Classification Biology​​ Practical Questions And Answers

BIOLOGY PRACTICAL O’LEVEL Classification | Classification Biology​​ Practical | Classification Biology​​ Practical | Classification Questions With Answers

Format

Until 2008, NECTA biology practicals contained three questions. Question 1 was required, and was a food test. Students then chose to answer either question 2 or question 3.

One of these questions was usually classification. The format changed in 2008. Now, the practical contains two questions, and both are required.

Food test and classification remain the most common questions, but sometimes only one of these two topics is on a given exam.

The second question may cover one of a variety of topics, including respiration, transport, coordination, photosynthesis, and movement.

Each question is worth 25 marks.

Common Practicals

<> Food test:​​ students must test a solution for starch, sugars, fats, and protein

<> Classification:​​ students must name and classify specimens, then answer questions about their characteristics

<> Respiration:​​ students use lime water to test air from the lungs for carbon dioxide

<> Transport:​​ students investigate osmosis by placing leaf petioles or pieces of raw potato in solutions of different solute concentrations

<> Photosynthesis:​​ students test a variegated leaf for starch to prove that chlorophyll is necessary for photosynthesis

<>Coordination:​​ students look at themselves in the mirror and answer questions about the sense organs they see

Note:​​ These are the most common practicals, but they are not necessarily the only practicals that can occur on the national exam. Biology practicals frequently change, and it is possible that a given exam will contain a new kind of question. Look through past NECTA practicals yourself to get an idea of the kind of questions that can occur

1. Classification

The classification practical requires students to identify specimens of animals, plants, and fungi. The students must write the common name, kingdom, phylum, and sometimes class of each specimen. They also answer questions about the characteristics and uses of the specimens.

This section contains the following:

• Common​​ specimens
• Sample classification practical with​​ solutions
• Common ​​ Specimens Fungi:​​ Mushroom, yeast, bread​​ mold

Plants:​​ Fern, moss, bean plant, bean seed, maize plant, maize seed, pine tree, cactus, sugar cane, Irish potato1, cypress tree, acacia tree, hibiscus leaf and cassava

Animals:​​ Millipede, centipede, grasshopper, lizard, tilapia (fish)3, scorpion, frog, tapeworm, liver fluke, cockroach and spide

Practical 01

Study the diagram below.

Explain how each of the organisms part of the organism represented by figures 1, 2 and 3​​ reproduce.

Mention the type of reproduction exhibited by the organisms/ part of organism represented by figures 1,2 and​​ 3

Write down the advantages and disadvantages of mode of reproduction represented by figure​​ 1.

Solution

Yeast (fig 2.​​ )​​ produce by budding or binary​​ fission

Pea plant reproduce sexually since it has both male and female​​ parts

(iii) Type of reproduction exhibited by organism represented above (i)

Fig 1​​ (potato tuber): exhibit asexual mode of reproduction

Fig 2.​​ (Yeast): Exhibit budding mode of reproduction

Fig 3.​​ (Pea seedpod): Exhibit sexual mode of reproduction.

Practical 02

In an ecological study a student caught an organism represented by figure 6 below

(a)​​ Name the kingdom and phylum to which the organism​​ belong

1. Name the class to which the organism belongs, give reason (s) for your​​ answer
2.  Suggest its feeding​​ habits.
3.  Suggest its mode of​​ locomotion.
4.  Suggest how the organism is adapted to its habitat ( any​​ 2)

Solution

Reason:

1. They have hard exoskeleton made of​​ calcium
2. They have had with two compound​​ eyes
3. They have two pairs of​​ antennae.
4. Feeding habits of organism (fig 6) is mainly on scraps and dead bodies​​ (scavengers)
5. Its mode of locomotion: organism uses appendages for​​ locomotion

(b)​​ Adaptation for the organism fig. 6 (lobster) to its habitat.

Has ability to lose and re-grow an appendage designed to help organism escape​​ predators.

Its compound eyes are adapted to low light​​ environment.

Organisms antennae are revered in small hairs that pick up chemicals from potential predators or prey, these​​ hairs are so​​ sensitive

Organism also developed a pair of claws that are distinct to another, one claw is large with very small teeth on​​ it that the organism uses to grab, hold and crush its​​ prey.

Practical 03

Study the specimens J, K, L, M and N provided.

1. Identify specimens J, K, L, M and N by their common​​ names.
2. Name the kingdoms for each of specimens J, K, L, M and​​ N.
3. Suggest the possible habitats for specimens J and​​ K.
4. Draw and label specimen​​ N.
5. List four (4) observable differences between specimens J and​​ K.

Solution

a.

b. Possible habitat(s) for specimen J (Grasshopper) are dry and open habitat with plenty of grass and other​​ low plants, some live in forest or jungles​​ A

c. Possible habitat(s) for specimen K (Earthworm) are in moist soil and in dead plant material; they are available in rainy forest areas as well as in fresh water.

Well labeled diagram of specimen N​​ (leaf)

d.​​ Four (4) observable differences between specimens J and K are: –

Practical 04

Carefully observe the organisms represented by diagrams A, B, C and D shown below

1. Identify the organisms represented by diagrams A,​​ B, C and D by their common​​ names.
2. Name the kingdom to which each of the organism in (a) (i) above​​ belongs
3. Which two (2) features have you used to group each organisms represented by diagrams B and D in​​ their representative​​ kingdom?
4. Name the mode of reproduction and movement for the organism represented by diagram​​ D

(i)​​ Where does the organism in diagram A​​ live?

(ii)​​ What is the economic importance of the organism in diagram C?

Solution

a. i).

ii)

Features (2) that were used to group organism B in kingdom animalia​​ are:-

1. Invertebrates:​​ it lack back​​ bones
2. It has external skeletons​​ (exoskeleton)
3. It has jointed appendages and segmented​​ body
4. Most of them are​​ unicellular
5. They take eukaryotic​​ organism
6. They take in their food through osmotrophy or​​ phagocytosis.
7. Others have flagella for​​ locomotion
8. They cause diseases. E.g. Amoeba (Amoebiasis:​​ etc.

The mode of reproduction and movement for the organism represented by diagram​​ D

The mode of reproduction for the organism represented by diagram D is either exhibit sexual reproduction​​ or a sexual reproduction by binary’​​ fission

The mode of movement for the organism represented by the diagram D is through flagellum:​​ since it has single​​ flagellum.

(i)​​ The organism in diagram A live in aquatic​​ environment.

Economic importance of the organism in diagram​​ C:

Organism is used by industry for manufacture of useful products such as enzymes; metabolites; food. (e.g. baking; brewing cheese –​​ making)

Manufacture of some antibiotics​​ etc.

YOU MUST ALSO READ

BIOLOGY PRACTICAL O’LEVEL​​​​ CLASSIFICATION I KINGDOM FUNGI 

BIOLOGY PRACTICAL O’ LEVEL ​​​​ CLASSIFICATION II KINGDOM PLANTAE

BIOLOGY PRACTICAL O’ LEVEL ​​​​ CLASSIFICATION III KINGDOM ANIMALIA

Practical 05

You are provided with specimens.​​ A, B, C, D, E and F.​​ Study them careful and then answer questions below

1.  Identify Specimen A to F by their common​​ names
2. Classify specimen A to F to class​​ level
3. What are the observable features of specimen A and​​ B?
4. What are the modes of nutrition of specimen A and​​ B?
5. What are habitats for specimens A and​​ B?

Solution

Specimen are A – Giant Millipede B – Centipede C – Lizard D- Beetle E- Cockroach F –​​ Grasshopper

Observable features of A and​​ B

1. They have hard​​ exoskeleton
2. They have one pair of​​ intimae
3. Their bodies are divided into​​ segments

Mode of​​ Nutrition

The mode of nutrition is Heterotrophic nutrition A –​​ Herbivorous

B –​​ Carnivorous

(a) Habitat of specimen A and​​ B​​ A – Moist shed​​ places

B – Moist shed places (dark)

Practical​​ 06

Your are provided with specimen D1, D2, D3, D4 and D5 grown on bread. Study them carefully and answer the questions that follow

1. Give the common name of each specimen​​ provided

2. Classify specimen D1 to D5 to Phylum Division​​ level

3. Specimen D3 is a vector of much human disease. Identify any two disease transmitted by specimen​​ D3.

4. Give three (3) adaptive feature of specimen D2 to its survival in its​​ habitat

5. Draw a large diagram of specimen D1 and label the part involved in​​ photosynthesis.

6. Write two (2)​​ economic importance of the Kingdom from which specimen​​ D5 is​​ obtained

Solution

i. Specimen

Hibiscus leaf D2 – Tilapia​​ fish​​ D3 – House fly D4 –​​ Millipede

D5 – Bread mould/ Rhizopus

Cholera,​​ Trachoma

Typhoid

They have gills for gaseous​​ exchange

They have (paired pelvic and pectoral) fins for​​ swimming

They have cycloid scales which point backwards to avoid friction when moving in​​ water.

They have streamlined​​ body

They have lateral line for​​ detection

They have swim bladder that is filled with air to regulate​​ buoyancy.

v)

Structure of a specimen D1 showing apart involved in photosynthesis

1. Cause​​ diseases
2. Spoil food​​ substances
3. Used as food e.g. edible​​ mushroom
4. Used in production of alcohol e.g​​ yeast
5. Used in production of medicine e.g​​ penicilcum.

Practical 07

A class of twelve groups of students carried out a survey of uncultivated land measuring 20 x 15 metres, with​​ twelve 5 x 5m quadrates labeled A – L. Each group counted the number of black ants, grasshoppers, spiders, beetles in each quadrate as shown in the table​​ below.

Solution

YOU MUST ALSO READ

BIOLOGY PRACTICAL O’LEVEL​​​​ CLASSIFICATION I KINGDOM FUNGI 

BIOLOGY PRACTICAL O’ LEVEL ​​​​ CLASSIFICATION II KINGDOM PLANTAE

BIOLOGY PRACTICAL O’ LEVEL ​​​​ CLASSIFICATION III KINGDOM ANIMALIA