Plant and animal cell structure under the microscope
Integrated ScienceCells & OrganismsAges 11–12
Use it with your class: students open it from a link or a QR code, with no account needed.
Next in Cells & Organisms
A model of a plant cell and an animal cell as seen under a light microscope. Students click (or tap) each organelle — cell wall, cell membrane, cytoplasm, nucleus, chloroplast, vacuole — to see its name and function, and change the magnification to see the cell grow or shrink as the µm scale bar updates. Compare mode places both cells side by side to highlight their similarities and differences.
Lesson: Cell concept and structure: main cell components; plant cells vs. animal cells; observing cells under a microscope
What it shows
All cells share three basic parts: a cell membrane that controls what enters and leaves, cytoplasm where most reactions take place, and a nucleus holding the DNA that directs the cell. Plant cells add a cellulose cell wall that keeps their shape, chloroplasts containing chlorophyll for photosynthesis, and a large central vacuole storing water; animal cells lack a wall and chloroplasts and have only small vacuoles, if any. Mitochondria, which release energy in respiration, occur in both. A light microscope magnifies about 100× to 1000×, and a scale bar converts the image back to real sizes in micrometres.
How to use
Start with Plant cell, click each part and ask students to note its name, its function and whether it is found in plant cells only or in both types. Switch to Animal cell and repeat, then choose Compare both to list the similarities and differences side by side. Change the Microscope magnification and watch the 10 µm scale bar stretch; use it to estimate how wide a cell really is. Turn on Show mitochondria (extra) for more advanced groups.
Parameters you can change
- Cell type Plant cell, Animal cell, Compare both
- Microscope magnification 100–1000 ×
- Show organelle names
- Show mitochondria (extra)
Questions to explore
- Which three parts are found in both plant and animal cells, and what does each one do?
- Why do animal cells have no chloroplasts, while leaf cells do?
- Using the scale bar, about how many micrometres wide is the plant cell?
