The big empty-looking space

The idea

Plant cells have a large vacuole that stores important substances, gets rid of waste and maintains cell shape, giving the plant support; animal cells usually lack vacuoles or have only small ones.

An empty-looking space

Look inside a plant cell and you see a large, empty-looking space. It is called a vacuole.

What do you think this big space is for?

• Nothing, it is just empty
• To store things and keep the cell firm
• To make the cell wall

Plant cell and animal cell

Compare the two cells. Read each clue, then tap the part.

Large in plants, small in animals

Plant cells have a large vacuole. It stores important substances, gets rid of waste and maintains the shape of the cell, which gives the plant strength and support. Animal cells usually have no vacuoles, or only small ones.

• Plant cell | Animal cell
• Vacuole | One large vacuole | None, or small ones
• Job | Stores, removes waste, keeps shape | Small ones store substances dissolved in water

Notes

A plant cell has a large vacuole: it stores, removes waste and keeps the cell's shape. Animal cells usually have none, or small ones.

Check yourself

Which of these is not a job of the large vacuole?

Which kind of cell usually has a large vacuole?

How does the vacuole help a plant?

• Stores important substances. The vacuole does this job.
• Regulates all the activities of the cell — correct. Yes. That is the job of the nucleus, not the vacuole.
• Maintains the shape of the cell. The vacuole does this job.
• A plant cell — correct. Yes. Plant cells have a large vacuole.
• An animal cell. Animal cells usually have no vacuole, or only small ones.
• It keeps the cell's shape, giving the plant strength and support — correct. Yes. Maintaining the shape of the cell gives the plant support.
• It makes the plant green. Green comes from chlorophyll in chloroplasts.
• It lets waste out of the cell. The cell membrane lets waste out of the cell. The vacuole gets rid of waste inside the cell.