1.What is the basic event in reproduction? Explain the biochemical importance of DNA copying in reproducing cells.
2.Why is DNA copying accompanied by the creation of an additional cellular apparatus? What would happen if a bare DNA molecule is transferred to a cell?
3.Why is the process of DNA copying not 100% accurate? What is the biological consequence of these minor inaccuracies?
4.Define variation. Explain why variation is necessary for the survival of a species over time, even if it is not beneficial for an individual organism.
5.Explain with a standard example (e.g., bacteria living in temperate waters experiencing global warming) how variation helps a population survive drastic environmental changes.
6.Differentiate between asexual reproduction and sexual reproduction based on the number of parents involved, genetic variation, and speed of reproduction.
7.What is a niche? How is the consistency of DNA copying related to the maintenance of body design and niche occupancy?
8.State why offspring produced by asexual reproduction show extreme similarity, whereas offspring produced by sexual reproduction show distinct variations.
9.Define fission. Differentiate between binary fission and multiple fission, giving one example of an organism demonstrating each.
10.How does binary fission in Amoeba differ from binary fission in Leishmania? Explain in terms of plane of division and cellular structure (flagellum).
11.Describe the process of fragmentation. Why can simple multicellular organisms like Spirogyra reproduce by fragmentation, while complex multicellular organisms (like humans) cannot?
12.What is regeneration? Explain how organisms like Planaria or Hydra regenerate their complete body when cut into multiple pieces. Is regeneration a true method of reproduction? Why or why not?
13.Describe the process of budding in Hydra. Explain the role of regenerative cells in bud development.
14.How does budding in Yeast (unicellular eukaryote) differ from budding in Hydra (multicellular animal)?
15.Define vegetative propagation. List the two types (natural and artificial) and explain three artificial methods of vegetative propagation.
16.State three key advantages of reproducing plants via vegetative propagation instead of growing them from seeds.
17.Why do commercially grown seedless plants (like seedless bananas, oranges, and jasmine) rely exclusively on vegetative propagation?
18.What is tissue culture (micropropagation)? Explain the steps involved (callus formation, hormone treatment) and state two of its commercial benefits.
19.Describe the process of spore formation in Rhizopus (bread mold). Explain the structural design of sporangia and the role of thick spore walls.
20.Why is spore formation considered an advantageous survival strategy for fungi during unfavorable environmental conditions?
21.Sketch a labeled diagram showing binary fission in Amoeba. Identify the sequential changes in the nucleus and cytoplasm.
22.Differentiate between fragmentation and regeneration based on the specialization of cells and whether the event is deliberate or accidental.
23.Identify the asexual reproduction method shown by:
- Plasmodium
- Rhizopus
- Spirogyra
- Bryophyllum
24.Draw a neat, labelled diagram showing the longitudinal section of an angiosperm flower. Label sepals, petals, stamen (anther, filament), and pistil (stigma, style, ovary).
25.Differentiate between unisexual and bisexual flowers. Give two examples of each type.
26.Define pollination. Differentiate between self-pollination and cross-pollination. Which type is evolutionary advantageous, and why?
27.List three external agents (biotic and abiotic) that facilitate cross-pollination in flowering plants.
28.Explain what happens after a compatible pollen grain lands on the stigma of a flower. Describe the growth of the pollen tube and fertilisation.
29.Define double fertilization in flowering plants. What are the two fusion events, and what do they produce?
30.Draw a neat, labelled diagram showing the germination of a pollen grain on the stigma, tracing the pollen tube to the female gametophyte inside the ovule.
31.Trace the post-fertilisation changes that occur in a flower. What do the following structures develop into:
- Zygote
- Ovule
- Ovary
32.What is a seed? Draw a diagram of a dicot seed (like gram or bean) showing cotyledons, plumule, and radicle, and explain the function of each part.
33.What is germination? State the primary environmental conditions required for a seed to germinate.
34.Explain why a plant seed contains a stored food supply (in cotyledons or endosperm), whereas animal embryos rely on different sources.
35.What is puberty? List three common physical changes that occur in both boys and girls during adolescence, and explain the endocrine triggers.
36.Draw a neat, labelled diagram of the male reproductive system in humans. Label testes, scrotum, vas deferens, prostate gland, seminal vesicles, and urethra.
37.Why are the testes located outside the abdominal cavity in a sac called the scrotum? Explain the physiological reason.
38.State the secretory functions of the prostate gland and seminal vesicles in the male reproductive tract. How do their fluids assist sperm?
39.Draw a neat, labelled diagram of the female reproductive system in humans. Label ovaries, fallopian tubes (oviducts), uterus, cervix, and vagina.
40.Where does fertilisation of the human egg occur in the female reproductive tract? What happens to the zygote after fertilisation (cleavage and implantation)?
41.What is the placenta? Describe its structural design (villi and blood spaces) and its dual role in nourishing the developing fetus and removing waste.
42.Define gestation period. What is the approximate duration of gestation in humans? How is the process of birth (parturition) initiated?
43.Explain what happens in the female body if the released egg is not fertilized. Describe the process of menstruation, its cycle length, and endocrine control.
44.Differentiate between sperm and ovum based on their size, motility, chromosomal composition, and relative numbers produced.
45.How is the chromosome number restored in the offspring of sexually reproducing organisms, since both parents contribute gametes? Explain in terms of meiosis.
46.What is reproductive health? Discuss why maintaining reproductive health is essential for individual well-being and social harmony.
47.Why is family planning important? Discuss the consequences of rapid population growth on resources and the economy of a developing country.
48.Name the four main categories of contraceptive methods used for birth control. Explain how each method works to prevent pregnancy.
49.What are Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs)? Classify them into bacterial and viral infections, giving two examples of each. Which contraceptive method prevents both STDs and pregnancy?
50.Explain the surgical methods of contraception: (a) Vasectomy in males, (b) Tubectomy in females. Do these methods affect hormone production or desire?
51.What is female foeticide? Why has the government banned prenatal sex determination techniques (like amniocentesis)? Discuss the social consequences of a declining child sex ratio.
52.How do chemical contraceptives (oral contraceptive pills) work? State one major side effect associated with their regular use.
53.Explain how the intra-uterine contraceptive device (IUCD) like Copper-T works to prevent pregnancy. Where is it inserted, and by whom?
Simran leaves a moist slice of bread in a dark corner of her kitchen for 3 days. She notices a cottony white mass covered with tiny black pin-head structures growing on the bread surface. Under a microscope, she observes fine thread-like structures (hyphae) and globose bags (sporangia) packed with spores.
54.Based on Case Study 1, answer the following:
- Identify the organism and its mode of asexual reproduction.
- State the function of the tiny black pin-head structures (sporangia) and the spores contained within them.
- Why did the cottony mass grow specifically on moist, warm bread kept in the dark, rather than on dry bread in bright sunlight?
In a laboratory, a teacher prepares a 10% sugar solution and adds a pinch of active yeast powder. He keeps the mixture in a warm place for 2 hours, puts a drop on a slide, and shows the students unicellular yeast cells with small bulbous projections (buds) attached to them, some forming chains.
55.Based on Case Study 2, answer the following:
- Name the asexual method of reproduction occurring in the yeast cells. Explain this process.
- Why are some yeast cells seen with a chain of buds still attached? Explain this observation.
- State the cellular difference between the division of nucleus and cytoplasm during yeast budding vs Amoeba binary fission.
Ramesh finds a fallen, thick leaf of a Bryophyllum plant. Along the notched margins of this leaf, he observes small plantlets complete with tiny roots and leaves. He detaches a plantlet, plants it in a pot, and after a few weeks, it grows into a healthy adult Bryophyllum plant.
56.Based on Case Study 3, answer the following:
- What mode of vegetative propagation is exhibited by the Bryophyllum plant?
- Where are the buds located on the Bryophyllum leaf? What triggers them to grow into plantlets?
- Name two other plants that reproduce vegetatively using: (a) stems, (b) roots.
A group of students is studying slides of a germinated hibiscus flower stigma. They observe that although hundreds of pollen grains of different species land on the stigma, only the pollen grains of the Hibiscus species form long tubes that grow successfully through the style to reach the ovary.
57.Based on Case Study 4, answer the following:
- Why did the pollen grains of other plant species fail to form pollen tubes on the Hibiscus stigma? Explain the chemical compatibility.
- Identify the tissue in the style through which the pollen tube grows, and explain how it obtains nutrition during growth.
- What is the biological term for the movement of the pollen tube towards the ovule?
During a prenatal checkup of a pregnant woman, the doctor explains using an ultrasound scan how the fetus receives oxygen, glucose, and antibodies from the mother's blood, and how the waste carbon dioxide is removed. The doctor highlights the critical role of a disc-like vascular organ embedded in the uterine wall.
58.Based on Case Study 5, answer the following:
- Identify the vascular organ described in the case. Explain its structural design on the fetal and maternal sides.
- Why do the mother's blood and the fetal blood not mix directly inside this organ? Explain the barrier advantage.
- State what happens to the metabolic wastes generated by the fetus. How are they cleared?
A health survey monitors the efficacy rates of different contraceptive methods in a community. The data reveals that surgical sterilization methods show an efficacy rate of 99.8%, mechanical barriers show 85% due to improper usage, and natural methods show only 70%.
59.Based on the Contraceptive Survey, answer the following:
- Why do surgical sterilization methods (vasectomy and tubectomy) show the highest efficacy rate in preventing pregnancy?
- Why are mechanical barriers (condoms) still widely recommended and distributed globally, despite having a lower efficacy rate than surgery?
- How do mechanical barriers physically prevent fertilisation?
A flower 'F' is unisexual. It contains green sepals, bright yellow petals, and a central structure consisting of a swollen base 'A', a long tube 'B', and a sticky landing pad 'C'. It does not contain any powdery yellow sacs.
60.Based on the floral puzzle description, answer the following:
- Is flower 'F' male or female? Identify parts 'A', 'B', and 'C'.
- Name the gamete produced in part 'A'. Where is the male gamete produced that will fertilize this flower?
- What will part 'A' develop into after successful fertilisation?
61.What is tissue culture (micropropagation)? Outline the step-by-step laboratory technique to grow disease-free orchids or bananas in sterile conditions.
62.Differentiate between binary fission in Amoeba and budding in Yeast based on the symmetry of cell splitting and the fate of the parent body.
63.Explain why sexual reproduction leads to a much faster rate of evolution compared to asexual reproduction. Discuss the role of chromosomal crossing over in meiosis.
64.Describe the role of the hormone progesterone in the menstrual cycle. What happens to the level of this hormone if fertilisation does not occur, and how does this trigger bleeding?
65.Evaluate the impact of high population density on the socio-economic status of a family. Discuss how reproductive health education and family planning access can improve gender equality and child nutrition.
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