AP BIOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -Answer and Explanation: The correct answer is the option: A. A cell’s surface area can be increased by dividing the cell into two smaller pieces.

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: -Answer and Explanation: A cell can increase the amount of surface area by folding the plasma membrane.

Detailed explanation-4: -When a cell divides into two daughter cells, the total cell surface area should increase. There are two models for membrane supply to support cell division: (1) unfolding of small surface membrane reservoirs such as microvilli or wrinkles and (2) exocytosis of intracellular vesicles.

Detailed explanation-5: -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.