Cell Structure
1 In school, a light microscope is normally used to examine cells and tissues. Name a
more powerful type of microscope that is used to show what cells are made of in
much greater detail (cell ultrastructure).
Electron microscope
2 True or False. If the eyepiece lens of a microscope is marked X10 and the objective
lens is marked X3, the total magnification is X13
FALSE
3 For what purpose did you use a Cover slip in the course of your practical activities?
To examine a specimen / to reduce evaporation / to hold specimen in place / to protect
lens or microscope
4 If the magnification of the eyepiece of a microscope is X 10 and the magnification of
the objective lens is X 30, what magnification results when a slide is viewed?
300
5 Answer the following questions in relation to obtaining and staining a sample of plant
cells and viewing them under the microscope. (i) From what plant did you obtain the
cells? (ii) How did you obtain a thin piece of a sample of the cells and prepare it for
examination? (iii) What stain did you use on the cells? (iv) Describe how you applied
the stain. (v) The objective lenses on a microscope are usually labelled 40X, 10X, and
4X. Which objective lens should you begin with when using the microscope? (vi) Give
one cell structure that you observed that indicated that the cells were plant cells.
(i) Any named plant, (ii) Cut or peel /with what / onto slide / into water //safety point /
stain / cover slip / detail on cover slip, (iii) Iodine solution, (iv) With a dropper / Under
coverslip / method, (v) 4X / Low, (vi) 4X / Cell Wall / Chloroplast / (Large) Vacuole
6 For what purpose did you use Methylene blue in the course of your practical
activities?
To stain (animal/plant) cells / nucleic acids
7 Name a carbohydrate found in the cell wall.
Cellulose
8 What is an enzyme?
A (biological) catalyst or explained
9 What is a selectively permeable (semi-permeable) membrane?
Allows some molecules through /Visking tubing / cell membrane
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10 True or False. Human chromosomes are found in the nucleus.
TRUE
11 True or False. Cell membranes let only some molecules pass through.
TRUE
12 The liquid in which chemical reactions take place in the cell is …
Water [allow cytoplasm or cytosol or plasmosol]
13 What is usually found in the vacuole?
Sap or component e.g. water, glucose
14 Name two features of a plant cell which are not normally associated with an animal
cell.
(Cell) wall / vacuole / chloroplast / definite shape
15 What stain did you use when examining cells under the microscope?
Iodine (for plant cells) or methylene blue (for animal cells)
16 Describe how you applied the stain to the cells for examination under the microscope.
Use dropper to place stain on tissue on slide or place tissue in stain or any other correct
method
17 True or False. Plant cells have chloroplasts, animal cells do not have chloroplasts.
TRUE
18 State two features of plant cells visible under a light microscope that indicate that
they are typical plant cells.
Cell wall/ chloroplasts or chlorophyll / (large) vacuoles / (starch) granules / leucoplasts /
chromoplasts / shape
19 Match the correct cell component from the following list – ribosome, vacuole,
chloroplast, cell membrane, mitochondrion – with the functions listed: Contains
chlorophyll, Site of protein formation, Site of energy release, Site of storage of water,
salts and sugars, Allows osmosis to occur.
Chloroplast; Ribosome; Mitochondrion; Vacuole; Cell membrane
20 Describe how you obtained a thin piece of a sample of cells for examining under a
microscope.
Peel off thin film of plant tissue with forceps / cut thin section of plant tissue with blade
(or microtome)
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21 Select the correct term from the following list – liver, variation, lipid, haploid, sap –
to match each of the terms: Cell membrane, Vacoule
Lipid, Sap
22 Answer the following questions in relation to obtaining and staining a sample of plant
cells and viewing them under the microscope. (i) From what plant did you obtain the
cells? (ii) How did you obtain a thin piece of a sample of the cells and prepare it for
examination? (iii) What stain did you use on the cells? (iv) Describe how you applied
the stain. (v) The objective lenses on a microscope are usually labelled 40X, 10X, and
4X. Which objective lens should you begin with when using the microscope? (vi) Give
one cell structure that you observed that indicated that the cells were plant cells.
(i) Any named plant, (ii) Cut or peel /with what / onto slide / into water //safety point /
stain / cover slip / detail on cover slip, (iii) Iodine solution, (iv) With a dropper / Under
coverslip / method, (v) 4X / Low, (vi) 4X / Cell Wall / Chloroplast / (Large) Vacuole
23 For what purpose did you use Methylene blue in the course of your practical
activities?
To stain (animal/plant) cells / nucleic acids
24 Name a carbohydrate found in the cell wall.
Cellulose
25 What is an enzyme?
A (biological) catalyst or explained
26 What is a selectively permeable (semi-permeable) membrane?
Allows some molecules through /Visking tubing / cell membrane
27 True or False. Human chromosomes are found in the nucleus.
TRUE
28 True or False. Cell membranes let only some molecules pass through.
TRUE
29 The liquid in which chemical reactions take place in the cell is …
Water [allow cytoplasm or cytosol or plasmosol]
30 What is usually found in the vacuole?
Sap or component e.g. water, glucose
31 Name two features of a plant cell which are not normally associated with an animal
cell.
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(Cell) wall / vacuole / chloroplast / definite shape
32 What stain did you use when examining cells under the microscope?
Iodine (for plant cells) or methylene blue (for animal cells)
33 Describe how you applied the stain to the cells for examination under the microscope.
Use dropper to place stain on tissue on slide or place tissue in stain or any other correct
method
34 True or False. Plant cells have chloroplasts, animal cells do not have chloroplasts.
TRUE
35 State two features of plant cells visible under a light microscope that indicate that
they are typical plant cells.
Cell wall/ chloroplasts or chlorophyll / (large) vacuoles / (starch) granules / leucoplasts /
chromoplasts / shape
36 Match the correct cell component from the following list – ribosome, vacuole,
chloroplast, cell membrane, mitochondrion – with the functions listed: Contains
chlorophyll, Site of protein formation, Site of energy release, Site of storage of water,
salts and sugars, Allows osmosis to occur.
Chloroplast; Ribosome; Mitochondrion; Vacuole; Cell membrane
37 Describe how you obtained a thin piece of a sample of cells for examining under a
microscope.
Peel off thin film of plant tissue with forceps / cut thin section of plant tissue with blade
(or microtome)
38 Select the correct term from the following list – liver, variation, lipid, haploid, sap –
to match each of the terms: Cell membrane, Vacoule
Lipid, Sap
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