Question

explain how surface area limits cell size. why don’t most eukaryotic cells get bigger than 1mm?

Explanation:

Cells rely on surface - area for exchange of nutrients, gases and waste. As cell size increases, volume grows faster than surface - area. This leads to a lower surface - area to volume ratio, limiting the cell's ability to exchange materials efficiently. For eukaryotic cells, a size larger than 1mm would make it difficult to meet metabolic demands through surface - area exchange.

Answer:

Surface area limits cell size because as cell volume increases, surface - area to volume ratio decreases, hindering efficient exchange of materials. Most eukaryotic cells don't get bigger than 1mm as larger size would make it hard to meet metabolic needs via surface - area exchange.