Compared with a smaller cell, a larger cell of the same shape has less surface area. a. the same surface-to-volume ratio. b. less surface area per unit of volume. c. a smaller average distance between its mitochondria and the external source of oxygen. d. a smaller cytoplasm-to-nucleus ratio.

less surface area per unit of volume

Explanation:

The surface area and volume of a cell vary with its size. A large cell has larger has a larger surface area compared to the smaller cell of the same shape. As the size of the cell increases, there is a greater increase in the surface area than that in the volume of the cell. This results in a lower surface area to volume ratio for a larger cell than that for a smaller cell of the same shape.

The surface area to volume ratio affects many vital processes such as diffusion of substances, heat exchange, etc. Cells maintain a smaller size to have a higher surface area to volume ratio which in turn increases the rate of diffusion of substances.