1
1 mark
1 markExtended
What does the term haploid mean?
A nucleus containing two sets of chromosomes.
A nucleus containing a single set of chromosomes.
A person with only one X chromosome.
A person with XXY chromosomes.
Did this page help you?
Inheritance, Genes & Cell Division (Cambridge (CIE) IGCSE Biology): Exam Questions
Exam code: 0610 & 0970
3 hours51 questions
21 mark
1 markExtended only
When a somatic (body) cell undergoes cell division, two daughter cells are produced with the same chromosome number as the parent cell.
Which type of division has taken place?
Meiosis producing genetically different cells.
Mitosis producing genetically identical cells
Meiosis producing genetically identical cells.
Mitosis producing genetically different cells.
Did this page help you?
31 mark
1 markWhich shows the correct size order of structures, starting with the smallest?
gene → DNA strand → chromosomes → nucleus
DNA strand → chromosomes → gene → nucleus
chromosomes → gene → DNA strand → nucleus
nucleus → chromosomes → DNA strand → gene
Did this page help you?
41 mark
1 markMales and females have a unique set of chromosomes.
What is the correct combination of male and female chromosomes?
Male XY
Female YY
Male YX
Female XY
Male XY
Female XX
Male XX
Female XY
Did this page help you?
51 mark
1 markA tall pea plant is crossed with a short pea plant. The tall gene is dominant over the short gene. The tall plant is heterozygous. The short plant is homozygous recessive
Which is the correct genetic diagram for this cross?
t
t
T
Tt
Tt
T
Tt
Tt
t
t
T
Tt
Tt
t
tt
tt
T
t
T
TT
Tt
t
Tt
tt
T
T
t
Tt
Tt
t
Tt
Tt
Did this page help you?
61 mark
The genetic diagram shows a monohybrid cross.
H is the dominant allele and h is the recessive allele.
Which of the parents and offspring are heterozygous?
1, 3 and 4
1, 5 and 6
2, 3 and 4
2, 5 and 6
Did this page help you?
71 mark
What is the role of messenger RNA (mRNA)?
assembles amino acids into protein molecules
moves a copy of the gene from the nucleus to the cytoplasm
controls cell function
duplicates chromosomes before mitosis
Did this page help you?
81 mark
What is the transmission of genetic information from generation to generation called?
fertilisation
inheritance
meiosis
reproduction
Did this page help you?
91 mark
Beak shape in birds is controlled by genes passed from the parent birds to their offspring.
What is this an example of?
Selection
Fertilisation
Mitosis
Inheritance
Did this page help you?
101 mark
Pangolins are mammals. One species of pangolin has 40 chromosomes per body cell.
How many chromosomes will a sperm cell from this species of pangolin have?
10
20
30
40
Did this page help you?
111 mark
Which statement about meiosis is correct?
Daughter cells are genetically identical.
The chromosome number changes from haploid to diploid.
It is used to produce body cells.
It allows the formation of new combinations of chromosomes.
Did this page help you?
11 mark
1 markExtended only
New cells are formed by the division of existing cells.
The diagram below shows four different cells.
Which one is formed by meiosis?
Did this page help you?
21 mark
1 markAlbinism is a condition where the pigment melanin does not get produced in the skin, hair and eyes. This is an inherited condition that is caused by a recessive allele.
If both parents have albinism what are the chances of the offspring being an albino child?
0%
25%
75%
100%
Did this page help you?
31 mark
1 markExtended only
The diagram below shows the process of sexual reproduction.
Which of the processes are shown by stages Q and R?
| Q | R |
A | meiosis | mitosis |
B | mitosis | mitosis |
C | meiosis | meiosis |
D | mitosis | meiosis |
Did this page help you?
41 mark
1 markTwo individuals are crossed. One is homozygous dominant (TT), the other heterozygous.
What will the genotypes of the offspring be?
all Tt
50% TT, 50% Tt
50% TT, 50% tt
25% TT, 50% Tt, 25% tt
Did this page help you?
51 mark
1 markExtended only
Which of the following structures in plant cells carry out protein synthesis under the control of the nucleus?
Ribosomes
Chloroplasts
Mitochondria
Cell walls
Did this page help you?
61 mark
The information shows what happens during some of the stages of sexual reproduction in a human.
egg + sperm → fertilised egg → male embryo
Which sex chromosomes are present in the egg, sperm and fertilised egg shown?
egg | sperm | fertilised egg | |
|---|---|---|---|
A | X | X | XX |
B | X | Y | XY |
C | Y | X | XY |
D | Y | Y | YY |
Did this page help you?
71 mark
The diagram shows the cell of an organism. The nucleus contains 12 chromosomes.
After this cell divides by mitosis, how many chromosomes would be present in one of the daughter cells?
6
12
18
24
Did this page help you?
81 mark
A student used a diagram to explain the inheritance of sex in humans.
Which statements should she use to complete boxes 1 and 2?
box 1 | box 2 | |
|---|---|---|
A | all have an X chromosome | half have an X chromosome and half have a Y chromosome |
B | all have a Y chromosome | half have an X chromosome and half have a Y chromosome |
C | half have an X chromosome and half have a Y chromosome | all have an X chromosome |
D | half have an X chromosome and half have a Y chromosome | all have a Y chromosome |
Did this page help you?
91 mark
What is needed in the cytoplasm to make proteins at a ribosome?
DNA and amino acids
DNA only
mRNA and amino acids
mRNA only
Did this page help you?
101 mark
What carries a copy of the gene to the cytoplasm to make a protein?
alleles
DNA molecules
ribosomes
mRNA molecules
Did this page help you?
111 mark
Colour blindness is a characteristic that is sex-linked.
Which statement about colour blindness is correct?
The gene for colour blindness is located on the Y chromosome and colour blindness is more common in males than in females.
The gene for colour blindness is located on the X chromosome and colour blindness is more common in males than in females.
The gene for colour blindness is located on the X chromosome and colour blindness is more common in females than in males.
The gene for colour blindness is located on the Y chromosome and colour blindness is more common in females than in males.
Did this page help you?
11 mark
1 markA farmer is growing pea plants; the allele for tall plants is T and is dominant to the allele for dwarf plants, t.
She wants to know what cross she would need to carry out to produce a ratio of 1:1 tall to dwarf plants?
tt x tt
Tt x Tt
TT x Tt
Tt x tt
Did this page help you?
21 mark
1 markExtended only
The diagram shows the sex chromosomes of a woman and a man. This also shows the alleles for a recessive sex-linked condition.
What is the percentage chance that their daughter will show the sex-linked condition?
0%
25%
50%
75%
Did this page help you?
31 mark
1 markExtended
Which row in the table shows a comparison between meiosis and mitosis?
| mitosis | meiosis |
A | produces 4 daughter cells | produces 2 daughter cells |
B | produces genetically identical cells | produces cloned cells |
C | daughter cells are diploid | daughter cells are haploid |
D | two cell division occur | four cell divisions occur |
Did this page help you?
41 mark
1 markThe diagram shows how the sex of the offspring can be determined.
What are the sex chromosomes in gamete Q and the son R?
| Q | R |
A | X | XY |
B | X | XX |
C | Y | XY |
D | Y | XX |
Did this page help you?
51 mark
1 markExtended only
ABO blood groups are an inherited characteristic.
What would the blood group of the offspring be when two parents have the genotypes IAIA and IAIO?
Group O
Group B
Group AB
Group A
Did this page help you?
61 mark
1 markFruit flies can have orange or red eyes.
If two orange flies are crossed, all of the offspring will have orange eyes.
If two red eyed fruit flies are crossed, the offspring have either orange or red eyes.
What can be concluded from these observations?
The allele for orange eyes is dominant.
Crossing an orange-eyed fly with a red-eyed fly will give a 1:1 ratio.
The allele for red eyes is dominant.
We could determine which allele is dominant only if we did further crosses that produced a 3:1 ratio.
Did this page help you?
71 mark
1 markThe inheritance of Huntington's disease is determined by a single gene. This gene has a dominant allele and a recessive allele. The allele for Huntington’s is dominant to the allele for non-sufferers of the condition.
The diagram shows the inheritance of Huntington’s in a family.
What is the probability that the next child from the same parents will have Huntington’s?
0%
25%
50%
75%
Did this page help you?
81 mark
1 markExtended only
The diagram shows the inheritance of ABO blood groups in the family.
What could be Jignasha’s genotype?
IAIO
IOIO
IBIB
IBIO
Did this page help you?
91 mark
A man marries a woman who has a different blood group from him. They have two children. The children have different blood groups from each other and different blood groups from their parents.
What are the genotypes of the parents’ blood groups?
I AI A and IAI B
I AI A and Io Io
I AI B and IBIB
IAI B and Io Io
Did this page help you?
101 mark
Pure-breeding black-feathered chickens are mated with pure-breeding white-feathered chickens. All of the offspring (F1 generation) have black feathers and white feathers.
When two of the F1 generation chickens are crossed, what will be the ratios of offspring phenotypes?
1 black :1 white
1 black :2 black and white:1 white
3 white:1 black
3 black:1 white
Did this page help you?