Why is it advantageous for cells to be small?

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Cells have to be able to maintain diffusion. that is why cells are selectively permeable. When it comes to efficiency, the cell's surface area to volume ratio is important. When there is less volume, there will be relatively more surface area. When there is more volume there will be relatively less surface area. More surface area and less volume is important to make diffusion through the cell membrane more efficient....Show more

It increases the surface area to volume ratio. This means that it can take in a lot more nutrients because all nutrients have to be diffused into the cell to be used. Imagine if your whole body was one cell, then it would have no surface area when compared to your body (which is trillions of cells), meaning it would take in nutrients slower....Show more

The BIGGEST advantage is that they're so small and thin that they can receive nutrients via diffusion. Also, they don't have to transport anything a far distance, which means they use up less energy....Show more

I suppose they can die without causing any significant problems for the body and be easily replaced, but it isn't like cells were made by anything that could think and it decided to make cells small, that is just how it is. But I doubt that helps you too much ;)...Show more

Cells are so small because it makes the cell more efficient. Their small size means less energy is used to keep things functioning as they should and for the organelles that need to move throughout the cell do not have to move over such great distances....Show more