Question

what is the difference between plasma membrane and cell wall ?explain giving functions of each

Answer 1

Cell wall vs Cell Membrane

Cell wall



Cell membrane

It is a rigid, thick structure (4-20 uM) and visible in light microscope.It is delicate, thin structure (5-10 nm wide) visible only in electron microscope.It is the outermost layer in plant cell and occurs as a protective covering surrounding the plasma membrane.It is the outermost layer in animal cell and occurs as a semi permeable covering surrounding the protoplasm.Cell wall is made up of cellulose in plant cell wall. 
Cell wall is made up ofpeptidoglycan in bacterium. 
Cell wall is made up of chitin in fungi.

Plasma membrane is made up of lipids proteins and small amount of carbohydrates.It is completely permeable to ordinary macromolecules.It is selectively permeable or semi- permeable allowing only certain molecules to pass through.It occurs in plant cell, bacterium and fungus.It occurs in all cells.It is metabolically inactive and non living.It is metabolically active and living.It determines the cell shape and offers protection.It protects the protoplasm and maintains a constant internal environment to the protoplasm

Answer 2

Cell wall is found in plant cells while plasma membrane is usually found in animal cells.Cell wall gives a definite shape to the plant cell whereas animal cells do not have a cell wall so their shapes are irregular.cell wall is made up of the sugar cellulose but plasma membrane is mainly made up of phospholipid bilayer.There are some organelles in plant cell in which animal cell do not have.
Functions :
plant cell wall is made up of cellulose which is structural carbohydrate and is considered a complex sugar because it is used in both protection and structure.
plasma membrane is selectively permeable and regulates which molecules are allowed to enter and exit the cell.
Hope it helps you