ScienceAges 10-12

Plant & animal cell structures

Compare plant and animal cell organelles, specialised cells, diffusion, osmosis and microscopy. Review suitability for your learners before teaching.

New variation Try interactive challenge Browse templates

Age band:Ages 10-12 Ages 13-15

Choose “Save as PDF” to keep a copy. Use your browser’s paper setting for A4 or Letter.

Worksheet StudioPractice pack · Ages 10-12

Plant & animal cell structures

Take your time. Show your thinking.

1. Which three structures are present in a typical palisade plant cell but ABSENT from a human cheek (animal) cell: cell wall, chloroplasts and large permanent vacuole, or nucleus, cytoplasm and mitochondria?
Nucleus · Cytoplasm · Membrane
2. How is a nerve cell (neurone) adapted to carry electrical impulses rapidly over long distances in the body: it has a long insulated axon and branched dendrites, or it is spherical?
Nucleus · Cytoplasm · Membrane
3. Which tiny structures in the cell assemble amino acids into proteins according to genetic instructions: ribosomes or vacuoles?
Nucleus · Cytoplasm · Membrane
4. Which organelle packages and modifies proteins into vesicles for secretion outside the cell: the Golgi apparatus or the cell wall?
Nucleus · Cytoplasm · Membrane
5. How is a plant root hair cell specially adapted for absorbing water and mineral ions from soil: it has a long finger-like projection that greatly increases surface area, or it has thick bark?
Nucleus · Cytoplasm · Membrane
6. What type of cell division produces two genetically identical daughter cells for growth and tissue repair: mitosis or fertilisation?
Nucleus · Cytoplasm · Membrane
7. Which thin, selectively permeable layer surrounds both plant and animal cells and controls what substances enter and leave the cell: the cell membrane or the vacuole?
Nucleus · Cytoplasm · Membrane
8. What do we call a group of similar cells that work together to perform a specific function (such as muscle tissue or xylem tissue): a tissue or an ecosystem?
Nucleus · Cytoplasm · Membrane
9. Which green organelles found in plant leaf cells (but NOT animal cells) absorb light energy to carry out photosynthesis: chloroplasts or mitochondria?
Nucleus · Cytoplasm · Membrane
10. Why do biologists often add a drop of stain (such as iodine or methylene blue) when preparing a microscope slide of onion or cheek cells: to make transparent cell structures such as the nucleus clearly visible, or to feed the cells?
Nucleus · Cytoplasm · Membrane
11. Why do root hair cells contain NO chloroplasts: they are underground in the dark where no light reaches for photosynthesis, or they are animal cells?
Nucleus · Cytoplasm · Membrane
12. Which organelle is the control centre of a eukaryotic cell and contains the cell’s genetic material (DNA): the nucleus or the cell wall?
Nucleus · Cytoplasm · Membrane

12 questions · Seed 42 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification

View the answer key

Worksheet StudioAnswer key · Ages 10-12

Plant & animal cell structures

Answers and reasoning. Review before teaching.

1. Which three structures are present in a typical palisade plant cell but ABSENT from a human cheek (animal) cell: cell wall, chloroplasts and large permanent vacuole, or nucleus, cytoplasm and mitochondria?
Cell wall, chloroplasts and large permanent vacuole
Both plant and animal cells have a nucleus, cytoplasm, cell membrane and mitochondria; only plant cells have a cellulose wall, chloroplasts and a large central vacuole.
2. How is a nerve cell (neurone) adapted to carry electrical impulses rapidly over long distances in the body: it has a long insulated axon and branched dendrites, or it is spherical?
It has a long insulated axon and branched dendrites
Dendrites receive signals from other cells and the long axon transmits impulses rapidly.
3. Which tiny structures in the cell assemble amino acids into proteins according to genetic instructions: ribosomes or vacuoles?
Ribosomes
Ribosomes are the sites of protein synthesis (translation) in all living cells.
4. Which organelle packages and modifies proteins into vesicles for secretion outside the cell: the Golgi apparatus or the cell wall?
Golgi apparatus
The Golgi apparatus processes, sorts and packages proteins and lipids for transport.
5. How is a plant root hair cell specially adapted for absorbing water and mineral ions from soil: it has a long finger-like projection that greatly increases surface area, or it has thick bark?
It has a long finger-like projection that greatly increases surface area
The elongated root hair maximises surface area for osmosis and active mineral uptake.
6. What type of cell division produces two genetically identical daughter cells for growth and tissue repair: mitosis or fertilisation?
Mitosis
Mitosis replicates chromosomes and divides once to yield two identical diploid cells.
7. Which thin, selectively permeable layer surrounds both plant and animal cells and controls what substances enter and leave the cell: the cell membrane or the vacuole?
Cell membrane
The plasma (cell) membrane regulates the movement of ions, water and nutrients in and out of the cell.
8. What do we call a group of similar cells that work together to perform a specific function (such as muscle tissue or xylem tissue): a tissue or an ecosystem?
Tissue
A tissue is an assembly of specialised cells with a shared structure and function.
9. Which green organelles found in plant leaf cells (but NOT animal cells) absorb light energy to carry out photosynthesis: chloroplasts or mitochondria?
Chloroplasts
Chloroplasts contain chlorophyll and convert light energy into chemical energy in glucose.
10. Why do biologists often add a drop of stain (such as iodine or methylene blue) when preparing a microscope slide of onion or cheek cells: to make transparent cell structures such as the nucleus clearly visible, or to feed the cells?
To make transparent cell structures such as the nucleus clearly visible
Most cell organelles are nearly colourless; stains bind to structures like starch or DNA to create contrast.
11. Why do root hair cells contain NO chloroplasts: they are underground in the dark where no light reaches for photosynthesis, or they are animal cells?
They are underground in the dark where no light reaches for photosynthesis
Without sunlight underground, chloroplasts would be useless; root cells rely on sugars transported from leaves.
12. Which organelle is the control centre of a eukaryotic cell and contains the cell’s genetic material (DNA): the nucleus or the cell wall?
Nucleus
The nucleus houses chromosomes (DNA) and coordinates cell growth, protein synthesis and division.

12 questions · Seed 42 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification

Worksheet StudioPractice pack · Ages 10-12

Plant & animal cell structures

Take your time. Show your thinking.

1. Which three structures are present in a typical palisade plant cell but ABSENT from a human cheek (animal) cell: cell wall, chloroplasts and large permanent vacuole, or nucleus, cytoplasm and mitochondria?
Nucleus · Cytoplasm · Membrane
2. How is a nerve cell (neurone) adapted to carry electrical impulses rapidly over long distances in the body: it has a long insulated axon and branched dendrites, or it is spherical?
Nucleus · Cytoplasm · Membrane
3. Which tiny structures in the cell assemble amino acids into proteins according to genetic instructions: ribosomes or vacuoles?
Nucleus · Cytoplasm · Membrane
4. Which organelle packages and modifies proteins into vesicles for secretion outside the cell: the Golgi apparatus or the cell wall?
Nucleus · Cytoplasm · Membrane
5. How is a plant root hair cell specially adapted for absorbing water and mineral ions from soil: it has a long finger-like projection that greatly increases surface area, or it has thick bark?
Nucleus · Cytoplasm · Membrane
6. What type of cell division produces two genetically identical daughter cells for growth and tissue repair: mitosis or fertilisation?
Nucleus · Cytoplasm · Membrane
7. Which thin, selectively permeable layer surrounds both plant and animal cells and controls what substances enter and leave the cell: the cell membrane or the vacuole?
Nucleus · Cytoplasm · Membrane
8. What do we call a group of similar cells that work together to perform a specific function (such as muscle tissue or xylem tissue): a tissue or an ecosystem?
Nucleus · Cytoplasm · Membrane
9. Which green organelles found in plant leaf cells (but NOT animal cells) absorb light energy to carry out photosynthesis: chloroplasts or mitochondria?
Nucleus · Cytoplasm · Membrane
10. Why do biologists often add a drop of stain (such as iodine or methylene blue) when preparing a microscope slide of onion or cheek cells: to make transparent cell structures such as the nucleus clearly visible, or to feed the cells?
Nucleus · Cytoplasm · Membrane
11. Why do root hair cells contain NO chloroplasts: they are underground in the dark where no light reaches for photosynthesis, or they are animal cells?
Nucleus · Cytoplasm · Membrane
12. Which organelle is the control centre of a eukaryotic cell and contains the cell’s genetic material (DNA): the nucleus or the cell wall?
Nucleus · Cytoplasm · Membrane

12 questions · Seed 42 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification

Worksheet StudioAnswer key · Ages 10-12

Plant & animal cell structures

Answers and reasoning. Review before teaching.

1. Which three structures are present in a typical palisade plant cell but ABSENT from a human cheek (animal) cell: cell wall, chloroplasts and large permanent vacuole, or nucleus, cytoplasm and mitochondria?
Cell wall, chloroplasts and large permanent vacuole
Both plant and animal cells have a nucleus, cytoplasm, cell membrane and mitochondria; only plant cells have a cellulose wall, chloroplasts and a large central vacuole.
2. How is a nerve cell (neurone) adapted to carry electrical impulses rapidly over long distances in the body: it has a long insulated axon and branched dendrites, or it is spherical?
It has a long insulated axon and branched dendrites
Dendrites receive signals from other cells and the long axon transmits impulses rapidly.
3. Which tiny structures in the cell assemble amino acids into proteins according to genetic instructions: ribosomes or vacuoles?
Ribosomes
Ribosomes are the sites of protein synthesis (translation) in all living cells.
4. Which organelle packages and modifies proteins into vesicles for secretion outside the cell: the Golgi apparatus or the cell wall?
Golgi apparatus
The Golgi apparatus processes, sorts and packages proteins and lipids for transport.
5. How is a plant root hair cell specially adapted for absorbing water and mineral ions from soil: it has a long finger-like projection that greatly increases surface area, or it has thick bark?
It has a long finger-like projection that greatly increases surface area
The elongated root hair maximises surface area for osmosis and active mineral uptake.
6. What type of cell division produces two genetically identical daughter cells for growth and tissue repair: mitosis or fertilisation?
Mitosis
Mitosis replicates chromosomes and divides once to yield two identical diploid cells.
7. Which thin, selectively permeable layer surrounds both plant and animal cells and controls what substances enter and leave the cell: the cell membrane or the vacuole?
Cell membrane
The plasma (cell) membrane regulates the movement of ions, water and nutrients in and out of the cell.
8. What do we call a group of similar cells that work together to perform a specific function (such as muscle tissue or xylem tissue): a tissue or an ecosystem?
Tissue
A tissue is an assembly of specialised cells with a shared structure and function.
9. Which green organelles found in plant leaf cells (but NOT animal cells) absorb light energy to carry out photosynthesis: chloroplasts or mitochondria?
Chloroplasts
Chloroplasts contain chlorophyll and convert light energy into chemical energy in glucose.
10. Why do biologists often add a drop of stain (such as iodine or methylene blue) when preparing a microscope slide of onion or cheek cells: to make transparent cell structures such as the nucleus clearly visible, or to feed the cells?
To make transparent cell structures such as the nucleus clearly visible
Most cell organelles are nearly colourless; stains bind to structures like starch or DNA to create contrast.
11. Why do root hair cells contain NO chloroplasts: they are underground in the dark where no light reaches for photosynthesis, or they are animal cells?
They are underground in the dark where no light reaches for photosynthesis
Without sunlight underground, chloroplasts would be useless; root cells rely on sugars transported from leaves.
12. Which organelle is the control centre of a eukaryotic cell and contains the cell’s genetic material (DNA): the nucleus or the cell wall?
Nucleus
The nucleus houses chromosomes (DNA) and coordinates cell growth, protein synthesis and division.

12 questions · Seed 42 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification