The Fundamental Unit of Life (Cell) - Class 9 Questions
## 1. Very Short Answer Questions (1 mark each)
1. Who discovered the cell and in which year?
2. Why is the cell called the structural and functional unit of life?
3. Name two organelles that have their own DNA and ribosomes.
4. What is the function of ribosomes in a cell?
5. Define osmosis.
6. Which organelle is known as the "Powerhouse of the cell"?
7. Why do plant cells have a large central vacuole?
8. What is plasmolysis?
## 2. Short Answer Questions (2-3 marks each)
9. Differentiate between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells.
10. Why is the plasma membrane called a selectively permeable membrane?
11. What will happen if the nucleus is removed from a cell?
12. Explain why plant cells do not burst when placed in a hypotonic solution, but animal cells do.
13. Describe the role of the Golgi apparatus in a cell.
14. What is the difference between osmosis and diffusion?
15. Why are lysosomes known as the "suicide bags" of the cell?
## 3. Long Answer Questions (4-5 marks each)
16. Explain the structure and function of the nucleus in a cell.
17. Compare plant and animal cells based on at least four points.
18. Describe the structure and function of mitochondria with the help of a diagram.
19. How do endocytosis and exocytosis help in the transport of substances in and out of the cell?
20. Explain the fluid mosaic model of the plasma membrane.
## 4. HOTS (Higher Order Thinking Skills) Questions
21. If a freshwater fish is placed in seawater, what will happen to its cells? Explain why.
22. Why do onion peel cells shrink when placed in a concentrated salt solution?
23. Why do human cheek cells swell up when placed in distilled water?
24. Why are mitochondria more abundant in muscle cells than in skin cells?
25. If a cell is unable to perform respiration, which organelle might be defective and why?
26. How do unicellular organisms like Amoeba survive without specialized organelles like a heart or
lungs?
## 5. Case-Based Questions
### Case Study 1:
A scientist is studying an unknown cell under a microscope. He observes the presence of a
well-defined nucleus, mitochondria, and a cell wall.
### Questions:
27. Is this cell from a prokaryotic or eukaryotic organism? Justify your answer.
28. Is it likely to be a plant cell or an animal cell? Why?
29. Which organelle present in this cell helps in energy production?
30. If the scientist observes green structures inside the cell, what function do these structures
perform?
### Case Study 2:
A student conducted an experiment by placing raisins in water for a few hours. He observed that the
raisins swelled up.
### Questions:
31. What biological process is responsible for the swelling of raisins?
32. If the student places the swollen raisins in a concentrated sugar solution, what will happen?
33. How is this experiment related to the movement of water in and out of cells?
34. What would happen if instead of water, the raisins were placed in a salt solution?
