ESC/Biology/Class-IX CH-1: FUNDAMENTAL UNIT OF LIFE

FUNDAMENTAL
UNIT OF LIFE

1.1 INTRODUCTION
1.1 Introduction

Cell
1.2 Cell Structure, shape,
size and number
Structure Shape of cells Number and Types
size of cells

1.3 Living Parts of a cell Cell membranes Nucleus Cytoplasm

Prokaryotic Plant cell
Cell organelles
Eukaryotic Animal cell

1.4 Cell and their types

Living Parts of a Cell

Cell membrane Nucleus Cytoplasm

Cell is the structural and functional unit of all life forms. A

single cell organism such as bacteria, Amoeba and
Chlamydomonas are also a type of life forms.
The microscopic study of cell is called Cytology. A cell may
be defined as a unit of protoplasm surrounded by a
membrane.
A.V. Leeuwenhoek (1632 – 1723), a first to construct a
microscope. He discovered the minute forms of life such as bacteria
and single-celled animals like Infusoria in a drop of water. He
referred to them as the “wretched beasties”.
Cells were first discovered by Robert Hooke (1665), in a cork
slice. He gave details about cell in his book “Micrographia” and
describe cell as honey comb lattice.
Leeuwenhoek (1674) with the improved microscope, discovered
the free cells in the form of bacteria etc. for the first time.
It was Robert Brown in 1831, who discovered the nucleus in
the cell.
J.E. Purkinje in 1839 gave the term ‘protoplasm’ for the living
fluid substance of the cell.
The cell theory was presented by two German biologists,
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M.Schleiden (1838) and T. Schwann (1839).

In 1885, Rudolf Virchow said, “Omnis cellulae cellula”, (cells arise from pre-existing cells).
Question based on basic knowledge required to understand this chapter

1. Cell are regarded as ________ of a building

(A) Foundation (B) Bricks (C) Cement (D) None of these
2. Amoeba is a/an
(A) Animal (B) Plant (C) Bacteria (D) Fungus
3. 1 micrometre is
1 1 1 1
(A) m (B) m (C) m (D) m
100 1000 10000 1000000
4. Leaves appear green due to presence of
(A) Haemoglobin (B) Iron (C) Chlorophyll (D) CO2
5. A compound microscope contain
(A) Two pair of lens and one pair of adjustor (B) One pair of lens and one pair of adjustor
(C) One pair of lens and two pairs of adjustor (D) All of the above
6. What will be the surface area and volume of a cuboidal cell of human having sides of 2 mm
(A) 24 mm2 and 8 mm3 respectively (B) 6 mm2 and 8 mm3 respectively
(C) 24 mm2 and 6 mm3 respectively (D) 12 mm2 and 36 mm3 respectively
7. A solution is
(A) A homogenous mixture of two solvent (B) Something dissolved in water
(C) A homogenous mixture of solute and solvent (D) A homogenous mixture of two solute
8. What do you think a cell have to control its functioning?
(A) Membrane (B) Nucleus (C) Mitochondria (D) All of these
9. Silk is a product of
(A) Plants (B) Animal (C) Bacteria (D) Fungus
10. Which among them according to you contain maximum water
(A) Mango fruit (B) Musk melon (C) Gourd (D) Pomegranate

1.2 CELL STRUCTURE, SHAPE, SIZE AND NUMBER

1.2.1 Structure of Cell
All cells have three major functional regions, viz. plasma membrane, nucleus and cytoplasm.
The cytologists used to divide the cell into two major components – the nucleus and the cytoplasm,
with the development of electron microscope, whose magnifying power is of the order 16 × 105.
1.2.2 Shape of Cell
There is a great variability in shape of cells. The shape of cell is usually related with its function.

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1.2.3 Size of Cell

The smallest cells (0.1 – 0.2 µm) are found in bacteria and some pleuropneumonia-like organisms
(PPLO), eg. Mycoplasma gallisepteum. The largest cell is the egg of an Ostrich which measures 6
inches in diameter with shell and 3 inches, if its shell is removed. The largest human cell is the female
ovum (0.01 mm in diameter). The smallest human cell is the red blood cell (0.0075 mm or 7.5 µm).

1.2.4 Number of Cell

The number of cells in living organisms also varies greatly. In unicellular organisms, a single cell constitutes
its body eg. Chlamydomonas, Amoeba and Paramecium (Protist Organisms). On the other hand,
in human body, the estimated number of cells is about 26 trillion.
A Microscope is an instrument which magnifies and also resolves the object seen through it.
Resolving Power of a Microscope : In addition to magnifying a specimen, a microscope must produce
a clear image of the closely spaced parts of the object. The ability to provide such an image is called the
resolving power of a microscope.

Use of different Microscope for Study of various Structures

Field Structure Method of Observation
Anatomy Organs Eye and simple lenses
Histology Tissues Light microscope
Cytology Cells, bacteria X-ray microscopy
Ultra microscopic morphology Cell components and viruses Electron microscope
Molecular biology Arrangement of atoms X-ray microscopy

Try yourself
1. “Cell is a unit of life” (OR the term cell was proposed by)
(A) Malpighi (B) Leueenhoek (C) Schleiden (D) Hooke
2. Plant cell is characterized by
(A) Presence of wall, absence of vacuole
(B) Presence of wall, vacuole and starch and the absence of centriole or centrosome.
(C) Presence of vacuole and absence of plastids
(D) Presence of centriole and lysosomes and absence of plastids.
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3. The main difference between an animal and a plant cell is

(A) Plant cells lack rigid cell wall
(C) Plant cells possess small vacuoles
4. Generally the smaller the cell
(A) The larger the nucleus
(C) It will be metabolically more active
5. Example of unicellular animal is/are:
(A) Amoeba (B) Paremecium
6. Who applied cell theory to plants?
(A) Schwann (B) Schleiden
7. Cell theory states that
(A) All living cells do mitosis and meiosis
(C) All cells have nucleus
(B) Animal cells lack rigid cell wall
(D) Animal cells possess large vacuoles
(B) The smaller and nucleus
(D) It will be metabolically less active
(C) Plasmodium (D) All of these
(C) Swanson (D) Jensen
(B) All cells are living
(D) Cell is structural unit of all living organisms

1.3 LIVING PART OF A CELL

1. Plasma or Cell membrane
2. Nucleus
(a) Nuclear membrane (b) Nucleoli (c) Nucleoplasm (d) Chromatin fibres
3. Cytoplasm: Having various cell organelles:
(a) Endoplasmic Reticulum (b) Mitochondria (c) Golgi Complex
(d) Ribosomes (e) Lysosomes (f) Centrosome (animals only)
(g) Plastids (plants only)

1. Plasma or Cell Membrane

 Every living cell is externally covered by thin, transparent, elastic, semi-permeable membrane called-
plasma or cell membrane.
 Present in both prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells.
 Made up of protein and phospholipids.
 Fluid-Mosaic model of plasma membrane is most acceptable. It was proposed by Singer and Nicholson.
 It helps in exchange of gases i.e. CO2, O2 by the process of diffusion.
 Through it movement of water take place by the process of osmosis.
 The flexibility of the cell membrane help the cell to engulf in food and other materials from surrounding.
This process is called endocytosis. In take of solid food by cells is called phagocytosis where as in
take of liquid by cells called pinocytosis.

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 It also surrounds the cell-organelles.

 It regulates the movement of molecules in and out of the cells and cell organelles.
 It allows selective molecules to pass through it, so called selectively premeable.
 It also act as semi-permeable membrane and allow the passage of solvent molecules i.e. water. On the
basis of this property, cell shows change in it shape according to concentration of surrounding solutions,
which are
(i) In isotonic solution, has the same concentration of water and solute as inside a cell. Cell shows no
change in its shape.
(ii) In hypotonic solution, has lower solute concentration than inside the cell. Cell become turgid.
(iii) In hypertonic solution, has higher solute concentration than inside the cell. Cell become flaccid.
Try yourself
8. Semipermeability is the property of
(A) Cell membrane (B) Cell wall (C) ER & Nuclear membrane (D) All of these
9. Major part of cell membrane is
(A) Lipid (B) Protein (C) Carbohydrate (D) Nucleic acid
10. Plasma membrane
(A) Controls the passage of water and soluble substances in and out of the cell
(B) Helps in protein synthesis
(C) Serves as a semipermeable membrane
(D) (A) and (C)
11. All outermost membrane enclosing the contents of a plant cell is called
(A) Tonoplast (B) ER (C) Plasmalemma (D) Cell wall
12. Plasma membrane or unit membrane is made up of
(A) Phosphoprotein and carbohydrate (B) Protein and fat/phospholipid
(C) Phospholipid/fat and carbohydrate (D) Carbohydrate and fat/phospholipid
13. What is the latest model for the structure of plasmalemma
(A) Unit membrane model (B) Fluid mosaic model
(C) Molecular sieve model (D) Sandwich model

Cell wall
 Outer most, rigid, dead, protective and supportive layer found in all plant cells, bacteria, cyanobacteria
and some protists but not found in animal cells.
 Discovered by Robert Hooke (1666).
 It lies outside the plasma membrane.
 Provide shape, rigidity to cell.
 In plants, it is made up of cellulose, a polymer of glucose.
 In Fungi, it is made up of chitin, a polymer of acetylglucosamine.
 In prokaryotes, it is made up of peptidoglycan, a combination of non-cellulose polysaccharides and
amino acids.
 Helps in withstanding hypotonic external media without bursting the cell. In such condition cell absorb
water by osmosis, swells up and exerts a pressure on cell wall. It is called turgur pressure (TP). At the
same time cell wall exert an equal pressure on Plasma membrane, called wall pressure (WP). In fully
swelled cell WP is always equal to TP. Thus, due to cell wall, cell can withstand greater changes in
surrounding medium.

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2. Nucleus
 Important and essential part of the cell, also called as director of cell, present in cytoplasm.
 Shows variation in shape and number.
 Mostly cells are monokaryotic (singal nucleus) but RBCs of mammals are anucleate, Paramecium is
binucleate, Opalina is multinucleate.
 Ist described by Robert Brown (1831).
 In prokaryotic cells well defined nucleus is absent due to absence of nuclear membrane. Such undefined
nuclear reason is called a nucleoid or genophore.

Structure:
 It is generally spherical or oval in shape.
 It is formed of four components.

Nuclear Membrane
 It is bilayered, also called nuclear envelope or nucleolemma.
 Has nuclear pores that allow exchange of substances between nucleus and cytoplasm etc.

Nucleoplasm
 Transparent, homogenous, semifluid substance, having chromatin material and nucleolus.
 Having water, sugar, minerals and various enzymes.

Nucleolus
 Ist observed by Fontana (1781).
 It is most prominent in non diving cell.
 It is a store house of RNA. Helps in synthesis of ribosomes.

Nuclear Chromatin
 First reported by W. Flemming (1882).
 It is thread like network called Chromosomes, which are visible only during cell division.
 Made up of DNA having genes.
 Genes are linearly arranged on chromosomes.
 Change in DNA produce variations.

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Functions
 Controls all cellular activities.
 Chromosome contains hereditary informations of the cell and transfer the genetic information from one
generation to another.
 Plays central role in cellular reproduction. It determine the way in which cell will develop and the form
cell will exhibit at maturity by directing the chemical activities of the cell.

Try yourself
14. Controlling centre of a cell is
(A) Nucleus (B) Nucleolus (C) Chloroplast (D) Ribosome
15. What happen to a cell, if its nucleus is removed
(A) Cell dies (B) Its catabolism increases
(C) Its metabolism decreases (D) It becomes non-osmotic
16. An anucleated living plant cell is
(A) Vessel (B) Tracheid (C) Sieve cell (D) All of the above
17. A Prokaryotic cell does not possess
(A) Nuclear membrane (B) Plasma membrane (C) Cell wall (D) Cytoplasm

3. Cytoplasm
 Parts of cell present outside the nucleus and inside the cell membrane called cytoplasm, having various
organelles to perform various activities of cell like digestion, synthesis, generation of energy etc.
 Cytoplasm is an aqueous jelly having H2O, Oxygen, Carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, amino acids etc.
 Organelles are absent in Prokaryotic cells.
 The cell organelles are enclosed by membranes which helps in showing characteristics of life. Membrane
also keep organelles separate from the external environment. So that, organelles can maintain their
complex structure and function.

Try yourself
18. Dead cells differs from a living cell in
(A) The absence of a vital forces (B) The absence of specific organization
(C) The change of surrounding environment (D) The absence of motility
19. Main difference between living and non living is the presence of
(A) Nucleus and growth (B) Protoplasm
(C) Mitochondria and cytoplasm (D) Movements
20. Who coined the term protoplasm?
(A) Dujardin (B) Purkinje (C) Nirenberg (D) Francis P. Roux
21. Protoplasm includes
(A) only cytoplasm (B) only nucleus and centrosome
(C) Both cytoplasm and nucleus (D) None of these
22. The compound present in the largest quantity in an active protoplasm is
(A) Glucose (B) Fat (C) Protein (D) Water
23. pH of cytoplasm is
(A) Acidic (B) Alkaline (C) Slightly acidic (D) Strongly basic

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Various cell organelles found in eukaryotic cells are:

Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER)

 First observed by Garnier (1897), then ER term was given by Porter (1952).
 Membranous network, enclosing a fluid-filled lumen present through out the cytoplasm.
 Absent in prokaryotes.
 Made up of three types of elements i.e. Cisterae, Vesicles and Tubules.
 On the basis of presence or absence of ribosomes, ER is of two types
(a) Smooth or agranular endoplasmic reticulum (SER)
(b) Rough or granular endoplasmic reticulum (RER).
 Helps in transportation of materials out of cell between various regions of the cytoplasm or between the
cytoplasm and the nucleus.
 Act as cytoskeleton and provide mechanical support and shape to cell.
 RER helps in synthesis of proteins which are sent to various places in the cell depending on need. SER
helps in lipid synthesis.
 Some proteins and lipids sythesized in ER are used for producing cell membrane called membrane
biogenesis.
 Some proteins and lipids synthesized by ER also work as hormones and enzymes.
 ER forms cytoplasmic frame work and provide surface for some biochemical activities.
 In liver cells of vertebrates, SER helps in detoxifying many poisons and drugs.

Golgi Apparatus

 First described by Camilo Golgi (1898), by using black reaction staining technique.
 In animals cells it lies above the nucleus. In plant cells, it is scattered in the cytoplasm called dictyosomes.
 Shape varies and depends on functional state of the cell called pleomorphic organelles.

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 It consist of set of smooth, flattened cisternae, vacuoles, vesicles.

 Its membrane is connected with membrane of ER and make another cellular membrane system.
 Golgi apparatus helps in packing and dispatching various materials synthesized near ER to inside and
outside the cell.
 It helps in storage, modification and packaging of products in vesicles.
 Some time it may form complex sugar from simple sugar.
 Also forms lysosomes.

Lysosomes
 Discovered by de Duve (1955).
 Membrane-bound vesicles formed by SER or golgi apparatus.
 Contain strong hydrolytic enzyme capable of digesting or breaking down all organic materials, these
enzymes are synthesized by RER.
 Helps in intracellular digestion, so called digestive bags.
 Destroy any foreign material inside cell such as bacteria etc.
 Also remove the worn-out and poorly working cell organelles by digesting them. Hence, make a waste
disposal system of the cell and keep the cell clean.
 During disturbance in cellular metabolism i.e. cell get demaged. Lysosomes get burst and its enzyme
digest their won cell. Thus, Lysosomes are also called suicidal bags of cell.

Mitochondria

 Flemming (1982) name them as Fila but name mitochondria was given by Benda (1897-98).
 Rod-shaped, double membranous cell organelles, called power-house of cell.
 Outer membrane is smooth and porous but inner one is folded into finger like cristale, to increase
surface area, for ATP generating chemical reaction.
 On cristae oxysomes are present, which are the main site of ATP generation.
 Main cell organelles in aerobic respirations.
 Releases energy required for various chemical activities needed for life in the form of ATP (Adenosine
triphosphate). ATP is called energy currency or coin of the cell.
 ATP is used for making new chemical compounds and for mechanical works.
 Mitochondria contain it own circular DNA and ribosomes. So, regarded as semi-autonomous and
self-replicating cell organelles.

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Plastids

 Term plastid was given by Haeckel (1866).

 Found in all plant cells and some protists.
 These are double-membranous and having their own DNA. Thus, called semi-autonomous amd self-
replicating cell organelles.
 In photosynthetic prokaryotic bacteria chlorofill is associated with membranous vesicles (bas like structure
but not with plastids).
 Schimper used the term plastids for the first time in 1885 and classified plastids as:
(i) Leucoplasts: Colourless plastids, stores starch, oil and proteins.
(ii) Chromoplasts: Coloured plastids other than green. Contain several pigments and provide colour to
petals, fruits etc.
(iii) Chloroplast: Green coloured plastids, found in leaf and other green parts of plants. Help in photosynthesis
to prepare carbohydrates. So, called kitchen of the cell.
 Double membrane of chloroplast surround colourless, proteinaceous matrix called storma, containing
DNA, ribosomes and enzymes etc. In stroma dark reaction of photosynthesis takes place.
 Stroma contain flat, membranous disc like strucutre called grana or thylakoids, its group forms granum.
 Grana are connected by stroma lamellae.
 In side grana chlorophyll molecules are present. So, in grana light reaction of photosynthesis occurs.

Ribosome
 First of all observed by Claude (1941) by electron mircroscope and called microsome.
 Name ribosome given by Palade (1955).
 Smallest cell organelle found in both pro and eukaryotic cells.
 Main site of protein synthesis known as engine of cell.
 Not surrounded by any membrane.
 Are of two types on the basis of size and svedberg unit or sedimentation coefficient i.e.
(a) 70S ribosomes: Found in prokaryotes and having two sub units i.e. 50S and 30S.
(b) 80S ribosomes: Found in eukaryotes and having two sub units that is 60S and 40S.

Centrosome
 Also called cell-centre, was first discovered by Von Benden (1887).
 Formed by two granules called centriole, surrounded by transparent area called centrosphere.
 Found in all animal cells except mature RBC. Also found in most of protists, motile plant cells.
 Each centriole is formed of microtubules arranged in 9 + 0 manner.
 Forms asters during cell division of animal cells.
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 Forms basal-bodies of cilia and flagella.

 Forms axial filament of sperm tail.

Cytoskeleton
 Found in many eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells.
 Elements of cytoskeleton are proteinaceous in nature.
 Consists of following three elements.
(i) Microtubules
 Long protein fibres present below the cell membrane.
 Its diameter ranges between 20-30 nm.
 Found in most of animal and plant cells except amoeba, slime moulds and some mammals.
 Forms spindle fibres during mitosis and also forms a structural part of flagella.
(ii) Microfilaments
 Long fibres, diameter varies form 5-7 nm.
 Consist of proteins, i.e. Actin & Myosin.
 Forms network in ectoplasm or cell cortex.
 Plays important role in muscle contraction in animals.
 Helps in the formation of cell plate or cell furrow after mitosis.
(iii) Intermediate Filaments
 Made up of proteins with diameter about 10 nm.
 Found in the epidermal cells called tonofilaments and the nervous system are called neurofilaments.

Microbodies
(i) Peroxysomes
 Name was given by Beaufay and Berther (1963).
 Small, membrane bounded sacs and contain powerful oxidative enzymes.
 Mostly found in kidney and liver cells, in plant cells.
 In plant, helps in photorespiration.
 Carrying out some oxidative reactions, helps in removal of toxic substance.

(ii) Spherosomes
 Describe by Perner (1953).
 Contain hydrolytic enzymes i.e. phosphatase, esterase, ribonuclease etc. helps in fat synthesis.
 Single membranous.
 Helps in assimilation, transportation, synthesis of fat or related with fat metabolism.

(iii) Glyoxysomes
 Discovered by Beevers (1961).
 Having enzymes related to fatty acids metabolism and glucose synthesis.

Cilia and Flagella

 Thread like projections, developes from the surface of motile unicellular algae, bacteria, fungi and several
spores and gametes.
 Both eukorayotic and prokaryotic cells have the same structures.
 Cilia are shorter (5-10 nm), flagella are longer (upto 150 nm), but both have the same basic structure.
 Both arises from basal bodies or kinetosome.
 Both are responsible for the mobility of the cell.
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Vacuoles
 These are uni-membranous sacs for storage of solid or liquid.
 Its outer membrane is called tonoplast.
 Small and few in animal cells but large and well developed in plant cell.
 Centrally placed in plant cells and may occupy 50-90% of the cell volume.
 Store some proteins, amino acids, sugars, various organic acids etc., which are essential for plant cells.
 In amoeba, store food called food vacuoles.
 In some unicellular, aquatic organisms vacuole helps in expelling excess water and some wastes from
the cell called contractile vacuole (CV).
 On the basis of nature, cell inclusions are classified as:
1. Reserve product: Carbohydrates, fats and oils, yolk (in animals), proteins
2. Secretory Products: Enzymes, pigments, nectar (in plants)
3. Waste products (in plants): Mineral crystals, gums and resins, latex, alkaloids (e.g. nicotine, morphine,
quinine), tannin and essential oils.

1.4 CELL AND THEIR TYPES

Ribosomes

Mitochondria

Differences between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cell

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Prokaryotic Cell Eukaryotic Cell

1. Size is generally small (1 – 10 µm)
2. Protoplasm is relatively rigid, usually non-
vacuolate.
3. True nucleus absent, i.e. nuclear membrane
and nucleolus absent.
4. DNA scattered in the protoplasm and without
histone proteins.
5. Membrane-bound cell organelles like plastids,
mitochondria, Golgi bodies, E.R. absent.
6. Ribosomes are of 70S type.
7. Mitotic apparatus absent.
8. Cells divide mostly by fission or budding and
there is no mitosis.
9. Examples : Bacteria, blue-green algae,
mycoplasma.
1. Size is generally large (5 – 100 µm)
2. Protoplasm is typically more fluid like, generally
vacuolate.
3. True nucleus present, i.e. nuclear membrane
and nucleolus present.
4. DNA organized with histone proteins to form
chromosomes.
5. Membrane-bound cell organelles like plastids
mitochondria, Golgi bodies, E.R. present.
6. Ribosomes are of 80S type.
7. Mitotic apparatus present.
8. Cells divide mostly mitotically or meiotically.
9. Examples: Cells of all higher organisms

Differences between plant and animal cells

Plant cell Animal cell
1. Plant cells are usually larger than Animal cells are generally small in size.
animal cells.
2. The plasma membrane of a plant cell is Cell wall is absent.
surround by a rigid cell wall made up of
cellulose.
3. Plastids (leucoplasts, chloroplasts, Plastids are absent.
chromoplasts) are present in plant cells.
4. Vacuoles are present in abundance. Vacuoles are less in number and smaller
They are larger in size. in size.
5. Plant cells have many simpler units of Animal cells have a single highly
Golgi complex, called dictyosomes. elaborate Golgi complex.
6. Centrioles have not been found in plant Animal cells possess centrioles.
cells (except in a few lower plants).
7. Cytokinesis takes place by cell-plate Cytokinesis takes place by constriction
formation. during cell division.
8. Plant cells usually have a regular Animal cells are usually irregular in
shape. shape.

Try yourself
24. The endoskeleton of a cell is made up of
(A) Cell wall (B) ER (C) Cytoplasm (D) Mitochondria
25. Which of the cell organelle exhibits maximum polymorphism?
(A) Lysosome (B) Spherosome (C) Ribosome (D) Dictyosome
26. Which one is not the function of Golgi complex?
(A) Carbohydrate synthesis (B) Formation of Lysosome
(C) Formation of secretory vesicles (D) Digestion of intracellular particles
27. Hydrolytic enzymes are located in
(A) Lysosomes (B) Ribosomes (C) Microsomes (D) Mesosomes

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28. Maximum Lysosome occur in

(A) Plant cells (B) Animal cells (C) Both equally (D) Bacterial cells
29. Tonoplast is a membrane surrounding the
(A) Cytoplasm (B) Nucleus (C) Vacuole (D) Mitochondria
30. What type of protein is synthesized over ribosomes?
(A) Reserve food protein (B) Enzymatic protein
(C) Flagellar protein (D) All of these
31. Which of the pairs resemble in having the prokaryotic ribosomes
(A) Chloroplast and nucleus (B) Nucleus and cytoplasm
(C) Cytoplasm and nucleus (D) Mitochondria and chloroplast
32. Within the cell the site of respiration or oxidative phosphorylation is
(A) Mitochondria (B) Nucleolus (C) Golgi bodies (D) Ribosomes
33. Which of the following cells do not possess mitochondria
(A) A cell which contains nucleus (B) A cell devoid of nucleus
(C) A cell which contains plastid (D) All of the above
34. Mesosomes substitute the function of lysosome and mitochondria in
(A) Protozoa and algae (B) Bacteria and Blue green algae
(C) Mycoplasma and fungi (D) None of these
35. Which cell organelle, transformed the light energy into organic material?
(A) Chromoplast (B) Elioplast and leucoplast
(C) Chloroplast (D) Mitochondria
36. Plastids contain
(A) Microtubules (B) Chromatin network (C) Thylakoids (D) Cristae
37. Green tomatoes turn red because
(A) Chloroplast turns into chromoplast
(B) Chloroplast disappears and chromoplast are produced
(C) Chromoplast overlap over the chloroplasts
(D) Anthocyanins appear in the cell
38. Chloroplasts are called semi-autonomous structures due to the presence of
(A) DNA only (B) RNA only (C) DNA and RNA (D) Pigments & Proteins

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ESC/Biology/Class-IX CH-1: FUNDAMENTAL UNIT OF LIFE

EXERCISE-I
1. Fill in the blanks
(A) (i) Ribosomes are located on the surface of ....................
(ii) .................... store hydrolytic enzymes.
(iii) .................... regarded as director of cell.
(iv) .................... and .................... are called semi-autonomous cell organelles.
(v) .................... are the main sites for synthesis of ATP in mitochondria.
(B) Multiple blanks: (use only those words given below)
Nucleus is well developed in _________ cells. In plant cells, nucleus is present towards _________ of
cell due to presence of large central _________. Nucleus contain genetic material, made up of
_________, which is present in the form of _________. Small part of DNA present on chromosome
called _________ which are hereditary unit.
Periphery, Eukaryotic, DNA, Vacuole, Chromosome, genes

2. What is cell?
3. Why is the plasma membrane called a selectively permeable membrane?
4. What is the function of mitochondria?
5. Do plant cells contain centrioles?
6. How lysosomes keep cell clean?
7. What is membrane bio-genesis?
8. Write the function of nuclear pore.
9. What are genes and where these are located?
10. Name the following :
(a) structural and functional unit of life
(b) powerhouse of the cell
(c) kitchen of a cell
(d) Organelle which work as cytoskeleton in cell
11. Write down only living parts of an eukaryotic cell.
12. Name the organelles having bacteria like chromosome.
13. Name the site where chlorophyll is present in chloroplast?
14. What are the three major functional regions of the cell?
15. Which cell organelle is responsible for release of energy as ATP?
16. Write differences between plant cell and animal cell.
17. Name two cell organelles which are semi-autonomous, why these called so?
18. Why are lysosomes are called as suicidal bags?
19. Where do the ribosomes get synthesised?
20. What will happen, if the organization of a cell is destroyed due to some physical or chemical influence.
21. Define diffusion and osmosis.
22. What are genes and where these found? Give its functions.
23. What is plasmolysis?
24. What is cell theory? Who formulated it?

15 Eureka Study Centre, Mallikashpur, Balasore - 756003.

CH-1: FUNDAMENTAL UNIT OF LIFE ESC/Biology/Class-IX

EXERCISE-II
1. Bacteria do not possess –
(A) DNA (B) RNA (C) Nucleus (D) Lipids
2. A non-living structure of cell is
(A) Cell wall (B) Plasma membrane (C) Cytoplasm (D) Nucleus
3. Choose correct option:
(A) Membrane biogenesis - ER (B) Power hourse - Golgi body
(C) Suicidal bags - Mitochondria (D) Director of cell - Chloroplast
4. Example of uni-membranous cell organelles are:
(A) Vacuole (B) Golgi body (C) ER (D) All of these
5. Protoplasm is
(A) Alveolar (B) Granular (C) Fibrillar (D) Crystallo – colloid
6. Protoplasm excluding nucleus is called
(A) Cytoplasm (B) Endoplasm (C) Ectoplasm (D) Protoplasm
7. Eukaryotic cells devoid of ER are
(A) Liver cells (B) Kidney cell (C) Leucocyte (D) Mature erythrocytes
8. Sarcoplasmic reticulum is endoplasmic reticulum found in
(A) Adipose cell (B) Muscle cell (C) Nerve cell (D) Leucocyte
9. SER takes part in synthesis of
(A) lipids and steroids (B) vitamins (C) carbohydrate (D) all of the above
10. Besides protein, ribosomes contain
(A) DNA (B) RNA (C) Both RNA & DNA (D) Lipids
11. Most abundant organelle of the cells are
(A) Mitochondria (B) Plastids (C) Ribosomes (D) Golgi body
12. Golgi apparatus is concerned with
(A) excretion (B) secretion (C) ATP synthesis (d) RNA synthesis
13. Main function of lysosome is
(A) Secretion (B) Respiration
(C) Extracellular digestion (D) Intra cellular digestion
14. Mitochondiral matrix contains
(A) Enzymes (B) DNA & RNA (C) Ribosomes (D) All of the above
15. Organelle covered by double membrane is
(A) Nucleus (B) Mitochondria (C) Plastid (D) All of the above

EXERCISE-III
SECTION-A
 Fill in the blanks
1. Protoplasm consist of two parts _________ and _________ .
2. _________ is the basic unit of life.
3. __________________ seprates the content of a cell from its surrounding medium.
4. Cell wall is absent in _________ cells
5. Cell wall is made up of _________ in plant cell.
16 Eureka Study Centre, Mallikashpur, Balasore - 756003.
ESC/Biology/Class-IX CH-1: FUNDAMENTAL UNIT OF LIFE

6. ____________ allows exchange of substances between nucleus and cytoplasm.

7. _________ are units of hereditary material.
8. RER helps in the synthesis of _________.
9. When lysosomes bring self destruction of a cell, they are called _________.
10. Vacuoles are fluid filled sacs covered by a membrane called _________.

SECTION-B
 Multiple choice question with one correct answers
1. Structural elements of chloroplasts are
(A) plasto globuli (B) photosynthetic pigments
(C) thylakoids (D) quantasome
2. Centrioles are found
(A) Singly (B) In Pairs (C) In Triplets (D) In Quadraplets
3. Liquid content of a vacuole is called
(A) cell sap (B) matrix (C) nucleoid (D) core
4. A biomembrane is made up of
(A) protein, lipids and carbohydrate (B) protein, lipids and RNA
(C) protein, lipids and DNA (D) protein, lipids and hormones
5. Most abundant lipid of cell membrane
(A) cholestrol (B) phospholipid (C) glycolipid (D) none of these

SECTION-C
 Multiple choice question with one or more than one correct answers
1. Vibrio cholerae is a cholera causing organism. It is
(A) a bacterial cell (B) an animal
(C) an prokaryotic organism (D) pathogen
2. Grapes kept in a solution swell
(A) solution is hypotonic (B) solution is more concentrated
(C) Grapes are having more concentrated cell sap(D) All of the above
3. Mitochondria is a power house of the cell. Which of the statement are correct?
(A) It helps in respiration (B) It contain cristae
(C) It contain photosynthetic enzyme (D) It is double membranous
4. Keratin is a type of
(A) Protein (B) cytoskeleton (C) horns (D) All of these
5. Which of the following are correct regarding plasmalemma
(A) It forms pseudopodia (B) It is semipermeable
(C) It appears to be fluid (D) It is selective

SECTION-D
 Assertion & Reason
Instructions: In the following questions as Assertion (A) is given followed by a Reason (R). Mark your
responses from the following options.
(A) Both Assertion and Reason are true and Reason is the correct explanation of ‘Assertion’
(B) Both Assertion and Reason are true and Reason is not the correct explanation of ‘Assertion’
(C) Assertion is true but Reason is false
(D) Assertion is false but Reason is true

17 Eureka Study Centre, Mallikashpur, Balasore - 756003.

CH-1: FUNDAMENTAL UNIT OF LIFE ESC/Biology/Class-IX

1. Assertion: Cell place in a hypertonic solution shows plasmolysis

Reason: Not all cell shows plasmolysis.
2. Assertion: Plant cell remain cover by dead, rigid cell wall.
Reason: Due to cell wall, plant cells couldn’t change its shape.

SECTION-E
 Match the following (one to one)
Column-I and column-II contains four entries each. Entries of column-I are to be matched with some
entries of column-II. Only One entries of column-I may have the matching with the same entries of
column-II and one entry of column-II Only one matching with entries of column-I

1. Column I Column II
(A) Mitochondria (P) Secretion
(B) Golgi complex (Q) Digestive bags
(C) Lysosomes (R) ATP
(D) Centrosome (S) Cell division

SECTION-F
 Comprehension
Continuity of living organism depends upon the process of cell division. For a cell to divide normally
instruction comes from Nuclues.
Nucleus contain DNA, RNA and protein. DNA together with a nucleoprotein form chromosome. These
chromosomes are in a thread like structure in a resting cell.
1. The nucleoprotein present in nucleus is
(A) Rhizome (B) Histone (C) Insulin (D) None of these
2. DNA is
(A) Deoxyribose acid (B) Deoxyribose sugar
(C) Deoxyribo nucleic acid (D) Deoxynucleic acid
3. Protein are the polymer of
(A) Fatty acid (B) Nucleic acid (C) Amino acid (D) Citric acid

SECTION-G
 Match the following (one to many)
Column-I and column-II contains four entries each. Entries of column-I are to be matched with some
entries of column-II. One or more than one entries of column-I may have the matching with the same
entries of column-II and one entry of column-II may have one or more than one matching with entries of
column-I
1. Column I Column II
(A) Cell membrane (P) Biocatalyst
(B) Enzyme (Q) Entry and exit
(C) Polymer of amino acid (R) Protein and lipid
(D) Ribosome (S) Protein

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ESC/Biology/Class-IX CH-1: FUNDAMENTAL UNIT OF LIFE

Answers
KNOWLEDGE BASE QUESTIONS
1. (B) 2. (A) 3. (D) 4. (C) 5. (C) 6. (A)
7. (C) 8. (B) 9. (B) 10. (B)

TRYYOURSELF
1. (D) 2. (B) 3. (B) 4. (C) 5. (D) 6. (B)
7. (D) 8. (A) 9. (A) 10. (D) 11. (C) 12. (B)
13. (B) 14. (A) 15. (A) 16. (C) 17. (A) 18. (B)
19. (B) 20. (B) 21. (C) 22. (D) 23. (C) 24. (B)
25. (A) 26. (D) 27. (A) 28. (B) 29. (C) 30. (D)
31. (D) 32. (A) 33. (B) 34. (B) 35. (C) 36. (C)
37. (A) 38. (C)

EXERCISE-II
1. (C) 2. (A) 3. (A) 4. (D) 5. (D) 6. (A)
7. (D) 8. (B) 9. (A) 10. (B) 11. (C) 12. (B)
13. (D) 14. (D) 15. (D)

EXERCISE-III
SECTION-A
1. Cytoplasm, nucleus 2. Cell 3. Plasma membrane
4. Animal 5. Cellulose 6. Nuclear pore
7. Genes 8. Proteins 9. Suicidal bags
10. Tonoplast

SECTION-B
1. (C) 2. (B) 3. (A) 4. (A) 5. (B)

SECTION-C
1. (A,C,D) 2. (A,C) 3. (A,B,D) 4. (A,C) 5. (A,B,C,D)

SECTION-D
1. (B) 2. (A)

SECTION-E
1. (A)-(R), (B)-(P), (C)-(Q), (D)-(S)

SECTION-F
1. (B) 2. (C) 3. (C)

SECTION-G
1. (A)-(Q,R), (B)-(P,S), (C)-(S), (D)-(S)

19 Eureka Study Centre, Mallikashpur, Balasore - 756003.