CHAPTER 2:

CELL AS A UNIT
OF LIFE
WHAT IS A
CELL?
 Who discovered cell..
• Robert Hooke is the first English scientist
to study the cell in 1665.
• He study the cork cell by using a
microscope.
 What is a cell?
• A cell is a basic unit of life.
• All living things consist of many cells
• These cell have different shapes and
sizes – short, long, round, oblong,
square and other shapes.
 What is a cell?
• Its size is too small and cannot be
seen with naked eye.
• We need microscope to observe the
cells.
 MICROSCOPE
Eye piece
Body tube

arm
Objective lens

stage
Stage clips
Coarse focus knob
Diaphragm
Coarse focus knob
Light source

Base
 Functions of different parts of
microscope
Part of microscope Function

Objective lens To magnify the image of the

object
Eye piece To magnify the image formed
by the objective lens
Diaphragm Control the light entering the
lens
Stage Support the slide
Clip Hold slide on position
 Functions of different parts of
microscope
Part of microscope Function

Base To support the microscope

Arm To hold the microscope
Coarse focus knob To raise or lower the body
tube for rough focusing
Fine focus knob To raise or lower the body
tube slowly and accurately.
Mirror Reflect light toward the
objective lens
 How to use a microscope

1. Put the microscope on a table with the arm

towards you.

2. Turn the low power objective lens until you

hear the ‘click’ sound.

3. Make sure that the low power objective lens is

above the hole in the stage.

4. Open the diaphragm to the maximum opening.

5. Look through the eye piece. Adjust the mirror

until you see a bright, circular area.
 How to use a microscope
6. Put a specimen slide over the hole of the
stage. Fix the slide’s position with the clips.

7. Turn the coarse focus knob to lower the

objectives lens to about 10 mm above the slide.

8. Look through the eyepiece. Turn the fine focus

knob to move the objective lens upward until you
can see a clear image.
9. Turn the fine focus knob to get a sharp image.

10.Turn the high power objective lens until you hear

the ‘click’ sound. Repeat step 9.
Precautions!!!
1. Always keep the microscope CLEAN and
DRY.

2. Use the LOW power objective lens

first before you use the high power
objective lens.

3. Turn the focus knob SLOWLY and

CARFULLY so that you do not break
the slide.
 General
Structures of the
Cell
Observing cells under microscope

Onion cell Cheek cell

 Plant cell
Animal cell
Cell wall

Cell membrane

Nucleus

Cytoplasm

Chloroplast
Vacuole
COMPARISON BETWEEN ANIMAL AND PLANT
CELL
ANIMAL CELL SIMILARITIES PLANT CELL
•Both cells have cell membrane, nucleus and
cytoplasm
DIFFERENCES
irregular / not Cell shape regular / fixed
fixed
smaller Cell size bigger
no cell wall Cell wall has cell wall

no vacuole Vacuole has vacuole

no chloroplast Chloroplast has chloroplast
 Function Of the Structures of the Cell

Controls the Stores water and

movement of dissolve materials
substances in
and out of the
cell
Controls all
activities of the
Chemical
cell
processes take
place here
Contains chlorophyll
Give shape to that absorb sunlight for
the cell photosynthesis
Thank you