1. Who is known as the "Father of Genetics"?
A. Charles Darwin
B. Gregor Johann Mendel
C. Jean-Baptiste Lamarck
D. Thomas Hunt Morgan
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Answer: B. Gregor Johann Mendel
Explanation: Gregor Mendel formulated the fundamental laws of inheritance through his experiments on garden pea plants.
2. Which plant was selected by Mendel for his inheritance experiments?
A. Wild Mustard
B. Garden Pea (Pisum sativum)
C. Sweet Pea
D. Sunflower
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Answer: B. Garden Pea (Pisum sativum)
Explanation: Mendel selected garden pea plants because of contrasting visible traits, short lifespan, and self-pollinating nature.
3. What is the phenotypic ratio obtained in the F2 generation of a monohybrid cross?
A. 1 : 2 : 1
B. 3 : 1
C. 9 : 3 : 3 : 1
D. 2 : 1
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Answer: B. 3 : 1
Explanation: In a monohybrid cross (e.g., Tall vs Short), 3 dominant phenotypes appear for every 1 recessive phenotype in F2 generation.
4. What is the genotypic ratio obtained in the F2 generation of a monohybrid cross?
A. 3 : 1
B. 1 : 2 : 1
C. 9 : 3 : 3 : 1
D. 1 : 1 : 1
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Answer: B. 1 : 2 : 1
Explanation: The genotypic ratio in F2 monohybrid cross is 1 TT (Homozygous Tall) : 2 Tt (Heterozygous Tall) : 1 tt (Homozygous Dwarf).
5. What is the phenotypic ratio in the F2 generation of a dihybrid cross?
A. 3 : 1
B. 1 : 2 : 1
C. 9 : 3 : 3 : 1
D. 12 : 3 : 1
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Answer: C. 9 : 3 : 3 : 1
Explanation: A dihybrid cross involving two traits yields 9 double-dominant, 3 dominant-recessive, 3 recessive-dominant, and 1 double-recessive offspring.
6. A cross between two individuals considering only one pair of contrasting characters is called a:
A. Dihybrid cross
B. Monohybrid cross
C. Back cross
D. Test cross
Show Answer
Answer: B. Monohybrid cross
Explanation: Monohybrid cross studies the inheritance of a single character like plant height (Tall vs Dwarf).
7. The character that expresses itself in the F1 generation is called:
A. Recessive trait
B. Dominant trait
C. Acquired trait
D. Hybrid trait
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Answer: B. Dominant trait
Explanation: Dominant traits mask the expression of recessive traits when present together in heterozygous condition (e.g. Tt is Tall).
8. Sex determination in human children is determined by chromosome contributed by:
A. Mother only
B. Father only
C. Both father and mother equally
D. Environment/temperature
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Answer: B. Father only
Explanation: Mothers carry XX chromosomes (contributing X). Fathers carry XY chromosomes, contributing X (female offspring) or Y (male offspring).
9. How many pairs of chromosomes are present in a normal human cell?
A. 22 pairs
B. 23 pairs (46 total)
C. 24 pairs
D. 48 pairs
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Answer: B. 23 pairs (46 total)
Explanation: Human body cells contain 23 pairs of chromosomes, consisting of 22 pairs of autosomes and 1 pair of sex chromosomes.
10. Chromosomes that determine the biological sex of a human individual are called:
A. Autosomes
B. Sex chromosomes (Allosomes)
C. Somatic chromosomes
D. Homologous chromosomes
Show Answer
Answer: B. Sex chromosomes (Allosomes)
Explanation: The 23rd pair of chromosomes (XX in females and XY in males) determines sex.
11. A human female child inherits sex chromosomes set as:
Show Answer
Answer: B. XX
Explanation: Females carry two X sex chromosomes (XX), inheriting one X from mother and one X from father.
12. Traits acquired by an organism during its lifetime due to environmental conditions are:
A. Passed on to progeny
B. Inherited traits
C. Non-inheritable (Acquired traits)
D. Genetic traits
Show Answer
Answer: C. Non-inheritable (Acquired traits)
Explanation: Acquired traits (like muscle mass or weight loss) alter non-reproductive somatic tissues and are not passed to offspring.
13. Theory of Natural Selection as the main mechanism of evolution was proposed by:
A. Jean-Baptiste Lamarck
B. Charles Darwin
C. Gregor Mendel
D. Hugo de Vries
Show Answer
Answer: B. Charles Darwin
Explanation: Charles Darwin authored 'On the Origin of Species', explaining evolution via natural selection.
14. Organs having similar basic structure and origin but performing different functions are called:
A. Analogous organs
B. Homologous organs
C. Vestigial organs
D. Fossilized organs
Show Answer
Answer: B. Homologous organs
Explanation: Homologous organs (e.g. forelimbs of human, bat, and frog) share a common evolutionary origin.
15. Which of the following is an example of homologous organs?
A. Wings of butterfly and wings of bat
B. Forelimbs of human and forelimbs of frog
C. Wings of bird and wings of insect
D. Eye of octopus and eye of mammal
Show Answer
Answer: B. Forelimbs of human and forelimbs of frog
Explanation: Forelimbs of frog and human have identical skeletal framework despite serving different adaptations.
16. Organs having different basic structures and origin but performing similar functions are called:
A. Homologous organs
B. Analogous organs
C. Vestigial organs
D. Genetic organs
Show Answer
Answer: B. Analogous organs
Explanation: Analogous organs (e.g. bat wings vs bird wings) evolve independently to execute identical functions due to environmental pressures.
17. Remains or preserved impressions of ancient dead organisms found in earth strata are known as:
A. Homologues
B. Analogues
C. Fossils
D. Genes
Show Answer
Answer: C. Fossils
Explanation: Fossils provide direct palaeontological evidence for evolutionary links across geological history.
18. Archaeopteryx is an important fossil link showing evolutionary connection between:
A. Amphibians and Reptiles
B. Reptiles and Birds
C. Birds and Mammals
D. Fishes and Amphibians
Show Answer
Answer: B. Reptiles and Birds
Explanation: Archaeopteryx possessed reptilian teeth/tail alongside avian feathers and wings, bridging reptiles to birds.
19. Process of origin of new species from existing species over generations is called:
A. Speciation
B. Hybridization
C. Fertilization
D. Mutation
Show Answer
Answer: A. Speciation
Explanation: Geographical isolation and genetic drift lead to reproductive isolation and speciation.
20. Which factor is primarily responsible for speciation in geographically separated populations?
A. Equal gene flow
B. Geographical isolation and Genetic drift
C. Constant environment
D. Same mating habits
Show Answer
Answer: B. Geographical isolation and Genetic drift
Explanation: Physical barriers block interbreeding between groups, allowing mutations and drift to form distinct new species.
21. Cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, and kale are all cultivated varieties evolved from wild mustard through:
A. Natural Selection
B. Artificial Selection
C. Genetic Drift
D. Self-pollination
Show Answer
Answer: B. Artificial Selection
Explanation: Humans selectively bred wild mustard plants over thousands of years to create distinct vegetable crops.
22. The genetic makeup of an organism represented by letter symbols (e.g. TT, Tt, tt) is called its:
A. Phenotype
B. Genotype
C. Karyotype
D. Allele
Show Answer
Answer: B. Genotype
Explanation: Genotype is the underlying genetic constitution, whereas phenotype is the observable physical appearance.
23. In some reptiles like turtles and lizards, sex determination is dependent on:
A. Chromosomes
B. Incubation temperature of eggs
C. Size of eggs
D. Age of parents
Show Answer
Answer: B. Incubation temperature of eggs
Explanation: Environmental temperature during egg incubation dictates whether hatchlings become male or female in certain reptiles.
24. Method used to determine the exact age of fossils by measuring radioactive isotopes is:
A. Radiocarbon dating
B. Relative layer dating
C. DNA sequencing
D. Cytological study
Show Answer
Answer: A. Radiocarbon dating
Explanation: Radiometric dating computes radioactive decay of Carbon-14 or Uranium isotopes to determine absolute fossil age.
25. Gene is a specific segment of which biomolecule?
A. Carbohydrate
B. Protein
C. DNA
D. Lipid
Show Answer
Answer: C. DNA
Explanation: Genes are functional segments of DNA molecules carrying instructions for synthesizing specific proteins.
26. Human species (Homo sapiens) originated geographically in which continent?
A. Asia
B. Europe
C. Africa
D. Australia
Show Answer
Answer: C. Africa
Explanation: Genetic and fossil tracing confirms that earliest Homo sapiens ancestors originated in Africa before migrating globally.
27. If a pure tall pea plant (TT) is crossed with a pure dwarf pea plant (tt), what will be the phenotype of F1 generation?
A. All Dwarf
B. All Tall
C. 50% Tall and 50% Dwarf
D. Medium height
Show Answer
Answer: B. All Tall
Explanation: All F1 offspring inherit Tt genotype. Since dominant allele 'T' suppresses 't', all F1 plants appear tall.
28. Accumulation of variations over long periods of time leads to:
A. Extinction of all life
B. Evolution of new traits and species
C. Reduction in biological diversity
D. Identical offspring
Show Answer
Answer: B. Evolution of new traits and species
Explanation: DNA copying errors generate variations, which naturally select over generations to drive biological evolution.
29. An individual having two identical alleles for a particular character (e.g., TT or tt) is called:
A. Heterozygous
B. Homozygous
C. Hemizygous
D. Hybrid
Show Answer
Answer: B. Homozygous
Explanation: Homozygous individuals carry two matching gene copies (alleles) for a specific locus (e.g. TT or tt).
30. Feathers evolved initially in dinosaurs for thermal insulation before being adapted for flight in:
A. Mammals
B. Birds
C. Amphibians
D. Reptiles
Show Answer
Answer: B. Birds
Explanation: Fossils prove feathers provided warmth in dinosaurs before being adapted for powered flight in birds.
