Is it correct to say: Confusing cell wall with cell membrane?

Cell wall: rigid, cellulose (plants) — outermost. Cell membrane: flexible, lipid bilayer — inside the wall (or outermost in animal cells).

Is it correct to say: Saying animal cells have chloroplasts?

Only plant cells and some algae have chloroplasts. Animal cells rely on food, not photosynthesis.

Is it correct to say: Mitosis and meiosis at the same locations?

Mitosis: body cells (skin, gut). Meiosis: only in reproductive cells (gonads) to form gametes.

Is it correct to say: Assuming all bacteria are harmful?

Many are useful — lactobacillus (curd), rhizobium (nitrogen fixation), gut bacteria.

Is it correct to say: Drawing prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells identically?

Prokaryotes lack a nuclear membrane and membrane-bound organelles. DNA is free in cytoplasm.

Is it correct to say: Missing organelles in the diagram?

SSC diagrams must include cell wall (plant), membrane, nucleus, mitochondria, ER, Golgi, vacuole and (plant) chloroplast.

Formula sheet (PDF) →

Biology · Chapter 6

Cell — Structure and Micro-Organisms

Cell as basic unit of life, plant vs animal cell, organelles, cell division — Maharashtra SSC Science Part 2

7 formulas · 3 solved examples · 5 practice questions · Board weight: 4 marks · Maharashtra State Board Class 10

Not in the 2025–26 syllabus. This chapter is not part of the Maharashtra SSC (Std X) syllabus for 2025–26. It is kept here for reference.

Board Exam Tips

→Diagram of plant OR animal cell with labels — 3 marks. Draw big and label neatly.
→Distinguish plant cell vs animal cell in a 4-point table — repeat SSC 2-mark ask.
→Function of nucleus, mitochondria, chloroplast — one-line answers must be memorised.
→Mitosis vs meiosis — a 3-mark comparison every year.
→Micro-organisms unit sometimes carries a small numerical (bacterial multiplication).

Diagram

Animal cell showing nucleus, mitochondria, ER, Golgi and cell membrane

Formulas(7)

Cell TheoryBoard favourite

All living things are made of cells; cells arise from pre-existing cells.

Bacterial Growth

N = N_{0} \times 2^{n}

Doubling Time

N = N_{0} \times 2^{t / T_{d}}

Cell Size and SA:V RatioBoard favourite

\frac{S A}{V} = \frac{3}{r} (sphere)

Mitosis Chromosome Behaviour

2 n \to 2 n

Meiosis Chromosome BehaviourBoard favourite

2 n \to n

Number of Cells after m Mitotic Divisions

N = 2^{m}

Solved Examples

1Solved Exampleeasy3 steps

One bacterial cell doubles every 20 minutes. How many cells will there be after 2 hours (ideal conditions)?

Number of generations in 2 hours = 120/20

n = 6

2Solved Exampleboard5 steps

Draw a labelled diagram of a plant cell and state functions of four labelled parts.

Cell wall — outermost rigid layer; gives shape and protection

Cell wall: cellulose

3Solved ExampleHOTS5 steps

A cell of radius 5 μm and another of radius 10 μm — compare their surface-area-to-volume ratios. Which one exchanges nutrients more efficiently?

SA:V for sphere

\frac{S A}{V} = \frac{3}{r}

Traps & Common Mistakes

Common Mistakes6

1
Confusing cell wall with cell membrane
✓Cell wall: rigid, cellulose (plants) — outermost. Cell membrane: flexible, lipid bilayer — inside the wall (or outermost in animal cells).
2
Saying animal cells have chloroplasts
✓Only plant cells and some algae have chloroplasts. Animal cells rely on food, not photosynthesis.
3
Mitosis and meiosis at the same locations
✓Mitosis: body cells (skin, gut). Meiosis: only in reproductive cells (gonads) to form gametes.
4
Assuming all bacteria are harmful
✓Many are useful — lactobacillus (curd), rhizobium (nitrogen fixation), gut bacteria.
5
Drawing prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells identically
✓Prokaryotes lack a nuclear membrane and membrane-bound organelles. DNA is free in cytoplasm.
6
Missing organelles in the diagram
✓SSC diagrams must include cell wall (plant), membrane, nucleus, mitochondria, ER, Golgi, vacuole and (plant) chloroplast.

Practice Yourself

Practice Yourself5 questions

Q1
Who proposed the cell theory?
Q2
State two differences between plant cell and animal cell.
Q3
Define mitosis and meiosis in one line each.
Q4
Give one function each of mitochondria and ribosome.
Q5
Why are lysosomes called 'suicide bags of the cell'?

Notes

Cell — Structure and Micro-Organisms (Maharashtra SSC)

Chapter 6 of Science Part 2 (Biology). The cell is the fundamental unit of life — the SSC syllabus expects both diagram-based and comparison-based answers.

Types of cells

Prokaryotic: no nuclear membrane, no membrane-bound organelles. Example: bacteria, cyanobacteria.
Eukaryotic: true nucleus with membrane, has organelles. Example: plants, animals, fungi.

Plant cell vs animal cell (SSC-favourite table)

Feature	Plant cell	Animal cell
Cell wall	Present (cellulose)	Absent
Chloroplast	Present	Absent
Vacuole	Large, central	Small, scattered
Centrosome	Absent	Present
Shape	Fixed (rectangular)	Irregular (round)

Major organelles — function in one line

Organelle	Function
Nucleus	Control centre; holds DNA
Mitochondria	Powerhouse — ATP production
Chloroplast	Photosynthesis (plants only)
Ribosome	Protein synthesis
ER (endoplasmic reticulum)	Transport within cell
Golgi apparatus	Packaging and secretion
Lysosome	Digestion (suicide bags)
Vacuole	Storage, turgor

Cell division — two types

Mitosis: for growth, repair, asexual reproduction. Chromosome number unchanged (2n → 2n).
Meiosis: for gamete formation. Halves chromosome number (2n → n).

Micro-organisms

Bacteria: unicellular prokaryotes. Beneficial (curd, nitrogen fixation) and harmful (cholera, TB).
Viruses: not a full cell; genetic material inside a protein coat. Replicate only inside host cells.
Fungi: yeast (bread), penicillium (antibiotic).
Protozoa: amoeba, plasmodium (malaria).

Board vs CBSE

CBSE covers cells in Class 9 (Fundamental Unit of Life). Maharashtra SSC includes cells in Class 10 alongside Life Processes. Expect a mix of diagram, function-listing, and comparison questions.