Light Microscopes Electron Microscopes
Resolving Power: A measure of
Use a beam of light to form Use a beam of electrons to
an image. form an image.
the ability to distinguish Biology chapter 1
between two separate points
Can magnify objects up to Can magnify up to
2000 times (but school 2000000 times. that are very close together.
Orders of Magnitude:
microscopes usually go up
to 400 times) Algae: Simple aquatic organisms Orders of magnitude are
Can be used to view living Cannot be used for living (Protista) that make their own food used to make
objects. objects. by photosynthesis. They have many approximate comparisons
Are cheap and easy to carry Are expensive and must be features similar to plant cells. between number or
around. kept in special conditions. objects. They are shown
𝑖𝑚𝑎𝑔𝑒 𝑠𝑖𝑧𝑒
Name Function Magnification = 𝑜𝑏𝑗𝑒𝑐𝑡 𝑠𝑖𝑧𝑒 using powers of 10.
Nucleus Controls the cells activities
Cytoplasm A liquid gel. Where the chemical reactions take Eukaryotic cells: have a cell membrane, cytoplasm and a
place nucleus. All animals, plants, fungi and Protista are
Cell Controls what substances go in and out of the cell eukaryotes. The nucleus contains the genetic material.
membrane (like mineral ions and glucose). Prokaryotic cells: include bacteria. Bacteria can only be
Mitochondria Where energy is transferred during aerobic seen with a powerful microscope. Prokaryotic cells consist
respiration of cytoplasm and a cell membrane surrounded by a cell
Ribosomes Where protein synthesis takes place. wall. The genetic material is found in the cytoplasm as a
Cell wall Helps to support the plant. Made of cellulose. long circle of DNA, some have extra small circular rings of
Chloroplasts Absorb light to make food. Contain chlorophyll for DNA called plasmids. Some bacteria have a protective
photosynthesis. slime capsule, others have flagella for movement. When
Permanent Keeps the cell rigid to help support the plant. bacteria multiply, they form a colony. Bacterial colonies
vacuole Contains cell sap. can be seen with the naked eye.
Name Function Extra info
Nerve Cells These are Have many mitochondria and
specialised to many dendrites. Have an axon
carry electrical to carry the impulse from one
impulses around place to another.
the bodies of
animals.
Muscle Cells These contract and Striated muscle cells are found
relax. in the muscles that enable
your body to move. Smooth Osmosis: is the diffusion of water across a partially
muscle cells are found in the permeable membrane. Movement of water molecules
tissues of the digestive system is random and requires no energy from the cell. The
and contract to move food
water moves from a region of a dilute solution to a
along the gut. Many
mitochondria. more concentrated solution.
Sperm Cells These carry the They are specialised to move
genetic through water or the female Isotonic = two solutions with the same concentration.
information from reproductive system to reach Hypertonic = Solution is more concentrated.
the male parent. the egg. They have; a long tail, hypotonic = solution is more dilute.
a middle section (full of
mitochondria), an acrosome Turgor pressure occurs when no more water can enter a cell
and a large nucleus. due to the pressure inside. As long as the outside solution is
Diffusion: It’s the spreading out of particles of any substance, in solution or hypotonic water moves in and keeps the cells rigid.
gas, resulting in a net movement from an area of higher concentration to
Plasmolysis: The state of plant cells when so much water is
an area of lower concentration, down a concentration gradient. The larger
lost from the cell by osmosis that the vacuole and cytoplasm
the difference in concentration, the faster the rate of diffusion. Diffusion is
shrink, and the cell membrane pulls away from the cell wall.
also affected by temperature and the available surface area.
Active transport: The movement of substances from a dilute
Animal cells that are surrounded Single-celled organisms solution to a more concentrated solution against a
by a hypotonic solution will swell have a relatively large concentration gradient, requiring energy from respiration.
and possibly burst as water moves surface area to volume ratio
into cell by osmosis. If the solution so all necessary exchanges Water moves into plant cells by osmosis → the vacuole
around animals’ cells is hypertonic with the environment can swells → the cytoplasm is pressed against the cell wall → the
then water moves out of the cells cell becomes rigid → the leaves and stem become rigid.
take place over this surface.
and they shrink.
Cells can absorb ions from dilute solutions. People with cystic fibrosis have, thick sticky
mucus because the active transport system in their mucus cells is not working properly.
Resolving Power: A measure of
Use a beam of light to form Use a beam of electrons to
an image. form an image.
the ability to distinguish Biology chapter 1
between two separate points
Can magnify objects up to Can magnify up to
2000 times (but school 2000000 times. that are very close together.
Orders of Magnitude:
microscopes usually go up
to 400 times) Algae: Simple aquatic organisms Orders of magnitude are
Can be used to view living Cannot be used for living (Protista) that make their own food used to make
objects. objects. by photosynthesis. They have many approximate comparisons
Are cheap and easy to carry Are expensive and must be features similar to plant cells. between number or
around. kept in special conditions. objects. They are shown
𝑖𝑚𝑎𝑔𝑒 𝑠𝑖𝑧𝑒
Name Function Magnification = 𝑜𝑏𝑗𝑒𝑐𝑡 𝑠𝑖𝑧𝑒 using powers of 10.
Nucleus Controls the cells activities
Cytoplasm A liquid gel. Where the chemical reactions take Eukaryotic cells: have a cell membrane, cytoplasm and a
place nucleus. All animals, plants, fungi and Protista are
Cell Controls what substances go in and out of the cell eukaryotes. The nucleus contains the genetic material.
membrane (like mineral ions and glucose). Prokaryotic cells: include bacteria. Bacteria can only be
Mitochondria Where energy is transferred during aerobic seen with a powerful microscope. Prokaryotic cells consist
respiration of cytoplasm and a cell membrane surrounded by a cell
Ribosomes Where protein synthesis takes place. wall. The genetic material is found in the cytoplasm as a
Cell wall Helps to support the plant. Made of cellulose. long circle of DNA, some have extra small circular rings of
Chloroplasts Absorb light to make food. Contain chlorophyll for DNA called plasmids. Some bacteria have a protective
photosynthesis. slime capsule, others have flagella for movement. When
Permanent Keeps the cell rigid to help support the plant. bacteria multiply, they form a colony. Bacterial colonies
vacuole Contains cell sap. can be seen with the naked eye.
Name Function Extra info
Nerve Cells These are Have many mitochondria and
specialised to many dendrites. Have an axon
carry electrical to carry the impulse from one
impulses around place to another.
the bodies of
animals.
Muscle Cells These contract and Striated muscle cells are found
relax. in the muscles that enable
your body to move. Smooth Osmosis: is the diffusion of water across a partially
muscle cells are found in the permeable membrane. Movement of water molecules
tissues of the digestive system is random and requires no energy from the cell. The
and contract to move food
water moves from a region of a dilute solution to a
along the gut. Many
mitochondria. more concentrated solution.
Sperm Cells These carry the They are specialised to move
genetic through water or the female Isotonic = two solutions with the same concentration.
information from reproductive system to reach Hypertonic = Solution is more concentrated.
the male parent. the egg. They have; a long tail, hypotonic = solution is more dilute.
a middle section (full of
mitochondria), an acrosome Turgor pressure occurs when no more water can enter a cell
and a large nucleus. due to the pressure inside. As long as the outside solution is
Diffusion: It’s the spreading out of particles of any substance, in solution or hypotonic water moves in and keeps the cells rigid.
gas, resulting in a net movement from an area of higher concentration to
Plasmolysis: The state of plant cells when so much water is
an area of lower concentration, down a concentration gradient. The larger
lost from the cell by osmosis that the vacuole and cytoplasm
the difference in concentration, the faster the rate of diffusion. Diffusion is
shrink, and the cell membrane pulls away from the cell wall.
also affected by temperature and the available surface area.
Active transport: The movement of substances from a dilute
Animal cells that are surrounded Single-celled organisms solution to a more concentrated solution against a
by a hypotonic solution will swell have a relatively large concentration gradient, requiring energy from respiration.
and possibly burst as water moves surface area to volume ratio
into cell by osmosis. If the solution so all necessary exchanges Water moves into plant cells by osmosis → the vacuole
around animals’ cells is hypertonic with the environment can swells → the cytoplasm is pressed against the cell wall → the
then water moves out of the cells cell becomes rigid → the leaves and stem become rigid.
take place over this surface.
and they shrink.
Cells can absorb ions from dilute solutions. People with cystic fibrosis have, thick sticky
mucus because the active transport system in their mucus cells is not working properly.
