Unit Study Guide: Cells
GHS Science
Honors Biology
UNDERSTANDINGS:
A. Scientists use the scientific method to develop a
hypothesis and design a controlled experiment to test
that hypothesis.
B. Living things depend on the structure and activities that
occur inside cells.
STUDENTS WILL KNOW:
A. How to use the scientific method to identify and
investigate complex problems.
B. The cell theory
C. The differences between prokaryotic & eukaryotic cells.
D. The differences between plant, animal & bacterial cells.
E. Identify & describe the role of the following organelles:
a. Energy Production: mitochondria & chloroplasts
b. Waste Disposal: Lysosomes
c. Synthesis of New Molecules: Golgi Apparatus,
Endoplasmic Reticulum, Ribosomes
d. Storage of genetic material: Nucleus
F. Semi-permeable cell membranes are responsible for
materials moving into and out of the cells. These
processes include: passive and active transport, and
endocytosis and exocytosis.
G. Cells in multicellular organisms specialize to form
different tissues and organs. Examples include: nerve,
red blood cell, muscle, gland and gametes.
H. How the processes of osmosis and diffusion help a cell
maintain balance
I. How to use a compound microscope to identify
microscopic specimens and calculate total
magnification.
Unit 2: Chapters 4 and 5
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS:
1. What are the fundamental differences between
eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells?
2. What are the fundamental differences between
plant and animal cells?
3. How do cell structures relate to the survival of the
cell and to the survival of living things?
4. How do cells sense and respond to their
environment?
STUDENTS WILL BE ABLE TO:
1. Analyze experimental data to evaluate the validity of
a hypothesis.
2. Accurately graph data to reflect the relationship
between independent and dependent variable(s).
3. Explain the key understandings of the cell theory.
4. Distinguish between major categories of cells (i.e.
plant vs. animal cells, eukaryotic vs. prokaryotic
cells, etc.).
5. Describe the interdependency of organelles within a
cell, and their cooperative functions to maintain
homeostasis.
6. Use a compound light microscope to identify
microscopic specimens and calculate total
magnification.
7. Describe how materials crucial to the cell enter and
leave the cell, and explain why this process is
important.
8. Distinguish between different types of cells within a
human.
9. Predict how different environments will affect the
size and shape of cells.
UNIT VOCABULARY
Eukaryotic Cell
Prokaryotic Cell
Cell (Plasma) Membrane
Phospholipid
Hydrophobic
Hydrophilic
Cell Wall
Central Vacuole
Chloroplast
Mitochondrion
Nucleus
Organelle
Ribosome
Cytoplasm
Osmosis
Diffusion
Facilitated Diffusion
Semi-permeable
Fluid Mosaic Model
Endocytosis
Exocytosis
Passive Transport
Active Transport
Isotonic
Hypertonic
Hypotonic
Homeostasis or Equilibrium
Unit Study Guide Questions: Cells
1. Use the provided word bank to label the following diagram of a bacterium to identify its key structural
components. (see page 55)
WORD BANK:
DNA / nucleoid region
Cell Wall
Pili / fimbriae
Flagella
2. Compare and contrast: prokaryotic cells versus eukaryotic cells. Define each term, identify examples of each, and
describe 3 differences between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells. (see pages 55 – 57)
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3. Identify and describe 4 features found in ALL cells, and therefore common to both prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells.
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4. Compare and contrast plant cells versus animal cells. Identify examples of each, and describe 3 similarities AND 3
differences between plant and animal cells. (see pages 56-57)
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5. Write each word or phrase from word bank below within the Venn diagram to show whether the characteristic
belongs to one, two, or all three cell types. (see pages 55-69)
WORD BANK: cell (plasma) membrane
membrane-bound organelles
eukaryotic cell
cell wall
chloroplast
prokaryotic cell
mitochondria
ribosome
has DNA
nucleus
cytoplasm
central vacuole
Plant cell
Bacterial
cell
Animal cell
6. Label the pictures below to identify each as a plant cell or animal cell. Then, explain HOW you can tell. (see pgs 56-57)
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7. Using the WORD BANK, identify the structural and functional components of the typical animal cell below.
NOTE: Not all terms will be used!!! (see page 56 and your Cells Alive WebQuest).
WORD BANK:
Plasma Membrane
Cell wall
Central vacuole
Centriole
Chloroplast
Cytoskeleton
Golgi apparatus
Lysosome
Mitochondrion
Nucleolus
Nucleus
Ribosomes
Rough ER
Smooth ER
Peroxisome
PLANT CELL
8. Explain what is meant by saying that the plasma (cell) membrane is “selectively permeable” and evaluate HOW the
characteristic of selective permeability is essential to the function of the plasma membrane. (see pages 74-79)
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9. Explain what is meant by describing the plasma membrane as a “fluid mosaic”. (see page 74)
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10. Using the word bank, label the figure below to identify the basic structure of the plasma membrane. (see pages 41,
54, and 75)
WORD BANK:
fatty acid tail
lipid bilayer
hydrophilic
phosphate group
hydrophobic
phospholipid
The ___________________________
is _____________________________
The ___________________________
is _____________________________
11. a) Describe TWO characteristics of a molecule that determine whether it can or cannot diffuse through the plasma
membrane (see your Diffusion of Dyes Through a Membrane lab).
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b) List specific examples of molecules that can and cannot diffuse through the plasma membrane.
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12. Predict the effect on a cell of being placed in a hypertonic, isotonic, or hypotonic solution (see pages 76-77 and your
Osmosis Lab)
a. Read the descriptions for the solutions in each of three containers below.
b. On the provided blank line, write whether the solution is hypertonic,
isotonic, or hypotonic.
c. Draw what a human red blood cell, shown to the right, will look like after
it is placed in each of the three containers with solutions shown below.
Your drawings should show how cell size and shape would change
(swell/lyse, shrivel, or remain the same).
d. Add arrows to each of your drawings below that show the direction
water will move. Water will move either into the cell, move out of the
cell, or move in both directions equally (stay the same).
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Concentration of water
molecules is lower in the
solution outside the cell than
it is inside the cell.
Concentration of water
molecules is the same in
the solution outside the cell
as it is inside the cell.
Concentration of water
molecules is higher in the
solution outside the cell
than it is inside the cell.
13. Compare and contrast facilitated diffusion and active transport. How are they alike? How are they different? (see
pages 77 – 78, 82)
Facilitated Diffusion
BOTH
Active Transport
14. Compare and contrast exocytosis and endocytosis. (see page 79)
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15. Describe the three major types of endocytosis (see page 79, figure 5.9)
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16. How do you calculate the total magnification when
looking through a compound microscope?
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17. Match the cell type to its correct image by drawing a line to connect them and then write one function you would test
to identify that particular type of cell.
Textbook Reference Pages: Nerve cells (page 418, 565), red blood cell (pages 462-463, 479-480), muscle (page 418), gland
(pages 433-437), and gametes (page 126-127).
The first type of cell has been completed as an example.
Cell type
Gland
I would test for the
function of…
Image of cell type
secretion of products from
the cell.
Nerve (neuron)
Red blood
Muscle
Gamete (egg)
Gamete (sperm)
Additional Activities/Labs/Worksheets you are responsible for…
 Cells Alive WebQuest (Be able to identify each cell structure and explain their functions.)
 Surface Area to Volume Activity
 Plant vs. Animal Cell Lab
 Diffusion Through a Membrane Lab
 Osmosis Lab Investigation
For each lab, what does the DATA tell us? What observations were made? What was the goal of the lab activity?