WAEC SSCE - Biology - 2022

The diagram below is an illustration of an experiment on sedimentation of soil, use it to answer this question.

The organic component of the soil is labelled

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which of the following statements about living things is correct?

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Higher and more complex animals like birds and mammals can reproduce only by sexual means.

 In which of the following structures is simple sugar produced?

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Diagram J is a protease while diagrams K,L,M, and N are food substances, study them and answer this question.

After a reaction between protease J and the food substance, the end product would be 

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Proteases are enzymes that break down proteins into smaller molecules called amino acids. The food substances depicted in diagrams K, L, M, and N are all proteins. Therefore, when protease J reacts with any of these food substances, the end product would be amino acids. During the reaction, the protease J breaks down the protein in the food substance into individual amino acids by breaking the peptide bonds between them. This process is called hydrolysis, and it requires the addition of water molecules to break the bonds. Fatty acids and glucose are not end products of the breakdown of proteins by proteases. Fatty acids are the building blocks of lipids, while glucose is a type of sugar. Water is not an end product either; it is required in the hydrolysis reaction to break the peptide bonds between amino acids. Therefore, the correct answer is option C - amino acids.

Diagram J is a protease while diagrams K,L,M, and N are food substances, study them and answer this question.

Protease J would react with the particular illustrated substance because enzymes? 

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Protease J would react with the particular illustrated substance because enzymes are specific in their action. Enzymes are biological catalysts that facilitate chemical reactions in living organisms. Each enzyme is designed to catalyze a specific reaction by binding to a specific substrate, which is the substance it acts upon. This specificity is crucial for enzyme function and efficiency. In the given scenario, protease J is a type of enzyme that specifically acts on proteins. Proteases are responsible for breaking down proteins into smaller peptides or individual amino acids. When protease J encounters the illustrated substance, which represents a food substance, it is likely a protein-based food. Protease J has a specific structure that allows it to bind to the protein molecules present in the food substance. Once bound, protease J catalyzes the hydrolysis reaction, breaking the protein into smaller components. This process is highly specific to proteins and does not occur with other types of food substances. Therefore, the reason protease J would react with the particular illustrated substance is because enzymes, including proteases, are specific in their action. They recognize and interact with specific substrates, enabling the catalysis of specific chemical reactions.

An accident victim was successfully transfused with blood from the father whose blood group is 

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Diagram J is a protease while diagrams K,L,M, and N are food substances, study them and answer this question.

Protease J would react with the particular illustrated substance because enzymes? 

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The process that brings about the shrinking of a spirogyra cell when placed in a strong solution is ?

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The process that brings about the shrinking of a spirogyra cell when placed in a strong solution is plasmolysis. Plasmolysis is a phenomenon that occurs when a plant cell is placed in a hypertonic solution (a solution with a higher concentration of solutes than the cell). Water moves out of the cell through osmosis, causing the cell membrane to shrink away from the cell wall. In the case of spirogyra, a freshwater green algae, when it is placed in a strong salt solution, water moves out of the cell through osmosis, causing the cell membrane to shrink away from the cell wall, and the cell becomes flaccid. This process is called plasmolysis. Therefore, the process that brings about the shrinking of a spirogyra cell when placed in a strong solution is plasmolysis.

Which of the followig traits in humans is an example of physiological variation?

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 The table above shows the effect of hormones I,II,III and IV on some parts of the human body. Where (✓) represents effects and (X) represents no effect of hormone on the corresponding part of the body. study it and answer this question. 

The hormone responsible for anxiety is?

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The use of a lighter instead of matchsticks is a way of conserving 

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Which of the following statements about sex linked traits is not correct?

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The statement "males are never carriers since they only receive one sex chromosome" is not correct when talking about sex-linked traits. Sex-linked traits are genetic traits that are carried on the sex chromosomes, specifically the X and Y chromosomes. In humans, females have two X chromosomes (XX) while males have one X and one Y chromosome (XY). Since sex-linked traits are located on the X chromosome, they can be inherited differently between males and females. Females can be carriers of sex-linked traits because they have two X chromosomes. If a female inherits a defective allele for a sex-linked trait from one parent but a normal allele from the other parent, she can be heterozygous for the trait. In this case, she carries the defective allele but does not express the trait herself. However, she can pass it on to her offspring, both male and female. On the other hand, males have only one X chromosome. If a male inherits a defective allele for a sex-linked trait on his X chromosome, he will express that trait since he does not have another copy of the X chromosome to mask the effects of the defective allele. Therefore, males are more likely to exhibit sex-linked traits compared to females. In summary, the statement that males are never carriers since they only receive one sex chromosome is incorrect. Females can be carriers of sex-linked traits, while males are more likely to express the trait if they inherit a defective allele on their single X chromosome.

Two tall plants were crossed and all the F1 plants were tall. when the F1 plants were selfed, some of the F2 plants were tall while others were short what are the possible genotypes of the original plants ? 

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The possible genotypes of the original plants could be TT and Tt. In this scenario, we are crossing two tall plants, which means they both have the allele for tall height (T). When these two plants are crossed, their offspring in the F1 generation will all be tall because they inherit a copy of the tall allele from each parent (Tt). Now, when the F1 plants are selfed, meaning they are allowed to reproduce with each other, the resulting F2 generation shows a mixture of tall and short plants. This indicates that there is a presence of a recessive allele for short height (t). To have a mixture of tall and short plants in the F2 generation, the original plants must have been heterozygous for the height trait. This means that one parent carried two copies of the tall allele (TT), while the other parent carried one copy of the tall allele and one copy of the short allele (Tt). When these plants are crossed, there is a 25% chance of producing offspring with the genotype TT (tall), a 50% chance of producing offspring with the genotype Tt (tall), and a 25% chance of producing offspring with the genotype tt (short). Therefore, the possible genotypes of the original plants are TT and Tt, where TT represents a homozygous tall genotype and Tt represents a heterozygous tall genotype.

Study the food chain illustrated below and use it to answer this question.

J-K-L-M-N

The position occupied by each of organisms  J K L M N in the food chain is known as the 

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The position occupied by each of the organisms J, K, L, M, and N in the food chain is known as the trophic level. Trophic levels refer to the hierarchical levels of the food chain, where each level represents a different group of organisms that have similar functions in the transfer of energy and nutrients from one level to the next. The first level of the trophic level comprises producers, which are usually plants that produce their food using photosynthesis. The second level is occupied by primary consumers, which are herbivores that feed on the producers. The third level consists of secondary consumers, which are carnivores that feed on the primary consumers, and so on. Each level of the trophic level represents a different level of energy transfer and nutrient cycling in the ecosystem.

Individuals belonging to the blood group O are universal donors because ?

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which of the following practices will not maintain soil fertility?

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The practice that will not maintain soil fertility is "tendency of becoming waterlogged". When soil becomes waterlogged, it means it is excessively saturated with water, leading to low oxygen content. This condition does not support the growth of beneficial soil microorganisms that are essential for soil fertility. It also leads to the leaching of important nutrients from the soil. Therefore, it is necessary to avoid this practice and implement soil management techniques such as crop rotation, intercropping, mulching, and organic fertilization to maintain soil fertility.

Use the following processes to answer this question.
I-Ribs move upward and outward

II- Diaphragm relaxes

IIl-Volume of thorax increases

IV-Air is forced out of the lungs

which of the following processes is a direct result of contraction of the intercostal muscles?

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The total number of caudal vertebrae in animals X and Y is 4 and 27 respectively. The animals are likely to be.

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An evidence of the occurrence of photosynthesis in an experiment is the?

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An evidence of the occurrence of photosynthesis in an experiment is the release of oxygen. During photosynthesis, plants and other photosynthetic organisms use energy from sunlight to convert carbon dioxide and water into oxygen and glucose (a type of sugar). The oxygen produced by photosynthesis is released into the atmosphere as a waste product. While the other options listed - release of carbon dioxide, formation of water molecules, and formation and release of fructose - are all part of the chemical reactions that occur during photosynthesis, they are not necessarily evidence of the occurrence of photosynthesis. For example, the release of carbon dioxide could be a result of cellular respiration (the process by which cells release energy from glucose), rather than photosynthesis. Similarly, the formation of water molecules and fructose could occur in other metabolic pathways, not just photosynthesis. Therefore, the most specific and direct evidence of the occurrence of photosynthesis in an experiment is the release of oxygen.

The biological association that contributes directly to succession in a community is

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Succession is the process of gradual change in the species composition of a community over time. It can be primary, which occurs in a newly formed habitat without any pre-existing organisms, or secondary, which occurs in a disturbed habitat where some organisms already exist. One of the main biological associations that contribute directly to succession in a community is competition. Competition occurs when two or more organisms require the same resources such as food, water, light, or space. As the community develops, the competition for resources becomes more intense, leading to the dominance of certain species over others. This dominance results in changes in the community structure and composition, as some species become more successful at obtaining resources than others. This can lead to a shift in the dominant species as the community develops, a process known as ecological succession. Predation, parasitism, and commensalism are not direct contributors to succession. Although they can affect the distribution and abundance of species in a community, they do not directly influence the order in which different species replace each other during succession. Therefore, the correct answer is option A - competition.

The diagram above is an illustration of some parts of a mammalian ear. Study it and answer this question.

The parts labelled I are the?

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The diagram below is an illustration of an experiment on sedimentation of soil, use it to answer this question.

The part labelled IV is 

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Study the food chain illustrated below and use it to answer this question.

J-K-L-M-N

which of the following statements about organism L is correct?