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QLDBiologyQuick questions
Unit 1: Cells and multicellular organisms
Quick questions on Surface area to volume ratio and limits on cell size (QCE Biology Unit 1)
5short Q&A pairs drawn directly from our worked dot-point answer. For full context and worked exam questions, read the parent dot-point page.
What is cell strategies for keeping SA?Show answer
Cells use three strategies to maintain a workable SA:V:
What are exchange surfaces?Show answer
When organisms are too large for diffusion through the body surface, they evolve specialised exchange surfaces. These maximise surface area and minimise diffusion distance:
What is q1?Show answer
Calculate the surface-area to volume ratio of a cubic cell of side length 2 micrometres, and compare to a cube of side 6 micrometres. [3 marks]
What is q2?Show answer
Three spherical model cells with radii 5, 10 and 20 micrometres are placed in coloured agar for 10 minutes. The 5 micrometre sphere fully colours, the 10 micrometre sphere colours to 70 percent depth, the 20 micrometre colours to 30 percent. Use SA:V reasoning to explain the trend.
What is q3?Show answer
Refer to a small intestine villus. (a) Identify two anatomical features that increase the absorptive surface area. (b) Estimate how each feature changes the SA:V of the inner intestine wall qualitatively.
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