Cell Unit Study Guide
1. List the 6 characteristics of living things:
1) Made of cells
2) Responds to stimulus
3) Growth
2.
Define biotic and give 3 examples of biotic things.
Biotic = living thing
3.
4) Reproduce
5) Chemical Reactions
6) Uses Energy
plants, animals, humans, baceria
Define abiotic and give 3 examples of abiotic things.
Abiotic = nonliving
sun, soil, water, machines
4. Give an example of 1 unicellular and 1 multicellular organism:
Unicellular = 1 cell, bacteria
5.
multi-cellular = many, animals
What is the cell wall made of? Explain why only plant cells have cell walls.
Made of cellulose, it is only in plants to give them protection and
structure. Plants can’t move and get stepped on.
6.
What is the function of the cell membrane? Explain the evidence from class to support your answer.
The cell membrane allows only certain things to pass into and out
of the cell. It is like the iodine passing into the sealed bag of
cornstarch.
7.
When substances move in and out of the cell and nuclear membrane, what do they move in and out of?
The substances move in and out of pores in the cell membrane,
like through a screen door.
8.
What is the function of the vacuole? Explain why it is more important to plant cells and how you know
what the function is using evidence from class.
The vacuole stores water. Plants need more water stored because
they cannot move to go get water like an animal can. We saw
evidence where the plant that was watered had a full, large
vacuole. The wilted plant had a smaller vacuole.
9.
Cell type
Red blood
cell
Muscle cell
Nerve cell
Skin cell
Cell shape
Cell function
Like a donut with a dented, Carries oxygen and
scooped out center
carbon dioxide
Long and thin
They contract quickly
and often when used
Circle with many branches They send signals
throughout the body
Thin, flat, fits like puzzle
Has many layers for
pieces
protection
10. What type of specialized cell would have lots of mitochondria? Explain.
Muscles have the most mitochondria because they need the most
Energy when they are being used.
11. If a plant were going through a drought, which organelle would most likely adapt in the next generation
and why? Explain your choice.
The plant would adapt its vacuole to allow it to store more water
so they plant can use it when it does not have water available.
12. Explain 3 differences between animal and plant cells.
Plant cells have a cell wall, have chloroplasts, and have 1 large
vacuole in the cell. (Most are rectangular cells, animal cells are
long and thin or roundish.)
13. Explain how the chloroplasts and mitochondria are related. Use the equations for both to help you
explain.
Chloroplast and mitochondria are both cell organelles.
Chloroplasts = Photosynthesis:
CO2 + H2O + Light Energy
C6H12O6 + O2
Mitochondria = Cellular Respiration
C6H12O6 + O2
CO2 + H2O + Energy
14 . What is the function of the nucleus? Use at least 1 piece of evidence (glowing cats and/or diabetes) to
help support your claim.
The nucleus has DNA containing genes that give instructions for
proteins to be made in the cell. We learned from evidence 1 that
80% of people with Type 1 Diabetes had a mutated DRB gene
with no DRB protein in their cells, so they could not produce
insulin and therefore had diabetes. 90% of healthy people had a
normal DRB gene and the DRB protein in their cells so they
could produce insulin and did not have diabetes. In evidence 2
the scientist took a GFP gene that produced the GFP protein
from a jellyfish that glowed under a UV light, and placed it into
an unfertilized cat egg. After fertilization the cat that developed
would glow under a UV light. It also had the GFP gene and
protein in its cells.
15 What is the function of chloroplasts in cells? Summarize the evidence examined in class to help support
your claim.
The chloroplasts make sugar, and change carbon dioxide into
oxygen in the presence of light. The chloroplasts are green and
found in plant cells not animal or human cells. From evidence 1
we learned that the chloroplast produced glucose (sugar) when
placed in the light. No proteins or fats were produced. In
evidence 2 we observed chloroplasts only in plants and especially
in the green part of plants. In evidence 3 we learned that the
chloroplast change carbon dioxide into oxygen in the light
because the experiment used sealed jars with meters and
chloroplasts and the amount of carbon dioxide went down as
much as the amount of oxygen went up.
16 What is the function of mitochondria in cells? Give at least 1 reason from the evidence (birds and rats)
examined in class to support your claim.
The mitochondria are where cells get energy by performing
cellular respiration. We know that the birds that flew the most
and farthest had the most mitochondria per gram of muscle and
the rats that exercised 120 minutes a day had the most
mitochondria per gram of muscle, and the rats that did not
exercise had the least.