College

**B2 Cell Division Summary Questions**

1. **a.** What is the cell cycle?
[1 mark]

**b.** Explain how and why you would expect the length of the cell cycle to vary:

**i.** Between an early embryo in the first days after fertilization and a 5-year-old child.
[4 marks]

**ii.** Between a 13-year-old student and a 70-year-old adult.
[5 marks]

Answer :

The cell cycle is a series of events of cell growth and division, leading to the production of daughter cells. Its length varies between rapid cell division in embryos to more measured rates in a child, and slows further with age, as in the case of comparing a teenager and a senior adult.

The Cell Cycle and Its Variation

The cell cycle is an ordered series of events involving cell growth and cell division that produces two new daughter cells via mitosis. The length of the cell cycle can vary greatly depending on the stage of development and age of an organism. Factors such as size, hormonal signals, and resource availability can influence this cycle.

Variation in the Cell Cycle

Embryonic development is marked by extremely rapid cell division, as a few hours can result in many cycles, providing the necessary cell number for the developing organism. In contrast, a 5-year-old child has cells that divide at a slower rate as the body grows at a more measured pace.

Comparatively, the difference between adolescents and elderly adults can be significant, as regenerative processes slow with age. A 13-year-old student's cells would divide more rapidly than those of a 70-year-old adult due to the body's continued growth and higher metabolic demands during puberty. Additionally, the cell cycle lengthens as the body focuses on maintenance and repair rather than rapid growth over time.

Answer:

1a) The process a cell goes through each time it divide