INTERACTIVE
MULTIPLE CHOICE
QUESTIONS
Test 1
The answers are provided, but so also are
explanations of why the alternatives are
unsatisfactory
© D.G. Mackean
These multiple choice questions are similar to the ones set by
the GCSE and IGCSE Examination Boards except that, in
some cases, there may be more than one acceptable
answer.
For this reason, even if you select a correct answer at your
first attempt, it is worth looking at all the alternatives
(a) to see if there is a better answer and
(b) to see why some of the alternatives are unacceptable.
Question 1
Question 1
The process of aerobic respiration requires
(a) A food source, oxygen, enzymes, a blood supply
(b) A food source, carbon dioxide, enzymes
(c) Oxygen, enzymes, sunlight
(d) A food source, oxygen, enzymes
Question 2
No
Respiration occurs in all living cells including
plants, bacteria and single celled organisms, none of
which have a blood supply.
No
Carbon dioxide is a product of respiration
No
Sunlight is necessary for photosynthesis but not for
respiration
Correct answer
Components of the food source are combined
with oxygen, and energy is ‘released’*.
Enzymes are catalysts which speed up these
reactions
* Most of the energy is used to drive other living
processes though some it is released as heat
Question 2
This organism is classified as an insect because it has
(a) a segmented body
(b) three pairs of walking legs
(c) wings
(d) jointed legs
Question 3
No
Insects do have segmented bodies but so do
annelid worms such as the earthworm
Yes
This is the single characteristic of those listed
that determines that the creature is an insect.
However, you should bear in mind that if asked
for a definition of an insect, all the
characteristics listed should be included
No
Most insects do have wings but some are wingless
e.g. fleas
No
Insects do have jointed legs but so do crustacea such
as crabs and lobsters
Jointed legs are a feature of the Arthropods, which
include insects.
Question 3
In a plant cell, which structure is responsible for
controlling the entry or exit of substances?
(a) The cell wall.
(b) The cell membrane
(c) The nucleus
(d) The cytoplasm
Question 4
No
The cell wall is generally regarded as being freely
permeable to water and dissolved substances. Its
structure does prevent the passage of large
molecules such as some proteins but this is not the
same as exercising control
This is the correct answer
No
The nucleus does control most of the
activities in the cell but does not exert
direct control over the entry and exit of
substances.
No
The cytoplasm is responsible for constructing the
cell membrane but does not exert direct control
over the entry and exit of substances.
Question 4
What will be the products of digestion of fish ?
(a) Glucose and amino acids
(b) Glucose, amino acids, fatty acids and
glycerol, minerals and vitamins,
(c) Glucose, glycerol and fatty acids
(d) Glucose, amino acids, glycerol and fatty
acids
Question 5
No
Fish contain fats as well as protein and
carbohydrate
No
This is largely correct but vitamins and minerals are
not digestion products. They are absorbed unchanged.
If vitamins were broken down by digestion they
would lose their properties
No
Fish contain proteins as well as carbohydrates
and fats
Yes
The proteins are digested to amino acids.
The carbohydrates are digested to glucose
The fats are digested to glycerol and fatty acids
Question 5
A male, homozygous dominant black mouse is mated with a
homozygous recessive female brown mouse. The black
genotype is BB, the brown genotype is bb. Would you expect
the offspring to be
(a) all brown
(b) all black
(c) 50% black and 50% brown
(d) all intermediate in colour?
Question 6
No
All the male gametes will carry the dominant allele B.
The female gametes will carry the recessive allele b. This
means that the genotype of all the offspring will be Bb.
There can be no brown mice (bb).
Yes.
All the male gametes will carry the dominant allele B.
The female gametes will carry the recessive allele b.
This means that the genotype of all the offspring will
be Bb.
Since the allele for black is dominant, all the offspring
will be black
No
All the male gametes will carry the dominant
allele B.
The female gametes will carry the recessive
allele b. This means that the genotype of all the
offspring will be Bb.
There can be no brown mice (bb).
No
If the alleles for black and brown fur were equally
dominant (codominant), an intermediate colour
might result but because only the black allele is
dominant, this is not a possibility
Question 6
Which of these organisms can be classed as producers
in a food chain?
(a) Earthworms
(b) Mosses
(c) Fungi
(d) Trees
Question 7
No
Earthworms are near the bottom of a food chain but
they are not producers. They are consumers,
digesting and absorbing dead organic matter in the
soil
Yes
Mosses are producers. Although they are simple
plants they contain chlorophyll and produce their
food by photosynthesis
No
Fungi are not producers. They digest and absorb
organic matter in soil, dead wood or other
decomposing matter
Yes
Trees are producers. The chlorophyll in their
leaves enables them to produce food by
photosynthesis
Question 7
After blood has picked up oxygen in the lungs, what
route does it take to deliver it to a muscle in the arm?
(a) Pulmonary artery, left atrium, left ventricle,
aorta, subclavian (to arm) artery
(b) Pulmonary vein, left atrium, left ventricle, aorta,
subclavian artery
(c) Pulmonary vein, right atrium, right ventricle,
aorta, subclavian artery
(d) Pulmonary vein, right atrium, left ventricle,
aorta, subclavian artery
Question 8
No
The vessels returning blood to the heart are the
veins
Yes
This is the correct route. The oxygen will be used in
respiration, perhaps to produce muscle contraction
No
The pulmonary vein returns blood to the left side
of the heart
No
The right and left chambers of the heart are
completely separate, Blood cannot cross from one
side to the other.
M
Question 8
A is a weak solution of sugar in water.
B is a strong solution of sugar in
water. M is a selectively permeable
membrane. After a period of time, the
solution level will
(a) rise in A and sink in B
(b) rise in B and sink in A
(c) remain the same
(d) rise on both sides
Question 9
A
B
No
The water molecules in A can move freely. The sugar
molecules in B attract a cluster of water molecules
which therefore cannot move freely. Water molecules
can pass through the selectively permeable membrane
in both directions but there are more freely moving
water molecules in A than in B
Yes
The water molecules in A can move freely. The sugar
molecules in B attract a cluster of water molecules which
cannot move freely. Water molecules can pass through the
selectively permeable membrane in both directions but there
are more freely moving water molecules in A than in B so
more water will pass from A to B than in the other direction.
The water level in A will therefore fall, and that in B will rise
No
This would happen if the membrane were freely
permeable to water molecules and sugar molecules.
The membrane, however, is selectively permeable
You must be joking
Question 9
Which of these statements is most accurate?
In bright sunlight a green plant will be
(a) photosynthesising only
(b) respiring only
(c) photosynthesising and respiring
(d) taking in oxygen and giving out CO2
Question 10
No
In bright sunlight the plant will certainly be
photosynthesising, but this is not the only process
going on
No
Living organisms are respiring all the time. A plant
will be respiring in daylight and darkness, but in bright
sunlight you would expect photosynthesis to be taking
place as well
Yes
Respiration takes place all the time but in bright
sunlight, photosynthesis will be going on as well.
No
Respiration uses oxygen and produces carbon dioxide.
Photosynthesis uses carbon dioxide and produces oxygen.
In bright sunlight, photosynthesis will be going on faster
than respiration so there would be a net intake of carbon
dioxide and a net output of oxygen
Question 10
The force which carries water up a tree trunk is produced
by
(a) evaporation from the leaves
(b) root pressure
(c) osmosis
(d) active transport
Question 11
Yes
Evaporation of water from the leaves (transpiration)
produces a ‘water tension’ which ‘pulls’ water up through
the xylem vessels in the trunk
No
Root pressure can certainly generate a force that ‘pushes’
water up through the vessels in the trunk but it is not
sufficient to account for the rise which takes water to the
top of a tree
No
Osmosis is responsible for creating root pressure
but this is insufficient to drive water to the top of
a tree
No
Active transport is something which happens in cells.
It is usually concerned with the cell taking in specific
substances. It cannot produce a mass flow of water.
Question 11
A reflex action occurs when
(a) a stimulus produces a response
(b) a reaction to a stimulus cannot be
consciously controlled
(c) the nervous pathway involves only the
spinal cord and spinal nerves
(d) the reaction is very rapid
Question 12
No
There are many instances where a stimulus produces a
response but they do not necessarily involve reflex
actions. For example the stimulus of hunger produces the
response to seek food. This is a voluntary response.
Yes.
For example, the ‘knee-jerk’ reflex cannot be
consciously suppressed.
No
This is true in many cases but not all. The knee-jerk
reflex is a spinal reflex but the reflex change of
shape in the iris of the eye must have a nervous
pathway in the brain.
No
Many reflex actions are rapid but others, such as reflex
salivation in response to a sour taste, are comparatively slow.
Also many voluntary actions are rapid. Some of the reactions
in, for example, badminton are very rapid but they are not
reflex actions
Question 12
Pepsin, an enzyme in the stomach, will only work
(a) in acid conditions
(b) on carbohydrates
(c) at 45ºC
(d) on proteins
Question 13
Yes
The stomach secretes hydrochloric acid as well as
pepsin. The pH is about 2
No
An enzyme will act only on one specific
substrate.
Pepsin will not act on carbohydrates
No
At temperatures above 40ºC, most enzymes start to be
denatured. That is, their molecular structure is altered
and they no longer work. Pepsin will work best at body
temperature, 36-37ºC
Yes
Pepsin acts only on proteins, breaking them down
to smaller molecules called peptides
Question 13
A sample of food is heated with Benedict’s reagent. If a
red precipitate is formed it shows the presence of
(a) sugar
(b) starch
(c) glucose
(d) a reducing sugar
Question 14
Yes
The red precipitate does indicate that a sugar is
present. It does not indicate which one; glucose,
sucrose, fructose etc.
No
Starch should not give a red precipitate with Benedict’s
reagent although it may produce a cloudy greenish
suspension. This is because heating with an alkaline
reagent (Benedict’s) starts to break down the starch to
sugar
Yes
Glucose will certainly form a red precipitate when
heated with Benedict’s reagent but so will several
other sugars; fructose for example.
In practice, the conclusion that glucose is present
would be acceptable.
Yes
This is the best answer. A ‘reducing sugar’ is one
which can ‘reduce’ the copper sulphate in
Benedict’s reagent to copper (1) oxide (the red
precipitate).
Glucose, fructose, maltose and lactose are all
reducing sugars
Sucrose is not a reducing sugar and will not
produce a red precipitate with Benedict’s reagent.
Question 14
The human population grows if
(a) the death rate exceeds the birth rate
(b) the birth rate and death rate increase
(c) people live longer
(d) the birth rate exceeds the death rate
Question 15
No
If more people are dying than are being born, the
population will diminish
No
If birth rate and death rate both increase, the population
would remain stable but the age structure of the population
would change
No
People living longer could increase the population size
but unless the trend persisted it is unlikely to sustain a
continuing increase in population
Yes
This is the principal cause of the growth of a
population
Question 15
g
d
e
f
The drawings represent stages in cell division in an animal
cell, but in the wrong sequence. Which of the following is
the correct sequence?
a
b
c
(a) b, e, d, a, c, f, g
(b) b, d, e, a, c, f, g
(c) b, e, d, a, c, g, f
(d) b, e, a, d, c, g, f
Question 16
No
Cell constriction (g) occurs before the cells
become separated (f)
No
The nucleus divides (e) before the cell starts to
constrict (d)
Yes
This is the correct sequence
No
The cell constricts (d) before the cells become
separate (a)
Question 16
The female sex hormone is produced in
(a) the uterus
(b) the ovaries
(c) the pituitary gland
(d) the liver
Question 17
No
The uterus does not produce oestrogen
Yes
Oestrogen is produced in the ovaries
No
The pituitary gland releases two hormones. FSH
and LH which affect the ovaries’ production of
hormones but it does not produce oestrogen
No*
The liver processes oestrogen prior to its excretion
but it does not produce it.
* In fact the liver does produce small quantities of
oestrogen but these are insignificant compared with
oestrogen produced by the ovaries
Question 17
Which of the following are excretory organs?
(a) The liver
(b) The kidneys
(c) The sweat glands
(d) The alimentary canal
Question 18
No
The liver produces bile. The green bile pigments are
breakdown products of haemoglobin so they are excretory
products. But the production of bile is a response to the
presence of food in the duodenum and bile is not
specifically formed to dispose of the bile pigments. So their
excretion is incidental and the liver cannot be regarded as
an excretory organ though it does process some excretory
products which are excreted elsewhere
Yes
The kidneys are the excretory organs in the body.
They excrete excess water, excess salt, urea and
uric acid and the breakdown products of hormones
and other unwanted products.
No
Sweat does contain sodium chloride and urea which can be
regarded as excretory products. However, the sweat glands
come into action in response to a rise in body temperature.
The loss of salt and urea is quite incidental to the sweat
glands’ function in temperature control. Therefore the sweat
glands cannot be regarded as excretory organs.
No
The contents of the alimentary canal have never been part
of the body, so defecation is not excretion. The bile
pigments are excretory products from the liver but their
excretion is incidental to the main function of the
alimentary canal
Question 18
Sexual reproduction occurs when
(a) a new organism is formed
(b) male and female gametes are produced
(c) mating takes place
(d) male and female gametes meet and fuse together
Question 19
No
A new organism could be the outcome of
sexual reproduction but asexual reproduction
also produces new organisms
No
The production of male and female gametes is an
essential step in sexual reproduction but does not
itself constitute sexual reproduction
No
In certain animals, mating may be a part of sexual
reproduction but sexual reproduction takes place in
plants and a great many other organisms where
mating does not occur
Yes
The fusion of male and female gametes is the
defining moment in sexual reproduction
Question 19
The evidence and arguments for evolution by Natural Selection are (not in
logical order)…
(a) These variants live longer and have more offspring,
(b) Organisms in a species tend to vary,
(c) Some variants are better adapted to the environment than others,
(d) Therefore there is a struggle for survival,
(e) Organisms have more offspring than can possibly survive,
(f) If the variations are heritable, the variants will eventually predominate,.
Which of the following represents a logical sequence?
(1) b, d, c, a, e, f
(3) e, d, b, c, a, f
(2) b, a, c, d, e, f
(4) e, b, d, c, a, f
Question 20
No
The fact that organisms vary (b) does not necessitate a
struggle for survival (d)
The fact that organisms have more offspring than can
survive (e) needs to come at an earlier stage in the
argument
No
Because organisms vary (b) does not necessarily mean that
they live longer (a). It is only the better adapted variants (c)
which live longer (a)
The tendency to have more offspring than can survive (e)
must come at an early stage in the argument
Yes
This is the most logical sequence
Not quite
This is a reasonable sequence although the struggle
for survival (d) is not necessarily a consequence of
variation (b)
Question 20
The DNA molecule consists of a strand of
(a) the bases, adenine, guanine, thymine
and cytosine
(b) deoxyribose and phosphate
(e) protein molecules
(f) nucleotides
No
These organic bases are present in the DNA molecule
but are only part of it
No
Deoxyribose and phosphate form the ‘backbone’
of the molecule but do not constitute it
No
Protein is present in the chromosomes but
not in the DNA
Yes. DNA is made up of a chain of nucleotides
PO4
PO4
adenine
deoxyribose
A nucleotide
bases
PO4
PO4
PO4
Part of a DNA molecule
End of questions
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