Class Ix Biology Assignment 6 The Fundamental Unit of Life
Class Ix Biology Assignment 6 The Fundamental Unit of Life
Class Ix Biology Assignment 6 The Fundamental Unit of Life
BIOLOGY
ASSIGNMENT 6
THE FUNDAMENTAL UNIT OF LIFE
• The electron microscope was discovered in 1940 by Knoll and Ruska. It is a microscope with
high magnification and resolution employing electron beans in presence of light and using
electron lenses.
• A temporary mount of onion peel (a typical plant cell) under compound microscope shows a
number of similar rectangular cells with an outer cell wall closely packed with each other.
Each cell has a cell membrane, cytoplasm, and a small oval nucleus at the periphery.
• Human cheek cells (a typical animal cell) under compound microscope appear as a number
of flat polygonal cells each with a distinct cell membrane, cytoplasm and a central rounded
or oval nucleus are observed. Inter-cellular spaces can be seen. Such cells are known as
squamous epithelial cells which line the inner surface of our mouth cavity.
• Cells exist in different shapes. Most cells have fixed shape, for example bone cell, nerve cell,
smooth muscle cell, ovum, sperm etc. Some cells have changing shapes like white blood cells
and Amoeba.
• The shape of cells is related to the specific function they perform. A nerve cell has a long
axon and projections to send signals over long distances. Disc-shaped RBCs carry oxygen and
travel through small blood vessels. Xylem in plants are tube-like and hollow to carry water
and dissolved minerals.
• Multicellular organisms like most fungi, higher plants and animals are composed of many
cells organised into tissues, organs and organ systems. There exists division of labour as
different cells are specialised to perform different life functions.
• The plasma membrane is the outermost covering of an animal cell that:
a) separates the inner contents of the cell from its external environment
• Passive transport is the transport of molecules and ions along concentration gradient
without input of energy.
• Active transport is the transport of a substance against its concentration gradient with the
help of ATP.
• Singer and Nicolson (1972) proposed the currently accepted fluid mosaic model of plasma
membrane.
• Facilitated diffusion, another type of passive movement is the transport of substances across
a biological membrane via transmembrane carrier proteins.
• When a cell is put in Hypotonic solution, it gains water by osmosis (endosmosis) and is likely
to swell up.
• When a cell is put in Isotonic solution, there is no net movement of water across the cell
membrane.
• When a cell is put in Hypertonic solution, the cell loses water by osmosis (exosmosis) and the
cell will shrink.
• Endocytosis is a cellular process in which substances are brought into the cell. The material
to be internalized is surrounded by an area of cell membrane, which buds off inside the cell
to form a vesicle containing the ingested material.
ASSIGNMENT 6
2. The word ‘cell’ is derived from the latin word ‘cellula’ which means “a little room”. Can
you name the scientist who coined the term cell?
a) Robert Hooke
b) Antony Van Leeuwenhoek
c) Robert Brown
d) Ernst Haeckel
5. __________ coined the term ‘protoplasm’ for the fluid substance of the cell.
6. Name a pink stain used for observing plant specimen under compound microscope.
8. A de-shelled egg is placed in pure water in a beaker. What would you observe after
15min?
B [email protected] B [email protected]
C [email protected] C [email protected]
D [email protected] D [email protected]
E [email protected] E [email protected]
F [email protected] F [email protected]
G [email protected] G [email protected]
H [email protected] H [email protected]