Why are cells so small name cell size and surface area to volume ratio date per learning objectives o lo 26 the student is able to use calculated surfaceto volume ratios to predict which cells might eliminate wastes or procure nutrients faster by diffusion o lo 213. Cells are limited in how large they can be this is because the surface area and volume ratio does not stay the same as their size increases because of this it is harder for a large cell to pass materials in and out of the membrane and to move materials through the cell. This lab investigates why cells are generally small as they increase in size the surface area increases much faster than the volume making the surface area to volume ratio decrease as the cell gets larger because of this larger cells have a hard time getting enough nutrients in and enough wastes out of the cell there is too much cell to get all the stuff across the membrane. Raycroftcdocuments and settingsstephanie mckaydesktopplease convert to pdf thanksbi ology 122 cellsworksheet sa to v ratio worksheet with keydoc page 1 of 2 calculating surface area to volume ratios x first of all the surface area abbreviation sa is the area of material that it would