but not others (allows a controlled trffic of materials
across it in both direction.

7. Distinguish plant cells and animal cells.

Plant Cell Animal Cell

Cell wall
Chloroplasts
Centrioles and Centrosome
Vacuole Large Small

8. Identify each cell structure or organelle from its description below

a. Control the cell’s activities (____________________________________)
b. These allow and control exchange between the nucleus and the cytoplasm
(____________________________________)
c. Contains ribosomes which make proteins ER folds the synthesized proteins chemical groups are added to the
proteins finished proteins are transported out of the cel some proteins to the Golgi body for more prep
(____________________________________)
d. It make lipids and steroids, such as cholesterol and the reproductive hormones oestrogen and testosterone
(____________________________________)
e. Collects, processes and sorts molecules (particularly proteins from the rough ER), ready for transport in Golgi
vesicles either to other parts of the cell or out of the cell (secretion). (____________________________________)
f. Responsible for the breakdown (digestion) of unwanted of structures such as old organelles or even whole cells, as
a mammary glands after lactation (breast feeding) (____________________________________)
g. Responsible for aerobic respiration, synthesis of lipids (____________________________________)
h. The membrane is partially and controls exchange between the cell and its environment
(____________________________________)
i. Gives the cell a definite shape. It prevents the cell from bursting when water enters by osmosis, allowing large
pressures to develop inside the cell (____________________________________)
j. Increase the surface area of the cell surface membrane (____________________________________)
k. The assemby of microtubules from tubulin molecule (____________________________________)
l. They make up the cytoskeleton, an essential structural component of cells which helps to determine cell shape
(____________________________________)
m. They acted as MTOCs for the assembly of the microtubules that make up the spindle during nuclear division
(____________________________________)
n. Found in the centrosome, organize the microtubules t form spindle fibers that pull the chromosomes to the
opposite ends for cytokinesis to occur (____________________________________)
o. To carry out photosynthesis (____________________________________)
9. Label diagrams of bacterium and virus
Bacterium Virus

10. List :
a. Organelles each lacking a boundary membrane

b. Organelles each bounded by a single membrane

c. Organelles each bounded by two membranes

11. Calculate the actual size of the cell

12. If the drawing of the cell in Figure number 11 has image size 10000 µm. Calculate the magnification !
13. Calculate the magnification of the drawing of the animal cell in figure 1.4 on page 3

14. Write the definition of eukaryotes and prokaryotes?

- Organisms whose cells possess nuclei are called eukaryotes
- Organisms that lack nuclei are called prokaryotes

15. Why all viruses are parasitic? (Viruses range in size from 20 – 300 nm)
All viruses are parasitic because they can only reproduce by infecting and taking over living cells. The virus DNA or RNA
takes over the protein synthesising machinery of the host cell, which then helps to make new virus particles.

16. Identify A comparison of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells from its description below
1. Average diameter of cell in 0.5 – 5 µm Cells commonly uo to 40 µm diameter and commonly 1000
(Prokaryotes/Eukaryotes) – 10 000 times the volume of prokaryotic cells
(Prokaryotes/Eukaryotes)
2. DNA is not circular and is contained in a nucleus DNA is circular and lies free in the cytoplasm
– the nucleus is surrounded by an envelope of (Prokaryotes/Eukaryotes)
two membranes (Prokaryotes/Eukaryotes)
3. DNA is naked DNA is associated with protein, forming structures called
(Prokaryotes/Eukaryotes) chromosomes
(Prokaryotes/Eukaryotes)
4. Slightly smalles (70S) ribosomes (about 20 nm Slightly larger (80S) tibosomes (about 25 nm diameter) than
diameter) than those of eukaryotes those of prokaryotes
(Prokaryotes/Eukaryotes) (Prokaryotes/Eukaryotes)
5. ER present, to which ribosomes may be attached no ER present (Prokaryotes/Eukaryotes)
(Prokaryotes/Eukaryotes)
6. Very few cell organelles – no separate Many types of cell organelle present (extensive
membrane-bound compartments unless formed compartmentalisation and division labout):
by infolding of the cell surface membrane - Some organelles are bounded by a singe
(Prokaryotes/Eukaryotes) membrane, e. g. Lysosomes, golgi body, vcuoles
- Some are bounded by two membranes (an
envelope), e.g. nucleus, mitochondrion,
chloroplast
- Some have no membrane, e.g. ribosomes,
centrioles, microtubules
(Prokaryotes/Eukaryotes)
7. Cell wall sometimes present, e.g. in plants and Cell wall present, wall contains murein, a peptidoglycan (a
fungi – contains cellulose or lignn in plants, and polysaccharide combined with amino acids
chitin (a nitrogen-containing polysaccharide (Prokaryotes/Eukaryotes)
similar to cellulose) in fungi
(Prokaryotes/Eukaryotes)

17. What are examples of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells?

Examples of prokaryotes are bacteria and archaea. 
Examples of eukaryotes are protists, fungi, plants, and animals 
18. Name the structures in a plant cell and animal cell which can be seen with the electron microscope but not with the
light microscope
(Compare figure on number 5 *plant cell and animal cell with electron microscope* and 18)

Plant cell with light microscope Animal Cell with light microscope

- Plant cell : plasmodesma, cell sap in vacuole, smooth ER, ribosomes, nuclear pore, rough ER, microtubule,
envelope, golgi vesicle, envelope around chloroplast

- Animal cell : centrosome with two centrioles close to the nucleus and at right angles to each other, lysosome,
rough endoplasmic reticulum, nuclear pore, smooth ER, ribosomes, microtubules radiating from centrosome, golgi
vesicle, microvilli
Cell Structure :
 Nucleus : largest cell organelle, surrounded by two membrane as the nuclear envelope
 Rough ER : covered with mny tiny organelles called ribosomes
 Smooth ER : lacks ribosomes
 Golgi body : stack of flattened sacs. The stack is constantly being formed at one end from vesicles which bud off from
the ER, and broken down again at the other end to form Golgi vesicles. The stack of sacs together with the associated
vesicles is referred to as the Golgi apparatus or Golgi complex.
 Lysosomes : spherical sacs, surrounded by a single membrane and having no internal structure. Size = 0.1-0.5 μm.
They contain digestive (hydrolytic) enzymes
 Mitochondrian : 1 μm in diameter and can be various shapes, often sausage-shaped as in Figure. They are
surrounded by two membranes (an envelope). The inner of these is folded to form finger-like cristae which project into
the interior solution, or matrix. The space between the two membranes is called the intermembrane space.
 Cell surface membrane : 7 nm, have three layers (trilaminar appearance).
 Microvilli : finger-like extensions of the cell surface membrane, typical of certain epithelial cells (cells covering
surfaces of structures)
 Microtubules : long, rigid, hollow tubes found in the cytoplasm. diameter : 25 nm. Together with actin filaments and
intermediate filaments. Made of protein called tubulin
 Centrioles : hollow cylinder about 500 nm long, formed from a ring of short microtubules, contains nine triplets of
microtubules.
 Chloroplast : have an elongated shape, diameter : 3 to 10 μm, surrounded by two membranes, forming the chloroplast
envelope
 nucleolus: which is made of loops of DNA from several chromosomes
 Cytoplasm : Cytoplasm is an aqueous (watery) material, varying from a fluid to a jelly-like consistency. Many small
structures can be seen within it. These have been likened to small organs and hence are known as organelles.
 Vacuole : Vacuoles help to regulate the osmotic properties of cells (the flow of water inwards and outwards) as well as
having a wide range of other functions.
 Grains and grana :These are the parts of the chloroplast that contain chlorophyll, the green pigment which absorbs
light during the process of photosynthesis, the main function of chloroplasts.