Draw a neat labelled diagram of plant cell. Write 3 points of difference between
plant cell and animal cell.
Answers
CELL
Cells are the basic unit of a living organism and where all life processes are carried out. Animal cells and plant cells share the common components of a nucleus, cytoplasm, mitochondria and a cell membrane. Plant cells have three extra components, a vacuole, chloroplast and a cell wall.
ANIMAL CELL VS PLANT CELL
Plant and animal cells have several differences and similarities. For example, animal cells do not have a cell wall or chloroplasts but plant cells do. Animal cells are mostly round and irregular in shape while plant cells have fixed, rectangular shapes.
Plant and animal cells are both eukaryotic cells, so they have several features in common, such as the presence of a cell membrane, and cell organelles, like the nucleus, mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum.
FEATURE ANIMAL PLANT
Cell wall Absent Present (formed of cellulose)
Shape Round (irregular shape) Rectangular (fixed shape)
Vacuole or more small vacuoles (much smaller than plant cells). , large central vacuole taking up to 90% of cell volume.
Centrioles Present in all animal cells Only present in lower plant forms (e.g. chlamydomonas)
Chloroplast Absent Plant cells have chloroplasts to make their own food.
Cytoplasm Present Present
Ribosomes Present Present
Mitochondria Present Present
Plastids Absent Present
Endoplasmic Reticulum (Smooth and Rough) Present Present