Class 9 Science Chapter 12 MCQs – Patterns in Life: Diversity and Classification provides important multiple-choice questions with answers for Class 9 Science students. Practice questions on biodiversity, classification, five kingdoms, plant groups, animal groups, scientific names, and classification of organisms to strengthen your concepts and prepare for examinations.
1. What is biodiversity?
A. Variety of climates on Earth
B. Variety of living organisms on Earth
C. Variety of rocks on Earth
D. Variety of soils only
Answer: B. Variety of living organisms on Earth
2. Why is biodiversity important for ecosystems?
A. It makes all organisms identical
B. It helps maintain ecosystem stability and functioning
C. It prevents all environmental changes
D. It eliminates competition
Answer: B. It helps maintain ecosystem stability and functioning
3. Species that are naturally restricted to a particular geographical region are called:
A. Exotic species
B. Endemic species
C. Migratory species
D. Domestic species
Answer: B. Endemic species
4. Which of the following is an example of an endemic species mentioned in the chapter?
A. Lion-tailed macaque
B. House cat
C. Cow
D. Domestic dog
Answer: A. Lion-tailed macaque
5. A biodiversity hotspot is a region that:
A. Has no organisms
B. Has many endemic species and has undergone significant habitat loss
C. Contains only aquatic organisms
D. Has only domesticated plants
Answer: B. Has many endemic species and has undergone significant habitat loss
6. Which of the following is a biodiversity hotspot associated with India?
A. Western Ghats
B. Thar Desert only
C. Indo-Gangetic Plain only
D. Deccan Plateau only
Answer: A. Western Ghats
7. Scientists classify organisms mainly to:
A. Make all organisms similar
B. Organise and study biodiversity systematically
C. Eliminate differences among organisms
D. Prevent reproduction
Answer: B. Organise and study biodiversity systematically
8. Which of the following can be used as a criterion for classification?
A. Cell structure
B. Mode of nutrition
C. Reproduction
D. All of the above
Answer: D. All of the above
9. Which classification criterion distinguishes organisms as unicellular or multicellular?
A. Cell structure and organisation
B. Habitat only
C. Colour
D. Body temperature
Answer: A. Cell structure and organisation
10. Which of the following provides information about inherited similarities between organisms?
A. Body colour
B. Genetic similarity
C. Habitat alone
D. Body size alone
Answer: B. Genetic similarity
11. Similar features among organisms may indicate:
A. They have identical habitats
B. They evolved from common ancestors
C. They have identical diets
D. They are always the same species
Answer: B. They evolved from common ancestors
12. Who classified animals based mainly on habitat such as land, water and air?
A. Aristotle
B. Linnaeus
C. Robert Whittaker
D. Carl Woese
Answer: A. Aristotle
13. The two-kingdom classification divided organisms into:
A. Monera and Protista
B. Plantae and Animalia
C. Fungi and Plantae
D. Protista and Animalia
Answer: B. Plantae and Animalia
14. Which organism created difficulty in the two-kingdom classification because it is unicellular?
A. Amoeba
B. Mango
C. Tiger
D. Pine
Answer: A. Amoeba
15. Which kingdom was introduced to accommodate many unicellular organisms with a true nucleus?
A. Monera
B. Protista
C. Fungi
D. Plantae
Answer: B. Protista
16. Bacteria were separated from Protista mainly because bacteria:
A. Are multicellular
B. Lack a true, membrane-bound nucleus
C. Cannot reproduce
D. Have chloroplasts
Answer: B. Lack a true, membrane-bound nucleus
17. Which kingdom contains unicellular prokaryotic organisms?
A. Monera
B. Protista
C. Fungi
D. Animalia
Answer: A. Monera
18. The five-kingdom classification includes:
A. Monera, Protista, Fungi, Plantae and Animalia
B. Bacteria, Plants, Animals, Viruses and Fungi
C. Monera, Plantae, Animalia, Viruses and Protista
D. Protista, Fungi, Plants, Animals and Viruses
Answer: A. Monera, Protista, Fungi, Plantae and Animalia
19. The five-kingdom classification was proposed by:
A. Aristotle
B. Charles Darwin
C. Robert Whittaker
D. Carl Woese
Answer: C. Robert Whittaker
20. Which of the following is NOT one of the main criteria of the five-kingdom classification?
A. Cell type
B. Level of organisation
C. Mode of nutrition
D. Colour of the organism
Answer: D. Colour of the organism
21. Organisms of Kingdom Monera are generally:
A. Multicellular eukaryotes
B. Unicellular prokaryotes
C. Multicellular plants
D. Multicellular animals
Answer: B. Unicellular prokaryotes
22. Which of the following belongs to Kingdom Monera?
A. Bacterium
B. Amoeba
C. Mushroom
D. Mango tree
Answer: A. Bacterium
23. Cyanobacteria are generally:
A. Autotrophic organisms
B. Multicellular animals
C. Fungi
D. Non-living organisms
Answer: A. Autotrophic organisms
24. Cyanobacteria are important because they:
A. Cannot photosynthesise
B. Contribute to oxygen production and nutrient cycling
C. Are all disease-causing organisms
D. Are flowering plants
Answer: B. Contribute to oxygen production and nutrient cycling
25. Which kingdom mainly contains unicellular eukaryotic organisms?
A. Monera
B. Protista
C. Plantae
D. Animalia
Answer: B. Protista
26. Amoeba belongs to:
A. Monera
B. Protista
C. Fungi
D. Plantae
Answer: B. Protista
27. Fungi are generally:
A. Autotrophic prokaryotes
B. Heterotrophic eukaryotes
C. Photosynthetic animals
D. Unicellular prokaryotes only
Answer: B. Heterotrophic eukaryotes
28. The cell wall of fungi is mainly made of:
A. Cellulose
B. Chitin
C. Starch
D. Protein only
Answer: B. Chitin
29. Fungi obtain nutrients mainly by:
A. Photosynthesis
B. Absorption
C. Ingestion using a mouth
D. Producing their own food from sunlight
Answer: B. Absorption
30. Most fungi that feed on dead and decaying matter are called:
A. Parasites
B. Saprophytes
C. Autotrophs
D. Producers
Answer: B. Saprophytes
31. Which of the following is a fungus?
A. Mushroom
B. Amoeba
C. Spirogyra
D. Hydra
Answer: A. Mushroom
32. Which plant group has a simple, undifferentiated body called a thallus?
A. Thallophyta
B. Bryophyta
C. Pteridophyta
D. Angiosperms
Answer: A. Thallophyta
33. Which is an example of Thallophyta?
A. Spirogyra
B. Fern
C. Pine
D. Mango
Answer: A. Spirogyra
34. Bryophytes are often called the:
A. Birds of the plant kingdom
B. Amphibians of the plant kingdom
C. Reptiles of the plant kingdom
D. Mammals of the plant kingdom
Answer: B. Amphibians of the plant kingdom
35. Bryophytes require water mainly for:
A. Photosynthesis only
B. Reproduction
C. Seed formation
D. Fruit formation
Answer: B. Reproduction
36. Which plant group has true roots, stems and leaves and vascular tissues but does not produce seeds?
A. Thallophyta
B. Bryophyta
C. Pteridophyta
D. Angiosperms
Answer: C. Pteridophyta
37. Which tissues transport water and food in pteridophytes?
A. Epidermis and cortex
B. Xylem and phloem
C. Meristem and epidermis
D. Parenchyma and collenchyma
Answer: B. Xylem and phloem
38. Which plant group produces seeds that are not enclosed in fruits?
A. Bryophytes
B. Pteridophytes
C. Gymnosperms
D. Angiosperms
Answer: C. Gymnosperms
39. Pine and cycad are examples of:
A. Bryophytes
B. Gymnosperms
C. Angiosperms
D. Thallophytes
Answer: B. Gymnosperms
40. Which feature is characteristic of angiosperms?
A. They do not produce seeds
B. Their seeds are enclosed within fruits
C. They lack vascular tissues
D. They always require water for fertilisation
Answer: B. Their seeds are enclosed within fruits
41. Which is the most diverse plant group mentioned in the chapter?
A. Thallophyta
B. Bryophyta
C. Pteridophyta
D. Angiosperms
Answer: D. Angiosperms
42. Which structure is used as an important criterion for dividing animals into major groups in the chapter?
A. Chloroplast
B. Notochord
C. Cell wall
D. Xylem
Answer: B. Notochord
43. Animals without a notochord are broadly grouped as:
A. Vertebrates
B. Non-chordates
C. Protochordates
D. Mammals
Answer: B. Non-chordates
44. Which phylum includes sponges?
A. Porifera
B. Annelida
C. Arthropoda
D. Mollusca
Answer: A. Porifera
45. Sponges are characterised by:
A. Numerous pores through which water flows
B. Jointed legs
C. A vertebral column
D. Feathers
Answer: A. Numerous pores through which water flows
46. Which phylum includes Hydra, jellyfish and corals?
A. Porifera
B. Cnidaria
C. Nematoda
D. Mollusca
Answer: B. Cnidaria
47. Which feature is characteristic of Arthropoda?
A. Jointed appendages and an external skeleton
B. Soft body without segmentation
C. Notochord throughout life
D. Absence of any skeleton
Answer: A. Jointed appendages and an external skeleton
48. Which of the following is an arthropod?
A. Earthworm
B. Spider
C. Starfish
D. Snail
Answer: B. Spider
49. Which phylum includes earthworms?
A. Annelida
B. Arthropoda
C. Mollusca
D. Echinodermata
Answer: A. Annelida
50. Which statement about binomial nomenclature is correct?
A. A scientific name has only one word
B. The genus name is written first and begins with a capital letter
C. The species name is written first in capital letters
D. Scientific names are different in every country
Answer: B. The genus name is written first and begins with a capital letter