JAMB UTME - Biology - 2018
Question 1 Report
How many days does it take for incubation of an egg to release chick?
Answer Details
The incubation period for chicken eggs is generally 21 days. This means that after a fertilized egg is laid by a hen and is kept at the appropriate temperature and humidity in an incubator, it will take approximately 21 days for the chick to develop and hatch out of the eggshell. During this period, the egg goes through several stages of development. In the first week, the embryo's circulatory system, nervous system, and digestive system start to form. In the second week, the chick's beak, wings, and claws begin to develop. And in the third week, the chick grows rapidly and prepares to break through the shell using its egg tooth, a small point on its beak. It's important to note that the incubation period can vary slightly depending on factors such as the breed of chicken and the temperature and humidity in the incubator. However, 21 days is the average incubation period for chicken eggs.
Question 2 Report
The yellowish colored liquid component of blood that normally holds the blood cells in suspension is
Answer Details
Blood plasma is a yellowish liquid component of blood that normally holds the blood cells in whole blood in suspension. In other words, it is the liquid part of the blood that carries cells and proteins throughout the body. It makes up about 55% of the body's total blood volume.
Question 3 Report
Man can contact tapeworm through
Answer Details
Yes, a person can come into contact with tapeworms by ingesting uncooked or undercooked meat that contains tapeworm larvae. Tapeworms can infect animals such as cows, pigs, and fish, and when humans eat infected meat, they can get infected too. This is why it's important to cook meat thoroughly and to wash fruits and vegetables before eating them. Contact with tapeworms cannot occur through breathing or simple physical contact with an infected person or animal.
Question 4 Report
Etiolation is causes by the influence of
Answer Details
Etiolation is caused by the influence of LIGHT. Etiolation refers to the physical changes that occur in a plant when it is grown in the absence of sufficient light. When a plant does not receive enough light, it elongates its stem and leaves to reach for the light source. This results in a spindly, pale appearance, as the plant allocates its resources towards vertical growth rather than producing chlorophyll and other pigments needed for photosynthesis. Therefore, the absence of light, or insufficient light, is the primary cause of etiolation. While mineral salts, water, and carbon dioxide are all necessary for plant growth, they do not directly cause etiolation.
Question 5 Report
Which is an animal without red blood cells?
Answer Details
While humans and many other species have red blood, due to the iron in their hemoglobin, other animals have different colored blood. Spiders (as well as horseshoe crabs and certain other arthropods) have blue blood due to the presence of copper-based hemocyanin in their blood. Some animals, such as the sea cucumbers, even have yellow blood. What could make blood yellow? The yellow coloration is due to a high concentration of the yellow vanadium-based pigment, vanabin. Unlike hemoglobin and hemocyanin, vanabin does not seem to be involved in oxygen transport.
Question 6 Report
The flippers of a whale and the fins of a fish are examples of
Answer Details
The flippers of a whale and the fins of a fish are examples of convergent evolution. Convergent evolution is a process where species that are not closely related, but live in similar environments, evolve similar structures or adaptations to solve similar problems. This is also known as "parallel evolution". For example, whales and fish both live in water, and both need to be able to swim and maneuver. Over time, both species have evolved flippers or fins as a solution to these challenges, even though whales are mammals and fish are fish. This convergence of similar structures in unrelated species is a result of convergent evolution.
Question 7 Report
Which of the following statements is true about sandy soil?
Answer Details
Sandy soils are well drained. They have low water holding capacity and are therefore drought prone. They become firm when wet (the opposite of clay), and loose when dry. Sandy soil is light and easy to dig.
Question 8 Report
Botany is also known as
Answer Details
Botany is also known as "phytology". This term is derived from the Greek word "phyton", which means "plant". Phytology is the scientific study of plants, including their structure, growth, reproduction, metabolism, and classification. It involves the examination of plant anatomy, physiology, ecology, genetics, and evolution. Botanists also study the relationship between plants and their environment, including the interactions between plants and other organisms such as insects, fungi, and bacteria. Overall, phytology is an important field of study that helps us to better understand and appreciate the complexity and diversity of plant life on our planet.
Question 9 Report
Which of the following relationship involves only one organism?
Answer Details
Saprophytism is the ability of certain plants to live in dead or decaying organic matter. A saprophyte or saprotroph is an organism which gets its energy from dead and decaying organic matter. This may be decaying pieces of plants or animals. This means that saprophytes are heterotrophs. They are consumers in the food chain.
Question 10 Report
Which of the following structures is not a skeletal material?
Answer Details
Bone is the substance that forms the skeleton of the body. It is composed chiefly of calcium phosphate and calcium carbonate. Chitin is a major constituent of the exoskeleton, or external skeleton, of many arthropods such as insects, spiders, and crustaceans. The main structural components of our bodies are bone, muscle, and cartilage. Bones are rigid, while muscles bend, stretch, and are flexible. Cartilage connective tissue is the perfect halfway point between these other tissues. It is not as rigid or as hard as bone, and it is also less flexible than muscle. Therefore, we find cartilage in places where we need some support and structure, but a bit of flexibility as well. This includes places such as our joints, our ears, and our nose, as well as in between the vertebrae in our spinal column.
Question 11 Report
A boy who is fond of swimming in a pond finds himself passing urine with traces of blood. He is likely to have contracted
Answer Details
The boy who is fond of swimming in a pond and passes urine with traces of blood is likely to have contracted schistosomiasis. Schistosomiasis is a parasitic infection caused by a type of flatworm called Schistosoma that commonly inhabits freshwater snails and bodies of water such as ponds and lakes. When a person comes into contact with water contaminated with the parasite, it can penetrate the skin and enter the bloodstream, where it eventually travels to the bladder or intestines and causes inflammation and damage to the tissues. This can lead to symptoms such as blood in the urine or stool, abdominal pain, diarrhea, and anemia. If left untreated, schistosomiasis can lead to chronic health problems such as liver and kidney damage. Therefore, it is important to seek medical attention if experiencing symptoms after swimming or coming into contact with freshwater bodies in endemic areas.
Question 12 Report
The role of scolex in tapeworm is to
Answer Details
An adult tapeworm consists of a knoblike head, or scolex, equipped with hooks for attaching to the intestinal wall of the host (which may be a human), a neck region, and a series of flat, rectangular body segments, or proglottids, generated by the neck. Scolex is used for attachment to the intestinal wall.
Question 13 Report
The energy released by 1 gram of glucose is
Answer Details
The energy released by 1 gram of glucose is about 4 kcal. To put it simply, when our bodies break down glucose, a type of sugar that is a source of energy, it releases energy that we can use. This energy is measured in units of calories, and 1 kilocalorie (kcal) is equivalent to 1,000 calories. So, when 1 gram of glucose is broken down, it releases approximately 4 kcal of energy.
Question 15 Report
An organism which exhibit extracellular digestion is
Answer Details
Extracellular digestion is a process in which saprobionts feed by secreting enzymes through the cell membrane onto the food. During extracellular digestion, food is broken down outside the cell either mechanically or with acid by special molecules called enzymes.
Question 16 Report
The reason why the flow of blood through the capillaries is very slow is
Answer Details
The rate, or velocity, of blood flow varies inversely with the total cross-sectional area of the blood vessels. As the total cross-sectional area of the vessels increases, the velocity of flow decreases. Blood flow is slowest in the capillaries, which allows time for exchange of gases and nutrients. Flow is slowest in the capillaries because of their larger cross-sectional area and narrow diameter.
Question 17 Report
Which of the following processes removes carbon from the atmosphere?
Answer Details
The process that removes carbon from the atmosphere is "photosynthesis". Photosynthesis is the process by which green plants and other organisms use sunlight to synthesize foods with the help of carbon dioxide and water. During photosynthesis, carbon dioxide (CO2) is taken in from the atmosphere and used to produce glucose, a type of sugar that serves as food for the plant. In this process, the carbon from CO2 is converted into organic carbon compounds, which are then used to build the plant's structure and stored in the plant's tissues. This means that photosynthesis helps to remove carbon from the atmosphere and store it in the biomass of plants. In contrast, processes such as putrefaction, volcanic eruption, and burning of fuels release carbon into the atmosphere, contributing to the increase of atmospheric carbon dioxide levels and, in turn, to climate change.
Question 18 Report
Which of the following instruments is used to estimate the number of plants in a habitat?
Answer Details
The instrument used to estimate the number of plants in a habitat is a quadrant. A quadrant is a square or rectangular frame that is used to isolate a specific area within a habitat for study. It is typically made of a lightweight and durable material, such as metal or plastic, and can be any size, depending on the needs of the study. To estimate the number of plants in a habitat using a quadrant, researchers randomly select several quadrants within the study area and place them on the ground. They then count the number of plants within the quadrant and use this information to estimate the number of plants in the entire study area. Quadrants are a commonly used tool in ecology and are particularly useful for estimating the density and distribution of plant populations. They are simple to use and can provide valuable information for researchers who are interested in understanding the dynamics of plant communities.
Question 19 Report
The outer membrane that covers the brain is
Answer Details
The outer membrane that covers the brain is called the "dura mater". It is a thick, tough, and fibrous layer that provides protection and support to the brain. The dura mater is the outermost layer of the three meninges (the protective membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord). It lies closest to the skull and forms a barrier that separates the brain from the bones of the skull. The dura mater contains blood vessels and nerves that supply the brain and is responsible for anchoring the brain in place.
Question 20 Report
Study the diagram of a food chain shown and use it to answer the question.
P ---> Q ---> R ---> S ---> T
The organism designated P in the food chain above is normally sustained by energy from
Answer Details
The organism designated P in the food chain is normally sustained by energy from the sun. This is because P is likely at the bottom of the food chain, which means it is a primary producer. Primary producers, such as green plants, use energy from the sun to produce their own food through photosynthesis. This food is then consumed by the next organism in the food chain, which is Q. The energy then passes from one organism to the next, all the way up the food chain to the top predator. Therefore, in this food chain, P is likely a green plant or another type of primary producer that uses energy from the sun to produce its own food, making sunlight the source of energy for P.
Question 21 Report
The reason why hospitals use saline solutions as drip instead of water is
Answer Details
Saline, also known as saline solution, is a mixture of sodium chloride in water and has a number of uses in medicine. Intravenous therapy (IV) is a therapy that delivers liquid substances directly into a vein. Saline is used in I.V. therapy, intravenously supplying extra water to rehydrate patients or supplying the daily water and salt needs ("maintenance" needs) of a patient who is unable to take them by mouth. Because infusing a solution of low osmolality can cause problems such as hemolysis, intravenous solutions with reduced saline concentrations typically have dextrose (glucose) added to maintain a safe osmolality while providing less sodium chloride. The amount of normal saline infused depends largely on the needs of the patient (e.g. ongoing diarrhea or heart failure).
Question 22 Report
The vessel carrying oxygenated blood to the tissues is
Answer Details
The vessel carrying oxygenated blood to the tissues is called an artery. Arteries are blood vessels that carry blood away from the heart, and they have thick, muscular walls that can withstand the high pressure of blood being pumped by the heart. The oxygenated blood that is pumped out of the left ventricle of the heart into the aorta is then distributed throughout the body via the network of arteries. Arteries branch into smaller vessels called arterioles and then into even smaller vessels called capillaries, where oxygen and nutrients are delivered to the body's tissues. So, arteries play a crucial role in ensuring that oxygenated blood is delivered to the body's tissues to support their proper functioning.
Question 23 Report
What is the function of contractile vacuole in paramecium?
Answer Details
The contractile vacuole in paramecium functions to get rid of excess water. Paramecium is a single-celled organism that lives in freshwater environments. As water enters the cell by osmosis, the contractile vacuole collects and pumps out the excess water to prevent the cell from swelling and potentially bursting. The contractile vacuole acts like a pump, contracting and releasing to expel the excess water out of the cell. This process helps maintain the proper balance of water and ions inside the cell, which is necessary for the organism's survival. Therefore, the function of the contractile vacuole in paramecium is to regulate water balance and prevent the cell from bursting due to excess water intake.
Question 24 Report
Double fertilisation is a unique features of
Answer Details
Double fertilization is a unique feature of angiosperms, also known as flowering plants. During double fertilization, two sperm cells from the pollen grain fertilize two different cells in the female reproductive structure of the flower. One sperm cell fertilizes the egg cell to form the zygote, which will develop into the embryo of the seed. The other sperm cell fertilizes two nuclei in the central cell, which results in the formation of a triploid cell called the endosperm. The endosperm provides nourishment to the developing embryo. This process is unique to angiosperms and is not seen in bryophytes, pteridophytes, or algae. It is one of the key factors that has contributed to the success of angiosperms, as the endosperm provides a rich source of nutrients for the developing embryo, giving it a competitive advantage for survival and growth.
Question 25 Report
Blood circulation in a mammal is said to be double because
Answer Details
The majority of mammals (including humans) utilize a double circulatory system. This means we have two loops in our body in which blood circulates. One is oxygenated, meaning oxygen rich, and the other is deoxygenated, which means it has little to no oxygen, but a lot of carbon dioxide.
Question 26 Report
Use the diagram shown to answer the question. The experiment above is used to demonstrate the process of
Answer Details
The experiment shown in the diagram is used to demonstrate the process of osmosis. Osmosis is the movement of water molecules across a selectively permeable membrane from an area of high water concentration to an area of low water concentration. In the experiment, the selectively permeable membrane is the potato cell membrane, and the water moves from the area of high concentration (in the beaker) to the area of low concentration (inside the potato). This causes the potato to swell and become heavier as it absorbs the water through osmosis. Thus, the experiment demonstrates the process of osmosis.
Question 27 Report
Spectacles with convex lenses correct long-sightedness by
Answer Details
Spectacles with convex lenses correct long-sightedness by converging the light rays before they enter the eye. In long-sightedness, also known as hyperopia, the eyeball is too short, which causes light to focus behind the retina instead of directly on it. This results in blurry vision, especially when looking at close objects. Convex lenses are thicker in the middle and thinner at the edges, and they bend light rays towards each other. When a person with long-sightedness wears spectacles with convex lenses, the lenses converge the light rays before they enter the eye, which compensates for the shortness of the eyeball. This causes the light rays to focus directly on the retina, which results in clearer vision. Therefore, by converging the light rays before they enter the eye, convex lenses correct long-sightedness.
Question 28 Report
The vitamin which is important in the formation of the retina pigment is
Answer Details
The vitamin that is important in the formation of the retina pigment is Vitamin A. The retina is a part of the eye that contains cells called rods and cones which help us to see. Vitamin A is important for the normal functioning of these cells, especially the rods, which are responsible for vision in low light conditions. The retina pigment, also known as rhodopsin, is a protein found in the rods of the retina. It helps to absorb light and convert it into electrical signals that the brain can interpret as vision. Vitamin A plays a crucial role in the formation of this pigment, and a deficiency of this vitamin can lead to a condition called night blindness, where a person has difficulty seeing in low light conditions. In summary, Vitamin A is essential for the normal functioning of the cells in the retina, especially the rods, and is important for the formation of the retina pigment, which is necessary for vision in low light conditions.
Question 29 Report
An animal which is active during the day is known as a
Answer Details
An animal that is active during the day is known as a diurnal animal. This means that it is awake and active during the daytime hours, when the sun is shining, and typically sleeps or rests during the night. Diurnal animals have evolved to take advantage of the sunlight and are often adapted to see well in bright light. Examples of diurnal animals include humans, birds, squirrels, and many species of primates.
Question 30 Report
The graph below shows the results of a laboratory investigation which measured the body temperatures of a lizard and a bird under changing artificial conditions. Use it to answer the question.
Which of the statements below is valid?
Answer Details
Question 31 Report
Use the diagram to answer the question. The breeding posture illustrated in the diagram is known as
Answer Details
The breeding posture illustrated in the diagram is known as "amplexus". Amplexus is a mating behavior displayed by many amphibians, in which the male grasps the female with his front legs from behind and holds her in position during mating. This position helps the male to fertilize the eggs as they are laid by the female. Amplexus can be further classified into two types: axillary amplexus, in which the male grasps the female's body just behind the front legs, and inguinal amplexus, in which the male grasps the female's body in the pelvic region. This behavior is critical for the reproduction of many amphibian species, and without it, successful fertilization of the eggs would be less likely to occur.
Question 32 Report
At which stage in this cycle can a man be infected?
Answer Details
In the animal's intestine, the oncospheres hatch, invade the intestinal wall, and migrate to the striated muscles, where they develop into cysticerci. A cysticercus can survive for several years in the animal. Humans become infected by ingesting raw or undercooked infected meat.
Question 33 Report
Examples of animals with mammary glands include the following except
Answer Details
A mammary gland is an exocrine gland in mammals that produces milk to feed young offspring. Mammals get their name from the Latin word mamma, "breast". Hens do not have mammary glands.
Question 34 Report
A group of organism of the same species living together in a particular area is described as
Answer Details
The term that describes a group of organisms of the same species living together in a particular area is "population". A population refers to all the individuals of a particular species that live in a specific geographic area and can interbreed. For example, a population of deer in a forest or a population of fish in a river. On the other hand, a "colony" typically refers to a group of organisms of the same species living closely together, but it usually implies a degree of cooperation and organization beyond what is typically seen in a population. A "community" refers to all the different populations of organisms living together in a particular area and interacting with each other, such as a community of plants, animals, and microbes in a forest. Lastly, a "niche" refers to the particular role and position that a species has in its environment, including the resources it uses and the interactions it has with other species.
Question 35 Report
DNA in eukaryotic cells is contained in the
Answer Details
DNA in eukaryotic cells is contained in the nucleus. The nucleus is a membrane-bound structure found in eukaryotic cells that acts as the "brain" of the cell, controlling and regulating all of its functions. It is also where the cell's DNA is stored and protected, in a substance called chromatin. The DNA in the chromatin is organized into long structures called chromosomes, which are visible during cell division. In short, the nucleus is the place where the DNA of a eukaryotic cell is located and it plays a vital role in the functioning of the cell.
Question 36 Report
Examples of micronutrients include the following except
Answer Details
The essential elements can be divided into macronutrients and micronutrients. Nutrients that plants require in larger amounts are called macronutrients. About half of the essential elements are considered macronutrients: carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, and sulfur.
Question 37 Report
The graph below shows the results of a laboratory investigation which measured the body temperatures of a lizard and a bird under changing artificial conditions. Use it to answer the question.
What physiological term can used to describe the regulation of the body temperature of the of the lizard?
Answer Details
The physiological term that can be used to describe the regulation of the body temperature of the lizard is "poikilothermy". Poikilothermy refers to the ability of an animal's body temperature to fluctuate with changes in the external environment. In other words, the body temperature of poikilothermic animals, such as lizards, is not actively regulated by their bodies, but rather is influenced by the temperature of their surroundings. As seen in the graph, the body temperature of the lizard varies with the temperature of the environment it is in. This is in contrast to homeothermic animals, such as birds and mammals, which can maintain a relatively constant body temperature regardless of external temperature changes through the process of "thermoregulation".
Question 38 Report
Accessory material in a chicken egg include the following except
Answer Details
The accessory materials found in a chicken egg include the albumen (the egg white), the shell membrane (the thin membrane that lines the inside of the eggshell), and the shell itself. The germinal disc, on the other hand, is not an accessory material, but rather an important part of the egg. The germinal disc, also known as the blastoderm, is a small, round spot on the surface of the yolk that contains the genetic material necessary for the development of the embryo. It is located on the surface of the yolk and can be seen as a small white spot when you crack open an egg. This is where the sperm enters and fertilizes the egg, leading to the development of the embryo. So to summarize, the accessory materials found in a chicken egg are the albumen, shell membrane, and shell, while the germinal disc is an essential part of the egg that is responsible for the development of the embryo.
Question 39 Report
Evidence of evolution include the following except
Answer Details
Note: Evolution is a process of gradual change that takes place over many generations, during which species of animals, plants, or insects slowly change some of their physical characteristics.
Question 40 Report
Red blood cells were found to have burst open after being placed in distill for an hour. This phenomenon is known as
Answer Details
The phenomenon you're referring to is called haemolysis. Haemolysis is the bursting of red blood cells when they are placed in a solution that is different from their normal environment. When red blood cells are placed in distilled water, the water moves into the cells and causes them to expand and eventually burst, resulting in haemolysis. This occurs because the concentration of solutes (e.g. salts, sugars) is higher inside the red blood cells than in the distilled water, causing water to move into the cells and causing them to burst. In simple terms, haemolysis is the bursting of red blood cells due to a change in the solution they are in.
