ScienceAges 13-15

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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Age band:Ages 10-12 Ages 13-15

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Worksheet StudioPractice pack · Ages 13-15

Plant & animal cell structures

Take your time. Show your thinking.

1. In a light microscope, if the eyepiece lens has a magnification of ×10 and the objective lens has a magnification of ×40, what is the total magnification: ×400 or ×50?
Nucleus · Cytoplasm · Membrane
2. What is the net movement of particles from a region of higher concentration to a region of lower concentration down a concentration gradient: diffusion or active transport?
Nucleus · Cytoplasm · Membrane
3. Which rigid outer layer made of cellulose surrounds plant cells (but NOT animal cells) to provide structural support and prevent bursting: the cell wall or the nucleus?
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 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
6. 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
7. What is the jelly-like fluid filling the cell where most chemical reactions take place and organelles are suspended: cytoplasm or chlorophyll?
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 cellular transport process moves ions or molecules AGAINST a concentration gradient (from low to high concentration) and requires energy from respiration (ATP): active transport or diffusion?
Nucleus · Cytoplasm · Membrane
10. 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
11. 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. Which large fluid-filled sac inside a mature plant cell stores cell sap and pushes outward to keep the cell turgid (firm): the permanent vacuole or the ribosome?
Nucleus · Cytoplasm · Membrane

12 questions · Seed 44 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification

View the answer key

Worksheet StudioAnswer key · Ages 13-15

Plant & animal cell structures

Answers and reasoning. Review before teaching.

1. In a light microscope, if the eyepiece lens has a magnification of ×10 and the objective lens has a magnification of ×40, what is the total magnification: ×400 or ×50?
×400
Total magnification = eyepiece magnification × objective magnification = 10 × 40 = ×400.
2. What is the net movement of particles from a region of higher concentration to a region of lower concentration down a concentration gradient: diffusion or active transport?
Diffusion
Diffusion is a passive process driven by the random thermal motion of particles.
3. Which rigid outer layer made of cellulose surrounds plant cells (but NOT animal cells) to provide structural support and prevent bursting: the cell wall or the nucleus?
Cell wall
Plant cell walls are composed of cellulose fibres that give strength and shape.
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 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.
6. 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.
7. What is the jelly-like fluid filling the cell where most chemical reactions take place and organelles are suspended: cytoplasm or chlorophyll?
Cytoplasm
Cytoplasm is the aqueous cytosol and suspended structures between the cell membrane and nucleus.
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 cellular transport process moves ions or molecules AGAINST a concentration gradient (from low to high concentration) and requires energy from respiration (ATP): active transport or diffusion?
Active transport
Active transport uses carrier proteins and metabolic energy (ATP) to pump substances uphill against a gradient.
10. 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.
11. 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. Which large fluid-filled sac inside a mature plant cell stores cell sap and pushes outward to keep the cell turgid (firm): the permanent vacuole or the ribosome?
Permanent vacuole
The central vacuole maintains turgor pressure against the plant cell wall.

12 questions · Seed 44 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification

Worksheet StudioPractice pack · Ages 13-15

Plant & animal cell structures

Take your time. Show your thinking.

1. In a light microscope, if the eyepiece lens has a magnification of ×10 and the objective lens has a magnification of ×40, what is the total magnification: ×400 or ×50?
Nucleus · Cytoplasm · Membrane
2. What is the net movement of particles from a region of higher concentration to a region of lower concentration down a concentration gradient: diffusion or active transport?
Nucleus · Cytoplasm · Membrane
3. Which rigid outer layer made of cellulose surrounds plant cells (but NOT animal cells) to provide structural support and prevent bursting: the cell wall or the nucleus?
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 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
6. 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
7. What is the jelly-like fluid filling the cell where most chemical reactions take place and organelles are suspended: cytoplasm or chlorophyll?
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 cellular transport process moves ions or molecules AGAINST a concentration gradient (from low to high concentration) and requires energy from respiration (ATP): active transport or diffusion?
Nucleus · Cytoplasm · Membrane
10. 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
11. 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. Which large fluid-filled sac inside a mature plant cell stores cell sap and pushes outward to keep the cell turgid (firm): the permanent vacuole or the ribosome?
Nucleus · Cytoplasm · Membrane

12 questions · Seed 44 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification

Worksheet StudioAnswer key · Ages 13-15

Plant & animal cell structures

Answers and reasoning. Review before teaching.

1. In a light microscope, if the eyepiece lens has a magnification of ×10 and the objective lens has a magnification of ×40, what is the total magnification: ×400 or ×50?
×400
Total magnification = eyepiece magnification × objective magnification = 10 × 40 = ×400.
2. What is the net movement of particles from a region of higher concentration to a region of lower concentration down a concentration gradient: diffusion or active transport?
Diffusion
Diffusion is a passive process driven by the random thermal motion of particles.
3. Which rigid outer layer made of cellulose surrounds plant cells (but NOT animal cells) to provide structural support and prevent bursting: the cell wall or the nucleus?
Cell wall
Plant cell walls are composed of cellulose fibres that give strength and shape.
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 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.
6. 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.
7. What is the jelly-like fluid filling the cell where most chemical reactions take place and organelles are suspended: cytoplasm or chlorophyll?
Cytoplasm
Cytoplasm is the aqueous cytosol and suspended structures between the cell membrane and nucleus.
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 cellular transport process moves ions or molecules AGAINST a concentration gradient (from low to high concentration) and requires energy from respiration (ATP): active transport or diffusion?
Active transport
Active transport uses carrier proteins and metabolic energy (ATP) to pump substances uphill against a gradient.
10. 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.
11. 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. Which large fluid-filled sac inside a mature plant cell stores cell sap and pushes outward to keep the cell turgid (firm): the permanent vacuole or the ribosome?
Permanent vacuole
The central vacuole maintains turgor pressure against the plant cell wall.

12 questions · Seed 44 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification