ONION BULB CELL
Essential Question: How does the form of certain plant cells fit the function of those cells in the multicellular organism?
Procedure: In this lab, you will view onion bulb cells from the root of an onion and cells from the leaf of an elodea plant. This will allow
you to compare and contrast the forms of these cells and understand how those forms fit well the each cell’s function in a plant.
Onion Bulb Cell: Peel away the single skin of an onion layer. Lay the thin layer of skin on your slide. Apply one drop of Iodine stain to
the slide. Cover the sample with a cover slip. You are looking for what appears to be a sheet of fish scales, fitting together tightly. This
is a sheet of onion bulb cells. Sketch the onion bulb cells under low and high power. Make sure you are drawing your cells to SCALE that is, the size of your drawing should reflect the size that you view them in the microscope. *** Perfect circles with black outlines
are air bubbles. Don't sketch those.
Low Power
High Power
1. Identify the CELL WALL
on your drawing.
2. Identify the NUCLEUS
on your drawing.
3. Identify the CELL MEMBRANE
on your drawing.
4. Identify the CYTOPLASM
on your drawing.
ELODEA LEAF CELL
Essential Question: How does the form of certain plant cells fit the function of those cells in the multicellular organism?
Procedure: In this lab, you will view onion bulb cells from the root of an onion and cells from the leaf of an elodea plant. This will allow
you to compare and contrast the forms of these cells and understand how those forms fit well the each cell’s function in a plant.
Elodea Leaf Cell: Elodea plants are water plants that often live in ponds, lakes, and aquariums. The leaves of this plant are thin
enough to allow light to pass through. You are looking for what appears to be a brick wall fitting together tightly. Each tiny brick is a
single leaf cell. Sketch the elodea leaf cells under low and high power. Make sure you are drawing your cells to SCALE - that is, the
size of your drawing should reflect the size that you view them in the microscope. *** Perfect circles with black outlines are air
bubbles. Don't sketch those.
Low Power
High Power
1. Identify the CELL WALL
on your drawing.
2. Identify the CHLOROPLAST
on your drawing.