End Of Year Year 8 Exam

Question 1

Genetic information is passed from one _______ to the next

Answer 1

Generation

Question 2

What is a habitat?

Answer 2

A habitat is where an organism lives

Question 3

Give an example of an animal that is adapted to its environment and how

Answer 3

Polar bear
White fur to blend in with its surrounding to kill prey
Insulating fur to keep it warm in the cold temperatures

Question 4

What does invertebrate mean

Answer 4

An organism without a backbone

Question 5

Whats a vertebrate

Answer 5

A organism with a backbone

Question 6

How are mammals identified

Answer 6

Hair

Question 7

How are birds identified

Answer 7

Feathers

Question 8

How are fish identified

Answer 8

Wet scales

Question 9

How are reptiles identified

Answer 9

Dry scales

Question 10

How are amphibians identified

Answer 10

Smooth, moist skin

Question 11

How many chromosomes do human body cells contain

Answer 11

46, 23 from mother and 23 from father

Question 12

How much chromosomes do gametes/sperm and egg cells have

Answer 12

23 and only one copy of each

Question 13

What are chromosomes

Answer 13

Very long molecules of DNA tightly coiled together

Question 14

What are genes

Answer 14

Short sections of DNA that code for a specific protein.

Question 15

What is the molecule that contains the coded instructions for life

Answer 15

DNA/Deoxyribonucleic acid

Question 16

Name the people who took part in the development of DNA

Answer 16

Watson Crick
Wilkins
Franklin

Question 17

Whats the difference between characteristics caused by genes and characteristics caused by the environment?

Answer 17

Environmental characteristics - something to do with your body caused by the environment, e.g scars, language spoken, weight etc.

Genetic characteristics - your characteristics are inherited from your parents, e.g eye colour, blood type etc.

Question 18

How can adaptations increase chances of survival for an organism?

Answer 18

For example an organism might have long legs so they can escape from predators easier, or insulating blubber or fur to keep it warm in cold temperatures.

Question 19

What is natural selection?

Answer 19

Natural selection is when organisms that are better adapted to their environment survive and have more offspring. Over time, their helpful traits become more common, and their species is more likely to last a long time.

Question 20

Explain a model of DNA

Answer 20

A double helix with two strands held together with base pairs.
A and T, G and C

Question 21

If changes in the environment occur, what might happen to some species

Answer 21

Extinction

Question 22

What does a gene bank do

Answer 22

Preserves genetic material to prevent extinction of a species

Question 23

What’s a pathogen

Answer 23

A disease causing organism

Question 24

Give examples of pathogens

Answer 24

Viruses
Fungi
Bacteria
Protoctists

Question 25

Name some modes of transmission of pathogens

Answer 25

Cuts Food poisoning Respiratory droplets Sexual transmission

Question 26

How can transmission of infection be reduced

Answer 26

Washing hands in hospitals (Semmelweiss theory) The use of mosquito nets to reduce malaria Catching respiratory droplets in a tissue The use of condoms to reduce transmission of STDs Kitchen needs to be clean when cooking food

Question 27

What is the role of the skin against pathogens

Answer 27

It acts as a barrier to prevent pathogens from entering the body

Question 28

What is the role of cilia and mucus and what do they do together to get rid of pathogens

Answer 28

The mucus traps the pathogens and the cilia sweeps the mucus away

Question 29

What is the role of stomach acid against pathogens

Answer 29

If there are any pathogens on a food you have already swallowed, the stomach acid can help neutralise the pathogen before it reaches your intestines causing infection

Question 30

How do some white blood cells help you even when a pathogen has gained entry

Answer 30

Some white blood cells engulf the pathogens (phagocytes) whereas some other white blood cells produce special chemicals which destroy and target specific pathogens (lymphocytes)

Question 31

What is the role of a vaccination

Answer 31

It involves giving someone a dead or weakened version of the pathogen, resulting in the white blood cells to produce antibodies against the pathogen. The purpose of this is so that if the actual pathogen enters the body the white blood cells can “ remember” it and quickly produce large amounts of antibodies to kill it.