WAEC Biology 2003 Past Questions

Practice each question, then open it to see the full details.

Which of the following is not correct about human cell?

A.The basic unit of living thing is the human cell
B.All living organisms are either single or group of cell(s)
C.All the cells in organism are the same
D.There is no life apart from the in cell

(a) What is a balanced diet?

(b) (i) Name four classes of food other than proteins
(ii) Give one example of food substance for each class named

(c)(i) State three functions of proteins in humans.
(ii) Describe the appearance of a child with protein deficiency.

(d)(i) Name one organelle in a living cell that produces enzymes.
(ii) Mention two enzymes that act on proteins.

Which organ removes the largest the largest quantity of water from the blood?

A.lung
B.intestine
C.kidney
D.skin

(a) Describe the processes that occur from the time a pollen grain is deposited on the stigma of a flower to the . formation of a zygote.

(b) Explain the importance of the amniotic sac to the mammalian embryo.

(c) The following are the names of some common diseases; malaria, typhoid, amoeboid dysentry, tuberculosis, tetanus, leprosy, cholera, yellow fever, poliomyelitis, measles, common cold, small pox, influenza, chicken pox, whooping cough and trypanosomiasis. Use the format below to classify the diseases according to their causative organisms.

Viral diseases	Bacteria diseases	Protozoa diseases

In cold condition the mammalian body reacts in the following ways except

A.shivering of the body
B.dilation of the capillaries supplying blood to the skin
C.constriction of blood capillaries in the skin
D.increased rate of chaemical changes in the body

(a)(i) What is respiration?
(ii) Name two types of respiration.
(iii) Write in words the equation representing the type of respiration that occurs in the muscle during strenuous exercise.

(b) Name two diseases that can affect the above mentioned system.

(c) Mention the structures used for gaseous exchange in the following organisms:
(i) Amoeba
(ii) Cockroach
(iii) White mangrove
(iv) Hibiscus.

The glomerular filtrate contains the following substances except

A.water
B.urea
C.blood corpuscles
D.glucose

(a) What is a cell?

(b) Describe the structure and state the function of each of the following:
(i) Nucleus
(ii) Mitochnodrion.

(c)(i) Make a labelled diagram 8 cm to 10 cm long of the Euglena.
(ii) List. three animal-like features and two plant-like features of Euglena.

Which of the following endocrine glands is a master gland?

A.Pituitary gland
B.Thyroid gland
C.Pancreas
D.Ovary

(a) Name three main parts of the human brain

(b) State the functions of the following:
(i) Cerebrum
(ii) Hypothalamus
(iii) Medulla Oblongata.

(c)(i) List three organs of a higher plant that can respond to stimulus
(ii) What is tactic movement?

(d) Explain the following terms, giving one example in each case:
(I) Phototaxis
(ii) Hydrotaxis
(iii) Chemotaxis.

The endocrine gland secreting hormone that induces the thyroid gland to produce more thyroxine is

A.islets of Langerhans
B.adrenal gland
C.pituitary gland
D.parathyroid gland

(a) List four adaptive features of animals that climb rain forest trees.

(b) State five important uses of water to organisms in the tropical rain forest.

(c) Describe how temperature as an ecological factor can be measured

(d)(i) Name two scientists who have contributed to the study of evolution.
(ii) List five evidences to support the occurrence of evolution.

The part of the nervous system that interprets blinking of the eye is the

A.spinal cord
B.cerebrum
C.hind brain
D.olfactory lobe

Which of the following is the function of the iris of the mammalian eye?

A.closes and opens the eye
B.Absorbs dangerous rays from sunlight
C.regulates the amount of light entering the eye
D.bringing light rays to focus on the retina

The layer of light-sensitive cells in the human eye is called the

A.cornea
B.sclerotic layer
C.retina
D.conjunctiva

Placentation of plants is best described as the

A.arrangement of ovules in the ovary
B.arrangement of fruits on the branches
C.development of ovules in the ovary
D.formation of the pericarp from the ovary wall

The function of the amniotic fluid in humans is to

A.protect the foetus against shocks
B.remove waste products from the foetus
C.supply food and water to foetus
D.carry oxygen to the foetus

Which of the following statements about water in humans is not correct? it

A.plays an important role in temperature regulation
B.acts as solvent for substances conveyed around the body
C.plays a role in the formation of vitamin
D.is needed for many life processes

In the test for starch, the leaf is first placed in boiling water to

A.remove the chlorophyll
B.dissolved the waxy cuticle
C.kill and make the leaf permeable
D.turn it blue-black

Which of the following groups of compounds are products of the light stage of photosynthesis? I. Ribulose bi-phosphate (RuBP) II. Nicotin amide di-phosphorous (NADPH₂) III. Oxygen (O ₂) IV. Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP)

A.I,II and lll
B.l, lll and lV
C.ll,lll and lV
D.l, ll, lll and IV

Which of the following is considered to be the first product of photosynthesis?

A.Protein
B.Energised chlorophyll
C.Hydroxyl ions
D.Starch

Which of the following organisms exhibits extracellular digestion?

A.Moulds
B.Green plants
C.Algae
D.Bryophytes

Which of the following essential substances is contained in vegetables?

A.Chlorophyll
B.Glucose
C.Mineral salts
D.Carbon dioxide

Good quality food will perform the following functions in humans except

A.supplying energy
B.providing resistance against malaria
C.sustaining growth
D.maintaining health

The type of nutrition shown by Spirogyra is

A.symbiosis
B.holophytic
C.holozoic
D.chemosynthetic

Ecology is best defined as the study of

A.the characteristics of an environment
B.the inter-relationship between living organisms and their environment
C.living organisms in a particular area
D.the habitats and wildlife

Which of the following values showing the total biomass of organisms in a food chain represents the secondary consumer?

A.40,000
B.3,000
C.20
D.1

Which of the following environmental factors is not considered in a terrestial habitat?

A.Temperature
B.Sunlight
C.Humidity
D.Turbidity

The gas produced during decomposition of matter is

A.hydrogen sulphide
B.carbon monoxide
C.chlorine
D.oxygen

Fish cannot survive on land because it has

A.a body covered with scales
B.a streamlined body
C.no lungs
D.no walking appendages

Pneumatophores are essential for

A.nutrition
B.movement
C.breathing
D.growth

Which of the following will have the least effect on the rate of change of the numbers in a population?

A.food supply
B.mutation
C.predation
D.disease

Competition among individuals of a population increases the

A.number of organisms
B.survival of the fittest
C.availability of nutrient supplied
D.enlargement of the territory

Rabbits cannot survive in an aquatic because they have

A.fore-and hind-limbs
B.no gills
C.no fins
D.no scales

Viruses are pathogens of the following diseases except

A.measles
B.smallpox
C.poliomyelitis
D.tuberculosis

Renewable resources are formed by

A.animals that reproduce sexually
B.organisms confined to forest reserves
C.organisms that are constantly regenerating themselves
D.plants and animals that can reproduce sexually

Forest conservation includes the following except

A.prevention of bush-fires
B.extensive felling of forest trees
C.replacing of harvested trees by planting seedlings
D.selective exploitation of forest trees

Legumes incorporate nitrogen gas into their proteins because

A.of the presence of Azotobacter in their roots
B.they possess root nodules containing Rhizobium
C.they have a well developed root system
D.they are autotrophic

Which of the following is an example of discontinuous variation?

A.the range in height of a pea plant from 30cm to 50cm
B.Offspring, including the two male cats and three female cats
C.the colour of pear plants grown in the dark
D.the adult body weight ranging from 50 kg t0 95 kg

Which of following pairs of scientists discovered the Rhesus factor in human blood?

A.Hooke and Lavine
B.Darwin and Landsteiner
C.Landsteiner and Lavine
D.Hooke and Darwin

The organic molecule (s) present in the nucleus is/are

A.DNA
B.Protein, RNA andDNA
C.RNA and ATP
D.RNA

In an experiment, a red-flowered plant was crossed with another red-flowered plant and the following results were obtained: 448 red flowers and 154 white flowers in the F₁ generation.
Which of the following represents the phenotypic ratio of the above genetic cross?

A.1:2:1
B.4:1
C.3:1
D.2:2

In an experiment, a red-flowered plant was crossed with another red-flowered plant and the following results were obtained: 448 red flowers and 154 white flowers in the F₁ generation.Which of the following represents the genotypes of the parents if R is for red gene and r for white gene?

A.RR X Rr
B.RR X rr
C.rr x rr
D.Rr x Rr

In Mendel's experiments, it was discovered that the skin of an African can be attributed to

A.a blending of black and white genes
B.recombination of genes
C.loss of the epidermis
D.mutation in the skin cells

Sickle-cell anaemia has persisted in the human race due to

A.lack of proper medical care for sicklers
B.carriers being more resistant to malaria
C.mosquito vectors
D.wildlife intermediate hosts

Which of the following is not a behavioural adaptation used by social animals?

A.Cryptic
B.Mimicry
C.Flash
D.Season

In natural selection, Darwin proposed that evolution occurred because of the following conditions except

A.food and other needs are abundant
B.there is a fierce competition among the offsprings
C.That the weaker offsprings are eliminated
D.That nature selects those that will survive to reproduce their kind