Cells

Life Science Practice Questions
Ecosystems	Cells
Genetics and Evolution	Human Biology
Physical Science	Earth Science

As a result of observing and studying cells in single- and multiple-celled organisms:

Students understand the basic structures and functions of living cells.

• Describe the basic similarities and differences found in the structures of plant, animal and bacterial cells. (LIIIA1)

1. Study the five organisms shown above. Which of the organisms have cells similar to the cell shown below?

a. the mushroom and the dog
b. the fern and the palm tree
c. the dog and the fish
d. the fern and the fish

2. A certain organism has many cells, each containing a nucleus. If the organism makes its own food, it would be classified as

a. a bacterium
b. a fungus
c. a plant
d. an animal

3. Which statement about plant and animal cells is true?

a. Plant cells have a nucleus and a cell wall; animal cells do not have either of these structures.
b. Plant cells have a cell wall and chloroplasts; animal cells do not have either of these structures.
c. Plant cells have a cell wall and a cell membrane; animal cells have a cell wall but not a cell membrane.
d. Plant cells have chloroplasts and mitochondria; animal cells have chloroplasts but do not have mitochondria.

• Describe the structure and explain the main functions of skin, nerve, muscle and blood cells. (LIIIA2)

4. Mitochondria are used to produce energy for cells. Which type of cell would contain the most mitochondria?

a. fat cells
b. bone cells
c. red blood cells
d. muscle cells

• Explain how the cell membrane helps the cell to maintain its unique internal composition. (LIIIA3)

5. Under what conditions will a substance be likely to enter a cell through diffusion?

a. when the substance is a particle of food
b. when a molecule of the substance is very large
c. when the concentration of the substance is greater outside the cell than inside
d. when the concentration of the substance is greater inside the cell than outside

The next two questions are based on the following situation and data table.

A laboratory technician places red blood cells into three different solutions. Observations are recorded each minute for five minutes.

6. Which of the following best explains what is causing the red blood cells in solution 1 to change size over the five-minute period?

a. Solvent is entering the cells faster than it is leaving the cells.
b. Solute is entering the cells faster than it is leaving the cells.
c. The cells are making new protein.
d. The cell’s membranes are dissolving.

7. The laboratory technician concludes that red blood cells cannot function in any fluid except serum. Which of the following best characterizes this conclusion?

a. It is accurate on the basis of the information given.
b. It is accurate because the cells changed in all the solutions but one.
c. It is inaccurate because the cells were outside the body.
d. It cannot be substantiated with the data provided.

Students understand that cells divide for growth of the organism, repair and reproduction.

• Describe the process of cell division (mitosis) and explain how this process is important in growth of the organism and repair of tissues. (LIIIB1)

8. Mitosis, the process by which the nucleus of a cell divides into two nuclei, each containing a complete set of the cell’s chromosomes, is essential to life because it

a. contains four stages for gametes.
b. maintains genetic continuity from one generation to the next.
c. controls cell functions to ensure successful development.
d. provides energy for the cells.

• Describe the process producing reproductive cells (meiosis) in females (egg cells) and males (sperm cells). (LIIIB2)

The diagram below represents two human cells.

9. These cells are a direct result of

a. mitotic cell division.
b. fertilization.
c. sex linkage.
d. gametogenesis.

The distribution of chromosomes in one type of cell division is shown in the diagram below.

10. Which process is represented in the diagram?

a. asexual reproduction
b. mitosis
c. meiosis
d. vegetative propagation

11. Body cells of fruit flies contain only 8 chromosomes, compared to human cells that contain 46. Scientists used studies of fruit flies to discover how egg and sperm cells (gametes) are formed. What did they observe?

a. Body cells of the offspring flies had 16 chromosomes.
b. Sperm cells from the male had 8 chromosomes.
c. Egg cells from the female had 4 chromosomes.
d. Body cells of the offspring flies had 4 chromosomes.