Three agar cubes (1, 2, 3 cm sides) in 0.1 M NaOH.
Which biological principle does this experiment illustrate?
- A
Diffusion does not depend on geometry
- B
Cubic cells exist in nature
- Ccheck_circle
Cells must remain small (or have folded membranes) to maintain efficient exchange with their environment
- D
Larger cells have higher diffusion rates
Explanation
As size increases, volume grows as L^3 while surface as L^2. The decreasing SA:V ratio limits exchange efficiency. This is why cells are small or have specialized surface elaborations (microvilli, alveoli, root hairs) to maintain exchange.