Which function is due to specialized cells found only in plants? (1 point)
Responses
digesting food
digesting food
photosynthesis
photosynthesis
signalling muscles to move
signalling muscles to move
carrying oxygen to other cells
carrying oxygen to other cells
photosynthesis
How are leaf cells and root cells different? (1 point)
Responses
Leaf cells can reproduce, but root cells cannot.
Leaf cells can reproduce, but root cells cannot.
Leaf cells can absorb nutrients from the air, but root cells require soil to absorb nutrients.
Leaf cells can absorb nutrients from the air, but root cells require soil to absorb nutrients.
Leaf cells have nuclei, but root cells do not.
Leaf cells have nuclei, but root cells do not.
Leaf cells have chloroplasts, but root cells do not.
Leaf cells can absorb nutrients from the air, but root cells require soil to absorb nutrients.
Chloroplasts play an important role in energy production in plant cells. However, some parts of a plant, like the roots, lack chloroplasts. In one to two sentences, explain the most likely pathway for root cells to obtain energy, and identify the organelles involved.(2 points)
Root cells obtain energy through the process of cellular respiration, which occurs in the mitochondria. This allows them to break down glucose and produce ATP for energy.
In three to five sentences, explain why animal cells do not require a cell wall or a central vacuole for their functions.(4 points)
Animal cells do not require a cell wall because they are surrounded by a flexible plasma membrane that allows them to maintain shape and regulate the movement of substances in and out of the cell. The absence of a cell wall also gives animal cells the ability to move and change shape, which is necessary for many cellular functions such as cell division and migration. Animal cells do not have a central vacuole because they do not have the same need for water storage and maintenance of turgor pressure as plant cells. Instead, animal cells have smaller vacuoles scattered throughout the cytoplasm that serve various functions, such as storing and transporting molecules, maintaining pH balance, and assisting in cellular digestion.
In three to five sentences, compare the process of digesting food in an amoeba (unicellular) to those in a mouse (multicellular) .(4 points)
In an amoeba, digestion occurs intracellularly through a process called phagocytosis. The amoeba engulfs food particles with its pseudopodia and forms a food vacuole, where enzymes break down the food for absorption into the cytoplasm. In a mouse, digestion occurs extracellularly. The mouse ingests food through the mouth, where it is mechanically broken down by chewing and mixed with saliva. It then travels to the stomach, where enzymes and acids further break down the food before it is absorbed in the intestines and transported to cells for energy production. The mouse also has specialized organs like the liver and pancreas that secrete enzymes and other substances to aid in digestion.
The function that is due to specialized cells found only in plants is photosynthesis.
To arrive at this answer, we can eliminate the other options and focus on understanding what photosynthesis is and how it is specific to plants.
1. Digesting food: While digestion is an essential process for obtaining nutrients, it is not exclusive to plants. Both plants and animals have specialized cells and organs for digesting food. Therefore, this option can be ruled out.
2. Signaling muscles to move: The movement of muscles is a characteristic of animals, not plants. Plants lack muscles, so they do not possess specialized cells for signaling muscle movement. As such, we can eliminate this option.
3. Carrying oxygen to other cells: Oxygen transport is primarily carried out by specialized cells called red blood cells, which are found in animals. These cells contain a protein called hemoglobin that binds and carries oxygen. In contrast, plants have specialized cells called stomata that allow for gas exchange, but oxygen transport in the bloodstream is not a function exclusive to plants. Hence, we can rule out this option.
4. Photosynthesis: Photosynthesis is a process that occurs in the chloroplasts of plant cells, enabling them to convert sunlight, carbon dioxide, and water into glucose (sugar) and release oxygen as a byproduct. This is a unique function of plants due to the presence of specialized organelles called chloroplasts. Therefore, the correct answer is photosynthesis.