Which of the following statements are correct regarding the general difference between plant and animal cells?
- 1.Plant cells have cellulose cell walls whilst animal cells do not.
- 2.Plant cells do not have plasma membrane unlike animal cells which do.
- 3.Mature plant cell has one large vacuole whilst animal cell has many small vacuoles.
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
Answer & explanation
Answer: (c) 1 and 3 only
A plant cell has a cellulose cell wall and, when mature, usually one large central vacuole, while an animal cell has no cell wall and only small vacuoles, if any. Statement 2 is wrong because every cell, plant or animal, is enclosed by a plasma membrane.
- ✓ 1. The plant cell wall is made mainly of cellulose. Animal cells lack a rigid cell wall, which lets them change shape easily.
- ✗ 2. The plasma membrane (cell membrane) is the universal boundary of a cell. Plant cells have it too, just inside the cell wall.
- ✓ 3. A mature plant cell usually has one large central vacuole filled with cell sap. Animal cells may have vacuoles, but they are not as large.
Remember · Cell wall (cellulose) and one big central vacuole belong to plant cells. The plasma membrane is present in all cells.
📘 Read it in NCERT: Class 9 Exploration, Ch 2 (practise this chapter) · Class 9 Exploration, Ch 2 (practise this chapter) · Class 9 Exploration, Ch 2 (practise this chapter)
Sources
- NCERT Class 9 · Exploration, Chapter 2 “The plant cell wall is primarily made of cellulose, a type of carbohydrate formed by many glucose units linked together.”
- NCERT Class 9 · Exploration, Chapter 2 “The cell membrane is a thin boundary that surrounds a cell and protects its contents. It defines the individuality of a cell and is also called the plasma membrane.”
- NCERT Class 9 · Exploration, Chapter 2 “In a mature plant cell, there is usually one large central vacuole surrounded by a single selectively permeable membrane.”
Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2020, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). ·