Question

why cells divide ?

Answer 1

to make a new cell

Answer 2

are u new here ??

Answer 3

if so welcome to OS we r happy to have u XD

Answer 4

Replace dead cells or heal wounds - both need cell division.

Answer 5

ok XD

Answer 6

Cells divide in order to help the body maintain its natural stance by replacing old and dead cells in order for the body to keep living as well.

Answer 7

those all are results of the cellular dividing, but my question was why the cell has to divide? let we say a protozoa (single cell organism) for example

Answer 8

I think why might be the wrong question - we can observe nature and suggest that an organism divides and perhaps becomes dominant in an environment, edging out the competition. I think what you are getting at is how genetic information is passed on to the next generation. An example of this is worker bees seemingly sacrifice themselves for the good of the hive, allowing the offspring from the queen bee to survive. I hope this is a useful analogy.

Answer 9

i do not think that cells divide for passing on their genetic information, because they can pass these information on with out dividing.
does anybody have a physical explanation for cell dividing ?

Answer 10

i will answer.
The cell divides so as to maintain a favourable Surface area to volume ratio. the cell receives food and oxygen and turns out waste materials through it's membrane. A cell membrane of specific area can serve the contents of a particular volume only.Increase in the volume increases the requirements of the cell and this increases the need for greater membrane area.
Now,the Surface area of a sphere increase as the square of the radius and the volume of a sphere increases as the cube of the radius or to say, in simpler words,the volume of the cell increase more rapidly then the area of its membrane.
Hence, as a cell grows,it's membrane in due course of time becomes insufficient to move the required amount of substances in and out. The cell by dividing has a more favourable surface area to volume ratio. Thus, the cell divide so as to maintain it's size such that all it's requirements of nutrition,respiration and excretion are met.