What do living cells require to survive?

What do living cells require to survive?

• A. Water and glucose
• B. Nutrients and oxygen
• C. Waste products
• D. Heat and light

Answer: (B)

Living cells need two main things to keep functioning: a supply of nutrients to provide building blocks and energy, and oxygen to efficiently generate that energy. Nutrients deliver carbon, nitrogen, minerals, and other elements the cell uses to synthesize proteins, membranes, and genetic material. Oxygen powers cellular respiration, a process that converts those nutrients into ATP, the energy currency cells rely on to perform work, grow, and repair. Other options miss a key point. Water is essential for nearly all cellular processes, but glucose alone isn’t the universal energy source for every cell, and oxygen makes the biggest difference in energy production for most organisms. Waste products aren’t something cells need to survive; they’re byproducts that must be removed. Heat and light aren’t required for all cells to live—some organisms depend on light, but many do not.

Living cells need two main things to keep functioning: a supply of nutrients to provide building blocks and energy, and oxygen to efficiently generate that energy. Nutrients deliver carbon, nitrogen, minerals, and other elements the cell uses to synthesize proteins, membranes, and genetic material. Oxygen powers cellular respiration, a process that converts those nutrients into ATP, the energy currency cells rely on to perform work, grow, and repair.

Other options miss a key point. Water is essential for nearly all cellular processes, but glucose alone isn’t the universal energy source for every cell, and oxygen makes the biggest difference in energy production for most organisms. Waste products aren’t something cells need to survive; they’re byproducts that must be removed. Heat and light aren’t required for all cells to live—some organisms depend on light, but many do not.