How does flagella move?

How does flagella move?

• A. Rowing like motion
• B. Hair like extensions on cells for movement
• C. Snake like motion
• D. Pus

Answer: (C)

Flagella propel cells with a whip-like, undulating motion. The flagellum bends and a wave travels along its length, pushing the cell forward much like a snake slithering. This wave-like propulsion is what makes the movement feel “snake-like.” (Note: some organisms have flagella that rotate like a tiny propeller, and cilia—hair-like extensions—move differently, but the characteristic description for flagella’s movement in basic biology is the whip-like bend. Pus is not related to motion.)

Flagella propel cells with a whip-like, undulating motion. The flagellum bends and a wave travels along its length, pushing the cell forward much like a snake slithering. This wave-like propulsion is what makes the movement feel “snake-like.” (Note: some organisms have flagella that rotate like a tiny propeller, and cilia—hair-like extensions—move differently, but the characteristic description for flagella’s movement in basic biology is the whip-like bend. Pus is not related to motion.)