Chapter 2, Problem 2AQ

Summary Introduction

To calculate:

The surface-to-volume ratio of spherical cells of different sizes (2 µm and 15 µm) and mention the consequences of this difference in the cell function.

Concept introduction:

In the field of microbiology, the shape of a cell is termed as morphology. The size and shape of microorganisms are immediately revealed upon examination using a microscope. Archaeal and bacterial cells varies in size ranging from 0.2 µm to >700 µm in diameter. Several properties of a cell, including its evolution and growth rate are controlled by its surface area to cell volume (S/V) ratio.