CHAPTER 2

CELL AS A UNIT OF LIFE

2.1 CELLS
 CELLS
• All living things whether they are
plants or animals are made up of
cells.
• Cells are the basic unit of all living
things.
• Cells of living things can be
observed using a microscope.
MICROSCOPE
 STEPS IN USING A MICROSCOPE

1) Place a microscope with its mirror facing a

light source.
2) Adjust the mirror to allow maximum
light to fall into the mirror and reflect
into the microscope tube.
3) Place the slide onto the stage and
ensure that the specimen is at the
centre of the aperture.
4) Adjust the coarse focus knob.
 STRUCTURE OF ANIMAL CELLS

• A typical animal cell is

made up of protoplasm
(cytoplasm + nucleus)
and cell membrane.
• The cytoplasm
surrounds the nucleus.
• The nucleus is the most
important part of the
cells.
 STRUCTURE OF PLANT CELLS

• As in an animal cell, a
typical plant cell also
contains protoplasm
(cytoplasm + nucleus) and
cell membrane. Apart from
these structures, a plant cell
also contain cell wall,
chloroplast and vacuole.

• A plant cell have a rigid cell

wall. A cell wall is made up
of cellulose which is a form
of carbohydrate.
 FUNCTION OF CELL STRUCTURES
Part of the Function
cell
Nucleus Controls of the activities of the
cell
Cytoplasm Stores dissolved materials
Cell Protect the cell and controls the
membrane flow of material in and out of the
cell
Cell wall Gives support and maintains the
shape of the cell
Chloroplast Contains chlorophyll that absorb
light for photosynthesis process
Vacuole Contains cell sap made up of
dissolved minerals
 COMPARISON OF
ANIMAL CELLS AND PLANT CELLS

ANIMAL CELL SIMILARITIES PLANT CELL

Has protoplasm (cytoplasm and nucleus)

Has cell membrane

Able to carry out life activities like excretion

 ANIMAL CELL DIFFERENCES PLANT CELL

STRUCTURE

Not fixed SHAPE Fixed

Absent CELL WALL Present
Absent except in lower
level organisms like VACUOLE Present
Ameoba
Absent CHLOROPLAST Present
Glycogen FOOD RESERVES Starch
 2.1

UNICELLULAR AND
MULTICELLULAR ORGANISM
UNICELLULAR ANIMALS

Paramecium Ameoba
UNICELLULAR PLANTS

Chlamydomonas Euglena
MULTICELLULAR ANIMALS

Hydra
MULTICELLULAR PLANTS

Fern Spirogyra

Mucor