The volume enclosed by the plasma membrane of plant cells is often much larger than the corresponding volume in animal cells. The most reasonable explanation for this observation is that
A)plant cells are capable of having a much higher surface-to-volume ratio than animal cells.
B)plant cells have a much more highly convoluted (folded)plasma membrane than animal cells.
C)plant cells contain a large vacuole that reduces the volume of the cytoplasm.
D)animal cells are more spherical, while plant cells are elongated.
E)the basic functions of plant cells are very different from those of animal cells.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Plant cells have a central vacuole that occupies a large portion of the cell volume, reducing the volume of the cytoplasm. This allows the plant cell to have a larger overall volume without increasing the surface area of the plasma membrane. Animal cells do not have a large central vacuole, and their cytoplasm occupies a larger proportion of the cell volume, leading to a smaller overall cell volume.

The Volume Enclosed by the Plasma Membrane of Plant Cells