Chapter - 5
Fundamental unit of life
MCQ
1. Most of the substances in the living world are transported across the
cell membrane by the process of
(a) osmosis
(b) endocytosis
(c) diffusion
(d) plasmolysis
2. The proteins and lipids, essential for building the cell membrane, are
manufactured by
(a) rough endoplasmic reticulum
(b) Golgi apparatus
(c) plasma membrane
(d) mitochondria
3. The undefined nuclear region of prokaryotes are also known as
[NCERT Exemplar Problem]
(a) nucleus
(b) nucleolus
(c) nucleic acid
(d) nucleoid
4. The cell organelle involved in forming complex sugars from simple
sugars are
(a) endoplasmic reticulum
(b) ribosomes
(c) plastids
(d) Golgi apparatus
5. Silver nitrate solution is used to study
(a) endoplasmic reticulum
(b) Golgi apparatus
(c) Nucleus
(d) Mitochondria
Assertion-Reason Questions
Directions: In the following questions , a statement of assertion (A)
is followed by a
statement of reason (R). Mark the correct choice as:
(a) Both (A) and (R) are true and (R) is the correct explanation of
(A).
(b) Both (A) and (R) are true but (R) is not the correct explanation
of (A).
(c) (A) is true but (R) is false.
(d) (A) is false but (R) is true.
1. Assertion: Cells are the basic structural and functional units of life.
Reason: Cells are able to reproduce and respond to stimuli.
2. Assertion: The nucleus is the control center of a cell.
Reason: The nucleus contains the genetic material of a cell.
3. Assertion: Cells are able to divide and reproduce.
Reason: Cells have the ability to undergo mitosis and meiosis.
4. Assertion: Plant cell contain two types of plastid, chromoplast and
leucoplast.
Reason: animal cells contain only one type of plastid i.e. leucoplast.
5. Assertion: In both plants and animal cells, the main area of cellular
activities is cytoplasm.
Reason: Various chemical reactions occur in cytoplasm to keep the cell
in living state.
Case study
Read the following paragraph and answer the given questions:
Molecular Structure of Cell Membrane
Currently, the fluid mosaic model for the molecular structure of cell
membrane is considered satisfactory. However, it is useful to trace the
evolution of this model as this will show how the scientists build on
earlier observations.
In 1895, Charles Overton suggested that cell membrane was composed
of lipids. In 1925, two Dutch scientists E. Gorter and E. Grendel
proposed that cell membrane was compose double layer (bilayer) of
lipid molecules. of a double les Danielli and Hugh Davson proposed that
the cell membrane is made of a death layer of phospholipid molecules
with a single continuous layer of protein molecules on surface. In other
words, two protein monolayers sandwich the phospholipid bilayer. J.
David Robertson examined electron micrographs of cell membrane of
red blood corpuscles an found it to consist of 3 layers: 2 dark-staining
layers with a light-staining layer in between. The outer dark-layers were
considered to represent the protein monolayers and the middle light
layer was considered to be the lipid bilayer.
Fluid Mosaic Model: In early 1972, S. Jonathan Singer and Garth
Nicolson proposed fluid most model for the membrane structure.
According to this model, the biomembrane is not solid but viscous fluid
and the phospholipid and protein molecules are arranged not uniformly
but a mosaic. As per the fluid mosaic model, the cell membrane consists
of a highly viscous, fluid matrix of 2 layers of phospholipid molecules,
having globular proteins associated with the lipids and proteins vary
from one type of membrane to another.
(i) Why is endocytosis found in animal cells only ?
(ii) What will happen if the plasma membrane of a cell breaks down ?
(iii) Rheo leaves are boiled in water first and then a drop of sugar syrup
is put on it. What will be the outcome?
Or
iii) What change do you expect if dry apricot are left for sometime in
pure water and later transferred to sugar solution?
_Short Questions_
1. What would happen if the plasma membrane ruptures or break down?
2. Where do the lipids and proteins constituting the cell membrane get
synthesised?
3. What is the function of the nucleus in a cell?
4.Describe the process of cell division and its significance.
5. Discuss the importance of cells in living organisms.
6. "Chloroplast and mitochondria are referred to as semi-autonomous
organelles." Justify
7 can you think us to why the chromosomes number have reduced to
half in daughter cells during meiosis?
8. If the cell of onion peel and the RBC is a separately kept in hypotonic
solution, what among the following will take place? Explain the reason
for your answer.
(a) Both cell will swell
(b) RBC will burst easily while cells of onion peel will resist the
bursting to some extent.
(c) RBC and onion peel cells will behave similarly.
9.Why is it important to use isotonic solutions in medical applications?
10.How are hypotonic and hypertonic solutions used in laboratory
settings?
Long questions
1. Draw and label the diagram of an animal cell and explain the function
of each part.
2.What are the consequences of the following conditions?
(a) A cell containing higher water concentration than the surrounding
medium
(b) A cell having low water concentration than the surrounding medium.
(c) A cell having equal water concentration to its surrounding medium.
