UNIT – CELL
WORKSHEET
Expected sample answers -
1. How do cells, tissues, and organs differ from each other? Explain with examples.
Cells are the smallest structural and functional units of life. A group of similar cells working
together forms a tissue, and different tissues working together form an organ. Each level is
more complex than the previous one.
Example: Muscle cells form muscle tissue, and muscle tissue along with other tissues forms
the heart, which pumps blood throughout the body.
2. Explain why cells are important for the survival of living organisms.
Cells are important because all living organisms are made up of cells. Cells perform essential
life processes such as respiration, digestion, excretion, growth, repair, and reproduction.
They also help organisms respond to their surroundings. Without cells, no life activities could
take place, and organisms would not survive.
3. Explain how plant cells prepare food. How do animals obtain their food?
Plant cells contain chloroplasts with chlorophyll, which trap sunlight. During photosynthesis,
plants use sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide to prepare food in the form of glucose.
Animals do not have chloroplasts, so they cannot make their own food. They obtain food by
eating plants or other animals to get energy and nutrients.
4. Why do you think plant cells are generally rectangular in shape while animal cells are
irregular in shape?
Plant cells are usually rectangular because they have a strong and rigid cell wall outside the
cell membrane. The cell wall gives support and maintains a fixed shape. Animal cells do not
have a cell wall, only a flexible cell membrane, so they can take different irregular shapes
depending on their function.
5. Predict how the body would be affected if cells could not produce energy.
Cells produce energy in the mitochondria through respiration. If cells could not produce
energy, important body functions such as movement, breathing, digestion, circulation, and
thinking would stop. Muscles would not work, organs would fail, and the body would
eventually die because all activities need energy.
6. Differentiate between the functions of vacuoles in plant cells and animal cells.
In plant cells, vacuoles are usually large and filled with cell sap. They store water, food, and
waste materials and help maintain the shape and firmness of the plant cell. In animal cells,
vacuoles are smaller and fewer in number. They mainly store food, water, or waste materials
temporarily and do not play a major role in maintaining shape.
7. Why do cells of different organisms have different shapes and sizes?
Cells differ in shape and size because they perform different functions. The structure of a cell
helps it perform its work efficiently.
Example: Nerve cells are long and branched to carry messages quickly, red blood cells are
round and flat to carry oxygen easily, and muscle cells are long to help in movement.
8. Compare the functions of the cell wall and the cell membrane.
The cell wall is a rigid outer covering found in plant cells. It gives support, protection, and
shape to the cell. The cell membrane is a thin, flexible covering found in both plant and
animal cells. It controls the movement of substances into and out of the cell. While the cell
wall provides strength, the cell membrane acts like a gatekeeper.
9. Explain how different cell organelles work together to keep the cell alive.
Different organelles perform specific functions and work together like parts of a machine.
The nucleus controls all activities of the cell. Ribosomes make proteins needed for growth
and repair. Mitochondria release energy from food. Vacuoles store materials, and the cell
membrane controls what enters and leaves the cell. In plant cells, chloroplasts prepare food.
Together, these organelles help the cell survive and function properly.
10. Why do muscle cells contain many mitochondria?
Muscle cells need a large amount of energy for movement and contraction. Mitochondria
are called the “powerhouses of the cell” because they release energy from food. Since
muscles work continuously during activities like walking, running, and lifting, muscle cells
contain many mitochondria to meet their high energy needs.
11. Differentiate between plant cells and animal cells using four points.
Plant Cells Animal Cells
Have a cell wall Do not have a cell wall
Contain chloroplasts Do not contain chloroplasts
Usually have one large vacuole Usually have many small vacuoles
Generally rectangular in shape Usually irregular or round in shape
12. Predict what may happen if the cell membrane gets damaged.
The cell membrane controls the movement of substances in and out of the cell. If it gets
damaged, harmful substances may enter the cell while useful substances may leak out. The
cell may lose water and nutrients, stop functioning properly, and eventually die. Damage to
the cell membrane can also affect the normal functioning of tissues and organs.