Lesson 7 Surface Area to Volume

Cells need to find the ideal balance between surface area and volume to ensure all transportation into, out of, and within the cell can be done as quickly as possible. The larger the surface area to volume ratio, the quicker this transportation can occur.

Cells have adapted ways to increase their surface area to volume ratio, such as ways to decrease their volume or increase their surface area. Multicellular organisms have adapted transportation systems to help move materials around so they do not have to rely as much on the surface area to volume ratio. This allows these organisms to have cells with shapes and sizes specific to their function rather than to the movement of materials.

In the next lesson, we will look at how this transportation can be used in the medical field and in technology. We will also look at research currently taking place on how the concepts we have learned so far can be used in society.