GCSE Biology (AQA) chapter 1: Cell biology MCQs with answers

By Team Megalecture · Updated 4 Nov 2026

44 exam-style questions on Cell biology, each with the answer and a short explanation. Ten of them are below to try. The chapter test draws ten fresh questions each time and is marked the moment you finish, with your score by topic.

44 questions · 4 topics · 10 per test

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What chapter 1 covers

Ten Cell biology questions with answers

Try each one, then open the answer. These ten stay the same; the test draws new ones every time.

1. A light microscope can just distinguish two points that are 200 nm apart. An electron microscope can distinguish two points that are only 0.2 nm apart. How many times better is the resolution of the electron microscope?

  1. A
    10 times
  2. B
    100 times
  3. C
    1000 times
  4. D
    10 000 times
Show answer

Answer: C. Resolution is the smallest distance at which two points can still be seen separately, so a smaller distance means better resolution. 200 ÷ 0.2 = 1000.

2. Which structure is found in a bacterial cell but not in a human cheek cell?

  1. A
    plasmid
  2. B
    ribosome
  3. C
    cell membrane
  4. D
    cytoplasm
Show answer

Answer: A. Plasmids are small rings of DNA found in prokaryotes. Ribosomes, a membrane and cytoplasm are found in both types of cell.

3. What is the surface area to volume ratio of a cube with sides of 3 cm?

  1. A
    1:2
  2. B
    2:1
  3. C
    3:1
  4. D
    6:1
Show answer

Answer: B. Surface area = 6 × 3 × 3 = 54 cm2. Volume = 3 × 3 × 3 = 27 cm3. Ratio = 54:27 = 2:1.

4. Compare a cube of side 1 cm with a cube of side 4 cm. Which has the larger surface area to volume ratio, and by what factor?

  1. A
    the 4 cm cube, 4 times larger
  2. B
    the 1 cm cube, 4 times larger
  3. C
    the 1 cm cube, 16 times larger
  4. D
    the 1 cm cube, 64 times larger
Show answer

Answer: B. 1 cm cube: 6 ÷ 1 = 6. 4 cm cube: 96 ÷ 64 = 1.5. 6 ÷ 1.5 = 4, so the smaller cube has the ratio 4 times larger.

5. In emphysema the walls between neighbouring alveoli break down, leaving fewer, larger air spaces. Why does this reduce the amount of oxygen entering the blood?

  1. A
    the surface area for diffusion is reduced, so less oxygen can enter the blood
  2. B
    the concentration of oxygen in the air is lower
  3. C
    oxygen has to move by osmosis instead of diffusion
  4. D
    red blood cells can no longer carry oxygen
Show answer

Answer: A. Breaking down the walls greatly reduces the surface area available for diffusion, so less oxygen can enter the blood each second. The air still contains the same concentration of oxygen and oxygen still enters by diffusion.

6. Which list is in order of size, from largest to smallest?

  1. A
    nucleus, chromosome, gene
  2. B
    gene, nucleus, chromosome
  3. C
    chromosome, nucleus, gene
  4. D
    nucleus, gene, chromosome
Show answer

Answer: A. The nucleus contains chromosomes, and each chromosome carries a large number of genes.

7. A potato cylinder had a mass of 2.50 g. After an hour in a sugar solution its mass was 2.20 g. What is the percentage change in mass?

  1. A
    −13.6%
  2. B
    −12.0%
  3. C
    +12.0%
  4. D
    −0.30%
Show answer

Answer: B. Change = 2.20 − 2.50 = −0.30 g. Percentage change = −0.30 ÷ 2.50 × 100 = −12.0%. Dividing by the final mass gives the wrong value of −13.6%.

8. Why do large multicellular organisms need specialised exchange surfaces and transport systems?

  1. A
    a small surface area to volume ratio makes diffusion too slow
  2. B
    a large surface area to volume ratio makes them lose too much water
  3. C
    their cells cannot carry out diffusion without a blood system
  4. D
    each cell needs less oxygen than a single-celled organism needs
Show answer

Answer: A. As size increases, the volume grows faster than the surface area. The outer surface cannot supply every cell by diffusion alone, so lungs, gills and blood systems are needed.

9. Why is an inoculating loop passed through a Bunsen burner flame before it is used to transfer bacteria?

  1. A
    to kill any microorganisms on the loop
  2. B
    to warm the bacteria so they grow faster
  3. C
    to make the loop sticky so it picks up bacteria
  4. D
    to melt the agar on the plate
Show answer

Answer: A. Flaming sterilises the loop so that only the intended bacteria are transferred and the culture is not contaminated.

10. A human body cell divides by mitosis. Which describes the cells produced?

  1. A
    two cells, each with 23 chromosomes, genetically different
  2. B
    four cells, each with 23 chromosomes, genetically different
  3. C
    four cells, each with 46 chromosomes, genetically identical
  4. D
    two cells, each with 46 chromosomes, genetically identical
Show answer

Answer: D. Mitosis produces two genetically identical cells with the full chromosome number. Four different cells with 23 chromosomes is meiosis.

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Ways to practise this chapter

Cell biology: questions students ask

How many Cell biology MCQs are there?

44, each with the answer and a short explanation, across 4 topics: 4.1.1.1–4.1.1.4 Cell structure and specialisation, 4.1.1.5–4.1.1.6 Microscopy and culturing microorganisms, 4.1.2 Cell division, 4.1.3 Transport in cells. Every chapter test draws ten of them, so you can take it many times.

Is the GCSE Biology (AQA) chapter 1 test free?

Yes. The test, the answers and the explanations are free and need no sign-up. Sign in only if you want your scores kept across devices.

How is the chapter test marked?

The moment you press Finish: your score, the right answer and an explanation for every question, and the ones you got wrong saved in My mistakes to retry.

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