Emma Walters
Comparison of a Plant and Animal Cell
Every single living thing in the world is made up of cells. They are the basis for life and are made up of microscopic components called organelles, which carry out specific tasks. All cells differ from one to the other. There are two main groups of cells - Prokaryotic and Eukaryotic cells. The two types of Eukaryotic cells are plant and animal cells. There are many common elements between a plant and animal cell, but also some differences. In this essay I am going to explore these similarities and differences and find out why they contain different organelles.
Similarities between plants and animal cells are that they are both Eukaryotic. This means that they both have a nucleus. They need this nucleus, as the brain of the cell, to help decide what comes in and out of it, and to hold all the genetic codes within it. To help the nucleus function properly, both the animal and plant cell have a cell membrane which covers the whole of the outside of the cell, and the nucleus tells it what to do. The membrane also allows cell identification, and helps it to join itself to other things. To keep the shape of the cell membrane, animal and plant cells both have cytoplasm, which is made up of 90% water. This is what all the other organelles are held in, but which are free to move around in. Within this, both cells have Mitochondria. Mitochondria are needed for respiration, to create energy so they can carry out their duties.
