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Cell Size and Diffusion

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Jessica
March 18, 2009, 06:21 PM
Please help me with these questions. I'm stuck :(

1. Why have large organisms developed from more cells rather than larger ones? :?:

2. When one cube-shaped cell divides into two equal parts, how does the volume of each small cell compare with the one original large cell? It is half the Volume of the original large cell.
Does the surface area change in the same proportion? Explain. :?:

3. How does the division of a cell affect each new cell's ability to absorb material? :?:

Please help me before tomorrow!

Fazor
March 18, 2009, 07:07 PM
Science is one of my passions (I study physics and quantum physics as a hobby); but the first question kind of stumps me.

2) I won't tell you the answer (that's cheating!) but compaire the formula for volume with the formula for surface area. It's more a math question than a science question.

3) Well, again physics is my area of interest, not biology. But if you want a hint that's *probably* right; you'll have to look at your answer on question 2.

And, if I had to wager, I'd be able to hazard a guess on the first question based on the following two questions' answers. I know that's kind of cryptic, but I don't know how to be more clear without giving you the answers. (Plus, I'd hate to give you the answers then be wrong ;)).

Jessica
March 18, 2009, 07:19 PM
why does #1 stumps you? It doesn't really stump me, I understand it, but I just don't know the answer :P

Tomisimo
March 18, 2009, 07:59 PM
"to be stumped" just means you don't know the answer. :) As for question #1, if you have your biology book, try looking to see if cells have a maximum size.

sosia
March 19, 2009, 08:55 AM
A big cell (for example an egg) doesn't make much.......
Thousands of specific cells make a brain......
saludos :D

Fazor
March 19, 2009, 10:02 AM
Oh, neat. I did a Google search and was quickly able to find out the answers; the answer to question one very much answers the rest of them, and vise versa. The best hint is the answer is very much a result of math.