Question

a student is proposing a model to compare prokaryotic cells and eukaryotic cells. the student is using string to model the cell membrane, beans to represent the ribosomes, and pipe cleaners to model the chromosomes. how will the student need to revise the model to demonstrate a prokaryotic cell rather than a eukaryotic cell?
a the student will need to use beans in both models, but will use no pipe cleaners in the prokaryotic model. the same amount of string will be used in both models.
b the student will use more beans in the prokaryotic model, but the same amount of string in both. the student will need to use fewer pipe cleaners in the prokaryotic model.
c the student will need to use no beans in the prokaryotic cell model. the student will need circular pipe cleaners in both models. the student will use more string in the prokaryotic model to make the cell bigger.
d the student will use less string for the membrane of the prokaryotic cell because the cell is smaller. the student will need to include beans in both models. the student will need to circularize the pipe cleaners for prokaryotic dna

Explanation:

• Prokaryotic cells are generally smaller than eukaryotic cells, so less string (modeling the cell membrane) would be used for the prokaryotic cell.
• Both prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells have ribosomes (beans in the model).
• Prokaryotic DNA is circular, while eukaryotic DNA is linear. So the pipe cleaners (modeling chromosomes/DNA) should be circularized for the prokaryotic model.

Answer:

D. The student will use less string for the membrane of the prokaryotic cell because the cell is smaller. The student will need to include beans in both models. The student will need to circularize the pipe cleaners for prokaryotic DNA.