A student observes two cells under a microscope. One cell has a cell wall, chloroplasts and a large permanent vacuole. The other cell has no cell wall, no chloroplasts and small temporary vacuoles. Describe the differences between these two cells and state the type of organism each cell is likely to come from.
Written & reviewed by James Millett — Biology (Imperial College London), PGCE Science (University of Cambridge).
Model answer (4 marks)
The first cell has a cell wall made of cellulose, chloroplasts and a large permanent vacuole. The second cell lacks a cell wall, has no chloroplasts and only small temporary vacuoles.
The first cell is likely from a plant; the second from an animal.
The first cell is likely from a plant; the second from an animal.
Examiner tips
- Use the exact terms ‘cell wall’, ‘chloroplasts’, ‘large permanent vacuole’, ‘small temporary vacuoles’.
- Show the contrast clearly – list each feature for both cells.
- Mention the likely organism type (plant/animal) at the end of the description.
- Keep the answer short – 4 marks only.
Mark scheme (4 marks)
- The first cell has a cell wall (made of cellulose) whereas the second cell does not
- The first cell has chloroplasts whereas the second cell does not / chloroplasts only present in first cell
- The first cell has a large permanent vacuole whereas the second cell has only small temporary vacuoles
- First cell is likely from a plant / second cell is likely from an animal
Key terms in this question
cell wall · chloroplasts · vacuole
Related
- All WJEC GCSE Biology (Wales) revision notes →
- How to answer a "Describe" question →
- Decode the mark scheme abbreviations →
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