Transcript
Pre-Lab Questions
What are the functional requirements of life?
Using Table 1, identify the major similarities and differences between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells.
Where is DNA housed in a prokaryotic cell? Where is it housed in a eukaryotic cell?
Compare and contrast the role of secretory vesicles, the lysosome, and the peroxisome.
Identify three structures that provide support and protection in a eukaryotic cell.
Experiment 1: Cell Structure And Function
Post-Lab Questions
Identify A and B in the slide image below.
Onion root tip, 1000x.
A: Chromosomes
B: Nucleus
What components of the eukaryotic cell were visible in the onion root tip? Which components were not? Why do you think some components were more visible than others?
The components that are visible are chromosomes, cytoplasm, nucleus, and cell walls. The invisible components are ribosomes, golgi apparatus, lysosomes, vacuoles, mitochondria, chloroplasts, centrioles, vacuoles, cytoskeleton, and endoplasimic recticulum. Some components are more visible because they are darker therefore easier to see.
In this experiment, you observed onion root tip cells. What structure could be observed in these cells that would not be observed in a human cell?
Chloroplasts and cell wall
Would an animal cell be able to survive without mitochondria? Why or why not?
No, it wouldn’t be able to survive because the Mitochondria stores ATP for energy. The cells would not work without the ATP and the body would die.
Experiment 2: Exploring Cell Size
Data Tables
Table 2: Results From Surface Area-To-Volume Experiment
Block Dimensions
Surface Area (cm2)
Volume (cm3)
Time Required for Complete Color Change
Distance of Diffusion
1 cm × 1 cm × 1 cm
1 cm × 2 cm × 2 cm
1 cm × 1 cm × 6 cm
Post-Lab Questions
How did the surface area affect diffusion from the block? What about volume? What about the surface area-to-volume ratio?
Which factor had the greatest effect on diffusion from the block?
How does this experiment demonstrate the need for cells to maintain a smaller size?
Determine the surface area, volume, and surface area-to-volume ratio for the three blocks below. Then, state which block would be the most ideal cellular morphology. Why?
