1. In terms of maximizing diffusion, what was the most effective size cube that you tested?
The cube which was the most effective in diffusion was the smallest cube. Nearly the entire volume of the cube turned pink from the diffusion.
2. Why was that size most effective at maximizing diffusion? What are the important factors that affect how materials diffuse into cells or tissues?
It was the most effective because of how small it was. The smaller the cell or tissue, the better materials will diffuse.
3. If a large surface area is helpful to cells, why do cells not grow to be very large?
A large surface area isn’t helpful to cells and that is why cells dont’t grow to be large.
4. 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?
The cube with the ratio of 3:1 will be the most efficient at maximizing diffusion because it has the closest amount of surface area to volume, meaning that it is the smallest cube.
5. How does your body adapt surface area-to-volume ratios to help exchange gases?
Our bodies adapt surface area to volume ratios by dividing the cells to make them smaller.
6. Why can’t certain cells, like bacteria, get to be the size of a small fish?
Cells can’t be the size of small fish because they need to stay even smaller in order for the materials to absorb into each cell.
7. What are the advantages of large organisms being multicellular?
Having large organisms be multicellular means that the organisms don’t need to divide in order for the cells to stay small. The cells also have evolved features which help to speed up and help move materials in and out of the organism.
The agar cubes’s outsides after being soaked in the base for 10 minutes is turned completely pink.
When the cubes are cut into, the insides of the 2 larger cubes have not been affected by the base because there was more area for that the base was unable to reach in 10 minutes. The small cube was nearly completely pink because the base was able to penetrate the smaller area in a shorter time.