In terms of maximizing diffusion, what was the most effective size cube that you tested?

1. The small cube was the most effective

1. Why was that size most effective at maximizing diffusion?  What are the important factors that affect how materials diffuse into cells or tissues?
   1. This size was the most effective because it had the highest surface area to volume ratio. It was also a small cube, so it could more quickly move the NaOH into the cell.
2. If a large surface area is helpful to cells, why do cells not grow to be very large?
   1. Cells do not grow to be large because it is less efficient overall. The surface area grows, but so does the volume, so the ratio remains the same. Due to this, small cells are more efficient because although the ratio may be the same, or slightly larger for a large cell, the large volume makes diffusion overall slower.
3. You have three cubes, A, B, and C.  They have surface to volume ratios of 3:1, 5:2, and 4:1 respectively.  Which of these cubes is going to be the most effective at maximizing diffusion, how do you know this?
   1. The most effective would be the 3:1 cube, as it has the smallest surface area to volume ratio. However, the size of the cube will also make a difference. A large 3:1 cube will be less efficient than a small 4:1 cube, because the small size overall makes it more efficient. So, overall, a 3:1 cube will be more efficient, but the size should be taken into account.
4. How does your body adapt surface area-to-volume ratios to help exchange gases?
   1. Through natural selection and evolution, human bodies have adopted smaller cells so there is less space for diffusion from outside to the center. This is more effective because cells can move nutrients into the center more quickly. Moreover, the cell can move waste out of the center of itself faster.
5. Why can’t certain cells, like bacteria, get to be the size of a small fish?
   1. This would be inefficient because it would not be able to diffuse nutrients and oxygen to the center of the bacteria, because it is so large. This is also inefficient because the bacteria benefits from having a small size and number of organelles to nourish, whereas a large cell would require more nutrients.
6. What are the advantages of large organisms being multicellular?
   1. This allows for nutrients to go straight into the cells, rather than requiring materials to diffuse all the way into the middle of a large cell. Another advantage is that multicellular organisms have different cells that perform different tasks in the body. This streamlines cell processes, as cells do not have to perform more than one duty to the body.