IBBiology: HLDPExam Questions3. Genetics3.2 Meiosis

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First teaching 2014

Last exams 2024

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Meiosis (DP IB Biology: HL)

Exam Questions

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3.2 Meiosis

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3.2 Meiosis

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1
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Which stage of meiosis I is displayed in the image?

jOu4uZeu_e-1

  • Metaphase

  • Prophase

  • Anaphase

  • Telophase

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2
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Which of the following materials and pieces of laboratory equipment can be used to develop and refine our understanding of meiosis?

  1. light microscopes
  2. staining compounds
  3. animal body cells
  4. plant sex organs

  • I. and III.

  • I. II. and IV.

  • I. and IV.

  • II. III. and IV.

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3
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Five events that take place during meiosis are listed.

Which is the correct chronological order (1 - 5) of those events?

  • 1. crossing over
    2. haploid gametes form
    3. formation of bivalents
    4. reduction division
    5. replication of DNA
  • 1. haploid gametes form 
    2. reduction division 
    3. formation of bivalents 
    4. crossing over
    5. replication of DNA
  • 1. replication of DNA
    2. formation of bivalents 
    3. crossing over
    4. haploid gametes
    5. form reduction division
  • 1. replication of DNA
    2. formation of bivalents 
    3. crossing over
    4. reduction division
    5. haploid gametes form

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4
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If an organism has 11 pairs of chromosomes, which mathematical equation will calculate the number of combinations in which homologous chromosomes can orientate themselves during meiosis I?

The calculations shown in the choices are all mathematically correct. 

  • 211 = 2 048 combinations

  • 222 = 484 combinations

  • 222 = 4 194 304 combinations

  • 112 = 121 combinations

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5
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Which is the best explanation for the term reduction division as it relates to meiosis?

  • The mass of DNA in each cell has been reduced. 

  • The overall amount of DNA has been reduced during meiosis.

  • The chromosome number has been reduced.

  • DNA is chemically reduced during the process of meiosis. 

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11 mark

Which of the following statements correctly describes meiosis?

  • It is a mechanism of nuclear division that occurs in all cells.

  • It produces haploid cells during the first nuclear division.

  • It involves interphase, prophase, metaphase, anaphase and telophase.

  • It is the only process that generates genetic variation.

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21 mark

Which of the following led to the discovery of meiosis?

  • The development of the hypothesis that there must be a special type of cell division that halves chromosome number.

  • Careful scientific observation using stains and electron microscopes.

  • The use of research organisms in which meiosis took place very quickly.

  • Careful scientific observation using stains and light microscopes.

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31 mark

The diagram below shows the life cycle of a fern. The term 2n is used to represent diploid cells and the term n is used to represent haploid cells.

biology-3-2-q3-ib-hl

Which stage represents meiosis?

  • W

  • X

  • Y

  • Z

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41 mark

Which events are taking place at stages 1, 2, and 3 in the diagram of meiosis below?

biology-3-2-q4-ib-hl

  1 2 3
A DNA replication Random fertilisation Sister chromatids become chromosomes
B Mitosis Separation of homologous pairs Separation of sister chromatids
C DNA replication Random orientation Separation of homologous pairs
D DNA replication Crossing over  Separation of sister chromatids

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    51 mark

    The micrographs below show cells undergoing meiosis.

    biology-3-2-q5-ib-hl

    Which sequence correctly identifies the stage of meiosis in each micrograph from left to right?

    • Metaphase I, anaphase I, prophase I, telophase I

    • Metaphase II, anaphase II, prophase II, telophase II

    • Prophase II, anaphase II, metaphase II, telophase II

    • Prophase I, anaphase I, metaphase I, telophase I

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    61 mark

    Which of the following statements about genetic variation and meiosis are correct? 

    1. Meiosis generates genetic variation through crossing over and random orientation of chromosomes
    2. The number of different combinations of chromosomes that are possible as a result of random orientation is 2n, where n is the number of chromosomes in a diploid cell
    3. Crossing over can take place at any location along a chromosome

    • I only

    • I and III only

    • II and III only

    • I, II, and III

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    71 mark

    A group of scientists carried out a study looking at the relationship between the number of crossing over events taking place during meiosis and the distance between the crossing over events and the centromere in male trout (a species of fish).  Some of their results are shown in the graph below.

    biology-3-2-q7-ib-hl

    What can be concluded from the graph?

    • There are significantly more crossing over events further away from the centromere.

    • 30 % of crossing over events occur at a relative distance of 0.6.

    • A higher percentage of crossing over events take place as distance from the centromere increases in male trout.

    • A higher percentage of crossing over events take place as distance from the centromere increases in fish species.

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    81 mark

    Chromosome non-disjunction in the sex chromosomes can result in gametes that contain more than one sex chromosome. 

    The graph below shows the results of a study looking at the impact of age on sex chromosome non-disjunction in men.

    biology-q8-3-2-ib-hl

    How many XY sperm would be predicted in a sample of 1 000 000 sperm from a 45 year old man?

    • 1 250

    • 12.5

    • 125

    • 12 500

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    91 mark

    Which of the following sets of statements correctly describes a process that would now be used for karyotype analysis?

     

    Stage 1

    Stage 2

    Stage 3

    A

    A needle through the abdomen wall samples cells from amniotic fluid

    Chromosomes are photographed using a microscope before the image is cut up with scissors and rearranged by size

    The resulting karyotype image is analysed to diagnose chromosome abnormalities

    B

    A tube via the vagina samples cells from amniotic fluid

    Chromosomes are photographed using a microscope before the image is digitally rearranged by size

    The resulting karyogram image is analysed to diagnose chromosome abnormalities

    C

    A tube via the vagina samples cells from the chorion

    Chromosomes are photographed using a microscope before the image is digitally rearranged by size

    The resulting karyotype image is analysed to diagnose chromosome abnormalities

    D

    A needle through the abdomen wall samples cells from amniotic fluid

    Chromosomes are photographed using a microscope before the image is digitally rearranged by size

    The resulting karyogram image is analysed to diagnose chromosome abnormalities

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      101 mark

      The micrograph below shows an image of a cell undergoing meiosis.

      biology-q10-3-2-ib-hl-

      Which stage of meiosis can be seen in the image, and why?

        Stage of meiosis Reason
      A Prophase II Chromosomes are condensed and randomly arranged in the cell
      B Prophase I Chromosomes are condensed and randomly arranged in the cell
      C Prophase I Chromosomes are condensed in a haploid cell
      D Metaphase I Chromosomes are lined up down the centre of a cell

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        1
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        The following choices each show a bivalent. 

        Along the length of the bivalent are some values of probability.

        Which choice reflects the most likely probabilities of a chiasma forming at each of the positions shown?

        hdo0Sn4a_h-1

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          2
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          The image shows a human karyotype of cells taken from amniocentesis in the later stages of the first half of a pregnancy. ~pGVzkjq_h-2

          What conclusion can be drawn from this karyotype?

          • The foetus's karyotype is entirely normal.

          • The foetus has Down syndrome.

          • The foetus has trisomy 18 (Edward's syndrome) and is unlikely to survive beyond the age of 12 months. 

          • The foetus is female.

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          3
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          Which row best describes an organism whose diploid number is 16 and whose body cells have an amount of DNA, x?

            Number of chromosomes per body cell Number of centromeres Amount of DNA per cell at the beginning of meiosis I
          A. 16 16 2x
          B. 8 16 2x
          C. 16 8 4x
          D. 8 8 x

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            4
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            The fungus Sordaria fimicola is an excellent organism for observing the effects of meiosis because its gametes (spores) are coloured and can be observed under a microscope. 

            Wild-type fungus has black spores. Another variety has tan spores.

            The allele for black spores is B and the allele for tan spores is b.

            These can be crossed to produce a diploid zygote, which can then undergo meiosis to produce spores. In this species, a final mitotic division results in 8 spores produced as shown below. sXVQy7N__h-4

            Each zygote produces its eight spores in a structure called an ascus, in which the eight spores line up to reveal the alignment of homologous chromosomes during the meiotic division that led to their formation. 

            A microscope image of some asci is shown below. h-42

            Which asci, labelled 1 - 4 in the microscope view above, show evidence that crossing over has taken place?

            • All of them

            • 2 and 3

            • 1 and 3

            • 2 and 4

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            5
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            Four students were asked to draw an image of a cell undergoing meiosis I in one of its phases (prophase I).

            Which is the best-drawn example produced by these four students?

            • Rt9rE3l1_h-5a

            • FSMjLCpg_h-5b

            • UCfdbbMx_h-5c

            • RoRqob61_h-5d

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