Chapter - 1

The Fundamental Unit of Life

In Text Questions-Pg-59

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Q. 1 Who discovered cells and how?

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Ans.:

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 In 1665, Robert Hooke, a British scientist discovered cells.

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 He took a thin slice of cork from an oak tree and observed it under

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the microscope.

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 He observed honeycomb-like compartments bounded by thick

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walls; hence, named them “cells”.

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Q. 1 Why is the cell called the structural and functional unit of life?

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Ans.:

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 The cell is called the structural unit of life because all the organisms

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are made up of cells.
 The cell is also known as the functional unit of life because all the
things that an organism does are controlled by cells.

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 Cells organise and form tissues, which form organs which further
form organ systems that perform all the bodily functions.
 Hence a cell is the structural and functional unit of life.
 In Text Questions-Pg-61

Q. 1 How do substances like CO2 and water move in and out of the cell?
Ans.: Diffusion is the process by which particles move from a region of
higher concentration to a region of lower concentration, until uniform
concentration is finally achieved. Carbon dioxide (CO 2) moves in and out

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of the cells by the process of diffusion.

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Osmosis is a special type of diffusion. Osmosis is diffusion of water from
the region of its higher concentration (pure water or dilute solution) to the

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region of its lower concentration (strong solution) though a

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semipermeable membrane. Water moves in and out of the cells by

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osmosis.

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Both diffusion and osmosis are physical or mechanical processes and do

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not require spending of energy for their performance by the cells.They are
both gradient dependent process.

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Q. 1 Why is plasma membrane called a selectively permeable membrane?
Ans.:
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 The cell membrane is also known as the plasma membrane.

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 It is the outermost covering of the cell that separates the contents
inside of the cell from its outside environment.

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 Plasma membrane only allows some materials, like some small
molecules and water molecules, to enter the cell or leave from the
cell.
 Not everything that comes in contact with the cell membrane can
enter the cell because of this.
 So, the plasma membrane is known as a selectively permeable
membrane. It selects or chooses what goes in and out of the cell.
 In Text Questions-Pg-63

Q. 1 Fill in the gaps in the following table illustrating differences

between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells.
Ans.:
prokaryotic cell eukaryotic cell

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1. Size : Generally small (1- 1. Size : Generally large (5-

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10𝜇𝑚); 1𝜇𝑚 = 10−6m 100 𝑀𝑚)

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2. Nuclear region : 2. Nuclear region : Well

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defined and surrounded by a

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……………………

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…………………..
p
nuclear membrane

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3. Chromosome : more than
one
And known as ………..

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4. ……………….
3. Chromosome :single

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4. Membrane – bound
Organelles :absent
……………….

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 In Text Questions-Pg-65

Q. 1 Can you name the two organelles we have studied that contain their
own genetic material?
Ans.: Mitochondria and Plastids are two cell organelles that contain their
own genetic material. They are also known as Semi-Autonomous

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organelles as they have their own DNA(Genetic Material) and
Ribosomes.

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Q.2 If the organization of a cell is destroyed due to some physical and

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chemical influence, what will happen?

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Ans.: Cell is the smallest unit of a life which is able to perform all basic

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functions of life. If the organisation of a cell is destroyed due to some
physical and chemical influence, it will not able to perform all living
functions like respiration, nutrition, excretion, etc. and the cell will

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ultimately die.

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Q.3 Why are lysosomes are known as suicide bags?
Ans.:

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 Lysosomes are the waste disposal system of the cell.

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 They help to keep the cell clean by digesting any foreign materials
or worn out cell organelles.
 Lysosomes contain a powerful digestive enzyme capable of
digesting all organic materials.
 Lysosomes are also known as "Suicide Bags" because whenever
their is some disturbance in cell metabolism or when the cell gets
damaged, the lysosomes burst themselves resulting in the digestion
of their own cell by the digestive enzymes.
Q. 4 Where are proteins synthesized inside the cell?
Ans.: Ribosomes are the sites of protein synthesis. They are small and
dense particles which occur freely in the cytosol or remain attached to the
endoplasmic reticulum. They take part in the synthesis of proteins.

In Text Questions-Pg-66

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Q.1 Make a comparison and write down ways in which plant cells are

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different from animal cells.

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Ans.: Difference between plant cell and animal cell:

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Plant cell

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It is usually larger in size.
Animal cell
It is smaller than plant cell.

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Plasma membrane is surrounded Cell wall is absent.
by rigid non-living cell wall made
up of cellulose.

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The vacuoles are well developed.
In a mature plant cell, usually a
Vacuoles either are absent or if
present are small in size.

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single large vacuole is present.

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Centrosome and centrioles are Centrosome and centrioles are
absent. present.
They contain chloroplast They don't have chloroplast

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Plastids are present. Plastids are absent.
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Q. 2 How is a prokaryotic cell different from a eukaryotic cell?
Ans.:

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Prokaryotic cell p
Lack of organized nucleus, the
Eukaryotic cell
Nucleus well organized.

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genetic material present in the form
of nucleoid.

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Nuclear membrane absent. Nuclear membrane present.

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Only a single chromosome is More than one chromosome is
present present
Membrane-bound organelles Membrane-bound organelles

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absent. present.

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Nucleolus is absent. Nucleolus is present.
Cell division takes place by fission Cell division takes place by mitosis
or budding. or meiosis.
Size of cell is small Size of cell is generally large
Example:-Bacterial, blue green Example:-Plant, animal, fungi.
algae.
Q. 3 What would happen if the plasma membrane ruptures or break down?
Ans.:
 Plasma membrane is the outer covering of the cell.
 It is semi permeable in nature. This means that it allows only certain
molecules to enter or leave the cell.
 If the plasma membrane is rutured, the cell content (the cytoplasm

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and organelles) will get displaced and the cell will die.

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 No kind of cell uptake would be possible, this means no osmosis or

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diffusion.

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Q. 4 What would happen to the life of a cell if there was no Golgi

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apparatus?

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Ans.:

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If there was no Golgi apparatus in the cell, the following cell activities
would be affected:
(i) Formation of lysosomes

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(ii) Packaging and dispatching of material synthesized near endoplasmic
reticulum to various targets inside/outside cells

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(iii) The formation of cell plate and cell membrane

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(iv) Storage, modification and packaging of products in vesicles

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Q.5 Which organelle is known as the powerhouse of the cell? Why?
Ans.:

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 The mitochondria are known as the powerhouse of the cell.
(Singular: Mitochondrion; Plural: Mitochondria)
 Reason: ATP synthesis takes place in the mitochondria.
 ATP molecules (Adenosine Triphosphate) are the energy molecules.
 ATP molecules store and transport chemical energy within cells
which they use to carry out the different processed.
Q.6 Where do the lipids and proteins constituting the cell membrane get
synthesized?
Ans.: The Lipids and Proteins that constitute the cell membrane are
mainly synthesized in the Endoplasmic Reticulum.Their are two types of
Endoplasmic Reticulum:-
1. Smooth Endoplasmic Reticulum:- Which is without the presence of
ribosomes and is specialized for synthesizing lipids used in cell

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membrane.

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2. Rough Endoplasmic Reticulum:- Which has Ribosomes attached on

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the outer surface and are specialized to synthesize proteins used in cell
membrane

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Q.7 How does an Amoeba obtain its food?

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Ans.: Amoeba obtains its food through the process of endocytosis. The

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plasma membrane of Amoeba is flexible, which help the amoeba to engulf

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its food particles and other material from its external environment. The

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flexible plasma membrane that an amoeba uses to capture its prey is
known as pseudopodia. (meaning false legs).

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Q.8 What is osmosis?
Ans.: Osmosis is a special case of diffusion of water molecules from a
region of higher concentration to a region of lower concentration through
a semi-permeable membrane. The below diagram shows osmosis:-

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Q. 9 Carry out the following osmosis experiment:

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Take four peeled potato halves and scoop each one out to make potato
cups. One of these potato cups should be made from a boiled potato. Put
each potato cup into a trough containing water.
Now

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(a) keep cup A empty;
(b) put one teaspoon sugar in cup B;

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(c) put one teaspoon salt in cup C.

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(d) put one teaspoon sugar in the boiled potato cup D;
Keep these for 2 hours. Then observe the four potato cups and answer the
following
(i) Explain why water gathers in the hollowed portion of B and C.
(ii) Why is potato A necessary for this experiment?
(iii) Explain why water does not gather in the hollowed out portions of A
and D?
Ans.:
(i) Water gathers in the hollowed portion of unboiled potatoes B and C
because the cells of potatoes gained water by endosmosis.
The water moveed inside the cell by osmosis(From higher concentration
to Lower Concentration).

(ii) Potato cup A is necessary in the experiment as a ‘control’ for

providing comparison with situations created in potato cups B, C and D.

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(iii) Water does not gather in the hollowed portion of potato cup A as their

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is no concentration gradient( differences in concentration of water) as a
result of which process of osmosis does not occur thus no water is

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gathered in the hollowed portion

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Water is not able to enter into potato cup D because potato cup D is boiled

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potato cup. Boiling the potato results in the death of cells as a result the

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membranes of the potato cells lose their permeability and osmosis doens't

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occur.

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