EVERYDAY SCIENCE

SCIENCE

CELL BIOLOGY

Question [CLICK ON ANY CHOICE TO KNOW THE RIGHT ANSWER]
Which ratio limits the size of cells?
A
The rate of metabolism to mass
B
The surface area to volume
C
The mass to volume
D
The volume to surface area
Explanation: 

Detailed explanation-1: -1 Answer. The surface area to volume ratio (SA:V) limits cell size because the bigger the cell gets, the less surface area it has for its size.

Detailed explanation-2: -Cell size is limited by the surface area to volume ratio of the cell. As the volume of a cell increases, it becomes harder to efficiently transport materials in and out of the cell.

Detailed explanation-3: -As the cell size increases the surface area per unit volume decreases. Therefore, the surface area would not allow materials to enter or leave the cell quickly enough to meet the cell’s needs. As a result, most cells are microscopic in size.

Detailed explanation-4: -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.

There is 1 question to complete.