1. What is considered the basic structural and functional unit of life?
A. Tissue
B. Organ
C. Cell
D. Organ system
Answer: C. Cell
2. Which scientist first observed cells in a thin slice of cork?
A. Antonie van Leeuwenhoek
B. Robert Hooke
C. Robert Brown
D. Schleiden
Answer: B. Robert Hooke
3. Who observed living cells using a microscope?
A. Robert Hooke
B. Antonie van Leeuwenhoek
C. Matthias Schleiden
D. Theodor Schwann
Answer: B. Antonie van Leeuwenhoek
4. Which structure controls most activities of a cell?
A. Cell wall
B. Cytoplasm
C. Nucleus
D. Vacuole
Answer: C. Nucleus
5. The jelly-like substance present between the cell membrane and nucleus is called:
A. Cell wall
B. Cytoplasm
C. Nucleoplasm
D. Chromatin
Answer: B. Cytoplasm
6. Which organelle is known as the powerhouse of the cell?
A. Ribosome
B. Golgi apparatus
C. Mitochondrion
D. Vacuole
Answer: C. Mitochondrion
7. Which cell organelle is mainly responsible for photosynthesis in plant cells?
A. Mitochondria
B. Chloroplast
C. Ribosome
D. Lysosome
Answer: B. Chloroplast
8. The cell membrane is also called:
A. Plasma membrane
B. Nuclear membrane
C. Cell wall
D. Tonoplast
Answer: A. Plasma membrane
9. Which structure is present in plant cells but generally absent in animal cells?
A. Cell membrane
B. Cytoplasm
C. Cell wall
D. Nucleus
Answer: C. Cell wall
10. The cell wall of plant cells is mainly made up of:
A. Protein
B. Cellulose
C. Lipid
D. Starch
Answer: B. Cellulose
11. Which organelle is involved in the packaging and transport of materials inside the cell?
A. Golgi apparatus
B. Ribosome
C. Nucleus
D. Chloroplast
Answer: A. Golgi apparatus
12. Which organelle is mainly associated with protein synthesis?
A. Ribosome
B. Lysosome
C. Vacuole
D. Mitochondrion
Answer: A. Ribosome
13. Which organelle contains digestive enzymes and can break down cellular waste?
A. Chloroplast
B. Lysosome
C. Ribosome
D. Golgi apparatus
Answer: B. Lysosome
14. Which organelle is involved in the synthesis of proteins and lipids?
A. Endoplasmic reticulum
B. Lysosome
C. Vacuole
D. Nucleus
Answer: A. Endoplasmic reticulum
15. Which type of endoplasmic reticulum has ribosomes attached to its surface?
A. Smooth ER
B. Rough ER
C. Circular ER
D. Vacuolar ER
Answer: B. Rough ER
16. Smooth endoplasmic reticulum is mainly associated with:
A. Lipid synthesis
B. Photosynthesis
C. DNA replication only
D. Cell division only
Answer: A. Lipid synthesis
17. Which organelle contains chlorophyll?
A. Mitochondrion
B. Chloroplast
C. Golgi apparatus
D. Lysosome
Answer: B. Chloroplast
18. Which structure contains the genetic material of the cell?
A. Vacuole
B. Nucleus
C. Cell wall
D. Golgi apparatus
Answer: B. Nucleus
19. Chromosomes are mainly composed of:
A. DNA and proteins
B. Lipids and starch
C. Cellulose and proteins
D. RNA and lipids only
Answer: A. DNA and proteins
20. Which of the following is usually larger in a plant cell than in an animal cell?
A. Nucleus
B. Central vacuole
C. Ribosome
D. Mitochondrion
Answer: B. Central vacuole
21. What is the main function of a vacuole in a plant cell?
A. Protein synthesis
B. Storage of substances and maintenance of cell turgidity
C. Photosynthesis
D. Production of chromosomes
Answer: B. Storage of substances and maintenance of cell turgidity
22. Movement of molecules from a region of higher concentration to a region of lower concentration is called:
A. Osmosis
B. Diffusion
C. Active transport
D. Endocytosis
Answer: B. Diffusion
23. The movement of water through a selectively permeable membrane is called:
A. Diffusion
B. Osmosis
C. Respiration
D. Transpiration
Answer: B. Osmosis
24. Which structure controls the movement of substances into and out of the cell?
A. Cell wall
B. Plasma membrane
C. Nucleus
D. Cytoplasm
Answer: B. Plasma membrane
25. The plasma membrane is described as selectively permeable because it:
A. Allows all substances to pass through it
B. Does not allow any substance to pass through it
C. Allows certain substances to pass through it
D. Allows only water to pass through it
Answer: C. Allows certain substances to pass through it
26. Which of the following is a characteristic feature of a plant cell?
A. Cell wall and chloroplasts
B. Centrioles only
C. Absence of vacuoles
D. Absence of a cell membrane
Answer: A. Cell wall and chloroplasts
27. Which organelle helps in cellular respiration and releases usable energy?
A. Chloroplast
B. Mitochondrion
C. Golgi apparatus
D. Vacuole
Answer: B. Mitochondrion
28. Which cell organelle is surrounded by a double membrane and contains its own genetic material?
A. Mitochondrion
B. Lysosome
C. Golgi apparatus
D. Ribosome
Answer: A. Mitochondrion
29. Which of the following is NOT a membrane-bound organelle?
A. Mitochondrion
B. Golgi apparatus
C. Ribosome
D. Lysosome
Answer: C. Ribosome
30. Why are cells called the building blocks of life?
A. All cells are identical
B. Cells form the basic structural and functional units of living organisms
C. Cells are always visible to the naked eye
D. Cells contain only one organelle
Answer: B. Cells form the basic structural and functional units of living organisms
31. Which statement about a cell is correct?
A. All cells have the same shape and size
B. All cells perform exactly the same function
C. Cells differ in shape, size and function
D. Cells are found only in plants
Answer: C. Cells differ in shape, size and function
32. Which of the following organisms consists of a single cell?
A. Human
B. Mango tree
C. Amoeba
D. Earthworm
Answer: C. Amoeba
33. An organism made up of many cells is called:
A. Unicellular
B. Multicellular
C. Acellular
D. Prokaryotic only
Answer: B. Multicellular
34. Which of the following is an example of a unicellular organism?
A. Amoeba
B. Human
C. Rose plant
D. Dog
Answer: A. Amoeba
35. Which part of the cell provides a boundary between the cell and its surroundings?
A. Nucleus
B. Plasma membrane
C. Ribosome
D. Cytoplasm
Answer: B. Plasma membrane
36. What happens to a plant cell when placed in a hypotonic solution?
A. It loses water and shrinks
B. It gains water and becomes turgid
C. It remains unchanged
D. Its cell wall disappears
Answer: B. It gains water and becomes turgid
37. What happens to an animal cell when placed in a strongly hypotonic solution?
A. It may swell and burst
B. It always becomes turgid without any change
C. It loses water and shrinks
D. It becomes a plant cell
Answer: A. It may swell and burst
38. A cell placed in a hypertonic solution generally:
A. Gains water
B. Loses water
C. Does not exchange water
D. Produces more chlorophyll
Answer: B. Loses water
39. The shrinking of the cell contents away from the cell wall in a plant cell due to loss of water is called:
A. Diffusion
B. Plasmolysis
C. Endocytosis
D. Respiration
Answer: B. Plasmolysis
40. Which structure prevents a plant cell from bursting when excess water enters?
A. Nucleus
B. Cell wall
C. Ribosome
D. Golgi apparatus
Answer: B. Cell wall
41. Which organelle is called the control centre of the cell?
A. Mitochondrion
B. Nucleus
C. Vacuole
D. Ribosome
Answer: B. Nucleus
42. What is the function of chromosomes?
A. They produce food directly
B. They carry hereditary information
C. They digest waste materials
D. They store water
Answer: B. They carry hereditary information
43. Which structure separates the nucleus from the cytoplasm?
A. Cell wall
B. Nuclear membrane
C. Plasma membrane
D. Tonoplast
Answer: B. Nuclear membrane
44. Which organelle is known for intracellular digestion?
A. Lysosome
B. Chloroplast
C. Ribosome
D. Golgi apparatus
Answer: A. Lysosome
45. Which organelle modifies, sorts and packages materials produced inside the cell?
A. Golgi apparatus
B. Mitochondrion
C. Ribosome
D. Nucleus
Answer: A. Golgi apparatus
46. Which type of endoplasmic reticulum lacks ribosomes on its surface?
A. Rough ER
B. Smooth ER
C. Nuclear ER
D. Granular ER
Answer: B. Smooth ER
47. Which cell organelle helps in detoxification of drugs and poisons, particularly in certain cells?
A. Smooth endoplasmic reticulum
B. Ribosome
C. Chloroplast
D. Vacuole
Answer: A. Smooth endoplasmic reticulum
48. Which of the following pairs is correctly matched?
A. Ribosome — Photosynthesis
B. Chloroplast — Protein synthesis
C. Mitochondrion — Energy release
D. Lysosome — Storage of water
Answer: C. Mitochondrion — Energy release
49. Which statement correctly compares plant and animal cells?
A. Plant cells have no cell membrane
B. Animal cells generally lack a cell wall and chloroplasts
C. Animal cells always have a large central vacuole
D. Plant cells do not contain mitochondria
Answer: B. Animal cells generally lack a cell wall and chloroplasts
50. Why is the cell membrane important for a living cell?
A. It produces all proteins
B. It controls the movement of substances into and out of the cell
C. It stores all genetic material
D. It performs photosynthesis in every cell
Answer: B. It controls the movement of substances into and out of the cell