Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ) topic quiz

Cell division, cell diversity and cellular

organisation
Instructions and answers for teachers
These instructions cover the learner activity section which can be found on page 11.

This Lesson Element supports OCR AS and A Level Biology A (H020, H420) and Biology B
(Advancing Biology) (H022, H422).

When distributing the activity section to the learners either as a printed copy or as a
Word file you will need to remove the teacher instructions section.

The Activity
This Lesson Element is a teaching and learning resource containing 20 multiple choice
questions (MCQs) on the theme of cell division, cell diversity and cellular organisation. Some
questions might require synoptic thinking, using knowledge and ideas from various topics
across the full A Level content.

This resource can be used to test and consolidate understanding at the end of a topic or to
revisit and refresh knowledge at a later point in the course.

Introduction
Multiple choice questions allow rapid coverage of a wide range of sub-topics.

Contrary to a widespread belief among students, multiple choice questions are not
necessarily easy – they can be easy, moderate or difficult.

The questions are written so that the incorrect answers are plausible distractors based on
common errors or misconceptions.

The questions in this quiz cover topics mainly from specification section:

Biology A
2.1.6 Cell division, cell diversity and cellular organisation

Biology B (Advancing Biology)

3.1.1 The developing cell: cell division and cell differentiation
3.1.2 The developing individual: meiosis, growth and development.

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Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ) topic quiz - answers
Questions 1-3 refer to the diagram of the cell cycle.

1 There are 40 units of DNA in the cell during stage G2.

How many units of DNA are in the cell during G1?

A 10

B 20

C 40

D 80
Your answer B

2 How many units of DNA are in the cell during prophase?

A 10

B 20

C 40

D 80
Your answer C

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3 There are two main processes in the M (mitotic) phase. Which process occurs last?

A meiosis

B interphase

C mitosis

D cytokinesis
Your answer D

4 The chemotherapy drug cytarabine is an anti-metabolite similar to the nucleotide

cytosine. The drug kills cancer cells by stopping them making and repairing DNA.

At which stage in the cell cycle will cytarabine be incorporated into DNA?
G1

G2
S
M
Your answer
C
5 Which of these structures, involved in cell division, is present in animal cells but not
higher plant cells?

A centriole

B centromere

C chromatid

D chromosome
Your answer A

6 At which stage in mitosis and meiosis do chromosomes always line up at the equator of
the spindle?

A prophase

B telophase

C anaphase

D metaphase
Your answer D

7 Spindle fibres play an important role in mitosis and meiosis.

Which biological molecule are spindle fibres composed of?

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 A polysaccharide

B protein

C nucleic acid

D lipid

Your answer B

8 The diagram shows stages of meiosis in a human testis.

How many chromosomes are in the cells after meiosis I and meiosis II?

After meiosis I After meiosis II

A 46 46

B 46 23

C 23 46

D 23 23
Your answer D

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9 During which of these stages of cell division do chromatids separate and move to the
poles of the spindle?

A anaphase of mitosis and anaphase 1 of meiosis

B anaphase of mitosis and anaphase 2 of meiosis

C anaphase 1 and 2 of meiosis

D anaphase of mitosis only

Your answer B

10 A student examined the cells in a garlic root tip and obtained the following data.

Stage Number of cells

Interphase 872

Prophase 74

Metaphase 18

Anaphase 10

Telophase 8

Total = 982

What is the percentage of cells examined in which the chromosomes are visible and
consist of a pair of chromatids joined together?

A 2.8%

B 7.5%

C 9.4%

D 1.8%

Your answer C

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11 A diploid cell contains three pairs of homologous chromosomes. Each pair is
heterozygous for a pair of alleles, Aa, Bb and Cc respectively.
If this diploid cell undergoes meiosis, how many different combinations of these
genes could be produced in the haploid daughter cells?

A 6

B 8

C 16

D 64
Your answer B

12 Which of the following descriptions of mitosis is/are correct?

1 DNA synthesis occurs at the beginning of prophase.
2 The nuclear envelope breaks down in prophase and reforms in telophase.
3 The division of centromeres occurs in anaphase.

A 1, 2 and 3

B Only 1 and 2

C Only 2 and 3

D Only 1
Your answer C

13 At which stage of mitosis do chromosomes uncoil and new nuclear envelopes form?

A metaphase

B prophase

C anaphase

D telophase
Your answer
D

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14 In which stage of meiosis are chiasmata formed?

A prophase 1

B anaphase 1

C prophase 2

D telophase 2
Your answer A

15 Why is the formation of chiasmata an important feature of meiosis?

A It ensures that the same genetic characteristics appear in daughter cells as in the
parent.

B It ensures that the number of genes in the new chromosomes changes to produce
variation.

C It provides opportunities for new genotypes to arise.

D It prevents homologous chromosomes from pairing.

Your answer C

16 Vincristine is a chemotherapy drug used to treat cancer. It prevents spindle formation

during mitosis.

Which one of these events cannot therefore occur?

A DNA replication

B chromosome coiling

C sister chromatids becoming visible

D sister chromatid separation

Your answer D

Version 1 7 © OCR 2017

17 The table shows the number of cells at each stage of the cell cycle in a root tip
meristem.

Stage Number of cells

Interphase 123

Prophase 32

Metaphase 12

Anaphase 6

Telophase 27

Total = 200

One complete cell cycle takes 24 hours. The number of cells at each stage is
proportional to the time spent at that stage.

What is the length of time spent in metaphase?

A 60.0 min

B 86.4 min

C 120.0 min

D 178.8 min
Your answer B

18 How many mitotic divisions of a meristematic cell in a root tip are needed to produce
256 daughter cells?

A 8

B 16

C 32

D 64
Your answer A

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19 Which is the longest phase in the cell cycle of human liver cells?

A prophase

B interphase

C cytokinesis

D telophase
Your answer B

20 Which of the following descriptions of meiosis is/are correct?

1 Meiosis results in the formation of four daughter cells.
2 In prophase 1 and 2 the chromosomes condense.
3 Metaphase 1 is the same as metaphase in mitosis.

A 1, 2 and 3

B Only 1 and 2

C Only 2 and 3

D Only 1
Your answer B

Version 1 9 © OCR 2017

 This formative assessment resource has been produced as part of our free Biology teaching and learning support package. All the
Biology teaching and learning resources, including delivery guides, topic exploration packs, lesson elements and more are available on
the qualification webpages.
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Papers on the qualification webpages: Biology A, Biology B.
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Version 1 10 © OCR 2017

Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ) topic quiz

Cell division, cell diversity and cellular

organisation
Learner Activity

Questions 1-3 refer to the diagram of the cell cycle.

1 There are 40 units of DNA in the cell during stage G2.

How many units of DNA are in the cell during G1?

A 10

B 20

C 40

D 80

Version 1 11 © OCR 2017

 Your answer

Version 1 12 © OCR 2017

2 How many units of DNA are in the cell during prophase?

A 10

B 20

C 40

D 80
Your answer

3 There are two main processes in the M (mitotic) phase. Which process occurs last?

A meiosis

B interphase

C mitosis

D cytokinesis
Your answer

4 The chemotherapy drug cytarabine is an anti-metabolite similar to the nucleotide

cytosine. The drug kills cancer cells by stopping them making and repairing DNA.

At which stage in the cell cycle will cytarabine be incorporated into DNA?
G1

G2
S
M
Your answer

5 Which of these structures, involved in cell division, is present in animal cells but not
higher plant cells?

A centriole

B centromere

C chromatid

D chromosome
Your answer
6 At which stage in mitosis and meiosis do chromosomes always line up at the equator of
the spindle?

Version 1 13 © OCR 2017

 A prophase

B telophase

C anaphase

D metaphase
Your answer
7 Spindle fibres play an important role in mitosis and meiosis.

Which biological molecule are spindle fibres composed of?

A polysaccharide

B protein

C nucleic acid

D lipid

Your answer

Version 1 14 © OCR 2017

8 The diagram shows stages of meiosis in a human testis.

How many chromosomes are in the cells after meiosis I and meiosis II?

After meiosis I After meiosis II

A 46 46

B 46 23

C 23 46

D 23 23
Your answer

Version 1 15 © OCR 2017

9 During which of these stages of cell division do chromatids separate and move to the
poles of the spindle?

A anaphase of mitosis and anaphase 1 of meiosis

B anaphase of mitosis and anaphase 2 of meiosis

C anaphase 1 and 2 of meiosis

D anaphase of mitosis only

Your answer

10 A student examined the cells in a garlic root tip and obtained the following data.

Stage Number of cells

Interphase 872

Prophase 74

Metaphase 18

Anaphase 10

Telophase 8

Total = 982

What is the percentage of cells examined in which the chromosomes are visible and
consist of a pair of chromatids joined together?

A 2.8%

B 7.5%

C 9.4%

D 1.8%

Your answer

Version 1 16 © OCR 2017

11 A diploid cell contains three pairs of homologous chromosomes. Each pair is
heterozygous for a pair of alleles, Aa, Bb and Cc respectively.
If this diploid cell undergoes meiosis, how many different combinations of these
genes could be produced in the haploid daughter cells?

A 6

B 8

C 16

D 64
Your answer

12 Which of the following descriptions of mitosis is/are correct?

1 DNA synthesis occurs at the beginning of prophase.
2 The nuclear envelope breaks down in prophase and reforms in telophase.
3 The division of centromeres occurs in anaphase.

A 1, 2 and 3

B Only 1 and 2

C Only 2 and 3

D Only 1
Your answer

13 At which stage of mitosis do chromosomes uncoil and new nuclear envelopes form?

A metaphase

B prophase

C anaphase

D telophase
Your answer

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14 In which stage of meiosis are chiasmata formed?

A prophase 1

B anaphase 1

C prophase 2

D telophase 2
Your answer

15 Why is the formation of chiasmata an important feature of meiosis?

A It ensures that the same genetic characteristics appear in daughter cells as in the
parent.

B It ensures that the number of genes in the new chromosomes changes to produce
variation.

C It provides opportunities for new genotypes to arise.

D It prevents homologous chromosomes from pairing.

Your answer

16 Vincristine is a chemotherapy drug used to treat cancer. It prevents spindle formation

during mitosis.

Which one of these events cannot therefore occur?

A DNA replication

B chromosome coiling

C sister chromatids becoming visible

D sister chromatid separation

Your answer

Version 1 18 © OCR 2017

17 The table shows the number of cells at each stage of the cell cycle in a root tip
meristem.

Stage Number of cells

Interphase 123

Prophase 32

Metaphase 12

Anaphase 6

Telophase 27

Total = 200

One complete cell cycle takes 24 hours. The number of cells at each stage is
proportional to the time spent at that stage.

What is the length of time spent in metaphase?

A 60.0 min

B 86.4 min

C 120.0 min

D 178.8 min
Your answer

18 How many mitotic divisions of a meristematic cell in a root tip are needed to produce
256 daughter cells?

A 8

B 16

C 32

D 64
Your answer

Version 1 19 © OCR 2017

19 Which is the longest phase in the cell cycle of human liver cells?

A prophase

B interphase

C cytokinesis

D telophase
Your answer

20 Which of the following descriptions of meiosis is/are correct?

1 Meiosis results in the formation of four daughter cells.
2 In prophase 1 and 2 the chromosomes condense.
3 Metaphase 1 is the same as metaphase in mitosis.

A 1, 2 and 3

B Only 1 and 2

C Only 2 and 3

D Only 1
Your answer

Version 1 20 © OCR 2017