Advanced Placement (AP) Biology Practice Exam

Which type of cells commonly exhibit pressure potential due to a cell wall?

1. Animal cells

2. Plant cells

3. Bacterial cells

4. Fungal cells

The correct answer is: Plant cells

Plant cells commonly exhibit pressure potential due to the presence of a rigid cell wall. The cell wall provides structural support and defines the shape of the cell, allowing it to withstand internal turgor pressure. This pressure is generated when water enters the cell through osmosis, causing the cell to swell. The cell wall prevents the cell from bursting, thus maintaining the integrity of the plant structure. In plant cells, the combination of turgor pressure (the pressure of the cell’s contents against the cell wall) and the capabilities of the cell wall to resist this pressure contributes to overall plant health, enabling processes such as growth and nutrient transport. While other types of cells may have structural components, such as bacterial cell walls or fungal cell walls, they do not typically generate pressure potential in the same way as plant cells do, making plant cells the most representative example of this phenomenon.