Biology HL
Biology HL
4
Chapters
553
Notes
Theme A - Unity & diversity
Theme A - Unity & diversity
Theme B - Form & Function
Theme B - Form & Function
Theme C - Interaction &  Interdependence
Theme C - Interaction & Interdependence
Theme D - Continuity & Change
Theme D - Continuity & Change
IB Resources
Theme B - Form & Function
Biology HL
Biology HL

Theme B - Form & Function

Unlocking Cell Efficiency: The Critical Surface Area-To-Volume Ratio

Word Count Emoji
455 words
Reading Time Emoji
3 mins read
Updated at Emoji
Last edited on 14th Jun 2024

Table of content

🎉 Did You Know? 🎉

Cells are like little factories. Just like how factories need raw materials and get rid of waste, cells too, absorb substances and expel waste. And just as a factory's efficiency is tied to its design, a cell's efficiency is tied to its size and shape!

The metabolic dance party 🕺

  • Metabolism is the collective name for the chemical reactions in the cytoplasm of cells.
  • The faster the dance (the metabolic rate), the bigger the dance floor (cell volume) needs to be!

Real-world example: Think of metabolism like a dance party. If you've got a lot of people dancing (a lot of reactions happening), you need a big enough dance floor (cell volume) to accommodate them!

Import & export business of cells 🚢

  • Cells need stuff: This 'stuff' includes substances used in metabolic reactions.
  • Cells also have waste: They need to get rid of waste products.
  • How do they do it? Through the plasma membrane.
  • The efficiency of this "business" is determined by the plasma membrane's surface area.

Real-world example: Imagine a busy airport. The more gates (surface area) it has, the more planes (substances) can land and take off!

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IB Resources
Theme B - Form & Function
Biology HL
Biology HL

Theme B - Form & Function

Unlocking Cell Efficiency: The Critical Surface Area-To-Volume Ratio

Word Count Emoji
455 words
Reading Time Emoji
3 mins read
Updated at Emoji
Last edited on 14th Jun 2024

Table of content

🎉 Did You Know? 🎉

Cells are like little factories. Just like how factories need raw materials and get rid of waste, cells too, absorb substances and expel waste. And just as a factory's efficiency is tied to its design, a cell's efficiency is tied to its size and shape!

The metabolic dance party 🕺

  • Metabolism is the collective name for the chemical reactions in the cytoplasm of cells.
  • The faster the dance (the metabolic rate), the bigger the dance floor (cell volume) needs to be!

Real-world example: Think of metabolism like a dance party. If you've got a lot of people dancing (a lot of reactions happening), you need a big enough dance floor (cell volume) to accommodate them!

Import & export business of cells 🚢

  • Cells need stuff: This 'stuff' includes substances used in metabolic reactions.
  • Cells also have waste: They need to get rid of waste products.
  • How do they do it? Through the plasma membrane.
  • The efficiency of this "business" is determined by the plasma membrane's surface area.

Real-world example: Imagine a busy airport. The more gates (surface area) it has, the more planes (substances) can land and take off!

Unlock the Full Content! File Is Locked Emoji

Dive deeper and gain exclusive access to premium files of Biology HL. Subscribe now and get closer to that 45 🌟