You will use a generalized measurement in this activity. Each side of every cube will be exactly 1 unit. Surface area will be reported in square units, and volume in cubic units.

1. With a single sugar cube, what is its surface area?
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2. What is its volume?
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3. What is this ratio?
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4. Now let’s make an organism that is two cubes in each direction: two high, two wide and two deep. a. Are there any cubes in this larger cube that still have all six surfaces exposed?
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b. Are there any cubes with five sides exposed?
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c. Are there any with four sides exposed?
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d. Are there any with three sides exposed?
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e. Are there any with two sides exposed?
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f. Are there any with only one side exposed?
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g. Are there any with no sides exposed?
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5. Which of these above cells would have the hardest time of surviving?
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6. With new cubes, build an organism with 3 cubes in all directions. Ask the same questions as in step 3 about your new organism. If you had your choice, which of the cells in this new organism would you be?
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7. Make a 4-celled organism that is 2 x 2 x 1 cubes on a side. How many sides are exposed by each cell to their environment?
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8. Make a 4-celled organism that is shaped like a worm. How many sides are exposed by each cell in the worm?
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9. Make a 5 x 5 x 5-celled organism. What cells have the best exposure for diffusion? What cells have the worst? Explain your answer.
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10. What can be done to the organism in step 8 to improve the exposed surfaces of its cells?
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11. How far do you think any cell can be away from food, oxygen, etc?
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12. What have large organisms, like humans, done to make sure that cells are only a short distance away from a source of food, and a way to get rid of toxic materials?
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