wunder beta🌱 Plant Cells vs Animal Cells
Discover what plant and animal cells share, and the three clever extras that only plant cells carry.
What you’ll learn
- What All Cells ShareIdentify the parts that both plant and animal cells share and explain the job of each.Plant and animal cells share four key parts: a nucleus that controls the cell and stores DNA, a cell membrane that controls what enters and leaves, cytoplasm that fills the cell, and mitochondria that release energy. Because both keep their DNA inside a nucleus, they are both eukaryotic cells.
- Three Plant-Cell ExtrasDescribe the three extra structures in plant cells, the cell wall, chloroplasts, and large vacuole, and their jobs.Plant cells have three parts that animal cells lack. The cell wall is a rigid outer layer that gives support and a boxy shape. Chloroplasts contain green chlorophyll and make food using light in photosynthesis. The large central vacuole stores watery sap and keeps the cell firm.
- Plant vs AnimalCompare plant and animal cells directly, naming the shared parts and the three plant-only extras.Both plant and animal cells have a nucleus, cell membrane, cytoplasm, and mitochondria. Only plant cells add a cell wall for support, chloroplasts for making food, and a large central vacuole for storing sap. These three extras are the main differences between the two cell types.
Questions this course answers
Which of these parts is found in BOTH plant and animal cells?
Both plant and animal cells have a nucleus, along with a membrane, cytoplasm, and mitochondria.
What is the main job of the nucleus in both kinds of cell?
The nucleus is the control centre that stores the cell's DNA instructions in both plant and animal cells.
Why do plant cells have a cell wall but animal cells do not?
The cell wall is a tough, rigid layer that supports the plant cell and gives it a firm shape.
What do chloroplasts do inside a plant cell?
Chloroplasts capture light and use it to make the plant's food through photosynthesis.
What is the job of the large central vacuole in a plant cell?
The large central vacuole stores watery sap and presses outward to keep the plant cell firm.
Which three parts does a plant cell have that an animal cell does NOT?
Plant cells add a cell wall, chloroplasts, and a large central vacuole, which animal cells lack.
Grounded in trusted sources
- BBC Bitesize
- Britannica Kids
- Khan Academy
- Royal Society of Biology
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