Plant+Cells+-+BO

=Introduction=

Did You know that plant cells create their own food. Isn't that so cool and amazing.This is only one of the many things a plant cell does for a plant. We can’t do this we have to drive or walk all the way to the grocery store to get food. But for plants with the help from a little part in the plant cell that you can’t even see it can make it’s own food. Plant cells are so small, we can’t even see them, but they do so many amazing things for a plant. If a plant did not have plant cells they would never survive. Did you know that Animals have cells too? We are considered animals so we have them too. Our cells are in some ways like plant cells. Isn't that weird to think. Part of ourselves that we can’t even see are a lot like plants. There are so many parts to the plant cell that do so many interesting things that all work together to keep the plant cell alive. You are probably wondering how do you know what it looks like if you can’t even see it but is so cool to see them all together as rectangles. In the end some plant cells do die. But this only happens in a while.

=What Parts make up a Plant Cell?=

Plant cells have many parts. In pictures it may look confusing to you, but it really is not. There's so many cool and interesting parts to a plant cell.There are a ton of little things that add up to make a plant cell. Then all those plant cells add up to be one whole plant. It is amazing. Lets take a closer look in on plant cells and talk about the parts.

A plant cell has a cell wall. This wall is made out of a tough material. It is the shape of a box. This makes the plant cell look like a box but more importantly it keeps all the parts on the inside of it safe. Plant cells also have chlorophyll. These are oval shaped, they are also green. Have you ever wondered what make a plant green? Well here’s the answer. It is chlorophyll. They are green and there are thousands of them in one cell so all the color adds up in the end and makes it look green. Chlorophyll also takes a big part in photosynthesis. We will learn more about that later. Now you may say if a plant cell has such a strong wall around it how does it take air and water in? Well a guard cell in a plant opens and closes to let air, water and more in.

This is a diagram of a plant cell.

=What do Plant Cells look like?=

Have you ever looked in a microscope? Plant cells are so cool to look at and see all the tiny cells that you can’t see from a normal eye. When I looked into a microscope at plant cells I was kind of confused. All I saw was a bunch of blocks. I then realized that thoughts were the cells. I wondered why they were square shaped?This is because of what we talked about earlier the cell wall. Remember the cell wall protects the cell. It does this by making a strong box around it which makes the cells look square. This is why plant cells are nicknamed the tiny building blocks of life. All these blocks fit together so tightly this makes the plant water proof. Water can only come in through the roots of the plant of guard cells. And remember why a plant is green. It is because of the chlorophyll.

Here are plant cells from a microscope

=Are Plant and Animal Cells Alike and Different?=

Another cell you can look at under a microscope is a animal cell. Animal and plant cells are pretty similar in some ways but different in others. For example plant cells have **vacuoles** (a space or vesicle within the cytoplasm of a cell)and so do animal cells, but instead they have many instead of one. Lets see what other parts of their cell they both have and don’t have.

Plant and animal cells also have a nucleus. This is called the brain or head of the cell because they are kind of in charge or controls the cell. A plant cells shape is a rectangle like we recently said. On the other hand a animal cell is the shape of a circle. A plant cell is a square because of the cell wall. A plant cell does not have a cell wall so it is not a square. One more example is both cells have cytoplasm. This is like gel inside the cell. There are so many more thing plant and animal cells have in common and how they are different. Here is a Venn diagram that show some more.

This is a Venn diagram of how plant and animal cells are alike and different

=When and Why do Plant Cells die?=

We have talked about a plant cell and how useful they are when they are alive but what about when they are dead? How do they die? When do they die? Do plant cells have a lifespan? My research answered all those questions.

Plant cells can die if they do not get enough water or if they get too much water. If a plant cell gets too much water the cytoplasm pulls way from the cell wall. The cell wall then can’t support the cell. A plant cell with too much water can burst. This is why plants die in droughts and in floods. A plant cells life span also always determined on if a plant cell gets an illness or something like we recently talked about with no water or too much water. A plant cells life span can also determined on where the cell is on the plant.

This is a plant cell that got too much water. =**What is Photosynthesis.**=

Have you ever had a garden? Did you think you were feeding the plant when you were watering it? Well really you are giving one of the three things of giving the plant food. This process is called photosynthesis. **Photosynthesis** means,the process in which green plants and other organisms use sunlight to synthesize food from carbon dioxide and water. The plant needs water sun light and carbon dioxide. All these things go into the plant and if mixed together to make food for the plant. All the things mix up to make food in the part of the cell that is called chlorophyll. The water gets sucked up through the roots in the ground, these tubes are called xylem. The sunlight beats on the plant and the plant takes it in to make food. The carbon dioxide comes from the air and the leaves take it in. This happens through little holes in the leaves. These holes are called stomata. These little holes on the leaves sunk in the carbon dioxide. One of the reasons for a plant cell is to protect the plant another reason for these cells are for to feed the plant with this process, Photosynthesis.

=Conclusion=

You maybe saying right now why did I just read that? What is so important about plant cells and how does it concern me, but did you ever think about this? What would happen if you woke up one morning and and your mom told you there was no more grains fruit or vegetables because all the plants died because they lost all their plant cells. All you would have to eat is two of the 5 food groups. This is why you need plant cells. Plant cells are tiny and don’t seem like they help you that much but they really do a lot to help you. They also do so much for the plant so you can enjoy it.

=References=

toc “Animal vs plant cells.” Trovagen. disqus, n.d. Web. 21 Jan. 2015. . “eukaryotic cell.” tony linka illustration. scientific illustration, n.d. Web. 19 Dec. 2014. . Howard, Louisa. “Tomato Leaf Stomate 1.” Rippel Electron Mrcroscope Facility. Dartmouth College, n.d. Web. 21 Jan. 2015. . Introducing the Cell Cochran, 1997. Full Video. Discovery Education. Web. 19 December 2014. . Knapp, Brian J., and David Woodroffe. Visual Science Encyclopedia. Danbury: Grolier Educational, 2002. Print. Miller, Marcia K. cells. N.p.: Person education, n.d. Print. Life science. Photosynthesis in plants Animation for Kids. Make me genius. Magnon Solutions, n.d. Web. 28 Jan. 2015. . “Plant cells.” Science life. University of Chicago, n.d. Web. 28 Jan. 2015. . “plant cell vs. animal cell.” Diffen. Diffen, n.d. Web. 18 Dec. 2014. . “What Is the Average Cell Life Span?” wise geek. Conjecture Corporation, n.d. Web. 28 Jan. 2015. .