Cork cells are tiny empty boxes in tree bark. They keep water in, keep bugs out, and they are the reason we call cells "cells"!
Drag to turn it around. Use the buttons to zoom in and try things from the lessons.
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The outside of a tree's bark has layers of cork cells. They are shaped like little boxes, stacked close together like bricks.
Press Cut it open on the 3D model to see that the cork cells are empty inside.
The waxy cork layer works like a raincoat and a suit of armor. It keeps water inside the tree so it doesn't dry out, and it helps keep out bugs and germs. All that trapped air also helps protect the tree from heat and cold.
Press Rain test to see raindrops roll off the waxy cork.
Ask a grown-up for a bottle cork. Drop it in a bowl of water. It floats because it is full of tiny air-filled cells!
In 1665, a scientist named Robert Hooke looked at a thin slice of cork with an early microscope. He saw lots of tiny boxes. They reminded him of little rooms, so he called them cells. The name stuck!
Bottle corks come from the bark of the cork oak tree. Workers carefully peel off the outer bark, and the tree grows a new layer. They wait about nine years before peeling it again.
Every cell you learn about on Cell City got its name from Hooke's look at a piece of cork!
By Hands-on Education. A fun video for kids.
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