Form 5

Chapter 15 Variation

Objective Questions

1 The difference between individuals from the same species is called

A allele
B variation
C phenotype
D genotype

2 Which of the following genetic diseases is a result of mutation that causes changes in the
gene that produces pigments?
A Albinism
B Haemophilia
C Down’s syndrome
D Colour blindness

3 Which of the following will not cause mutation in the cell undergoing meiosis?
A Loss of one chromosome
B Part of the chromosome is inverted
C Number of chromosomes reduces to half of the original number
D Both sex chromosomes are found in one daughter cell

4 Which of the following statements is true about mutation?

Mutation is a process that
A occurs spontaneously
B only occurs in animals
C can be slowed down by using X-rays
D frequently kills organisms

5 Two identical twins that are raised in different environments may show differences in
terms of
A ability to roll the tongue
B skin colour
C blood group
D attached earlobes

6 Which of the following statements about the types of attached earlobes is not true?
A The number of humans with partially attached earlobes is very small
B It is a discontinuous variation
C This characteristic is not influenced by environmental factors
D Can be inherited by the following generation

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7 In a study on variation, the following characteristics can be found.

• Has intermediate characteristics

• No visible differences
• Normal distribution graph

The example of variation that was studied is

A eye colour
B skin colour
C fingerprint
D attached earlobe

8 Down’s syndrome may be caused by the fertilisation between gamete K and gamete L.
What is the number of chromosomes that are found in gametes K and L?
Gamete K Gamete L
A 23 23
B 23 24
C 22 23
D 24 24

9 Farah has antigen A and antibody B, while Aini has antibody A and antibody B. What is
the blood group of Farah and Aini?
Farah Aini
A A blood group O blood group
B B blood group AB blood group
C A blood group AB blood group
D B blood group O blood group

10 Which of the following characteristics is/are influenced by environmental factors?

I Fingerprints
II Body weight
III Colour blindness
IV Ability to roll the tongue
A II only
B II and III only
C II and IV only
D I, II and IV only

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11 Which of the following processes will produce variation?
I Sexual reproduction
II Chromosomal mutation
III Asexual reproduction
IV Gene mutation
A II and IV only
B I, II and IV only
C II, III and IV only
D I, II, III and IV

12 Which of the following is/are characteristic(s) of continuous variation?

I Controlled by a lot of genes
II Quantitative heredity
III Does not show clear and visible changes
IV Can be fully passed on to the next generation
A IV only
B II and III only
C I, II and III only
D II, III and IV only

13 Discontinuous variation influenced by

I the environment
II genetics
III mutation
IV crossing over
A I only
B I, II and III only
C I, II and IV only
D II, III and IV only

14 The sources of genetic variation are

I food diet
II X-rays
III chemical mutagen
IV crossing over during meiosis
A I and IV only
B II and III only
C I, II and III only
D II, III and IV only

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Structured Questions

1 Figure 1 shows bar graphs that represent two types of variation among students in a
class.

Figure 1

(a) Write the definition of variation.

(b) State two sources of variation.

(c) What is the type of variation shown in Figure 1(i) and 1(ii)?

(d) List three differences between the two types of variation that is shown in the
figures above.

(e) Explain why the measurement obtained in Figure 1(i) cannot be grouped into two
extreme groups that is tall and short.

2 (a) Write the definition for

(i) mutation
(ii) mutagen
(iii) mutant

(b) State three effects of mutation on humans.

(c) Figure 2 shows various examples of mutation.

Figure 2

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 (i) Name the type of mutation that is shown in Figure 2.
(ii) Give the reason for your answer.
(iii) When might the type of mutation stated in a(i) occur?
(iv) Name processes R, S, T and U that is shown in Figure 2.
(v) Write two differences between the change in characteristics that are
caused by genes and that are caused by the environment.
(vi) Give the factor that causes mutation.
(vii) How does mutation produce new hybrids?

Essay Question

(a) What is mutation? State the types of mutation.

(b) What is the source that causes mutation?
(c) By using examples, state three effects of mutation.

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 Answers
Objective Questions
1 B 8 C
2 A 9 A
3 C 10 A
4 A 11 B
5 B 12 C
6 A 13 D
7 B 14 D

Structured Questions
1 (a) The difference in characteristics between individuals of the same species.

(b) Environmental factors and genetic factors.

(c) (i) Continuous variation

(ii) Discontinuous variation

(d) (i) Continuous variation shows the differences in characteristics that are unclear
and where intermediate characteristics exist. Discontinuous variation shows the
differences in characteristics that are clear without intermediate characteristics.
(ii) Continuous variation is influenced by environmental and genetic factors.
Discontinuous variation is only influenced by genetic factors only.
(iii) Continuous variation has a normal distribution, while discontinuous variation
has discrete variation.

(e) Because there an intermediate value exists between the two extreme groups.

2 (a) (i) Spontaneous change on the genetic material that will be inherited by the
following generation.
(ii) Substance that can cause mutation to occur.
(iii) Organism that experiences mutation or inherits the characteristic that is
produced through the mutation.

(b) (i) Handicapped

(ii) Genetic disease
(iii) Death

(c) (i) Chromosomal mutation

(ii) The mutation example shows the change in the gene/nitrogenous base sequences
on the chromosome
(iii) During meiosis
(iv) R: Inversion
S: Translocation
T: Multiplication
U: Elimination

(v) 1 The change in characteristics that is caused by the gene involves changes
in the gene, while that caused by the environment does not involve

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 2 The change in characteristics that is caused by genes can be inherited,
while the changes in the genes that are caused by the environment cannot
be inherited.
(vi) Radioactive rays, chemical substances such as benzene.
(vii) Mutant with new characteristics may enable it to adapt itself in the environment.
In time, the mutant will replace other organisms that are weaker than it. So, the
mutant is a new hybrid.

Essay Question
(a) Mutation is the spontaneous change in the genetic material that can be inherited.
Mutation is divided into chromosomal mutation and gene mutation. Chromosomal
mutation occurs due to a change in the number of chromosomes or a change in the
gene/nitrogenous base sequences on the chromosome, while gene mutation occurs due
to a change in the gene structure.

(b) The sources of mutation (mutagens) include:

 X-rays, radioactive rays, ultraviolet rays
 dangerous chemical substances such as asbestos, metanil yellow colouring,
insecticide, benzene algae poison, formaldehyde, and a few types of drug.

(c) Three effects of mutation are genetic diseases or heredity diseases, handicap, death.
 Heredity diseases or handicaps occur due to gene mutation, for example
haemophilia and colour blindness, or is caused by chromosomal mutation, for
example Down’s syndrome.
 This type of disease is inherited because any defects on the chromosome or gene
is also copied and transferred to the gamete chromosome during meiosis.
When fertilisation occurs, the gamete that carries the defective gene will produce
a handicapped individual.
The death gene due to gene mutation can cause death. An example of gene
mutation is the change that occurs in nucleotide sequence of a DNA molecule.
This condition will cause the production of other amino acids. Death can occur if
the production of important proteins is hindered due to the changes.