Plant and Animal Cells
Grade 4 · Science · Study Guide
Discover the tiny building blocks of life and how plant and animal cells are alike and different.
All living things are made of cells. Cells are the smallest units of life. Some living things, like bacteria, are made of just one cell. Others, like humans and trees, are made of trillions of cells working together.
Plant and animal cells share some common parts. Both have a cell membrane, which is a thin, flexible layer that surrounds the cell and controls what enters and exits. Both also have a nucleus, which is the control center of the cell that contains DNA with instructions for the cell. Both have cytoplasm, a jelly-like fluid that fills the cell and holds the other parts in place.
However, plant cells have some parts that animal cells do not have. Plant cells have a cell wall, a stiff outer layer outside the cell membrane that gives the plant structure and support. Plant cells also have chloroplasts, which are green structures that use sunlight to make food through a process called photosynthesis. Plant cells also have a large central vacuole, a storage space that holds water and helps the plant stay stiff and upright.
Animal cells do not have a cell wall, chloroplasts, or a large central vacuole. Animal cells get their energy by eating food, not by making it from sunlight.
Key terms
- Cell
- The smallest unit of a living organism
- Cell membrane
- A thin, flexible layer surrounding all cells that controls what enters and exits
- Nucleus
- The control center of the cell that contains DNA and directs cell activities
- Cell wall
- A rigid outer layer found only in plant cells that provides structure and support
- Chloroplast
- An organelle found only in plant cells that uses sunlight to make food through photosynthesis
- Vacuole
- A storage space inside a cell; plant cells have one large central vacuole for storing water
Flashcards
- Cell
- The basic unit of all living things
- Cell membrane
- Thin, flexible boundary of all cells that controls what passes in and out
- Nucleus
- The cell's control center; contains DNA with instructions for the cell
- Cytoplasm
- Jelly-like fluid inside the cell that suspends organelles
- Cell wall
- Rigid outer layer in plant cells that provides support; absent in animal cells
- Chloroplast
- Plant-cell organelle that captures sunlight and makes food via photosynthesis
- Vacuole
- Storage sac in cells; plant cells have one large central vacuole for water
- Organelle
- A small structure inside a cell with a specific job
Questions
Which structure is found in plant cells but NOT in animal cells?
- Cell membrane
- Nucleus
- Cell wall
- Cytoplasm
Show answer
Answer: Cell wall
The cell wall is a rigid layer found only in plant cells that provides structure. Animal cells only have a flexible cell membrane.
Both plant and animal cells have a nucleus.
Show answer
Answer: True
Both plant and animal cells contain a nucleus, which is the control center that holds the cell's DNA and directs its activities.
The organelle that uses sunlight to make food in plant cells is called a ______.
Show answer
Answer: chloroplast
Chloroplasts contain a green pigment called chlorophyll that captures light energy to make sugar through photosynthesis.
What is the function of the cell membrane?
- To produce energy from sunlight
- To store the cell's DNA
- To control what enters and exits the cell
- To give the cell a rigid shape
Show answer
Answer: To control what enters and exits the cell
The cell membrane acts as a gatekeeper, allowing needed materials in and waste products out while keeping harmful substances away.
Animal cells have a large central vacuole that helps them store water.
Show answer
Answer: False
Animal cells do not have a large central vacuole. Plant cells have one large central vacuole that stores water and helps maintain the plant's shape.
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