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Some questions may have been altered or removed compared to the version of this
paper used during the competition period.
Answers are not provided at this time.
Students are not expected to have memorised all the facts assessed, or be familiar
with all the topics presented. Their biological intuition and problem solving is being
assessed.
Intermediate Biology Olympiad 2020
You will have 60 minutes to complete this paper of 68 questions.
You may use a calculator.
It is recommended that you have pen and paper to hand for rough work.
No marks are subtracted for incorrect answers.
Medal Mark Pupils
Gold 68% 6%
Silver 59% 11%
Bronze 51% 17%
High Commended 47% 14%
Commended 43% 15%
UKBiologyCompetitions.org iBO 2020
The Variety of Life
Q1
Which is the correct classification of the organism in this photograph?
A. Domain: Eukarya, Kingdom: Plantae
B. Domain: Archaea, Kingdom: Plantae
C. Domain: Eukarya, Kingdom: Anamalia
D. Domain: Eukarya, Kingdom: Protista
E. Domain: Plantae, Kingdom: Archaea
Q2
Some scientists argue that viruses are truly living.
Here are some facts about viruses; which of these suggests viruses are living?
A. Viruses cannot replicate outside of host cells
B. Viruses cannot generate their own energy
C. Viruses cannot produce proteins outside of host cells
D. Viruses can evolve
E. Viral particles are not made of cells
UKBiologyCompetitions.org iBO 2020
Q3
What makes plants and animals different?
A. Only plants have a cell nucleus
B. Only plants can make fats (lipids)
C. Only plants have chloroplasts
D. Only animals have mitochondria
E. Only animals reproduce sexually
Q4
How could you accurately tell eukaryotes apart from bacteria?
A. Only bacteria can be single-celled (unicellular)
B. Only eukaryotes have cells
C. Only eukaryotes have ribosomes
D. Only eukaryotes have RNA
E. Only eukaryotes have mitochondria
Q5
Most viruses can only infect one host species.
Why is this?
A. Non-host species do not make the proper proteins from the genes of the
virus
B. Non-host species have antibodies against the virus
C. Non-host species do not have the same cell types
D. Non-host species have proteins which do not fit together well with virus
proteins
E. Non-host species already have other better adapted viruses which
outcompete the virus
UKBiologyCompetitions.org iBO 2020
Q6
The majority of all species on Earth are insects (contained within the class Insecta).
In turn, a large majority of all insect species are beetles (contained within the order
Coleopetra). This is shown in the phylogenetic tree.
What does this phylogeny show?
A. Flies are a type of beetle
B. Beetles evolved from bugs
C. Cockroaches are the most ancient kind of insect
D. Flies are more closely related to moths than beetles
E. Dragonflies are more closely related to silverfish than beetles
UKBiologyCompetitions.org iBO 2020
Q7
Consider a unicellular photosynthesising algae, and a multicellular plant.
Which is an advantage algae have over plants?
A. Algae can more easily move to stay in sunlight
B. Algae can grow taller to compete for light
C. Algae can develop specialised organs to carry out tasks more effectively
D. Algae can store more nutrient reserves
E. Algae can grow thick protective coatings to survive on land
Q8
Evolution is fastest when
Heritable Migration into Difference in
variation the population fitness between
individuals
A Is high Is low Is high
B Is low Is low Is low
C Is low Is high Is high
D Is high Is high Is low
A. A
B. B
C. C
D. D
UKBiologyCompetitions.org iBO 2020
Q9
The DNA sequences from 4 organisms have been aligned for comparison.
Which two organisms are most closely related?
A. Organism 1 and Organism 2.
B. Organism 1 and Organism 3.
C. Organism 2 and Organism 3.
D. Organism 2 and Organism 4.
E. Organism 3 and Organism 4.
UKBiologyCompetitions.org iBO 2020
Ecology & Behaviour
Q10
Bees pollinate flowers and are given nectar in return. Some orchid flowers mimic
other species, so are pollinated, but do not produce any nectar.
Which word best describes the relationship between bees and the mimic orchids?
A. Mutualism
B. Pathogenic
C. Parasitism
D. Commensalism
E. Predation
Q11
After being tricked by the mimic orchids, bees will stop visiting both the orchids
and the flowers they mimic.
What type of behaviour is this?
A. Instinct
B. Habituation
C. Imprinting
D. Reasoning
E. Conditioning
UKBiologyCompetitions.org iBO 2020
Q12
Pine martens are a British predator which hunt squirrels. Grey squirrels, which were
introduced from America, have replaced red squirrels in most of Britain. Recently,
the marten population has been growing because, unlike red squirrels, grey
squirrels are not afraid of martens so are easier to catch.
Why do the red and grey squirrels behave differently?
A. Conditioning
B. Teaching
C. Instinct
D. Play
E. Altruism
Q13
In very polluted areas, camouflaged animals tend to have many darkly coloured
individuals in their population. When pollution is stopped, more lightly coloured
individuals tend to become more common.
What type of evolution explains this?
A. Genetic drift
B. Sexual selection
C. Natural selection
D. Artificial selection
E. Inheritance of acquired characteristics
UKBiologyCompetitions.org iBO 2020
Q14
In a food chain, the energy, carbon, nitrogen and oxygen fixed into molecules,
often comes from different sources.
Which class of organism can fix all of these by themselves?
A. Plants
B. Animals
C. Fungi
D. Bacteria
E. None can
Q15
Scientists estimate up to 1030 bacterial cells live inside rocks deep within the earth.
They may survive by very slowly metabolising hydrogen produced by the decay of
radioactive elements.
What type of organisms are they?
A. Consumer (heterotroph)
B. Producer (auto/lithotroph)
C. Decomposer (detrivore/sacrophage)
D. Omnivore
E. Herbivore
UKBiologyCompetitions.org iBO 2020
Q16
Historically, lawns were made from a variety of small herbs. These were re-branded
as weeds by grass seed companies, and have become rare. We counted the number
of some animals in a herb lawn versus a grass lawn. The table includes the partial
results of some calculations you will need to use.
Grass lawn Herb lawn
Number of (n-1) n(n-1) Number of (n-1) n(n-1)
individuals individuals
Woodlice 21 20 420 18 17 306
Ladybirds 1 0 0 11 10 110
Earwigs 8 7 56 8 7 56
Worms 1 0 0 3 2 6
Ants 12 11 132 7 6 42
The Simpson index of diversity is D = 1 - [ Σn(n-1) / N(N-1)], where
n = the total number of organisms of a particular species
N = the total number of organisms of all species
Calculate D for the herb lawn. Pick the nearest answer.
A. 0.5
B. 0.6
C. 0.65
D. 0.7
E. 0.75
F. 0.8
Q17
If you replaced a grass lawn with a herb lawn, what would you most notice?
A. Ants become more common
B. Woodlice become more common
C. The number of animals increases
D. The variety of animals increases
E. No obvious differences
UKBiologyCompetitions.org iBO 2020
Q18
The characteristic smell of rain after long dry spells is caused by a type of bacteria
releasing scents. These attract insects which feed on the bacteria. Whilst feeding,
the insects are coated in bacterial spores.
The insect shows:
A. Phytotaxis/phototaxis
B. Gravitropism
C. Chemotaxis
D. Kinesis
E. Chemotropism
Q19
What benefit do the scent producing bacteria get from this process?
A. Population control
B. Fertilisation
C. Dispersal
D. Nutrition
E. Protection
UKBiologyCompetitions.org iBO 2020
Q20
Scottish wildcats are Britain's only surviving indigenous cat species. Motion-
sensitive cameras in 347 Scottish locations captured 200 000 images, and
volunteers used these to identify wildcats by their markings.
In one year, they found 10 different wildcats. In the next year, they found 9
different Scottish wildcats, one of which 1 had the same markings as a cat
photographed in the preceding year.
Use the mark recapture method to estimate, to the nearest 50, the number of
wildcats in Scotland.
A. 50
B. 100
C. 150
D. 200
E. 250
UKBiologyCompetitions.org iBO 2020
Genetics
Q21
In Harry Potter, children are more likely to have magical ability if their families do.
However, some children have magical ability even though their parents do not.
What mechanisms of inheritance cannot explain this pattern?
A. Magical ability is a recessive allele
B. Magical ability is controlled by many genes (polygenic)
C. Magical ability is a consequence of cultural/environmental factors in
childhood
D. Magical ability is a dominant allele
E. Magical ability is spread by an infectious organism
Q22
In flu viruses, each gene is encoded on 8 separate pieces of RNA. The H and N
genes determine the virulence of flu. The pieces of RNA are packaged together to
make a viral particle. If two different strains of flu infect the same cell, a random
mix of RNA from each strain is packaged into new viral particles.
If a H1 N2 flu virus from birds, and a H5 N9 flu virus from pigs, infect the same cell,
how many different H and N combinations will be present in the resulting viral
particles?
A. 1
B. 2
C. 3
D. 4
E. 8
F. 12
UKBiologyCompetitions.org iBO 2020
Q23
How many different combinations of all 8 genes will the new viral particles contain?
A. 8
B. 16
C. 64
D. 256
E. 512
Q24
Scientists want to modify an organism so it can incorporate an unnatural amino acid
with special properties into proteins encoded by artificial genes.
What steps should they take to achieve this most easily?
1. Identify the rarest codon, and replace it in all the organism's existing genes with
an alternative encoding the same amino acid
2. Modify tRNA synthesis so it adds the unnatural amino acid to the appropriate
tRNA
3. Alter RNA polymerase so it incorporates different bases at some codons
4. Alter ribosomes so they read codons differently
5. Alter tRNAs so they bind four mRNA bases.
6. Alter all genes so they use a quad code rather than triplet code
7. Add genes encoding enzymes to synthesise the unnatural amino acid
A. 1,2,7
B. 1,2,3,7
C. 2,4,7
D. 4,5,6,7
E. 2,4,5,6,7
UKBiologyCompetitions.org iBO 2020
Q25
You want to create rose flowers which are both whorled and large. Therefore you
cross a plant producing small whorled flowers with a plant producing large open
(not whorled) flowers.
All the plants from this cross had small open flowers - the opposite of what you
wanted! However, you allowed these plants to set seed anyway. If 1 gene controls
whorled versus open flowers and 1 gene controls flower size, what proportion of
the seeds will grow into plants with large whorled flowers?
A. ¹/₂₀
B. ¹/₁₆
C. ¹/₁₄
D. ¹/₁₂
E. ¹/₈
F. ¹/₄
G. ¹/₂
Q26
A cell contains an amount of DNA, X, in G2 phase. How much DNA will a cell contain
after anaphase 2 of meiosis?
A. x/4
B. x/2
C. x
D. 2x
UKBiologyCompetitions.org iBO 2020
Q27
The gene RMS1 controls how branched plants become, and it was altered in modern
crops as part of the ‘green revolution’.
Parts of seedlings with normal RMS1 were grafted onto seedlings which have no
RMS1 to study how the gene works.
Which of the following is true?
A. RMS1 increases shoot branching
B. The signal produced by RMS1 travels towards the shoot tip, rather than
towards the roots
C. RMS1 in the roots alone is enough to give normal shoot branching
D. Shoots cannot branch normally unless RMS1 is in the roots
E. The signal produced by RMS1 only travels a short distance
UKBiologyCompetitions.org iBO 2020
Q28
Complex behaviour can be genetically controlled by a single gene. Burrowing mouse
burrows of species A have an escape tunnel.
Burrows of species B do not have escape tunnels.
When species A and B interbreed, the hybrids always dig an escape burrow.
What is correct?
A. Alleles for digging an escape tunnel are recessive
B. If the hybrids breed with species A (backcross), half the offspring dig an
escape tunnel
C. If the hybrids breed with species B (backcross), half the offspring dig an
escape tunnel
D. If the hybrids breed with each other, half of the offspring dig an escape
tunnel
E. Offspring of hybrids will never build an escape tunnel
Q29
People with pale eyes are more likely to get skin cancer. What is a plausible
explanation for this correlation?
A. The same genes control the amount of pigment in skin and eyes, and
pigment in skin protects against skin cancer
B. People with pale eyes are more likely to grow up in cultures that do not take
adequate steps to prevent skin cancer
C. Genes for pale eyes and increased risk of skin cancer tend to be inherited
together
D. All of the above
E. None of the above
UKBiologyCompetitions.org iBO 2020
Q30
It is not possible to predict accurately whether a mutation is likely to be harmful,
but you can make a reasonable guess based on your knowledge of biology.
Which is most likely?
A. Deleting a base in an intron is worse than deleting a base in an exon
B. Deleting 3 bases in an exon is worse than deleting 1 base
C. Deleting 1 base near the start of an exon is worse than deleting 1 base near
the end
D. Deleting 3 bases in the middle of an intron is worse than deleting 3 bases at
its start
E. Swapping 1 base for another is worse than deleting 1 base
Q31
What is different between meiosis and mitosis?
A. Sister chromatids are separated
B. DNA is replicated
C. Chromosomes condense
D. Homologous chromosomes pair up
UKBiologyCompetitions.org iBO 2020
Q32
A certain kind of blood cancer (leukemia) is always caused when pieces of two
chromosomes are swapped, which causes two genes to be stuck together. This new
fusion gene produces a protein which forces cells to divide.
DNA from different chromosomes can be stained different colours, and seen down a
microscope. Chromosomes from a person with this blood cancer are shown.
Which of the following is true?
A. This mutation is recessive
B. Pieces of chromosome 8 and 3 are swapped
C. This person is female
D. This person has Down syndrome (an extra copy of chromosome 21)
E. This person is heterozygous for the mutation
UKBiologyCompetitions.org iBO 2020
Q33
A complementary strand of DNA, formed by semi-conservative replication has the
base sequence 5'-TAGGCATT-3'.
5' refers to the phospho end of the nucleotides, and 3' the OH group, hence the
orientation of the strand.
What is the base sequence on the original DNA strand?
A. 5'-AAUGCCUA-3'
B. 5'-ATCCGTAA-3'
C. 5'-AATGCCTA-3'
D. 5'-AUCCGUAA-3'
UKBiologyCompetitions.org iBO 2020
Physiology
Q34
What is true of both the animal cardiovascular system and the plant transpiration
system?
A. Fluid is pushed along vessels
B. Fluid is water based
C. Fluid circulates in a loop
D. Fluid movement is mostly active (requires energy generated by the organism)
E. Fluid has the same osmolarity as cells (isosomtic/isotonic)
Q35
Which of the following processes does not occur during digestion in animal guts?
A. Active transport of glucose into the body
B. Facilitated diffusion of water into the body
C. Hydrolysis of proteins
D. Secretions of salts into the gut
E. Excretion of urea
UKBiologyCompetitions.org iBO 2020
Q36
Light harvesting proteins are embedded in the internal membranes of chloroplasts.
Consider:
1. A primative chloroplast where the internal membrane simply lines the outside of
the chloroplast
2. A modern chloroplast where the internal mebrane is invaginated and stacked to
fill much of the volume of the chloroplast
How much more light will the primative chloroplast harvest if it grows to double its
radius?
A. The same amount of light
B. 1.5 times
C. 2 times
D. 4 times
E. 8 times
Q37
How much more light will a modern chloroplast harvest if it grows to double its
radius?
A. The same amount of light
B. 1.5 times
C. 2 times
D. 4 times
E. 8 times
UKBiologyCompetitions.org iBO 2020
Q38
Fick's law models the rate of diffusion across a surface, such as oxygen travelling
from air sacs into blood in the lungs.
Q = K (C1 - C2) A / d
Q = rate of transfer
K = diffusion constant. For Oxygen in air at body tempature, K = 0.3. For Oxygen in
water at body temperature, K = 0.00002
(C1 - C2) = the concentration difference of Oxygen between air and blood
A = surface area of airsacs
d = distance (or thickness) the Oxygen moves
What is not an adaptation of lungs to increase exchange of oxygen accoring to
Fick's law?
A. Fast rate of blood flow to keep C₂ low
B. Fast rate of breathing to keep C₁ high
C. Minimum thickness of cells lining air sacs
D. Air sacs lined with a layer of water
E. Red blood cells bind most oxygen to keep C₂ in blood low
UKBiologyCompetitions.org iBO 2020
Q39
In a resting muscle, the pressure of oxygen 60 mmHg and the pH is 7.4.
When exercising, the muscle consumes oxygen, so the pressue of oxygen drops to
30 mmHg, and the muscle produces carbon dioxide and other acids, so the pH
drops to 6.6.
These changes affect how much oxygen is bound to heamoglobin according to the
curves shown below.
Calculate how much more oxygen the muscle extracts from blood when exercising
than resting.
A. 180 ml/l
B. 160 ml/l
C. 140 ml/l
D. 120 ml/l
E. < 120 ml/l
UKBiologyCompetitions.org iBO 2020
Q40
Tissue fluid is extruded from capillaries and bathes cells. The amount of tissue fluid
produced depends on the balance of pressures and osmolarities in blood versus
tissues.
Excess tissue fluid accumulates in several diseases. What would not cause excess
tissue fluid?
A. High blood pressure
B. Blockage in veins
C. Blockage in lymph vessels
D. Reduced protein concentration in blood
E. Kidneys unable to concentrate urine (unable to absorb fluid)
Q41
Vaccines aim to stimulate an adaptive immune response.
What is involved in stimulating the adaptive immune system?
A. Antibodies bind to things on the pathogen, stopping them from working
B. Cytotoxic cells kill other cells infected with the pathogen
C. Phagocytic cells ingest the pathogen
D. An inflammatory response increases immune system activity
E. All of the above
Q42
What feature of a pathogen is most likely to make it difficult to vaccinate against?
A. Causes very severe illness
B. Usually causes very mild illness
C. Lives inside host cells
D. Mutates rapidly
E. Has genes which suppress immune responses
UKBiologyCompetitions.org iBO 2020
Q43
A blood vessel was observed using a microscope with a ruler etched into the
eyepiece. Without changing the magnification, a micrometer was also observed
through the microscope. Each small division on the on the micrometer is 100 µm.
Estimate the diameter of the blood vessel lumen (inside) in µm. Choose the nearest
answer.
A. <700
B. 700
C. 780
D. 800
E. 830
F. 1500
G. 8000
Q44
When trees are transpiring, the diameter of their trunks decreases because:
A. Less water is present in xylem vessels
B. More water is present in xylem vessels
C. Tension in xylem vessels increases
D. Tension in xylem vessels decreases
UKBiologyCompetitions.org iBO 2020
Q45
Put the stages of the cardiac cycle in order
a. Ventricular systole begins
b. Atrial systole begins
c. Atrioventricular valves shut
d. Semilunar valves shut
A. a>c>d>b
B. a>b>c>d
C. a>d>b>c
D. a>d>c>b
E. a>c>b>d
UKBiologyCompetitions.org iBO 2020
Biochemistry & cell biology
Q46
Animals generate more energy from glucose in the presence of oxygen, than in the
absence of oxygen. This is because oxygen
A. is needed as an oxidising agent to fully break down glucose
B. molecules are split to make free radicals which react with glucose
C. binds to the enzymes which break down glucose
D. neutralises acids made by breaking down glucose
E. is needed as a reducing agent to fully break down glucose
Q47
Many molecules (DNA, proteins, carbohydrates etc) are polymers. There are many
reasons polymers are so important in biology.
Which is not a correct reason?
A. Polymers give structural strength
B. Polymers are more compact than small molecules
C. Polymers are less soluble and have less impact on osmolarity than small
molecules
D. Polymers often require little energy to assemble/disassemble
E. Polymers are more chemically reactive than small molecules
Q48
What is the key difference between lipids (fats) and carbohydrates?
A. Molecular size
B. Amount of carbon
C. Amount of nitrogen
D. Presence of closed rings versus open chains
E. Amount of oxygen
UKBiologyCompetitions.org iBO 2020
Q49
In people with diabetes, blood sugar levels may become very high. The kidney
usually reabsorbs all the sugar from blood plasma it fliters into urine. However, in
diabetic people, the rate of glucose reabsorption in the kidney may become
saturated. A Benedict's test used to be used to test the amount of sugar in samples
from diabetic people.
Which is order of samples, from left to right, giving the results shown in the test-
tubes?
A. Urine from healthy person; urine from diabetic; blood plasma from diabetic;
positive control (glucose)
B. Urine from diabetic person; urine from healthy person; blood plasma from
diabetic; positive control (glucose)
C. Urine from healthy person; blood plasma from diabetic; urine from diabetic;
positive control (glucose)
D. Blood plasma from healthy person; urine from healthy person; urine from
diabetic; positive control (glucose)
E. Positive control (glucose); urine from diabetic; blood plasma from diabetic;
urine from healthy person
F. Positive control (glucose); blood plasma from diabetic; urine from diabetic;
urine from healthy person
UKBiologyCompetitions.org iBO 2020
Q50
Plants use underground tubers to store carbohydrates densely over the winter.
Plants pack fruits with sweet tasting carbohydrates to attract animals which will
disperse their seeds. Other parts of the plant contain a mix of sugars being
transported and metabolised or stored.
An iodine test was used on samples from a plant. Which is order of samples, from
left to right, giving the results shown in the test-tubes?
A. Fruit; tuber
B. Leaf; tuber
C. Leaf; fruit
D. Tuber; fruit
E. Tuber; leaf
Q51
A scientist wants to analyse the cytoplasm of some cells, but not their membranes.
Therefore, she separates the cytoplasm and membranes into different tubes. She
performs an emulsion test to measure how effective the separation was.
What results would she expect for the cell membranes?
A. Insoluble in ethanol; then forms cloudy layer when water added
B. Successfully dissolves in ethanol; then forms cloudy layer when water added
C. Insoluble in ethanol; then clear when water added
D. Soluble in water; then forms a clear layer when ethanol added
E. Insoluble in water; then forms cloudy layer when ethanol added
UKBiologyCompetitions.org iBO 2020
Q52
The high energy bonds of the triphosphate group of ATP are the enrgy source for
many active processes within cells. However, DNA polymerases do not directly
require ATP to extend a DNA strand.
Why?
A. Condensation of the DNA polymer is more energetically favourable than its
hydrolysis
B. DNA polymerases use GTP instead of ATP
C. Hydrolysis of one DNA strand provides energy for synthesising another
D. Deoxyribonucleotides are synthesised with their own triphosphate groups
E. Base pairing with the template strand provides energy for synthesising the
new strand
Q53
Albumins are soluble proteins present at extremely high concentrations in
biological fluids (such as blood). When denatured, albumins loose certain
properties, which is why fluids (such as egg whites) set when heated.
What key property do you suppose albumins have?
A. Very large molecular size
B. Hydrophobic surfaces
C. Long, fibrous shapes
D. Approximately neutral pH
E. Shape mostly maintained by covalent bonds
UKBiologyCompetitions.org iBO 2020
Q54
Pineapples contain an enzyme which digests proteins (protease).
The amino acid tyrosine is aromatic, so it absorbs UV light in proportion to its
concentration. When tyrosine is within a protein, it does not absorb UV.
These graphs are different measurements from a protein sample treated with
pineapple extract.
Which graph shows absorbance on the Y axis, and tyrosine concentration on the X
axis?
A. A
B. B
C. C
D. D
UKBiologyCompetitions.org iBO 2020
Q55
Which graph shows rate of reaction on the Y axis, and temperature on the X axis?
A. A
B. B
C. C
D. D
Q56
Which graph shows rate of reaction on the Y axis, and pH on the X axis?
A. A
B. B
C. C
D. D
Q57
Which graph shows absorbance on the Y axis and time on the X axis?
A. A
B. B
C. C
D. D
UKBiologyCompetitions.org iBO 2020
Q58
Next, different chemicals were added to the mix of pineapple extract and protein
sample. The chemicals could either
(a) Have no effect on pineapple protease
(b) Competitively inhibit pineapple protease
(c) Non-competitively inhibit pineapple protease
Which curve matches which chemical?
A. I=a, II=b, III=c
B. I=a, II=c, III=b
C. I=b, II=a, III=c
D. I=b. II=c, III=a
E. I=c, II=a, III=b
F. I=c, II=b, III=a
UKBiologyCompetitions.org iBO 2020
Q59
A Biuret test was carried out on samples from these experiments.
Which is order of samples, from left to right, giving the results shown in the test-
tubes?
A. Protein, protein exposed to pineapple, no protein
B. Protein, no protein, protein exposed to pineapple
C. Protein exposed to pineapple, protein, no protein
D. Protein exposed to pineapple, no protein, protein
E. No protein, protein, protein exposed to pineapple
F. No protein, protein exposed to pineapple, protein
UKBiologyCompetitions.org iBO 2020
Q60
Two distances were measured during mitosis.
What were the distances?
1 2
A Distance between nuclei Distance between
centrioles and
centromeres
B Distance between Distance between
centromeres of sister centrioles and
chromatids centromeres
C Distance between Distance between
centrioles and centromeres of sister
centromeres chromatids
D Distance between Distance between
centrioles centrioles and
centromeres
Q61
A student would like to film the movement of chromosomes during cell division.
Their best choice for a microscope would be a
A. light microscope, because of its resolving power
B. transmission electron microscope, because of its magnifying power
C. scanning electron microscope, because the specimen is alive
D. transmission electron microscope, because of its great resolving power
E. light microscope, because the specimen is alive
UKBiologyCompetitions.org iBO 2020
Q62
Which of the following is responsible for the high resolution of an electron
microscope?
A. Extremely thin sections
B. High magnification
C. The short wavelengths of the electron beam
D. Using heavy metal stains
Q63
Which cellular structure is responsible for producing membrane bound vesicles?
A. Golgi body
B. Mitochondrion
C. Nucleus
D. Rough endoplasmic reticulum
E. Smooth endoplasmic reticulum
Q64
Which of the following combinations of statements is correct?
1. The nuclear envelope consists of a single membrane layer.
2. The pH inside lysosomes is approximately 8.
3. Rough endoplasmic reticulum is coated with ribosomes.
4. Glycolysis takes place in mitochondria.
5. The pH in the matrix of mitochondria is higher than in the intermembrane space.
A. 1, 3 & 5.
B. 2, 4 & 5.
C. 1, 2 & 3.
D. 3 & 5 only
E. 1 & 4 only
UKBiologyCompetitions.org iBO 2020
Q65
Which combination of the following statements concerning the fluid mosaic model
of the cell membrane is true?
i. The membrane is 6 – 10nm wide
ii. Phospholipid structure has a glycerol with three fatty acid groups attached
iii. Transmembrane proteins have a hydrophobic 'waist'
iv. The membrane surface has a negative charge
A. all of them
B. i, ii and iii
C. i, iii and iv
D. ii, iii and iv
E. i and iii only
Q66
A scientist added a solution of positively-charged ions to a solution containing an
animal cell and measured the concentration of the ions inside the cell 20 minutes
later. If she repeated the experiment using a new cell and doubled the external
concentration of the ions, the concentration inside the cell also was doubled. When
she injected the living cell with a dye that specifically fluoresced when it bound to
the ions, she saw that the cytoplasm fluoresced uniformly throughout the cell.
What is the most likely explanation for how the ions were taken up into the cell?
A. Via channel proteins in the plasma membrane
B. By active transport
C. By simple diffusion through the membrane
D. By endocytosis
E. By osmosis
UKBiologyCompetitions.org iBO 2020
Q67
Various forces are important in the interactions contributing to the tertiary structure
of a protein.
The figure below is a diagram showing several possible interactions.
Which of the following letters represent the correct names for each type of
interaction?
Hydrogen Hydrophobic Disulphide Ionic bond
bond interaction bond
A 2 3 4 1
B 1 2 3 4
C 1 2 4 3
D 3 1 2 4
UKBiologyCompetitions.org iBO 2020
Q68
A peptide six amino acids long was partially digested and the following peptides
were produced:
TEY
YEG
EGG
EYE
What was the sequence of amino acids in the original peptide?
A. TEEYGG
B. YEGGTE
C. EGGTEY
D. TEYEGG
End
UKBiologyCompetitions.org iBO 2020