Question 1
1 markDuring which stage of mitosis do the chromosomes line up along the equator (middle) of the cell?
Put a cross ( ☒ ) in the box next to your answer.
☐ A anaphase
☐ B metaphase
☐ C prophase
☐ D telophase
Cell Division Practice Questions
Question 2
2 marksThe cells lining the human small intestine are worn away and are replaced every few days by cell division.
One of these lining cells divides by mitosis.
State two features of the two daughter cells that are produced.
Question 3
3 marksMitosis is part of the cell cycle.
(a)
After mitosis, the cell divides into two.
Which term describes this process?
Put a cross ( ☒ ) in the box next to your answer.
☐ A cytokinesis
☐ B interphase
☐ C metaphase
☐ D replication
(b)
State two roles of mitosis in living organisms.
Question 0
4 marksFigure 1 shows four cells from the growing tip of a plant shoot. Each cell is in a different stage of mitosis. The cells are labelled W, X, Y and Z.
Figure 1
(a)
Which is the correct order for these stages?
Put a cross ( ☒ ) in the box next to your answer.
☐ A W → X → Y → Z
☐ B Y → X → Z → W
☐ C X → Y → Z → W
☐ D Y → Z → X → W
(b)
Name the stage of mitosis shown in cell Z.
(c)
Describe what happens to the chromosomes during the stage shown in cell Z.
Question 0
3 marksA body cell from a mouse contains 40 chromosomes.
(a)
State the number of chromosomes in each daughter cell produced when this cell divides by mitosis.
(b)
At the end of interphase, this mouse cell contains 12 picograms of DNA.
Calculate the mass of DNA in each daughter cell at the end of the cell cycle. Give your answer in nanograms.
(1 nanogram =1000 picograms)
.............................................................. nanograms
Question 0
4 marksA student stained a garlic root tip and examined it with a light microscope. She recorded the stage of the cell cycle of 500 cells. Her results are shown in the table.
| Stage of cell cycle | Number of cells |
|---|---|
| interphase | 430 |
| prophase | 36 |
| metaphase | 14 |
| anaphase | 8 |
| telophase | 12 |
(a)
Calculate the percentage of the 500 cells that were undergoing mitosis.
.............................................................. %
(b)
Explain why so many of the cells in the root tip were in interphase.
Question 0
3 marksMitosis and meiosis both produce new cells, but the outcomes are different.
Complete the table to compare the outcomes of mitosis and meiosis.
| Mitosis | Meiosis | |
|---|---|---|
| Number of daughter cells produced from one parent cell | ....................... | 4 |
| Are the daughter cells genetically identical to the parent cell? | yes | ....................... |
| Are the daughter cells haploid or diploid? | ....................... | haploid |
Question 0
4 marksCancer develops when changes occur in the cells of a tissue.
(a)
What happens to the cell cycle in cancerous cells?
Put a cross ( ☒ ) in the box next to your answer.
☐ A it stops completely
☐ B it becomes uncontrolled and the cells divide more quickly
☐ C it only takes place in gametes
☐ D it produces haploid cells
(b)
A mutation occurs in a gene that controls cell division in one cell in the lining of the bowel.
Describe how this could lead to the development of a tumour.
Question 0
3 marksA scientist grew human liver cells in a dish. At the start there were 2.5×103 cells. Under these conditions the cell cycle takes 8 hours.
(a)
Calculate the number of cells that would be present after 24 hours, if every cell divides at the end of each cell cycle.
.............................................................. cells
(b)
The actual number of cells counted after 24 hours was lower than the calculated number.
Suggest one reason for this.
Question 0
6 marksThe cells at the tip of a plant root divide repeatedly, which makes the root grow longer.
Describe the cell cycle in one of these root tip cells, from the end of one cell division to the end of the next.
Your answer should refer to interphase, mitosis and cytokinesis.
Question 0
4 marksA scientist grew a sample of cells in a flask. The number of cells increased from 4.0×104 to 2.56×106. All of the cells divided by mitosis at the same rate.
(a)
Calculate the number of times each cell divided.
.............................................................. divisions
(b)
In these cells the cell cycle takes 9 hours.
Calculate the time taken for the number of cells to increase from 4.0×104 to 2.56×106. Give your answer in days.
.............................................................. days
Question 0
4 marksA chemical extracted from a plant prevents spindle fibres from forming in cells. Root tips were placed in a solution of this chemical for 12 hours. The roots stopped growing longer, and when the cells were examined under a microscope a very large proportion of them appeared to be in metaphase.
Explain these observations.