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.

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Worksheet StudioPractice pack · Ages 10-12

Plant & animal cell structures

Take your time. Show your thinking.

1. Which tiny structures in the cell assemble amino acids into proteins according to genetic instructions: ribosomes or vacuoles?
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 organelle packages and modifies proteins into vesicles for secretion outside the cell: the Golgi apparatus or the cell wall?
Nucleus · Cytoplasm · Membrane
4. 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
5. 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
6. 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
7. 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
8. 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
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. What type of cell division produces two genetically identical daughter cells for growth and tissue repair: mitosis or fertilisation?
Nucleus · Cytoplasm · Membrane
11. Cells that have a true membrane-bound nucleus (such as plant, animal and fungal cells) are called: eukaryotic cells or prokaryotic cells?
Nucleus · Cytoplasm · Membrane
12. What is the diffusion of water molecules from a dilute solution (high water potential) to a more concentrated solution (low water potential) across a partially permeable membrane: osmosis or respiration?
Nucleus · Cytoplasm · Membrane

12 questions · Seed 46 · 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 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.
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 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. 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.
8. 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.
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. 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.
11. Cells that have a true membrane-bound nucleus (such as plant, animal and fungal cells) are called: eukaryotic cells or prokaryotic cells?
Eukaryotic cells
Eukaryotes possess a membrane-bound nucleus and organelles.
12. What is the diffusion of water molecules from a dilute solution (high water potential) to a more concentrated solution (low water potential) across a partially permeable membrane: osmosis or respiration?
Osmosis
Osmosis is the special case of diffusion involving water across a selectively permeable membrane.

12 questions · Seed 46 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification

Worksheet StudioPractice pack · Ages 10-12

Plant & animal cell structures

Take your time. Show your thinking.

1. Which tiny structures in the cell assemble amino acids into proteins according to genetic instructions: ribosomes or vacuoles?
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 organelle packages and modifies proteins into vesicles for secretion outside the cell: the Golgi apparatus or the cell wall?
Nucleus · Cytoplasm · Membrane
4. 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
5. 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
6. 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
7. 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
8. 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
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. What type of cell division produces two genetically identical daughter cells for growth and tissue repair: mitosis or fertilisation?
Nucleus · Cytoplasm · Membrane
11. Cells that have a true membrane-bound nucleus (such as plant, animal and fungal cells) are called: eukaryotic cells or prokaryotic cells?
Nucleus · Cytoplasm · Membrane
12. What is the diffusion of water molecules from a dilute solution (high water potential) to a more concentrated solution (low water potential) across a partially permeable membrane: osmosis or respiration?
Nucleus · Cytoplasm · Membrane

12 questions · Seed 46 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification

Worksheet StudioAnswer key · Ages 10-12

Plant & animal cell structures

Answers and reasoning. Review before teaching.

1. 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.
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 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. 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.
8. 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.
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. 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.
11. Cells that have a true membrane-bound nucleus (such as plant, animal and fungal cells) are called: eukaryotic cells or prokaryotic cells?
Eukaryotic cells
Eukaryotes possess a membrane-bound nucleus and organelles.
12. What is the diffusion of water molecules from a dilute solution (high water potential) to a more concentrated solution (low water potential) across a partially permeable membrane: osmosis or respiration?
Osmosis
Osmosis is the special case of diffusion involving water across a selectively permeable membrane.

12 questions · Seed 46 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification