Several differences exist between a plasma membrane and a cell wall (as well as a cell membrane) as will be discussed in detail in this article.
A Plasma Membrane And A Cell Wall. This video summaries the basic differences. What is the difference between cell wall and cell membrane or plasma membrane?
Cell Membrane Function and Structure from fthmb.tqn.com
Depending on the cellular organization organisms could be categorized as prokaryotes (bacteria and a cell wall equally is a protective layer for the cell. It is primarily made up of a continuous phospholipid bilayer which surrounds the cell and other organelles. The cell wall is a tough layer, which may be rigid or flexible depending on the type, and surrounds the plasma membrane is essentially a barrier that separates the interior of the cells from the outside environment.
The cell wall surrounds the plasma membrane of plant cells and provides tensile strength and protection against mechanical and osmotic stress.
Plant cell walls are among the features that distinguish plants from animals. Cell wall and cell membrane are two types of outermost boundaries found in cells. The plasma membrane (also known as the cell membrane or cytoplasmic membrane) is a biological membrane that separates the interior of a cell from its outside just as a hole in the wall can be a disaster for the castle, a rupture in the plasma membrane causes the cell to lyse and die. The plasma membranes of cells that specialize in absorption are folded into fingerlike projections called microvilli (singular = microvillus).