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SHS Biology · Year 1

Cell Biology practice questions

The cell membrane, fluid mosaic model and movement of substances in and out of cells.

25 questions in this topic: 6 recall, 12 applying skills and concepts, 4 strategic thinking and 3 extended thinking. Every one carries a written explanation.

Sample questions

5 of 25 questions in this topic. Sign up to answer them and see the explanations.

  1. Question 1Extended thinking

    A doctor explains that eating very salty food draws water out of body cells into the bloodstream, causing thirst. Using the concept of hypertonic and hypotonic solutions, explain why this happens.

    • aHigh salt intake makes the blood plasma more concentrated (hypertonic) relative to the cells, so water moves out of the cells by osmosis into the blood, triggering thirst as the body tries to restore balance
    • bSalt has no effect on the water balance of cells
    • cSalty food makes the blood hypotonic, drawing water into the cells
    • dThirst is unrelated to water movement between cells and blood
  2. Question 2Recall

    Osmosis is best described as the movement of water molecules

    • afrom a region of high water concentration to low, across a semipermeable membrane
    • bagainst gravity using ATP energy
    • conly inside animal cells
    • dfrom low to high water concentration without a membrane
  3. Question 3Skills & concepts

    Which process moves substances across a membrane against the concentration gradient using energy from ATP?

    • aDiffusion
    • bOsmosis
    • cActive transport
    • dPlasmolysis
  4. Question 4Recall

    Which term describes a membrane that allows only certain molecules to pass in and out of the cell?

    • aFully permeable
    • bImpermeable
    • cSelectively permeable
    • dWaterproof
  5. Question 5Strategic thinking

    A farmer applies far too much fertiliser to maize and no rain falls for a week; the plants wither and die. What is the best explanation?

    • aThe concentrated fertiliser makes the soil solution hypertonic, so water leaves the root cells by osmosis and they plasmolyse
    • bThe fertiliser gives the plants too much water
    • cThe plants photosynthesise too quickly
    • dThe fertiliser blocks sunlight from the leaves

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