Overview
What you’ll learn
- State the function of the cell membrane, cytoplasm, nucleus, cell wall, chloroplast and vacuole.
- Recall that the nucleus contains genetic material, DNA, which can be passed to the next generation. The full name and structure of DNA are not required.
- Compare a typical plant cell with a typical animal cell, and infer whether a cell comes from a plant or an animal.
- Describe how cells are organised into tissues, organs and systems in a multicellular organism.
- Relate the microscope to how knowledge of cells grew.
In 30 seconds
- 1The drawings in this chapter are models of typical cells, not a portrait of every cell.
- 2The nucleus controls the cell’s activities and contains DNA, the genetic material passed to the next generation.
- 3The cell membrane controls what enters and leaves. Cytoplasm is where many of the cell’s chemical reactions happen.
- 4Plant cells have a cell wall, chloroplasts and a large vacuole. Animal cells do not.
- 5In a plant or animal, cells group into tissues, tissues into organs, and organs into systems.
- 6The microscope made cells visible. New tools changed what scientists could know.
Notes · 1 of 5
Parts of a typical cell and their jobs
Each labelled part has a function. Learn the function with the name.
| Part | Function | Plant, animal, or both |
|---|---|---|
| Nucleus | Controls the cell’s activities. Contains DNA, the genetic material. | Both |
| Cytoplasm | Jelly-like region where many chemical reactions take place. | Both |
| Cell membrane | Controls which substances enter and leave the cell. | Both |
| Cell wall | A firm outer layer that supports the cell and holds its shape. | Plant |
| Chloroplast | Contains chlorophyll. The site of photosynthesis, which makes food using light. | Plant |
| Vacuole | A large sac of cell sap in a typical plant cell, which helps keep the cell firm. | Large in plant cells |
Notes · 2 of 5
Plant cell and animal cell as models
The typical cell is a model that lets you predict what a plant or animal cell is likely to have.
Real cells vary. A root cell has no chloroplasts, because it is underground and does not photosynthesise. The typical plant cell and typical animal cell are models that show the usual parts so you can predict and compare.
- Both
- Nucleus, cytoplasm and cell membrane.
- Plant cell
- Also a cell wall, chloroplasts and a large central vacuole. The shape is often more regular.
- Animal cell
- No cell wall, no chloroplasts, and only small vacuoles if any. The shape is often less regular.
Notes · 3 of 5
From cells to systems
A multicellular organism is organised so that different groups of cells can specialise.
- 1Cell
The basic unit of life. Example: a muscle cell.
- 2Tissue
A group of similar cells working together. Example: muscle tissue.
- 3Organ
Several tissues working together. Example: the heart, or a leaf.
- 4System
Organs working together. Example: the transport system, or the digestive system.
Division of labour means different cells do different jobs. A leaf cell with chloroplasts makes food. A root cell absorbs water. Splitting the work lets the organism do things a single cell could not do as well. You may be asked for this idea; the detailed names of every specialised cell are not required.
Notes · 4 of 5
Deciding whether a cell is from a plant or an animal
Look for the parts only a typical plant cell has.
- A cell wall around the outside means a plant cell.
- Chloroplasts mean a plant cell that can photosynthesise.
- A large central vacuole is the plant-cell pattern.
- If you see only nucleus, cytoplasm and cell membrane, treat it as an animal cell.
Do not decide from the colour of the drawing. Decide from the structures. A plant cell that is not green, such as a root cell, can still be identified by its cell wall and large vacuole.
Notes · 5 of 5
The microscope and what a model is for
Cells were unknown until lenses could magnify them. The model is useful and still a simplification.
The microscope is a technology that extended what people could see. Once cells were visible, scientists could test ideas about how living things are built. That is why this chapter sits in the theme of models: the typical cell is a simplified picture that explains and predicts, and it can be improved when better evidence appears.
- Carry a microscope with two hands, one under the base.
- Start with the lowest-power lens and focus slowly so the lens does not hit the slide.
- Do not point a mirror at the Sun. Bright sunlight through the microscope can damage eyes.
Revise
Key terms
The words examiners expect you to use precisely.
- Cell
- The basic unit of life. In plants and animals, cells are organised into tissues, organs and systems.
- Nucleus
- The part that controls the cell’s activities. It contains DNA.
- DNA
- The genetic material in the nucleus. It can be passed to the next generation. The full name and structure are not required.
- Cytoplasm
- The jelly-like contents of the cell, where many chemical reactions take place.
- Cell membrane
- The thin boundary that controls what enters and leaves the cell.
- Cell wall
- The firm outer layer of a plant cell. It supports the cell. Animal cells do not have one.
Show 3 more key termsShow fewer key terms
- Chloroplast
- The part in many plant cells where photosynthesis takes place.
- Vacuole
- A fluid-filled sac. A typical plant cell has a large central vacuole that helps keep the cell firm.
- Tissue
- A group of similar cells working together to carry out a job.
Revise
Common mistakes
Where students most often lose marks in this chapter — and what to do instead.
Mistake: Saying animal cells have a cell wall.
The wall is a plant-cell structure.
Instead: Both have a cell membrane. Only plant cells have a cell wall.
Mistake: Saying the cell wall controls what enters the cell.
That is the job of the cell membrane.
Instead: The wall supports and protects. The membrane controls movement of substances.
Show 4 more mistakesShow fewer mistakes
Mistake: Putting chloroplasts in an animal cell, or in every plant cell including the root.
Chloroplasts are for photosynthesis. Animals do not photosynthesise, and roots are not in the light.
Instead: Chloroplasts are in many plant cells, especially in leaves, not in animal cells.
Mistake: Writing a long name or a structure for DNA.
The useful idea is the role of DNA, not a long chemical name or a drawing of its shape.
Instead: DNA in the nucleus is genetic material that can be passed on.
Mistake: Skipping a level in cell → tissue → organ → system.
The sequence is the organisation, and the marks are for the order.
Instead: Similar cells make a tissue. Tissues make an organ. Organs make a system.
Mistake: Treating the typical cell diagram as a photo of every cell.
It is a model used for prediction. Real cells specialise.
Instead: Use the model to decide plant or animal, and accept that some plant cells lack chloroplasts.
Check yourself
Quick quiz
10 questions with instant explanations. About 5 minutes.
Question 1 of 3
- Question 1: current question
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
State the function of the nucleus
Which part contains DNA?
Ready for more practice on Chapter 6: Model of Cells, the Basic Unit of Life?
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Practise
Topical questions
Exam-style practice in three tiers, from recall to data questions.
- 5Foundation
- 5Standard
- 5Challenging
15 questions worth 44 marks, each with a model answer, mark scheme and examiner tips.
Practise topical questionsExam practice
Practice paper
A 30-mark paper set out like a school paper, with a separate mark scheme. Give yourself 40 min.
Question paper
Chapter 6 Practice Paper
30 marks · 40 min · 5 pages
10 multiple-choice questions and structured questions with answer lines. Chapter 6.
Mark scheme
PROChapter 6 Practice Paper — mark scheme
Answers · Marking points · 3 pages
Model answers with a mark for each creditworthy point — for marking at home or in class.
Where this chapter is tested
Each school sets its own scope — check your assessment outline.
- Term 3Coming soonWeighted Assessment 3 (WA3)
- Term 4Practice paperEnd-of-Year Examination (EOY)Open the paper
Questions
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a plant cell and an animal cell?
Both have a nucleus, cytoplasm and cell membrane. A typical plant cell also has a cell wall, chloroplasts and a large central vacuole. Animal cells do not.
What does the nucleus do?
It controls the cell’s activities and contains DNA, the genetic material that can be passed to the next generation. You do not need the full name or the structure of DNA.
Is the cell wall the same as the cell membrane?
No. The cell wall is the firm outer support of a plant cell. The cell membrane controls what enters and leaves, and both plant and animal cells have one.
What is the order from cell to system?
Cell, tissue, organ, system. Similar cells make a tissue. Tissues make an organ. Organs working together make a system.
When do schools test cells?
The model of cells is often taught with the ray model in the second half of the year and tested in WA3 and the end-of-year exam. Check your school’s scheme of work.
Up next
Chapter 7: Model of Matter — The Particulate Nature of Matter