Consider two spherical cells that are identical in all respects except that cell one has a radius that is 20% greater than the radius of cell 2 (r1 = 1.2 r2). One substance is transported into the cell passively. The relative flow of the material across the membranes of the two cells is given as A) Q₁ = 1.2 Q ₂ B) Q ₁ = 1.44 Q₂ C) Q ₁ = Q₂ D) Q₁ = 1.728 Q₂ E) Cannot be determined from the information given

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Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The flow of material across the cell membranes is proportional to the surface area of the cells. The surface area of a sphere is given by 4πr^2. If the radius of cell 1 is 1.2 times the radius of cell 2, then the surface area of cell 1 is (1.2)^2 = 1.44 times the surface area of cell 2. Therefore, the relative flow of material for cell 1 compared to cell 2 is 1.44 times greater.

Consider Two Spherical Cells That Are Identical in All Respects