AQA GCSE Biology Foundation (8461), Foundation tier · Cell biology › Cell structure
Practise Animal and plant cells. 8 exam-style questions plus unlimited generated ones on this subtopic, at up to four difficulty levels, with full mark schemes and a progress tracker. Free, no account needed.
The sub-cellular structures in animal and plant cells and the job of each one. Questions ask you to label cell diagrams, match structures to functions, compare animal and plant cells, and explain how a cell's structures suit what it does.
Key facts
Nucleus: contains genetic material that controls the cell's activities
Cytoplasm: where most chemical reactions happen; contains enzymes
Cell membrane: controls the movement of substances in and out
Mitochondria: where aerobic respiration happens
Ribosomes: where protein synthesis happens
Chloroplasts: where photosynthesis happens (plant cells)
Permanent vacuole: filled with cell sap (plant cells)
Cell wall: made of cellulose; strengthens the cell (plant and algal cells)
Notes
In animal and plant cells
diagram
Nucleus: contains the genetic material, which controls the activities of the cell.
Cytoplasm: a gel-like substance where most of the cell's chemical reactions happen. It contains enzymes that control these reactions.
Cell membrane: controls the movement of substances into and out of the cell.
Mitochondria: where aerobic respiration happens, releasing energy for the cell.
Ribosomes: where protein synthesis happens (proteins are made).
An animal cell, e.g. a cheek cell
Extra structures in plant cells
diagram
Chloroplasts: where photosynthesis happens. They contain chlorophyll, which absorbs light.
Permanent vacuole: filled with cell sap. It helps keep the cell firm.
Cell wall: made of cellulose. It strengthens the cell. Algal cells also have a cellulose cell wall.
Plant cells also have every structure that animal cells have, including mitochondria.
A plant cell, e.g. a palisade cell. The cell wall, chloroplasts and permanent vacuole are not found in animal cells.
Not all plant cells have chloroplasts: root cells get no light, so they cannot photosynthesise.
Linking structure to function
Many mitochondria: the cell needs a lot of energy, e.g. muscle cells and sperm cells.
Many ribosomes: the cell makes a lot of protein, e.g. cells that make enzymes.
Many chloroplasts: the cell carries out a lot of photosynthesis, e.g. palisade cells near the upper surface of a leaf.
How to answer each type of question
Name a structure from its function
1 mark eachGrade 3
Read the function, then match it to one structure.
Spell the name clearly: mitochondria, ribosome, chloroplast, vacuole.
Give one answer only: a second, wrong answer can cancel the mark.
Example. Name the part of a cell: (a) where proteins are made (b) that is filled with cell sap (c) where aerobic respiration happens.
Say why this cell cannot photosynthesise: it gets no light.
Link the two ideas with 'so'.
Example. Cells from a carrot root do not contain chloroplasts. Explain why.
Show the model answerHide the model answer
Chloroplasts are where photosynthesis happens (1). Root cells are underground and receive no light, so they cannot photosynthesise (1).
Don’t lose marks
Saying mitochondria 'make' or 'produce' energy. Respiration in mitochondria releases energy.
Saying plant cells have no mitochondria. Plant cells respire all the time, so they have mitochondria.
Mixing up the cell wall and the cell membrane. The membrane controls what enters and leaves; the wall strengthens the cell.
Saying all plant cells have chloroplasts. Cells that get no light, such as root cells, do not.
Giving a permanent vacuole as a structure of animal cells. It is a plant cell feature.
More tips
Memory tricks
Plant extras are the '3 Cs': Cellulose cell wall, Cell sap vacuole, Chloroplasts.
Learn the pairs both ways round: ribosome and protein, mitochondria and respiration, chloroplast and photosynthesis, nucleus and genetic material, membrane and 'in and out'.
Quick check: chloroplasts or a cellulose cell wall mean a plant (or algal) cell, never an animal cell.
Exam technique
Use the exact function phrases: 'controls the movement of substances in and out', 'protein synthesis', 'aerobic respiration'.
In 'explain' questions about a named cell, link the structure to that cell's job, not just its general function.
When you label a diagram, draw label lines with a ruler so they touch the structure and do not cross each other.
What each grade needs
What you need to be able to do, from the first marks up to the top grade.
Grade 3
Name the parts of an animal cellNucleus, cytoplasm, cell membrane, mitochondria and ribosomes.
Grade 3
Name the extra structures in plant cellsChloroplasts, a permanent vacuole filled with cell sap, and a cell wall made of cellulose.
Grade 4
State the function of each structuree.g. mitochondria are where aerobic respiration happens; ribosomes are where proteins are made.
Grade 5
Explain why some plant cells lack chloroplastsCells that receive no light, such as root cells, cannot photosynthesise, so they have no chloroplasts.
Quick recall
Cover the answers and test yourself. The app has these as flashcards that come back just before you'd forget them.
Name the sub-cellular structure where protein synthesis happens.
ribosome
Sample questions
Written for this site in the style of AQA exam questions. They are not taken from real past papers.
Question 1Easy5 marks
Animal and plant cells contain sub-cellular structures.
(a) Which structure controls the movement of substances into and out of a cell? Tick (✓) one box.[1]
Cell membrane
Cell wall
Nucleus
Permanent vacuole
(b) Name the sub-cellular structure where protein synthesis happens.[1]
(c) Name the sub-cellular structure where aerobic respiration happens.[1]
(d) Plant cells have a cell wall. Name the substance that plant cell walls are made of.[1]
(e) Give the function of the cell wall.[1]
Show the answer and mark scheme
(a)Answer: Cell membrane
(b)Answer: ribosome
ribosome(s)
(c)Answer: mitochondria
mitochondria / mitochondrion
(d)Answer: cellulose
cellulose
(e)
strengthens / supports the cell
Question 2Medium5 marks
Different types of cell contain different numbers of each sub-cellular structure.
(a) Cells in the salivary glands make large amounts of the enzyme amylase. Explain why these cells contain many ribosomes.[2]
(b) Cells in the root of a carrot plant do not contain chloroplasts. Suggest why.[2]
(c) Give the function of the permanent vacuole in a plant cell.[1]
Show the answer and mark scheme
(a)
amylase / enzymes are proteins
ribosomes are where proteins are made / are the site of protein synthesis
(b)
roots are underground / receive no light
so the cells cannot photosynthesise / chloroplasts would have no use
(c)
contains / stores cell sap (a solution of sugars and salts)