The importance of Surface area

to Volume Ratio
 “
INQUIRY QUESTION:
“How do cells coordinate activities within
their internal environment and the external
environment?”
CONTENT TO BE COVERED
▷ How to calculate surface area to volume ratio of various cells
○ What is “Surface area”?
○ What is “Volume”?
▷ Why is cell size and shape important?
What is ‘Surface Area’?
▷ The surface area of an object is the part of the object exposed to its surrounding
▷ If the object is a cube:
○ The area of one side = length (l) x width (w) and is
measured in cm2
○ The surface area of the whole cube is calculated by
taking into account that there are six sides to a
cube = 6 x (l x w)
What is ‘Volume’?
▷ The volume of an object is the amount of
space that it occupies
▷ To calculate the volume of a cube: the length
(l), width (w) and depth (h) must all be
multiplied together = l x w x h (measured in
cm3)
What is ‘Surface Area to Volume Ratio’?
▷ A ratio is a fraction that allows us to
compare things
▷ It is obtained by dividing the two
things to be compared:

Surface area (SA)

Volume (V)
Effect of SA:V Ratio on Cells
▷ Cells obtain their nutrients and release wastes by diffusion of these
substances through the cell membrane or through the entire surface area of
the cell
▷ Cells carry out their metabolism
(chemical reactions) in the volume
or space within the cell.
Effect of SA:V Ratio on Cells
▷ Small cells have a large surface area to small volume ratio (‘large surface area
relative to small volume’), allowing for diffusion of gases and nutrients in and
out of the cell
▷ In contrast, large cells have a much smaller
surface area to larger volume ratio (smaller
surface area relative to large volume)
▷ Being large slows down the diffusion and
movement of gases and nutrients in and
out of the cell
Effect of SA:V Ratio on Cells
▷ The surface area to volume ratio is determined by the
size and shape of an object
▷ Small objects have a larger surface area to volume ratio

▷ Cells are small because this keeps

their SA:V ratio large
▷ Cells that have a flat sheet shape
have the largest surface area to
volume ratio