[Campbell Biology P.147] Based on Figure 6.7 and the accompanying text, which of the followi... | Practice Question

Based on Figure 6.7 and the accompanying text, which of the following best explains why larger organisms typically have more cells rather than larger individual cells?

  • A: Larger cells have a proportionately greater surface area relative to their volume, making material exchange more efficient.
  • B: Increasing cell size leads to a decrease in the surface area-to-volume ratio, making it harder to exchange materials efficiently for a given volume.
  • C: The total volume of cells increases significantly when cells divide, leading to more efficient metabolic processes.
  • D: More cells allow for greater specialization, which is critical for larger organisms.

Explanation

The text states: 'As a cell or any other object increases in size, its surface area grows proportionately less than its volume... Thus, a smaller cell has a greater ratio of surface area to volume.' It further explains that 'A sufficiently high ratio of surface area to volume is especially important in cells that exchange a lot of material with their surroundings.' Therefore, larger organisms have more, smaller cells to maintain an efficient surface area-to-volume ratio for vital metabolic exchanges.