Table of contents
- 1. Introduction to Biology2h 42m
- 2. Chemistry3h 40m
- 3. Water1h 26m
- 4. Biomolecules2h 23m
- 5. Cell Components2h 26m
- 6. The Membrane2h 31m
- 7. Energy and Metabolism2h 0m
- 8. Respiration2h 40m
- 9. Photosynthesis2h 49m
- 10. Cell Signaling59m
- 11. Cell Division2h 47m
- 12. Meiosis2h 0m
- 13. Mendelian Genetics4h 44m
- Introduction to Mendel's Experiments7m
- Genotype vs. Phenotype17m
- Punnett Squares13m
- Mendel's Experiments26m
- Mendel's Laws18m
- Monohybrid Crosses19m
- Test Crosses14m
- Dihybrid Crosses20m
- Punnett Square Probability26m
- Incomplete Dominance vs. Codominance20m
- Epistasis7m
- Non-Mendelian Genetics12m
- Pedigrees6m
- Autosomal Inheritance21m
- Sex-Linked Inheritance43m
- X-Inactivation9m
- 14. DNA Synthesis2h 27m
- 15. Gene Expression3h 20m
- 16. Regulation of Expression3h 31m
- Introduction to Regulation of Gene Expression13m
- Prokaryotic Gene Regulation via Operons27m
- The Lac Operon21m
- Glucose's Impact on Lac Operon25m
- The Trp Operon20m
- Review of the Lac Operon & Trp Operon11m
- Introduction to Eukaryotic Gene Regulation9m
- Eukaryotic Chromatin Modifications16m
- Eukaryotic Transcriptional Control22m
- Eukaryotic Post-Transcriptional Regulation28m
- Eukaryotic Post-Translational Regulation13m
- 17. Viruses37m
- 18. Biotechnology2h 58m
- 19. Genomics17m
- 20. Development1h 5m
- 21. Evolution3h 1m
- 22. Evolution of Populations3h 52m
- 23. Speciation1h 37m
- 24. History of Life on Earth2h 6m
- 25. Phylogeny2h 31m
- 26. Prokaryotes4h 59m
- 27. Protists1h 12m
- 28. Plants1h 22m
- 29. Fungi36m
- 30. Overview of Animals34m
- 31. Invertebrates1h 2m
- 32. Vertebrates50m
- 33. Plant Anatomy1h 3m
- 34. Vascular Plant Transport1h 2m
- 35. Soil37m
- 36. Plant Reproduction47m
- 37. Plant Sensation and Response1h 9m
- 38. Animal Form and Function1h 19m
- 39. Digestive System1h 10m
- 40. Circulatory System1h 57m
- 41. Immune System1h 12m
- 42. Osmoregulation and Excretion50m
- 43. Endocrine System1h 4m
- 44. Animal Reproduction1h 2m
- 45. Nervous System1h 55m
- 46. Sensory Systems46m
- 47. Muscle Systems23m
- 48. Ecology3h 11m
- Introduction to Ecology20m
- Biogeography14m
- Earth's Climate Patterns50m
- Introduction to Terrestrial Biomes10m
- Terrestrial Biomes: Near Equator13m
- Terrestrial Biomes: Temperate Regions10m
- Terrestrial Biomes: Northern Regions15m
- Introduction to Aquatic Biomes27m
- Freshwater Aquatic Biomes14m
- Marine Aquatic Biomes13m
- 49. Animal Behavior28m
- 50. Population Ecology3h 41m
- Introduction to Population Ecology28m
- Population Sampling Methods23m
- Life History12m
- Population Demography17m
- Factors Limiting Population Growth14m
- Introduction to Population Growth Models22m
- Linear Population Growth6m
- Exponential Population Growth29m
- Logistic Population Growth32m
- r/K Selection10m
- The Human Population22m
- 51. Community Ecology2h 46m
- Introduction to Community Ecology2m
- Introduction to Community Interactions9m
- Community Interactions: Competition (-/-)38m
- Community Interactions: Exploitation (+/-)23m
- Community Interactions: Mutualism (+/+) & Commensalism (+/0)9m
- Community Structure35m
- Community Dynamics26m
- Geographic Impact on Communities21m
- 52. Ecosystems2h 36m
- 53. Conservation Biology24m
38. Animal Form and Function
Metabolism and Homeostasis
Problem 4`
Textbook Question
Compared with a smaller cell, a larger cell of the same shape has
a. Less surface area
b. Less surface area per unit of volume
c. The same surface-area-to-volume ratio
d. A smaller cytoplasm-to-nucleus ratio

1
Understand the concept of surface area-to-volume ratio: As a cell increases in size, its volume grows faster than its surface area. This is because volume is a cubic function, while surface area is a square function.
Calculate the surface area and volume for a hypothetical smaller cell and a larger cell of the same shape. For example, if the cells are spherical, use the formulas: Surface Area = 4πr² and Volume = (4/3)πr³, where r is the radius of the sphere.
Determine the surface area-to-volume ratio for both cells by dividing the surface area by the volume for each cell.
Compare the surface area-to-volume ratios of the smaller and larger cells. Notice that as the cell size increases, the surface area-to-volume ratio decreases.
Conclude that a larger cell has less surface area per unit of volume compared to a smaller cell, which corresponds to option b.

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Key Concepts
Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
Surface Area to Volume Ratio
The surface area to volume ratio is a critical concept in cell biology, describing how the surface area of a cell changes relative to its volume as the cell size increases. As a cell grows, its volume increases faster than its surface area, leading to a decreased surface area to volume ratio. This affects the cell's ability to efficiently exchange materials with its environment, impacting processes like nutrient uptake and waste removal.
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Cell Size and Shape
Cell size and shape are important factors that influence a cell's function and efficiency. Larger cells have more cytoplasm and require more resources, but their surface area does not increase proportionally, which can limit the rate of diffusion of substances across the cell membrane. The shape of a cell can also affect its surface area to volume ratio, with elongated or flattened shapes often having higher ratios than spherical ones.
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Population Size & Density
Cytoplasm-to-Nucleus Ratio
The cytoplasm-to-nucleus ratio refers to the relative volume of cytoplasm compared to the nucleus within a cell. This ratio can influence cellular functions such as gene expression and cell division. In larger cells, the cytoplasm-to-nucleus ratio may decrease, potentially affecting the cell's ability to efficiently manage its metabolic activities and maintain homeostasis.
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