Life processes
What is the process by which green plants make their own food using sunlight?
Photosynthesis
What is a reflex action?Give one example
An involuntary, sudden response to a stimulus. E.g. withdrawing hand from a hot object.
What is the mode of reproduction in Hydra?
Budding
Who is known as the Father of Genetics?
What is a food chain? Give one example
Series showing energy transfer from producers to consumers. E.g. Grass -> Grasshopper -> Frog -> Snake -> Eagle
Name the tiny pores on leaves through which gaseous exchange takes place.
Stomata
Name the hormone secreted by the pancreas to lower blood sugar
Insulin
: Name the male and female reproductive parts of a flower
Stamen (male) and Pistil/Carpel (female)
What are dominant and recessive traits? Give one example of each.
Dominant: expressed with one copy (e.g. tall pea). Recessive: expressed only when both copies present (e.g. dwarf pea).
Define biodegradable waste. Eg?
Waste broken down by microorganisms into simpler substances. E.g. vegetable peels
Which enzyme in saliva begins the digestion of starch?
Salivary amylase
Which part of the brain controls balance and posture
Cerebellum
What is the function of the placenta in humans?
Provides nutrition and oxygen to the foetus and removes waste products.
How many chromosomes are present in a human somatic cell?
46 (23 pairs)
What is the 10% law in ecology?
Only 10% of energy is transferred from one trophic level to the next; the rest is lost as heat.
What is the role of the diaphragm in the human breathing process?
It contracts and flattens to increase chest volume and draw air into the lungs.
What is the function of the synapse in the nervous system?
Junction between two neurons where nerve impulses are transmitted via neurotransmitters
Distinguish between sexual and asexual reproduction
Asexual: one parent, no gamete fusion, identical offspring. Sexual: two parents, gametes fuse, genetic variation in offspring.
What is the difference between inherited and acquired traits?
Inherited: passed via genes (e.g. eye colour). Acquired: developed in lifetime, not passed on (e.g. a scar).
What is ozone and why is its depletion harmful?
Ozone (O3) absorbs UV radiation. Its depletion allows UV rays to reach Earth, causing skin cancer and harming ecosystems.
Differentiate between aerobic and anaerobic respiration with one example each
Aerobic: uses oxygen, produces CO2 + water (e.g. humans). Anaerobic: no oxygen, produces lactic acid or ethanol (e.g. yeast or muscle cells).
Explain how feedback mechanisms regulate hormone secretion with one example
When hormone levels rise, the body signals the gland to reduce production. E.g. insulin and glucagon regulate blood glucose in opposite ways.
Why is DNA copying essential in reproduction? What happens if errors occur?
DNA copying passes genetic info to offspring. Errors (mutations) cause variations - some harmful, some beneficial, driving evolution
Explain Mendel's Law of Segregation with a monohybrid cross.
Alleles separate during gamete formation. In Tt x Tt cross, offspring ratio is 1TT : 2Tt : 1tt (3 tall : 1 dwarf).
What are the consequences of over-exploiting resources? Suggest two sustainable practices
Consequences: biodiversity loss, soil erosion, climate change. Sustainable: use solar energy instead of fossil fuels; recycle waste to reduce landfill.