AP BIOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -The surface area to volume ratio gets smaller as the cell gets larger. Thus, if the cell grows beyond a certain limit, not enough material will be able to cross the membrane fast enough to accommodate the increased cellular volume. So, a small size favours the efficient diffusion of gases and nutrients.

Detailed explanation-2: -As the radius of a cell increases, its surface area increases as the square of its radius, but its volume increases as the cube of its radius (much more rapidly). Therefore, as a cell increases in size, its surface area-to-volume ratio decreases.

Detailed explanation-3: -Smaller cells have a much greater surface area to volume ratio allowing material to diffuse throughout the entire volume of the cell quickly and efficiently.

Detailed explanation-4: -Seeing that the surface area to volume ratio of cells generally decreases as cells get larger, making the exchange of resources, waster and heat more and more difficult.