A rigid structure that surrounds the cell membrane and provides support to the cell.

A rigid structure that surrounds the cell membrane and provides support to the cell.

• A. Nucleus
• B. Cytoplasm
• C. Cell wall
• D. Mitochondrion

Answer: (C)

A cell wall is the rigid layer that surrounds the cell membrane and gives the cell its shape and strength. It acts as a protective outer shell that resists external pressures and helps prevent bursting when water enters the cell. In plants, the wall is mainly cellulose; in bacteria it’s peptidoglycan; in fungi, chitin provides the rigidity. Animal cells usually lack a cell wall, relying on other structures for support. The nucleus, cytoplasm, and mitochondrion are internal components with roles in genetic control, cellular activities, and energy production, not in providing this external, rigid support.

A cell wall is the rigid layer that surrounds the cell membrane and gives the cell its shape and strength. It acts as a protective outer shell that resists external pressures and helps prevent bursting when water enters the cell. In plants, the wall is mainly cellulose; in bacteria it’s peptidoglycan; in fungi, chitin provides the rigidity. Animal cells usually lack a cell wall, relying on other structures for support. The nucleus, cytoplasm, and mitochondrion are internal components with roles in genetic control, cellular activities, and energy production, not in providing this external, rigid support.