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Understanding Cell Size: Surface Area to Volume Ratio in Cells

Explore why most cells are microscopic, how surface area and volume affect cell function, and the limitations of cell size. Learn about the advantages of being small and the implications for cell growth and specialization in multicellular organisms.

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Understanding Cell Size: Surface Area to Volume Ratio in Cells

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  1. LEQ: Why are most cells microscopic? • Reading: 5.1, 5.5 • Activator – identify small everyday objects in your life. What are the advantages to being small? Why are these things small? Record the thoughts of your group in your journal. • Key terms: surface area, volume

  2. UNIT CONCEPT Cells have distinct phases of growth, reproduction, and the potential for specialization in multicellular organisms.

  3. Cells need surface area to acquire resources for chemical reactions • Diffusion depends on surface area and volume • How do cells acquire more surface area? • compartments (volume) for chemical reactions? • ,

  4. Volume increases faster than surface area. Limitations: • concentration is inversely related to volume • Surface area to volume ratio

  5. Surface area increases while total volume remains constant 5 1 1 Total surface area [Sum of the surface areas (height  width) of all boxes sides  number of boxes] 150 750 6 Total volume [height  width  length  number of boxes] 1 125 125 Surface-to-volume (S-to-V) ratio [surface area ÷ volume] 6 1.2 6

  6. Simple cells can only perform so many different reactions efficiently

  7. Summary: • Which has a larger surface are to volume ratio – a tennis ball or a soccer ball? Explain your answer. • What limits the maximum size of a cell? Some single celled organisms have been found to consist of cells over 4 mm long. Speculate – what sorts of adaptations should biologists look for to explain how they maintain homeostasis?

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