Question

Why do plant cells need a cell wall and animal cells do not?

Answer 1

Hint: By the process of photosynthesis plants prepare their food for this they require sunlight, water, minerals, and carbon dioxide. To receive maximum sunlight it has to grow strongly in an upward direction.

Complete answer:
Plant cells have cell walls around them, but it is not so in the animal cell. It gives plant cells their boxy shapes and ability to grow up and out so that they get lots of sunlight for making their food. Plants need a rigid structure. Animal cells have flexible cell membranes. So animal cells can have a variety of shapes, but plant cells can not, they have to take the shape of their cell walls.

Both plant and animal cells are eukaryotic, so they contain membrane-bound organelles like the nucleus and mitochondria. They are the building blocks of plants. The cell wall makes the cell strong, keeps its shape, and controls the growth of the cell and plant. The cell wall is tough and flexible but sometimes rigid also.

Photosynthesis is the main function performed by plant cells. It occurs in the chloroplasts of the plant cell. Animal cells are of various sizes and have irregular shapes, but plant cells are more similar in size i.e, rectangular or cube-shaped. A plant cell also contains some structures which are not found in an animal cell.

Note: Cell walls protect the cells from damage. They are made up of cellulose and prevent the cells from bursting during osmosis. Cell wall along with vacuole makes the cell turgid and supports the plant. Robert Hooke was first discovered and named the cell in the year 1665. He saw a dead cell wall of plant cells (cork) as it appeared under the microscope.