JAMB UTME - Biology - 2018
Question 1 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 2 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 3 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 4 Report
The hormones secreted by pancreas serves to
Answer Details
The production of pancreatic hormones, including insulin, somatostatin, gastrin, and glucagon, play an important role in maintaining sugar and salt balance in our bodies.
Question 5 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 6 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 7 Report
Which of the following cycles involves the process of precipitation and transpiration?
Answer Details
The cycle that involves the process of precipitation and transpiration is the water cycle. The water cycle is the process by which water circulates through the Earth's environment. It starts with the evaporation of water from bodies of water, such as oceans, lakes, and rivers, as well as from the soil and plants through a process called transpiration. This water vapor then rises into the atmosphere, where it cools and condenses into clouds. When these clouds become heavy enough, the water falls back to Earth as precipitation, which can take the form of rain, snow, sleet, or hail. Once the precipitation falls to the ground, it can either be absorbed by the soil and become groundwater or run off into bodies of water. From there, the cycle starts again. In summary, the water cycle involves the process of precipitation, which is the falling of water from the atmosphere to the Earth's surface, as well as the process of transpiration, which is the release of water vapor from plants. This cycle is essential for providing fresh water to living things and maintaining the Earth's environment.
Question 8 Report
Study the diagram of a food chain shown and use it to answer the question.
P ---> Q ---> R ---> S ---> T
Which of the following statements best describes the organism designated R? It
Answer Details
Primary consumers eat these plants exclusively and are all herbivores. We defined secondary consumers as organisms, primarily animals, which eat primary consumers. Furthermore, secondary consumers can be classified into one of two groups: carnivores, or meat eaters, and omnivores, which are plant and meat eaters.
Question 9 Report
The curvature movement of plants in response to the stimulus of water is called
Answer Details
The curvature movement of plants in response to the stimulus of water is called "hydrotropism." Hydrotropism is a type of plant movement that occurs when a plant's roots grow towards a source of water. This is an important mechanism that allows plants to find water and nutrients in the soil. When a plant is exposed to a source of water, such as a moist patch of soil, the plant's roots will start to grow towards the water. This is because the cells on the side of the root closest to the water absorb more water and expand, causing the root to bend towards the source of water. As the root grows towards the water, it will continue to bend until it reaches the water source. Hydrotropism is different from other types of plant movements, such as geotropism, phototropism, and thigmotropism, which involve responses to gravity, light, and touch, respectively.
Question 10 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 11 Report
A seed of a flowering plant can best be described as
Answer Details
A seed is a small embryonic plant enclosed in a covering called the seed coat, usually with some stored food. It is the product of the ripened ovule of gymnosperm and angiosperm plants which occurs after fertilization and some growth with in the motherplant.
Question 12 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 13 Report
The damage to ozone layer is caused by
Answer Details
Ozone sits in the upper atmosphere and absorbs ultraviolet radiaton, another type of solar energy that's harmful to humans, animals and plants. CFCs and halons cause chemical reactions that break down ozone molecules, reducing ozone's ultraviolet radiation-absorbing capacity. Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and other halogenated ozone depleting substances (ODS) are mainly responsible for man-made chemical ozone depletion.
Question 14 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 15 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 16 Report
A group of closely related organisms capable of interbreeding to produce the fertile offspring are known as members of a
Answer Details
The correct answer is "species". Species are a group of living organisms that share common characteristics and can interbreed to produce fertile offspring. This means that members of the same species can mate and produce offspring that can themselves reproduce, while organisms from different species cannot produce fertile offspring together. For example, dogs can breed with other dogs to produce fertile puppies, but they cannot breed with cats to produce offspring that can reproduce. Therefore, dogs and cats belong to different species.
Question 17 Report
Cytokinesis of mitosis is a process that ensures that
Answer Details
Cytokinesis is the final stage of mitosis, the process by which a cell divides to form two identical daughter cells. During cytokinesis, the cytoplasm of the original cell is divided into two parts, with each part containing a complete set of genetic material (chromosomes). The main purpose of cytokinesis is to ensure that each daughter cell receives a complete set of genetic material and the necessary organelles to function properly. This is important because if one daughter cell received more genetic material or more organelles than the other, it could lead to problems such as cell death or mutations. Therefore, "each daughter cell gets the necessary organelles" is the correct label to associate with the question above. While the other options may be important aspects of mitosis, they do not directly relate to the role of cytokinesis in ensuring that each daughter cell receives a complete and functional set of genetic material and organelles.
Question 18 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 19 Report
Which of the following is a mixed gland?
Answer Details
A mixed gland is a gland that is both exocrine and endocrine, for example, the pancreas. Pancreas is known as a mixed gland because it performs functions of both exocrine and endocrine glands.
Question 20 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 21 Report
Name the blood cells in which nucleus is absent
Answer Details
Like red cells, platelets (thrombocytes) have no nucleus. However, unlike red cells that originate in the marrow as nucleated cells and lose their nucleus, platelets are produced by budding off from a giant multinucleated marrow cell called a megakaryocyte.
Question 22 Report
Swollen, bleeding gums are another common sign of which vitamin?
Answer Details
The vitamin that is commonly associated with swollen, bleeding gums is Vitamin C. Vitamin C is an essential nutrient that helps in the formation of collagen, which is an important component of connective tissues like gums. Without enough Vitamin C, the collagen fibers in gums can weaken and break down, leading to inflammation, bleeding, and even tooth loss. In addition, Vitamin C has antioxidant properties that can help to protect the gums from damage caused by harmful free radicals. Therefore, a diet deficient in Vitamin C can cause gums to become swollen, inflamed, and bleed easily. Consuming sufficient amounts of Vitamin C can help to prevent and treat these symptoms, which is why it is important to include Vitamin C-rich foods in your diet, such as citrus fruits, berries, kiwi, broccoli, and peppers, among others.
Question 23 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 24 Report
The part of the ear which contains nerve cells sensitive to sound vibrations is the
Answer Details
The part of the ear which contains nerve cells sensitive to sound vibrations is the cochlea. The cochlea is a small, spiral-shaped structure in the inner ear. It is responsible for translating sound waves into electrical signals that can be interpreted by the brain. The cochlea contains tiny hair cells that are responsible for detecting sound vibrations. These hair cells are arranged along the length of the cochlea and are stimulated by different frequencies of sound. When sound waves enter the ear, they cause the eardrum to vibrate. These vibrations are then transmitted to the three small bones in the middle ear, including the malleus. The malleus transmits the vibrations to the inner ear, where they are picked up by the hair cells in the cochlea. The hair cells then convert the vibrations into electrical signals that are transmitted to the brain via the auditory nerve, allowing us to hear and interpret sounds. In summary, the cochlea is the part of the ear that contains nerve cells sensitive to sound vibrations. The hair cells within the cochlea are responsible for detecting sound waves and translating them into electrical signals that can be interpreted by the brain.
Question 25 Report
Ozone hole refers to
Answer Details
Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and other halogenated ozone depleting substances (ODS) are mainly responsible for man-made chemical ozone depletion.
Question 26 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 27 Report
The hygrometer is used for measuring
Answer Details
A hygrometer is an instrument used to measure the amount of humidity and water vapor in the atmosphere, in soil, or in confined spaces. Humidity measurement instruments usually rely on measurements of some other quantity such as temperature, pressure, mass, a mechanical or electrical change in a substance as moisture is absorbed. By calibration and calculation, these measured quantities can lead to a measurement of humidity.
Question 28 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 29 Report
Which of the following animals is cold blooded?
Answer Details
Reptiles are cold-blooded animals. This means that they cannot produce heat in their own bodies, and have to rely on their surroundings to keep warm. This is why most reptiles are found in hot or warm climates. Reptiles like snakes and lizards are this type of animal. Amphibians like frogs, toads, and salamanders are, too. Fish are also cold-blooded animals.
Question 30 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 31 Report
A distinguishing feature of mammals is the possession of
Answer Details
One distinguishing feature of mammals is the possession of hair. Hair is a unique type of structure that grows from the skin of mammals and is made up of a protein called keratin. Hair serves many important functions in mammals, such as keeping the body warm, protecting the skin from damage, and providing sensory information. Hair can also be used for social communication, such as when a cat raises its fur to make itself look bigger and more intimidating. While other animals like reptiles may have scales, and birds may have feathers, only mammals have hair as a defining feature.
Question 32 Report
In the egg of a bird, the embryo is located in the
Answer Details
Special temporary organs or embryonic membranes form within the egg, both to protect the embryo and to provide for its nutrition, respiration, and excretion. These organs include the yolk sac. The yolk sac is also responsible for the initial circulation and is in charge of delivering nutrients, via a primitive aorta, to the developing embryo through a process called vitelline circulation.
Question 33 Report
Use the diagram to answer the question. The diagram shows that the organisms are
Answer Details
Question 34 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 35 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 36 Report
Which of the following organisms is a primary consumer?
Answer Details
A primary consumer is an organism that feeds on primary producers. Primary consumers are usually herbivores that feed on autotrophic plants, which produce their own food through photosynthesis.
Question 37 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 38 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 39 Report
A beaker of pond water containing few specimens of Euglena was placed in a dark room for two weeks. At the end of this period, the specimens of Euglena were still alive because they were
Answer Details
Holozoic nutrition is a type of heterotrophic nutrition that is characterized by the internalization (ingestion) and internal processing of gaseous, liquid or solid food particles. Protozoa, such as amoebas, and most of the free living animals,such as animals, exhibit this type of nutrition.
In holozoic nutrition the energy and organic building blocks are obtained by ingesting and then digesting other organisms or pieces of other organisms, including blood and decaying organic matter. This contrasts with holophytic nutrition, in which energy and organic building blocks are obtained through photosynthesis or chemosynthesis, and with saprozoic nutrition, in which digestive enzymes are released externally and the resulting monomers (small organic molecules) are absorbed directly from the environment.
Holophytic (plant-like), holozoic (animal- like), and saprophytic nutrition is found in Euglena. Euglena obtains its carbohydrate food by photosynthesis and nitrogenous food by absorption from the surroundings. Its holozoic nutrition is, however, doubtful.
Question 40 Report
A man who is heterozygous for the disease haemophilia marries a woman who is double recessive for haemophilia. What percentage of their offspring would have the disease?
Answer Details
Haemophilia is an X-linked recessive genetic disorder. This means that the gene responsible for haemophilia is located on the X chromosome, and individuals with two copies of the defective gene (one inherited from each parent) will have the disease. The man in this scenario is heterozygous, meaning he has one normal X chromosome and one X chromosome with the defective gene. The woman is double recessive, meaning she has two copies of the defective gene. When the man and woman have offspring, each child will inherit one of their father's X chromosomes and one of their mother's X chromosomes. The possible combinations of X chromosomes the children could inherit are: - Normal X chromosome from the father and normal X chromosome from the mother - Normal X chromosome from the father and defective X chromosome from the mother - Defective X chromosome from the father and normal X chromosome from the mother - Defective X chromosome from the father and defective X chromosome from the mother Of these possible combinations, only the last one (defective X chromosome from both parents) will result in the child having haemophilia. The probability of a child inheriting a defective X chromosome from the father is 50%, since the father is heterozygous. The probability of a child inheriting a defective X chromosome from the mother is 100%, since the mother is double recessive. Therefore, the probability of a child inheriting a defective X chromosome from both parents and having haemophilia is 50% x 100% = 50%. So the correct answer is: 50% of their offspring would have the disease.
