Questions and Answers
What are the primary building blocks of life?
Cells
What is the smallest cell known?
Mycoplasma gallicepticum
What is the largest cell known?
Ostrich egg
All organisms are made up of cells.
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Who was the first to record cells?
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What does the Latin phrase ‘omnis cellula a cellula’ translate to?
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What do cells contain that is passed from one cell to another during cell division?
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Who made observations of plant tissues and contributed to cell theory?
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Who made observations in animal tissues in 1839?
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All cells are identical in chemical composition.
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Cells use hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, carbon, phosphorus, and _____ to form organic biomolecules.
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Study Notes
Cells
- Primary building blocks of life, varying in shapes and sizes.
- Smallest cell: Mycoplasma gallicepticum (0.3 µm).
- Largest cell: Ostrich egg (6 inches in diameter).
Cell Theory
- All organisms consist of cells; cells are the basic structural and functional units of life.
Key Contributors to Cell Theory
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Robert Hooke
- First to record cells in 1665 while examining cork through an improved microscope.
- Noted box-like structures, leading to the identification of cell walls.
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Matthias Schleiden
- German botanist who studied plant tissues in 1838.
- Proposed that all plants are composed of cells.
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Theodor Schwann
- German physiologist who made similar observations in animal tissues in 1839.
- Suggested that animals, like plants, are also made up of cells.
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Rudolf Virchow
- Prominent pathologist who provided evidence in 1852 that cells originate from other cells through division.
- Popularized the phrase “omnis cellula a cellula” (all cells arise from cells) in his 1855 editorial, "Cellular Pathology."
Profound Postulates of Cell Theory
- Cells contain hereditary information that is passed on during cell division.
- Life's processes depend on cells' ability to store, retrieve, and translate genetic information essential for maintaining organisms.
- Genetic instructions are coded in genes, affecting species characteristics and individual traits.
Chemical Composition of Cells
- All cells share a similar chemical composition, primarily composed of hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, carbon, phosphorus, and sulfur, which constitute over 99% of living cells' mass.
- These elements are crucial for synthesizing organic biomolecules necessary for life.
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Description
Explore the fundamental concepts of cells and the cell theory in this quiz. Learn about the primary components of life, including the contributions from key scientists such as Robert Hooke, Matthias Schleiden, Theodor Schwann, and Rudolf Virchow. Test your understanding of cell structures and their importance in biology.
