What is the importance of Surface Area to volume ratio in cells? in organisms?I was absent when the teacher explained this, and now i have to write a report and i cant understand the concept.
Answers
The ratio between the surface area and volume of cells and organisms has an enormous impact on their biology. For example, many aquatic microorganisms have increased surface area to increase their drag in the water. This reduces their rate of sink and allows them to remain near the surface with less energy expenditure.
Individual organs in animals are often based on the principle of greater surface area. The lung is an organ with numerous internal branchings that increase the surface area through which oxygen is passed into the blood and carbon dioxide is released from the blood. The intestine has a finely wrinkled internal surface, increasing the area through which nutrients are absorbed by the body. This is done to increase the surface area in which diffusion of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the lungs and diffusion of nutrients in villi of the small intestine can occur.
Taken from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surface_area_to_volume_ratio
Individual organs in animals are often based on the principle of greater surface area. The lung is an organ with numerous internal branchings that increase the surface area through which oxygen is passed into the blood and carbon dioxide is released from the blood. The intestine has a finely wrinkled internal surface, increasing the area through which nutrients are absorbed by the body. This is done to increase the surface area in which diffusion of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the lungs and diffusion of nutrients in villi of the small intestine can occur.
Taken from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surface_area_to_volume_ratio
Henry2007 gave a good answer on the importance of surface area to larger structures.
As for cells themselves - they require nutrients and other various things to operate. Cells absorbs these nutrients from its surroundings, but this is directly limited by the surface area of the cell wall. Let's say we increase the size of the cell. Then the volume of the cell increases, as does the surface area. But the volume increases faster than the surface area does, and you'll reach a point when the cell cannot absorb nutrients from its surroundings fast enough to feed everything inside of it.
Thus the importance of SA:V ratio.
As for cells themselves - they require nutrients and other various things to operate. Cells absorbs these nutrients from its surroundings, but this is directly limited by the surface area of the cell wall. Let's say we increase the size of the cell. Then the volume of the cell increases, as does the surface area. But the volume increases faster than the surface area does, and you'll reach a point when the cell cannot absorb nutrients from its surroundings fast enough to feed everything inside of it.
Thus the importance of SA:V ratio.