Exam-style CBSE practice questions on Structure of Cell (Cell: The Building Block of Life). Try each one first, then reveal the correct answer and a step-by-step explanation. Free, from EduLevel — the AI teacher for CBSE.
Which organelle is known as the powerhouse of the cell?
Explanation: Mitochondria release energy in the form of ATP through cellular respiration. Because they generate most of the energy the cell needs for its activities, they are called the powerhouse of the cell.
Which structure controls all the activities of a cell and contains its genetic material?
Explanation: The nucleus contains the DNA, which is the genetic material of the cell. It directs and controls all the activities of the cell, so it acts as the control centre of the cell.
Which cell organelle is the site of protein synthesis?
Explanation: Ribosomes are tiny organelles where amino acids are joined together to build proteins. Because they manufacture proteins, they are often called the protein factories of the cell.
Which of the following is present in a plant cell but absent in an animal cell?
Explanation: A rigid cell wall made of cellulose surrounds the cell membrane in plant cells and gives them shape and support. Animal cells do not have a cell wall, so this feature is unique to plant cells.
Which organelle contains digestive enzymes and is often called the suicidal bag of the cell?
Explanation: Lysosomes contain powerful digestive enzymes that break down worn-out cell parts and foreign material. If the cell gets damaged, lysosomes may burst and digest their own cell, so they are called suicidal bags.
What is the main function of the Golgi apparatus in a cell?
Explanation: The Golgi apparatus receives materials made in the endoplasmic reticulum, then modifies, packages and dispatches them to different parts of the cell or outside it. It works like the packaging and dispatch unit of the cell.
A single large central vacuole that occupies most of the cell space is a characteristic feature of:
Explanation: Mature plant cells usually have one large central vacuole that can fill up to about 90 percent of the cell volume. It stores cell sap and provides firmness (turgidity) to the cell, whereas animal cells have only small vacuoles.
Which statement correctly describes a difference between the cell membrane and the cell wall?
Explanation: The cell membrane is selectively permeable, allowing only certain substances to move in and out of the cell. The cell wall, made of cellulose in plants, is rigid and fully permeable, so most substances can pass through it freely.
Ribosomes may attach to the surface of which organelle, giving it a rough appearance under the microscope?
Explanation: When ribosomes attach to the surface of the endoplasmic reticulum, it looks rough and is called the rough endoplasmic reticulum. It helps in the synthesis and transport of proteins made by these ribosomes.
Both mitochondria and chloroplasts have their own DNA. Which statement best describes a key functional difference between them?
Explanation: Chloroplasts carry out photosynthesis, using sunlight to make food such as glucose. Mitochondria then break down this food during respiration to release energy as ATP. So chloroplasts store energy in food and mitochondria release it.
A cell viewed under a microscope has no cell wall, no plastids, many small vacuoles and a well-defined nucleus. This cell is most likely a(n):
Explanation: The absence of a cell wall and plastids rules out plant, bacterial and fungal cells, which all have cell walls. A well-defined membrane-bound nucleus along with many small vacuoles is typical of an animal cell.
When placed in a concentrated salt solution, a plant cell loses water but does not completely collapse, unlike an animal cell. Why?
Explanation: In a concentrated solution, water moves out of the cell and the membrane pulls away from the wall, a process called plasmolysis. The rigid cellulose cell wall keeps the overall shape of the plant cell, while an animal cell, having no wall, shrinks and can collapse.
Stuck on a doubt in Structure of Cell? Vidya ma'am — EduLevel's AI teacher — explains it to you live, by voice, till it clicks.
Try EduLevel free₹1 trial for 3 days · then ₹499/month · Get the Android app
