Download plant and animal cell lab

Name _____________________________________________ Date _____________
Lab: Comparing Plant and Animal Cells
Problem: What differences will you see when viewing a plant cell and an animal cell?
What similarities will you see?
Background Information:
1. What are the three parts of the cell theory?
2. What organelle is the site of photosynthesis? ______________________________
3. What structure makes up the outermost part of an animal cell? _________________
4. What structure makes up the outermost part of a plant cell? ___________________
Hypothesis:
Materials:
microscope
Slides
Elodea leaflet
toothpick
coverslips
water
dropper
forceps
Lugol’s solution
Procedure:
Animal Cells:
1. Place a drop of Lugol’s solution on a clean, dry slide.
2. Using the flat end of a clean toothpick, gently rub the inside of your cheek.
3. Stir the toothpick in the Lugol’s solution on the slide.
4. Place a coverslip on the slide by placing it at a 45 degree angle to the slide and
dragging it into the edge of the Lugol’s. Gently lower the coverslip onto the
solution. This technique will prevent air bubbles from forming under the
coverslip.
5. Place your slide on the stage of your microscope and focus in low power.
6. Find and focus your image in mid-power and again in high power.
7. Draw, color, and label your observations in high power in the Data section of this
lab.
Plant Cells:
1. Place one drop of water on a clean, dry slide.
2. Using forceps, place one Elodea leaflet into the drop of water. Be sure the leaflet
is not folded over.
3. Place a coverslip on the slide by placing it at a 45 degree angle to the slide and
dragging it into the edge of the water. Gently lower the coverslip onto the leaflet.
This technique will prevent air bubbles from forming under the coverslip.
4. Place your slide on the stage of your microscope and focus in low power.
5. Find and focus your image in mid-power and again in high power.
6. Draw, color, and label your observations in high power in the Data section of this
lab.
Data:
Draw each type of cell in the spaces provided.
Be sure to label the organelles that you can identify (in particular, the following):
 Cell membrane
 Cytoplasm
 Cell wall
 Chloroplasts
 Nucleus
Record the total magnification of your images.
Animal Cells:
Plant Cells:
Magnification: ______________
Magnification: _____________
Conclusion: In your lab write-up, answer the following questions in several
paragraphs. Refer to your drawings to answer the questions.

What does Lugol’s solution do to cells?

Why were cheek cells (animal cells) placed in Lugol’s solution but Elodea cells
(plant cells) were only placed in water?

Did you see any movement in the animal cell? Did you see any movement in the
plant cell? What would cause this movement?

Discuss the differences in shape that you noticed between plant and animal cells.
What caused this difference?

What are three main differences between plant and animal cells?

What are three similarities between plant and animal cells?