Free Mitosis & meiosis questions for IGCSE Biology (0610), part of Inheritance & variation. Each question has the answer and the marking points an examiner would look for.
Generate a full Mitosis & Meiosis worksheet →All Inheritance & variation questionsA cell in an organism has 24 chromosomes.
Which row compares the daughter cells produced by mitosis and by meiosis?
| number of chromosomes after mitosis | number of chromosomes after meiosis | genetically identical? | |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | 24 | 12 | both |
| B | 12 | 24 | meiosis only |
| C | 24 | 12 | mitosis only |
| D | 48 | 12 | mitosis only |
Answer: C
How many genetically identical cells are produced by one mitosis?
Answer: B
Stem cells can divide and differentiate.
Define a stem cell.
Explain why chromosomes are copied before mitosis.
| Part | Answer and marking points | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| (a) | unspecialised cell that divides to form specialised cells an unspecialised cell that divides by mitosis to produce daughter cells that can become specialised B1 | 1 |
| (b) | each daughter has full set so each daughter cell receives an identical full set of chromosomes B1 | 1 |
Mitosis and meiosis are types of nuclear division.
State two differences between mitosis and meiosis.
State two uses of mitosis.
| Part | Answer and marking points | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| (a) | identical vs varied; diploid vs haploid; 2 vs 4 cells Any 2 of: mitosis gives genetically identical cells, meiosis gives genetically different cells; mitosis gives diploid cells, meiosis haploid; mitosis is for growth/repair, meiosis for gametes B2 | 2 |
| (b) | growth; repair; asexual reproduction; replacing cells Any 2 of: growth; repair of damaged tissues; replacement of cells; asexual reproduction B2 | 2 |
Body cells of a fruit fly contain 8 chromosomes.
State the number of chromosomes in a gamete and in a zygote of this organism.
Define the terms haploid and diploid.
State two differences between mitosis and meiosis.
Give two uses of mitosis in a multicellular organism.
Explain why meiosis is needed to keep the chromosome number constant from generation to generation.
| Part | Answer and marking points | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| (a) | 4; 8 gamete 4 B1 zygote 8 B1 | 2 |
| (b) | haploid: one set of chromosomes; diploid: two sets haploid: a single set of unpaired chromosomes B1 diploid: two sets of chromosomes (in pairs) B1 | 2 |
| (c) | mitosis: two cells, genetically identical, diploid; meiosis: four cells, different, haploid mitosis gives two daughter cells, meiosis four B1 mitosis cells genetically identical, meiosis genetically different B1 mitosis keeps chromosome number, meiosis halves it B1 | 3 |
| (d) | growth; repair; asexual reproduction; replacing cells Any 2 of: growth; repair of damaged tissues; replacement of cells; asexual reproduction B2 | 2 |
| (e) | gametes haploid; fertilisation restores diploid gametes have half the chromosome number B1 so when they fuse at fertilisation the diploid number is restored B1 | 2 |
Cancer can occur when mitosis is uncontrolled.
Explain how a tumour forms.
State one place where meiosis takes place in humans.
| Part | Answer and marking points | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| (a) | uncontrolled cell division cells divide by mitosis in an uncontrolled way B1 forming a mass of cells (tumour) B1 | 2 |
| (b) | testes / ovaries testes or ovaries B1 | 1 |
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