Work through the list without notes. If you cannot do a statement, follow its link, then come back. Guide = study guide; Practice = practice questions.
Understanding
- I can name the membrane-bound structures of a eukaryotic cell and say what each one keeps in its own space. (Guide: Figure 1 and the structures table)
- I can explain how separate compartments let opposing reactions, such as building and breaking down a molecule, run at the same time. (Guide: “Idea 1”; Practice Q5)
- I can explain how proton pumps keep the inside of a lysosome acidic, and why that matters for its enzymes. (Guide: “Idea 1”; Practice Q3)
- I can explain why folded membranes, such as cristae and stacked thylakoids, let more membrane-bound reactions happen in the same volume. (Guide: “Idea 2” and Figure 2; Practice Q1)
- I can explain that compartments are not sealed: vesicles and transport proteins move material between them. (Guide: “Common misconceptions”)
Calculation and skills
- I can total the area of a folded membrane model, including the unfolded part, and compare it with the original. (Guide: Worked example 1; Practice Q2)
- I can convert a pH difference into a factor change in H⁺ concentration. (Guide: Worked example 2)
- I can estimate a value between two data points in a table. (Guide: Worked example 2)
- I can turn fractionation data into percentages and identify the compartment that holds an enzyme. (Practice Q4)
- I can use sphere volumes to compare the concentration of molecules in a small compartment and in a whole cell. (Practice Q7)
Reasoning
- I can predict and justify the effects of disrupting a compartment, such as blocking its pumps or making its membrane leaky. (Guide: Worked example 2; Practice Q3, Q5)
- I can make a claim linking internal membrane area to the rate of a process, support it with data and suggest another explanation to test. (Practice Q6)
All ticked? Move on to Topic 2.10, Origins of Cell Compartmentalization, or return to the course roadmap.