What is the cytoplasm?

A jelly-like liquid in which most chemical reactions of the cell happen.

What does the cell membrane do?

It controls what enters and leaves the cell.

What happens in mitochondria?

Aerobic respiration, which releases energy from glucose using oxygen.

Why do muscle cells have many mitochondria?

They are very active and need a lot of energy.

What is the cell wall made of, and what does it do?

Cellulose. It supports the cell and gives it a fixed shape.

What are chloroplasts for?

They contain chlorophyll and carry out photosynthesis.

What is the permanent vacuole?

A space filled with cell sap that keeps the cell firm.

Name three structures found only in plant cells.

Cell wall, chloroplasts and a permanent vacuole.

Name four structures found in both plant and animal cells.

Nucleus, cytoplasm, cell membrane and mitochondria.

Why do root cells have no chloroplasts?

They are underground, where there is no light for photosynthesis.

How does a bacterial cell differ from an animal cell?

It has no nucleus. Its DNA is free in the cytoplasm.

Cell structure and organellesIB MYP Sciences: Flashcards

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What does the nucleus do?

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What does the nucleus do?: It holds the cell's DNA and controls the cell's activities.
What is the cytoplasm?: A jelly-like liquid in which most chemical reactions of the cell happen.
What does the cell membrane do?: It controls what enters and leaves the cell.
What happens in mitochondria?: Aerobic respiration, which releases energy from glucose using oxygen.
Why do muscle cells have many mitochondria?: They are very active and need a lot of energy.
What is the cell wall made of, and what does it do?: Cellulose. It supports the cell and gives it a fixed shape.
What are chloroplasts for?: They contain chlorophyll and carry out photosynthesis.
What is the permanent vacuole?: A space filled with cell sap that keeps the cell firm.
Name three structures found only in plant cells.: Cell wall, chloroplasts and a permanent vacuole.
Name four structures found in both plant and animal cells.: Nucleus, cytoplasm, cell membrane and mitochondria.
Why do root cells have no chloroplasts?: They are underground, where there is no light for photosynthesis.
How does a bacterial cell differ from an animal cell?: It has no nucleus. Its DNA is free in the cytoplasm.

Exam questions on Cell structure and organelles

A biology class in Nairobi compares cells from three sources under a microscope: cells from a cheek swab, cells from a leaf of pondweed, and bacteria from a sample of yoghurt.
Outline two ways in which the structure of a bacterial cell from the yoghurt differs from that of a cheek cell.2 marks
Researchers compare cells from a long-distance runner's thigh muscle with skin cells from her arm. The muscle cells need a large, continuous supply of energy for running, and under the microscope they contain many more mitochondria than the skin cells.
Explain why the runner's muscle cells contain many more mitochondria than her skin cells.2 marks
A horticulturalist in the Netherlands grows lettuce. On a hot day the unwatered lettuce leaves wilt and droop, but after watering they become firm again. She examines a lettuce leaf cell and a cheek cell and notes the differences in their structures.
Describe the function of each of these structures in a lettuce leaf cell: the cell wall, the chloroplasts and the permanent vacuole.3 marks

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Written by the Exaim team, led by Shaun Daswani (Head of Upper Secondary, Improve ME Institute; MSc Financial Mathematics, Imperial College London; BSc, UCL) and Jason Daswani (operational lead, Improve ME Institute; LSE).