Class9 – Cell Notes ( Draw the different Cells & their Organelles From

the Text book )

Origin of Life
 Life likely began in water
 Helped by changing conditions
 Some scientists suggest
small water pools, not oceans
 Example- Hot springs

Puga Valley Hot Springs

(Ladakh, India)

 Temperatures are nearly at the boiling point of water

 Conditions similar to early Earth (~3.5 billion years ago)
 Early Organisms
 Thermophiles
 Heat-loving,
 Unicellular bacteria
 Lives in hot springs

Role of Calcium Carbonate Deposits

Protective
Functions
 Calcium carbonate forms
quickly near hot springs
 Protected early molecules
from radiation and harsh conditions
 Helped form the first cell membrane
The Cell — Basic Unit of Life

● All living organisms are made up of cells

● Cell = the basic level at which life exist
 Cell Type Description Examples

Unicellular Single cell Bacteria, Yeast

Multicellular Millions of cells working together Plants, Fish, Humans

Organisation of Life

Cells → Tissues → Organs → Organ Systems → Organism

● Tissue — a group of similar cells performing similar functions

● Organ — different tissues organised together
● Organ System — several organs working together

Example: Respiratory System

Nasal pores → Nasal cavity → Trachea → Lungs

How to study cells-

Limit of Resolution (Human Eye)

The ability to see two close objects as separate and distinct

 At 25 cm (near point), the eye can distinguish two points 0.1 mm apart
 Closer than that → appear as a single point
 Most cells are smaller than 0.1 mm
 Therefore, invisible to the naked eye
 Microscope Basics

 Uses a convex lens (or a combination of lenses) to magnify objects

 Key lenses: Objective lens + Eyepiece
 Total Magnification = Eyepiece power × Objective lens power
 e.g., 10X eyepiece × 10X objective = 100X total
Robert Hooke (1665)

 First person to observe a cell

 Observed a thin slice of cork → saw box-like compartments → named
them “cells.“
Light Microscope
 Used in school labs
 Common objective lenses: 10X, 40X
 Works under visible light
Parts of a Light Microscope

● Eyepiece → Body tube → Objective lens → Stage → Mirror

● Fine & Coarse adjustment knobs → Handle → Base

Estimating Cell Size

Formula:
Cell size=Diameter of field (μm)No. of cells along diameter

Example:

● Field diameter = 5000 μm, cells seen = 25

● Cell size = 5000 ÷ 25 = 200 μm

Unit to remember: 1 mm = 1000 μm

 Features of a Microscope

Brightness difference between parts of an object Meaning

Resolution Clarity / ability to distinguish fine detail

Contrast Brightness difference between parts of object

Magnification Brightness difference between parts of an object

Cell Membrane

Universal feature of all cells

● Thin boundary surrounding the cell → protects contents

● Also called the plasma membrane
● Selectively permeable → allows some substances in/out, blocks others
● Present in all living cells (including single-celled organisms)

Movement Across the Cell Membrane

1. Diffusion
Movement of particles from higher to lower concentration

● Occurs without a membrane

● Driven by a concentration gradient

2. Osmosis
Diffusion of water across a selectively permeable membrane

● Water moves from a dilute to a concentrated solution

● Continues until concentrations equalise
● Example: Water enters plant root cells from the soil
 Water enters the
Condition What Happens
cell

External = Internal
Isotonic No net water movement
concentration

External < Internal Water enters cell ( Ex-Peas become swollen when
Hypotonic
concentration soaked in water)

External > Internal Water leaves cell ( Ex-salad sprinkled with salt, water
Hypertonic
concentration comes out)

Types of Solutions (Effect on Cells)

Structure of Cell Membrane

Fluid-Mosaic Model

 Thickness: 7–10 nm (1 nm = 0.000001 mm)

 Made of lipids + proteins
Key Features

 Lipid bilayer — two fat layers

 Heads face outward (water-attracting)
 Tails face inward (water-repelling)
 Proteins embedded → act as gatekeepers for substances
 Molecules can move, flip, rotate → hence “fluid.”

Molecules arranged like tiles → hence “mosaic. Cell Wall

Found in: Plants, Fungi, Bacteria — NOT in Animal cells

 Feature Detail

Location Outside the cell membrane

Nature Rigid + fully permeable

Main material Cellulose (a carbohydrate made of glucose units)

Function Shape, support, protection from environmental stress

Why Plants
Need It
 Plants are stationary → need rigid support
 Withstands wind, rain, and other stresses
 Keeps leaves and flowers firm and upright
Cell membrane
Plant Cell Animal Cell
shrinks (plasmolysis), but cell shape
(has a wall) (no wall)
is retained

Cell membrane
In hypertonic solution shrinks (plasmolysis), but cell shape Cell shrinks completely
retained

Shape Fixed, box-like (e.g., onion peel) Irregular, flexible (e.g., cheek cells)

Cell membrane shrinks (plasmolysis),

Flexibility Low
but the cell shape is retained

Cell Wall vs No Cell Wall

Cellulose from plant cell walls acts as dietary roughage in humans,

aiding digestion.

Three Basic Parts of a Cell

 Plasma membrane
selectively permeable boundary

Cytoplasm
semi-fluid, jelly-like substance

Nucleus
prominent control centre

Cytoplasm also contains organelles — sub-cellular components, mostly

visible only under an electron microscope

Cell Structures — Which Cell Has What?

Structure Bacterial Plant Animal

Cell membrane ✔ ✔ ✔

Cell wall ✔ ✔ ❌

Cytoplasm ✔ ✔ ✔

Well-defined nucleus ❌ ✔ ✔

Nucleoid (primitive nucleus) ✔ ❌ ❌

Membrane-bound organelles ❌ ✔ ✔

Prokaryotic vs Eukaryotic Cells

Occurs in the cytoplasm Prokaryotic Eukaryotic

Meaning Pro = primitive, karyon = nucleus Eu = true, karyon = nucleus

Nucleus ❌ No defined nucleus (has nucleoid) ✔ Well-defined, membrane-bound

Membrane-bound
❌ Absent Occurs in the cytoplasm
organelles

Typical size 1–10 μm 10–100 μm

No. of cells Usually unicellular Unicellular or multicellular

Cellular activities Occur in cytoplasm Occur in organelles

Example Bacterial cell Occurs in the cytoplasm

Why Do Eukaryotic Cells Need Organelles?

● To carry out multiple life processes simultaneously

● Each organelle does a specific job
● Together they: build materials, remove waste, provide energy

Think of a cell as a tiny living factory — each organelle is a department

with its own role

Structure of a nucleus
1. Nucleus — House of coded instructions
= Control centre of the cell

● Covered by a double-layered nuclear membrane with

● Has pores (allow material transfer to the cytoplasm)
● Contains nucleolus → site of ribosomal subunit synthesis
 From cell to DNA |-
Genetic Material

State Form Visible?

Non-dividing cell Chromatin (tangled threads) Barely

Dividing cell Chromosomes (rod-shaped) Yes

● Chromosomes = DNA + proteins.

● DNA contains genes — functional segments carrying hereditary info
● Prokaryotes → DNA as a single circular molecule in a region called
the nucleoid (no membrane)

2. Ribosomes:
Protein Factories
 Tiny structures, found:
 Freely in the cytoplasm
 Attached to the Endoplasmic Reticulum
 Function: Protein synthesis
 Assembled in the cytoplasm from subunits made in the nucleolus
3. Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER) — Manufacturing Network

ERand Golgi apparatus|Cell: The Building Block of Life Ch 2 Notes Class

9
 Large network spreading through the cytoplasm
 Connected to the outer nuclear membrane
Type Appearance Function

RER
Has ribosomes → looks rough Protein synthesis & secretion (e.g., pancreatic cells)
(Rough ER)
 Type Appearance Function

SER (Smooth ER) No ribosomes → looks smooth Synthesis & storage of fats & hormones

4. Golgi Apparatus — Post Office of the Cell

 Stacks of flattened sac-like structures

 Linked to ER, cell membrane & other organelles
 Functions:
 Modifies proteins & lipids
 Sorts & packages them into vesicles
 Sends them for: transport, secretion, or lysosome formation
5. Lysosomes — Clean-Up Staff

 Single membrane-bound sacs filled with enzymes

 Break down: unwanted proteins, carbs, fats, damaged organelles
 Breakdown products → released into cytoplasm for reuse
6. Mitochondria — Powerhouse of the Cell

Mitochondria| Cell: The Building Block of Life Ch 2 Notes Class 9

● Surrounded by two membranes, Outer → smooth & porous

● Inner → folded into cristae (↑ surface area for reactions)
● Site of cellular respiration → glucose is broken down to release energy
● Energy stored as ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate) — the cell’s energy
currency
● Mitochondria have their own DNA & ribosomes → can make some of
their own proteins → hints at evolutionary link with bacteria

7. Plastids — Plant Cell Specialists

Only in plant cells

 Type Pigment Function

Chloroplast Chlorophyll (green) Photosynthesis → makes & stores sugars/starch

Chromoplast Yellow / Orange / Red Gives colour to flowers & fruits → attracts pollinators & animals

Leucoplast None (colourless) Stores food — starch, oils, proteins (e.g., potato, taro)

Inside a Chloroplast:

● Double membrane-bound (like mitochondria)

● Contains stroma (semi-fluid) → stores sugars & starch granules
● Disc-shaped structures in the stroma contain chlorophyll → absorb light

“💡 Like mitochondria, plastids also have their own DNA & ribosomes →
evolutionary link with bacteria“

8. Vacuoles — Storage & Support

Vacuoles Features Plant Cell Animal Cell

Size Large, central Small

Number Usually one Sometimes present

Membrane Selectively permeable —

Contents Water, minerals, sugars, waste (cell sap) Temporary materials

Role Maintains cell pressure → keeps plant firm Temporary storage

💡 Plant wilts when the vacuole loses water → cells become less firm
 Why Do Cells
Divide?
 Cells can only grow to a certain size
 Body growth = cells dividing, not just getting bigger
 Cell division replaces old, dead, or damaged cells
 Examples: Skin healing after a cut, new hair growing back
Cell Division —

 New cells always form from pre-existing cells

 Allows: growth, repair, and reproduction
 Both prokaryotes & eukaryotes divide
 Eukaryotes divide in a controlled way via the cell cycle

Two Major Types Of Cell Division - meiosis and mitosis

Main Points 1. Mitosis 2. Meiosis

Growth, repair,
Purpose maintenance, asexual Sexual reproduction, genetic diversity
reproduction

Where Body (somatic) cells Reproductive organs only

Growth, repair, 2
Divisions maintenance, and
asexual reproduction

Daughter cells produced 2 4

Chromosomes in daughter
Same as parent Half of parent
cells

Daughter cells identical? ✅ Yes ❌ No

 | 1. Mitosis
 The most common type of cell division
 One parent cell → 2 genetically identical daughter cells
 Each daughter cell gets:
 Same DNA
 Same number of chromosomes as the parent
 Ensures genetic consistency across all body cells
 Example: A single fertilised egg divides repeatedly → trillions of body
cells
2. Meiosis

 Occurs only in reproductive organs

 Produces gametes (sperm & egg cells)
Organism Male Female

Animals Testes → sperm Ovaries → eggs

Plants Anthers → pollen Ovaries → egg cells

Where It Occurs

How It Works

Division 1

 Parent cell splits into 2.

 chromosomes are reduced to half
Division 2

 Each of those 2 cells splits again (like mitosis)

Result → 4 daughter cells, each with half the chromosomes
 At fertilisation → two gametes combine → original chromosome
number restored

This is why children resemble parents, but are not

identical, because meiosis creates variation

What If Cell Division Goes Wrong?

Error in Consequence

Mitosis Genetic disorders, developmental problems, early pregnancy loss, and reduced fertility

Meiosis Genetic disorders, developmental problems, early pregnancy loss, reduced fertility

Cell Theory-Historical Development

Year Scientist Contribution

1838 Matthias Schleiden (German botanist) All plants are made of cells

1839 Theodor Schwann (German zoologist) All animals are made of cells

1855 Rudolf Virchow (German scientist) New cells arise only from pre-existing cell

Classical Cell Theory: 3 Principles

1. Organisms are made of one or more cells
2. A cell is the basic unit of structure and function
3. All cells arise from pre-existing cells
Do cells grow and reproduce forever?

● No — every cell has a definite lifespan

● Cells: grow → divide → function → die when no longer needed
● Dead cells → replaced by new cells with the same function
 What Happens If This Goes Wrong?

Problem Result

Cells don’t die when they should Uncontrolled growth → tumours

Cells die too early Loss of function, tissue damage

Contact Inhibition

 In most animal cells, division stops when cells touch neighbouring cells
 This is called contact inhibition
 Cancer cells lose this control → divide uncontrollably = tumours
 Plant cells do NOT show contact inhibition → rigid cell wall causes a
different growth pattern
What Can a
Cell Do?
 Produce energy
 Synthesise & secrete substances
 Divide to form new cells
 Work together to maintain body functions
Exploring Mixtures and Their Separation Ch 5 Notes Class 9 New
Book [Exploration]
CLASS 9, Science, Short Notes
[Exploration] Answers Ch 5 Exploring Mixtures and their Separation
Class 9 NCERT
CLASS 9, NCERT textbook solutions, Science
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