TNPSC Group 1 - Life science basics: classification, evolution, genetics. Online Test (MCQ Quiz)

1. Which biological classification system places organisms into domains and kingdoms?

A) Linnaean Taxonomy B) Whittaker's Five Kingdoms C) Woese's Three Domains D) Aristotelian Classification

2. The process by which new species arise is called:

A) Adaptation B) Natural Selection C) Speciation D) Mutation

3. Mendel's experiments with pea plants primarily demonstrated the principles of:

A) Natural Selection B) Genetic Inheritance C) Cellular Respiration D) Photosynthesis

4. Which of the following is the smallest unit of heredity?

A) Chromosome B) DNA C) Gene D) Allele

5. The theory of evolution by natural selection was proposed by:

A) Gregor Mendel B) Charles Darwin C) Jean-Baptiste Lamarck D) Alfred Russel Wallace

6. What are the basic building blocks of DNA?

A) Amino acids B) Nucleotides C) Fatty acids D) Sugars

7. The process of change in the heritable characteristics of biological populations over successive generations is known as:

A) Genomics B) Development C) Evolution D) Metabolism

8. A change in the DNA sequence is called a:

A) Gene expression B) Mutation C) Replication D) Transcription

9. Which of the following is a key component of Darwin's theory of evolution?

A) Inheritance of acquired characteristics B) Use and disuse of organs C) Survival of the fittest D) Lamarckian inheritance

10. The different forms of a gene are called:

A) Chromosomes B) Genotypes C) Alleles D) Phenotypes

11. The common ancestor of all life on Earth is believed to be:

A) A simple eukaryotic cell B) A multicellular organism C) A universal common ancestor (LUCA) D) A virus

12. Which scientist is known as the 'Father of Genetics'?

A) Charles Darwin B) Louis Pasteur C) Gregor Mendel D) James Watson

13. The process where an organism better adapted to its environment tends to survive and produce more offspring is called:

A) Genetic drift B) Gene flow C) Natural selection D) Artificial selection

14. What is the structure that carries genetic information in most organisms?

A) Ribosomes B) Mitochondria C) Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) D) Endoplasmic reticulum

15. The study of the evolutionary history of species is called:

A) Ontogeny B) Phylogeny C) Embryology D) Paleontology

16. Which of the following is a characteristic of a prokaryotic cell?

A) Presence of a nucleus B) Membrane-bound organelles C) Lack of a nucleus D) Complex multicellularity

17. The mechanism by which genes are passed from parents to offspring is called:

A) Evolution B) Heredity C) Mutation D) Adaptation

18. Fossil evidence suggests that life on Earth first appeared approximately how many billion years ago?

A) 1.5 B) 2.5 C) 3.5 D) 4.5

19. What is the term for the observable physical characteristics of an organism?

A) Genotype B) Phenotype C) Allele D) Karyotype

20. Which of the following is an example of a homologous structure, indicating common ancestry?

A) The wings of a butterfly and the wings of a bird B) The flippers of a whale and the arms of a human C) The eyes of a squid and the eyes of a human D) The thorns of a cactus and the spines of a porcupine

21. The genetic makeup of an organism is called its:

A) Phenotype B) Genotype C) Karyotype D) Chromotype

22. Which domain of life includes organisms with cells that lack a nucleus and membrane-bound organelles?

A) Eukarya B) Archaea C) Bacteria D) Both Archaea and Bacteria

23. Lamarck's theory of evolution was primarily based on the concept of:

A) Differential survival B) Inheritance of acquired characteristics C) Genetic mutation D) Common descent

24. The process by which genetic material is exchanged between different organisms, leading to new combinations of genes, is called:

A) Mutation B) Recombination C) Segregation D) Independent assortment

25. Which of the following is a vestigial structure in humans?

A) The appendix B) The thumb C) The brain D) The heart

26. The study of the distribution of species and ecosystems in geographic space and through geological time is called:

A) Ecology B) Biogeography C) Paleontology D) Taxonomy

27. What are the four main types of biological macromolecules?

A) Carbohydrates, Lipids, Proteins, Nucleic Acids B) Amino Acids, Fatty Acids, Nucleotides, Sugars C) Vitamins, Minerals, Water, Oxygen D) Cells, Tissues, Organs, Organ Systems

28. The process of cell division that results in two daughter cells each having the same number and kind of chromosomes as the parent nucleus, typical of ordinary tissue growth is called:

A) Meiosis B) Mitosis C) Binary fission D) Budding

29. Which of the following is a source of genetic variation?

A) Mitosis B) Meiosis C) Natural selection D) Genetic drift

30. The gradual change in the inherited traits of a population over many generations is the definition of:

A) Adaptation B) Evolution C) Speciation D) Mutation

31. According to modern synthesis, evolution is defined as:

A) The change in allele frequencies in a population over time B) The accumulation of mutations C) The survival of the fittest individuals D) The inheritance of acquired traits

32. Which of the following is an example of an analogous structure?

A) The forelimb of a human and the wing of a bat B) The fins of a fish and the flippers of a dolphin C) The wings of a bird and the wings of an insect D) The heart of a mammal and the heart of a reptile

33. The study of fossils is called:

A) Genetics B) Evolution C) Paleontology D) Taxonomy

34. Which term describes the process where organisms with traits better suited to their environment are more likely to survive and reproduce?

A) Genetic drift B) Artificial selection C) Natural selection D) Gene flow

35. DNA replication results in:

A) Two identical DNA molecules B) Two different DNA molecules C) One DNA molecule D) Four DNA molecules

36. The classification of organisms into a hierarchical system is known as:

A) Evolution B) Genetics C) Taxonomy D) Ecology

37. Which of the following is a major driving force of evolution?

A) Genetic drift B) Gene flow C) Mutation D) All of the above

38. The process of transcription involves the synthesis of:

A) DNA from RNA B) RNA from DNA C) Protein from RNA D) RNA from protein

39. Which kingdom in the five-kingdom system includes multicellular, eukaryotic organisms that are heterotrophic and have cell walls made of chitin?

A) Protista B) Plantae C) Animalia D) Fungi

40. The study of the development of an organism from fertilization to birth is called:

A) Genetics B) Evolution C) Embryology D) Ecology

41. What is the term for the complete set of genes or genetic material present in a cell or organism?

A) Phenotype B) Karyotype C) Genome D) Allele

42. Which of the following is a characteristic of the domain Eukarya?

A) Cells lack a nucleus B) Cells have membrane-bound organelles C) Usually unicellular D) Ribosomes are the largest type

43. The idea that organisms evolve through the inheritance of traits acquired during their lifetime is attributed to:

A) Charles Darwin B) Alfred Russel Wallace C) Jean-Baptiste Lamarck D) Gregor Mendel

44. What is the process where a single cell divides into two or more daughter cells?

A) Mutation B) Replication C) Cell division D) Transcription

45. The genetic code is read in units of three nucleotides called:

A) Genes B) Codons C) Alleles D) Chromosomes

46. Which of the following is NOT a mechanism of evolution?

A) Mutation B) Natural selection C) Genetic drift D) Gene silencing

47. The study of how traits are passed down from one generation to the next is called:

A) Evolution B) Genetics C) Ecology D) Taxonomy

48. Which of the following is a concept central to Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection?

A) Inheritance of acquired characteristics B) Random mutation C) Differential reproductive success D) Use and disuse of organs

49. The process of protein synthesis from an mRNA template is called:

A) Transcription B) Replication C) Translation D) Transduction

50. Which of the following is a key difference between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells?

A) Presence of a cell wall B) Presence of cytoplasm C) Presence of a nucleus D) Presence of ribosomes

Life science basics: classification, evolution, genetics. - Online Test

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