WorksheetsIGCSE Biology MCQ Practice
Total questions: 112
Worksheet time: 2hrs 52mins
Which is not a characteristic of all living organisms?
excretion
growth
photosynthesis
sensitivity
The diagrams show four different cells found in living organisms. Which cell types have a large surface area for diffusion?
1 and 2
1 and 4
2 and 3
3 and 4
What colour does Benedict's solution change to when heated with a reducing sugar?
blue
blue-black
orange
purple
A mixture of starch and saliva was set up at four different temperatures. Each mixture was tested with iodine solution after 15 minutes and again after 30 minutes.
The results are shown in the table.
What do the results suggest?
The enzyme in saliva is inactive at 95oC
The enzyme in saliva is slow to work at 35oC
The enzyme in saliva works equally well at 15oC and 35oC
The enzyme in saliva works faster at higher temperatures
What is the affect of nitrate ion deficiency in plants?
Green leaves, good growth
Green leaves, poor growth
Yellow leaves, good growth
Yellow leaves, poor growth
Much of the internal surface of the human small intestine is covered with villi. What is the function of the villi?
excretion of waste into the intestine
secretion of enzymes into the intestine
to improve blood circulation in the intestine walls
to increase the internal surface area of the intestine
Under which conditions will transpiration from a plant be fastest?
high temperature, high humidity
high temperature, low humidity
low temperature, high humidity
low temperature, low humidity
A student breathed gently in and out of the mouthpiece of the apparatus shown.
What were the results after 10 breaths?
P = clear, Q = clear
P = clear, Q = milky
P = milky, Q = clear
P = milky, Q = milky
During an experiment, auxin is applied to one side of a shoot just behind the tip.
What will this stimulate?
decreased cell elongation in all cells
decreased cell elongation on the side with extra auxin
increased cell elongation in all cells
increased cell elongation on the side with extra auxin
In human reproduction, which cells are haploid?
Gametes & zygotes
Gametes only
Zygotes only
Neither
The pedigree diagram shows the inheritance of a recessive condition:
1 & 2 only
1 & 3 only
2 & 3 only
1, 2, & 3
What is the given name to a unit containing all the organisms and their environment interacting together in a given area?
ecosystem
food chain
food web
trophic level
Which row about some stages of eutrophication is correct?
A
B
C
D
A plant is placed on a windowsill. The next day, it is found to have all of its leaves facing the light.
Which of the characteristics is the plant displaying?
1 - a permanent increase in size and dry mass by an increase in cell number or cell size or both
2 - an action by an organism or part of an organism causing a change of position or place
3 - the ability to detect or sense stimuli in the internal or external environment and to make appropriate responses
3 only
1 & 2 only
2 & 3 only
1, 2, & 3
The length of an insect in a photograph is measured as 17 mm. The actual length of the insect is 12 mm.
What is the magnification of the insect in the photograph?
x1.2
x1.3
x1.4
x1.5
Which type of biological molecule contains carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen?
fat
protein
reducing sugar
starch
The diagram shows a destarched, variegated leaf that had a piece of black card attached. The leaf was left in a warm sunny location for a few days.
A
B
C
D
Which row is correct for inspired air and expired air?
A
B
C
D
Which row correctly compares the hormonal and nervous systems in humans?
A
B
C
D
Which row about meiosis or mitosis is correct?
A
B
C
D
Which type of organism gets its energy from dead or waste organic matter?
carnivore
consumer
decomposer
producer
What is eutrophication caused by?
combustion of fossil fuels
cutting down of forests
discarded plastic rubbish
overuse of nitrogen containing fertiliser
Which statement is the definition of nutrition?
break down of nutrient molecules and the release of energy for metabolism
maintenance of a constant internal environment
removal of the waste products of metabolism
taking in of materials for energy, growth, and development
Which structure in a plant cell makes organic nutrients?
cell membrane
cell wall
chloroplast
nucleus
Nutrient molecules are made up of smaller molecules. Nutrients can be identified by food tests.
Which row is true for a protein?
A
B
C
D
Which cell can control gas exchange?
A
B
C
D
What is the word equation for anaerobic respiration in yeast?
glucose -> alcohol + carbon dioxide
glucose -> carbon dioxide + water
glucose -> lactic acid
glucose + oxygen -> carbon dioxide + water
Which row is correct when looking at a near object?
A
B
C
D
Which term is used to describe an individual with two of the same allele for a characteristic?
genotype
heterozygous
homozygous
phenotype
Which organism in the food web is a secondary and a tertiary consumer?
coyote
fox
mouse
rabbit
Which characteristic of living organisms is defined as the chemical reactions that break down nutrient molecules and release energy for metabolism?
excretion
nutrition
respiration
reproduction
What is the net movement of molecules during diffusion?
from a higher concentration to a lower concentration down a concentration gradient
from a higher concentration to a lower concentration up a concentration gradient
from a lower concentration to a higher concentration down a concentration gradient
from a lower concentration to a higher concentration up a concentration gradient
A food contains reducing sugar, but no starch. What colours will be obtained if samples of the food are tested with Benedict’s solution and with iodine solution?
A
B
C
D
Which statement correctly describes enzyme activity as the temperature increases up to an optimum temperature?
The enzyme has less frequent effective collisions with the product.
The enzyme has less frequent effective collisions with the substrate
The enzyme has more frequent effective collisions with the product.
The enzyme has more frequent effective collisions with the substrate
A plant which is deficient in nitrates and magnesium has yellow leaves and poor growth. What is the importance of these two ions in plant growth?
A
B
C
D
Why is calcium needed in the diet?
to make carbohydrates
to make teeth
to make enzymes
to make protein
The diagram shows the double circulatory system to the lungs and the body.
In which two blood vessels is the pressure the highest?
V and W
W and Y
X and V
Y and X
Cigarette smoke paralyses the cilia in the gas exchange system. What is the direct result of this?
Mucus accumulates in the airways.
Oxygen cannot diffuse into the blood.
The blood cannot carry oxygen efficiently
The smoker develops lung cancer.
What happens when the body temperature falls below normal?
Arterioles supplying the skin constrict
Arterioles supplying the skin dilate.
Capillaries move towards the skin surface
Capillaries move away from the skin surface.
An experiment using germinating seeds is set up as shown, and left at room temperature for 12 hours.
The pump is then switched on and air is drawn through the apparatus for 2 minutes. Which row identifies solutions P and Q and the results obtained?
Solution P is ethanol and remains colourless. Solution Q is ethanol and turns milky
Solution P is ethanol and turns milky. Soultion Q is limewater and remains colourless.
Solution P is limewater and remains colourless. Solution Q is limewater and turns milky.
Solution P is limewater and turns milky. Solution Q is ethanol and remains colourless
Chimpanzee gametes contain one more chromosome than human gametes. What is the chromosome number in a chimpanzee diploid cell?
23
24
46
48
The flow chart shows part of a food chain.
grass -> rabbit -> fox
What describes the rabbit?
consumer and carnivore
consumer and herbivore
producer and carnivore
producer and herbivore
Which line shows how the oxygen concentration of the water changes after excess fertiliser has entered a stream?
A
B
C
D
Which characteristic of living things is described as the removal of toxic materials and substances in excess of requirements?
excretion
homeostasis
nutrition
respiration
What is not in contact with cytoplasm?
cellulose cell wall
cell membrane
chloroplast
nucleus
Why do cells contain many different types of enzymes?
Enzymes are affected by substrate concentration
Enzymes are affected by temperature
Enzymes have an active site complementary to a specific substrate
Enzymes work at different pH values
In photosynthesis, how many molecules of glucose will be produced from twelve molecules of carbon dioxide?
2
6
12
24
Which is not a risk factor in coronary heart disease?
diet high in fat
low blood pressure
smoking
stress
Which cells produce mucus in the human breathing system?
alveoli cells
capillary cells
ciliated cells
goblet cells
Which statements about individuals in a large population of birds are correct?
1 - All individuals are diploid.
2 - Some individuals may have the same allele combination as both of their parents.
3 - Some individuals will be better adapted to their environment than others
1 and 2
1 and 3
2 and 3
1, 2, and 3
A farmer wants to breed sheep that will produce a high yield of milk. What is required for breeding these sheep?
A
B
C
D
The diagram shows a food web.
Which statement is correct?
The fox is a secondary consumer only
The mouse is a primary consumer only
The owl is a tertiary consumer only
The snake is a tertiary consumer only
A scientist is studying a living organism. She observes that it has the ability to remove the waste products of metabolism. What characteristic of living organisms is being observed?
excretion
nutrition
respiration
reproduction
Pieces of potato (a plant) of the same size were placed in sucrose solutions of different concentrations. Their length was measured after two hours. At which sucrose concentration were the pieces most flaccid?
A
B
C
D
Which type of molecule is an enzyme?
carbohydrate
protein
fat
vitamin
Which part of a leaf is involved in opening and closing the stomata during gas exchange?
chloroplast
guard cell
palisade mesophyll
phloem
Which blood vessel carries deoxygenated blood and has a thick muscular wall?
aorta
pulmonary vein
pulmonary artery
vena cava
Which row shows the products of anaerobic respiration in yeast cells?
A
B
C
D
The diagram shows a section through a pea flower. Where does fertilisation occur?
A
B
C
D
The diagram shows the inheritance of a disease.
Which row is correct for the parents and the allele for the disease?
Parents are heterozygous. Allele for disease is dominant
Parents are heterozygous. Allele for disease is recessive
Parents are homozygous. Allele for disease is dominant
Parents are homozygous. Allele for disease is recessive
Where does the principle source of energy for an ecosystem come from?
decay
the soil
the sun
water
Which process do all living organisms carry out?
asexual reproduction
excretion
ingestion
photosynthesis
Which result with the biuret test shows that protein is present?
blue
green
orange
purple
Which statements are correct for all enzymes?
1- They are proteins.
2 - They are unaffected by temperature.
3 - They speed up chemical reactions.
4 - They work best at a high pH.
1, 2 and 4
1, 3 and 4
1 and 3 only
2 and 4 only
Green plants need magnesium ions.
Which plant process is limited when magnesium is deficient?
meiosis
photosynthesis
pollination
respiration
What is the effect of bile on food after it leaves the stomach?
acidifies the food entering the duodenum
activates enzymes which digest glycerol
increases the surface area of fats for digestion
provides fat for digesting enzymes
The diagrams show sections through a stem and a root.
Which indicate the positions of the xylem?
P and S
P and T
Q and S
Q and T
During pregnancy, the placenta is used to exchange substances between the mother and the fetus.
Which row is correct?
A
B
C
D
A nucleus of a potato plant cell has 48 chromosomes. How many chromosomes will there be in a potato pollen nucleus?
12
24
48
96
In the food chain shown, 10% of the energy is transferred between each trophic level.
grass → grasshopper → frog → snake → buzzard
For every 100 kJ of energy in the herbivore, how much energy will be transferred to the tertiary consumer?
0.1kJ
1kJ
10kJ
100kJ
Some of the stages of eutrophication are listed.
1 - death of organisms requiring dissolved oxygen in water
2 - increased availability of nitrate and other ions
3 - increased decomposition after death of producers
4 - reduction in dissolved oxygen
What is the correct order of these stages in eutrophication?
2 → 1 → 4 → 3
2 → 3 → 4 → 1
3 → 2 → 4 → 1
3 → 4 → 1 → 2
What do plants need for their nutrition?
carbon dioxide, ions, organic compounds and light
carbon dioxide, ions, organic compounds and water
carbon dioxide, ions, light and water
carbon dioxide, organic compounds, light and water
A test-tube containing a starch-amylase mixture is incubated at 35 °C. The graph shows how the amount of starch in the test-tube changes over the next five minutes.
A
B
C
D
Which diet would be most likely to prevent anaemia and rickets?
high in calcium and vitamin C
high in calcium and vitamin D
high in iron and vitamin C
high in iron and vitamin D
Auxin is a chemical involved in phototropism of plant shoots.
When light shines on one side of a plant, the shoot will grow towards it.
This is caused by the effect of auxin on cell elongation.
Which row is correct?
A
B
C
D
Sexual reproduction involves the fusion of cells. Which row shows the types of cells involved and what the fusion produces?
A
B
C
D
What causes phenotypic variation?
both environmental and genetic factors
environmental factors only
genetic factors only
neither environmental nor genetic factors
Which statement about how organisms get their energy is not correct?
A
B
C
D
What is a plant demonstrating when carbon dioxide is released from its cells?
assimilation
egestion
excretion
nutrition
The diagram shows a section through a cell. What shows that this is a plant cell?
It has a cell membrane
It has a nucleus
It has a permanent vacuole
It has cytoplasm
Four test-tubes were set up to investigate the effect of pH on the digestion of protein by the enzyme pepsin, the protease enzyme in the stomach.
Each test-tube contained the same volumes of cloudy egg white suspension and pepsin solution.
The temperature in each tube was the same but the pH differed as shown.
In which test-tube would the suspension clear first?
pH 2
pH 5
pH 8
pH 11
Where is bile stored?
gall bladder
liver
pancreas
stomach
Which actions are voluntary and which are involuntary?
A
B
C
D
A body cell taken from a male kangaroo contains 16 chromosomes in the nucleus.
How many chromosomes would be found in the nucleus of a sperm cell from the same kangaroo and what term describes this number?
A
B
C
D
The diagram shows some of the processes in the carbon cycle.
Which process is respiration?
A
B
C
D
Which characteristic of living organisms is correctly matched to the description?
A
B
C
D
Which row correctly describes the diffusion of molecules from P to Q?
A
B
C
D
Which chemical element is found in proteins, but not in carbohydrates or fats?
carbon
hydrogen
oxygen
nitrogen
An investigation was carried out to see the effect of temperature on how quickly the enzyme amylase breaks down starch to sugar.
A
B
C
D
A farmer noticed that the older leaves of his maize plant were becoming yellow between the veins.
What is the plant lacking?
carbon dioxide
magnesium ions
sunlight
water
Which disease is caused by a diet that is low in protein?
coronary heart disease
kwashiorkor
rickets
scurvy
Which component is needed for blood to clot?
hormones
platelets
red blood cells
white blood cells
During vigorous exercise there is an increase in the rate of breathing.
What causes the increase in the rate of breathing?
a decrease in the adrenaline concentration in the blood
a decrease in the lactic acid concentration in the blood
an increase in the alcohol concentration in the blood
an increase in the carbon dioxide concentration in the blood
What occurs when our eyes look from a near object in dim light to a distant object in bright light?
Pupils constrict and lenses become thinner.
Pupils constrict and lenses become fatter.
Pupils dilate and lenses become thinner.
Pupils dilate and lenses become fatter.
The diagram shows a section through an insect-pollinated flower.
When pollination occurs, where must the pollen grains reach?
A
B
C
D
Which row about human cells is correct?
A
B
C
D
In a food chain, what do all living organisms get from their food?
a supply of water
oxygen for respiration
protection from disease
the energy they need
What decreases as a result of eutrophication?
aerobic respiration by decomposers
decomposition of dead producers
dissolved oxygen in the water
growth of producers
When a plant cell is put into a solution which has a lower water potential than the cell, the cytoplasm can pull away from the cell wall.
What is the term for this?
flaccid
plasmolysis
turgid
turgor pressure
The graphs show the possible effects of temperature on the rate of reaction of an enzyme.
Which graph is correct for a human enzyme?
A
B
C
D
What does chlorophyll enable plants to absorb?
carbon dioxide
energy from light
mineral salts
water
What is the correct definition of ingestion?
The breakdown of large, insoluble food molecules into small, water-soluble molecules
The movement of digested food molecules through the wall of the small intestine into the blood
The passing out of food that has not been digested, as faeces, through the anus
The taking of substances into the body through the mouth
Which row describes a part of the circulatory system in mammals?
A
B
C
D
After sprinting 200 metres as fast as possible, an athlete could not continue and was breathing deeply. What had accumulated in her muscles?
alcohol
carbon dioxide
lactic acid
water
Which sex chromosomes need to be present in a sperm cell to produce a male zygote?
X only
Y only
XX
XY
The diagram shows a food web.
What is the maximum number of trophic levels shown?
3
4
5
10
The diagram shows a cell starting to plasmolyse.
In which direction is osmosis occurring?
X to Y
Y to X
Y to Z
Z to Y
Which two arrows represent photosynthesis?
1 and 3
1 and 4
2 and 3
2 and 4
What is deficient in the diet when growing bones become soft and deformed?
iron
protein
vitamin C
vitamin D
The diagram shows a section through the heart.
When ventricles contract, which valves open and which valves close?
1 and 3 are open. 2 and 4 are closed
1 and 4 are open. 2 and 3 are closed
2 and 3 are open. 1 and 4 are closed
2 and 4 are open. 1 and 3 are closed
Which human characteristic is not influenced by the environment?
blood group
height
shoe size
weight
The diagram shows the energy flow in an ecosystem.
Which group of organisms is X?
carnivores
decomposers
herbivores
producers
