ACADEMIC YEAR-2024-25

1. Which pair of features is correct for both a human liver cell and an Escherichia coli cell?

Human liver cell Escherichia coli cell

A. contains DNA associated with protein contains naked DNA
B. has 70S ribosomes has 80S ribosomes
C. contains mitochondria contains mitochondria
D. contains DNA enclosed by a membrane contains DNA associated with protein
(Total 1 mark)

2. What is the difference between simple diffusion and facilitated diffusion?

Simple diffusion Facilitated diffusion

Rate decreases with increasing Rate increases with increasing
A.
concentration gradient concentration gradient
B. Faster movement of molecules Slower movement of molecules
C. Always involves a membrane Never involves a membrane
D. Uses any part of a membrane Uses channels in the membrane
(Total 1 mark)

IB Questionbank Biology 1
3. How does the surface area to volume ratio change with an increase in cell size?

(Total 1 mark)

IB Questionbank Biology 2
4. The diagram below shows a cell during mitosis.

What are the structures and stage of mitosis?

Stage of mitosis Structure I Structure II

A. metaphase chromatid nuclear membrane
B. anaphase centromere plasma membrane
C. anaphase chromatid nuclear membrane
D. metaphase centromere plasma membrane
(Total 1 mark)

5. What is a difference between a cell in the G1 phase and a cell in the G2 phase of the cell cycle?

A. A cell in the G2 phase would be smaller than a cell in the G1 phase.

B. A cell in the G2 phase would have more mitochondria than a cell in the G1 phase.

C. A cell in the G1 phase would have more DNA in its chromosomes than a cell in the G2
phase.

D. DNA replication occurs in the G1 phase but not in the G2 phase.

(Total 1 mark)

IB Questionbank Biology 3
6. Which of the following will contribute to the cell theory?

I. Living organisms are composed of cells.

II. All cells come from pre-existing cells by mitosis.

III. Cells are the smallest units of life.

A. I only

B. II only

C. I and III only

D. I, II and III
(Total 1 mark)

7. A red blood cell is 8 μm in diameter. If drawn 100 times larger than its actual size, what
diameter will the drawing be in mm?

A. 0.08 mm

B. 0.8 mm

C. 8 mm

D. 80 mm
(Total 1 mark)

8. Which of the following characteristics found in a structure necessarily indicates that it is alive?

A. The presence of genetic material

B. The presence of a lipid bilayer

C. Metabolism

D. Movement
(Total 1 mark)

IB Questionbank Biology 4
9. What do diffusion and osmosis have in common?

A. They only happen in living cells.

B. They require transport proteins in the membrane.

C. They are passive transport mechanisms.

D. Net movement of substances is against the concentration gradient.

(Total 1 mark)

10. A cell has cytoplasm, a cell wall, naked DNA and ribosomes. Based on this information, what
type of cell could this be?

A. A cell from a pine tree

B. A grasshopper cell

C. A human red blood cell

D. A bacterium
(Total 1 mark)

IB Questionbank Biology 5
11. PanI is a gene in cod fish that codes for an integral membrane protein called pantophysin.
Two alleles of the gene, PanIA and PanIB, code for versions of pantophysin, that differ by four
amino acids in one region of the protein. Samples of cod fish were collected from 23 locations
in the north Atlantic and were tested to find the proportions of PanIA and PanIB alleles in each
population. The results are shown in pie charts, numbered 1–23, on the map below. The
proportions of alleles in a population are called the allele frequencies. The frequency of an allele
can vary from 0.0 to 1.0. The light grey sectors of the pie charts show the allele frequency of
PanIA and the black sectors show the allele frequency of PanIB.

[RAJ Case et al. 2005. “Macro- and micro-geographic variation in pantophysin (PanI) allele frequencies in NE
Atlantic cod Gadus morhua.” MEPS. Vol 301. Pp 267–278. Figs 1 and 3.]

(a) (i) State the two populations with the highest PanIB allele frequencies.

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(1)

(ii) State the population in which the allele frequencies were closest to 0.5.

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(1)

IB Questionbank Biology 6
 (b) Deduce the allele frequencies of a population in which half of the cod fish had the
genotype PanIA PanIA, and half had the genotype PanIA PanIB.

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(1)

The graphs below show the latitude and the mean surface sea temperature in June of the
sampling locations and the frequency of the PanIA allele.

[RAJ Case et al. 2005. “Macro- and micro-geographic variation in pantophysin (PanI) allele frequencies in NE
Atlantic cod Gadus morhua.” MEPS. Vol 301. Pp 267–278. Figs 1 and 3.]

(c) State the relationship between

(i) latitude and the frequency of the PanIA allele.

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(1)

(ii) mean surface sea temperature in June and the frequency of the PanIA allele.

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(1)

(d) Suggest how natural selection could have caused the relationships shown in the graphs.

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IB Questionbank Biology 7
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(2)

(e) The sites close to Iceland, at a latitude of 60–65°, had very varied allele frequencies, with
both PanIA and PanIB occurring. The water at these sample sites was highly stratified,
with much warmer water at the surface and much colder water below. Suggest reasons for
both PanIA and PanIB alleles occurring at these sites.

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(2)

(f) Using the data in this question, predict the effects of global warming on cod fish
populations.

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(2)
(Total 11 marks)

IB Questionbank Biology 8
12. The following sequence of pictures, made using an electronic imaging technique, shows a cell
undergoing division.

[Adapted by permission from Macmillan Publishers Ltd, Fuller, B G et al. 2008. “Midzone activation of aurora B in
anaphase produces an intracellular phosphorylation gradient”. Nature. Vol 453.]

(a) State the stage of mitosis typified by image II.

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(1)

(b) List two processes that involve mitosis.

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(2)

(c) State the process that results in tumour (cancer) formation or development.

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(1)

IB Questionbank Biology 9
 (d) Explain, using one example, how non-disjunction in meiosis can lead to changes in
chromosome number.

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(2)
(Total 6 marks)

13. The electron micrograph below shows the ultrastructure of part of an animal cell.

[Source: Reproduced with the kind permission of the Electron Microscopy Facility, Trinity College, Hartford,
Connecticut, USA, and Professor Daniel G. Blackburn.]

(a) Identify the structure labelled I.

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(1)

IB Questionbank Biology 10
 (b) Explain briefly how materials produced in the structure labelled I are transported to the
plasma membrane.

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(2)

(c) Outline the function of the mitochondria in the cell.

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(2)

(d) Suggest why the two labelled mitochondria are different shapes in the micrograph.

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(1)
(Total 6 marks)

IB Questionbank Biology 11
14. The electron micrograph below shows an E. coli cell.

[Source: www.microbiology.umaryland.edu/images/bact_em.jpg]

(a) Identify the structures labelled A and B in the electron micrograph above and state one
function of each.

A: Name .......................................................................................................

Function .......................................................................................................

B: Name .......................................................................................................

Function .......................................................................................................
(2)

(b) Compare prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells.

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(3)
(Total 5 marks)

IB Questionbank Biology 12
15. Up to two additional marks are available for the construction of your answers.
(2)

(a) Draw a labelled diagram to show the ultrastructure of Escherichia coli.

(5)

(b) Distinguish between active and passive movements of materials across plasma
membranes, using named examples.
(4)

(11 marks)

IB Questionbank Biology 13