Question 1 Medium
Which cells in an embryo can become any type of cell?
Show answer
Answer: embryonic stem cells
- Unspecialised cells in an embryo.
- They are embryonic stem cells.
Growth, differentiation and percentile charts: GCSE Combined Science Biology practice questions
A second set of questions on growth, differentiation and percentile charts. They are different from the ones on the topic page. Try each, then open the answer and compare your working.
More questions
Question 2 Medium
Which is a better measure of growth: fresh mass or dry mass?
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Answer: dry mass
- Fresh mass includes changing water.
- Dry mass is better.
Question 3 Hard
In plant growth, what happens to a cell's vacuole during elongation?
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Answer: it swells
- The cell takes in water.
- The vacuole swells and the cell gets longer.
Question 4 Hard
A seedling has a fresh mass of 0.8 g and a dry mass of 0.2 g. What percentage of its fresh mass is water?
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Answer: 75%
- Water = 0.8 − 0.2 = 0.6 g.
- 0.6 ÷ 0.8 × 100 = 75%.
Question 5 Hard
A child grows from 90 cm to 99 cm in a year. Calculate the percentage increase in height.
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Answer: 10%
- Increase = 99 − 90 = 9 cm.
- 9 ÷ 90 × 100 = 10%.
Question 6 Hard
Why can doctors be concerned if a child crosses several percentile lines on a chart?
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Answer: growth is unusual
- A healthy child usually follows one curve.
- Crossing lines shows unusual growth.
Question 7 Hard
Which part of a plant allows many plant cells to keep differentiating and so lets a cutting grow into a new plant? Name the type of cell that can become any cell type.
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Answer: stem cells
- Meristem tissue contains unspecialised cells.
- These are plant stem cells.
Question 8 Hard
Name the type of cell division that makes the new cells in the root tip.
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Answer: mitosis
- The new cells are identical to the parent cells.
- This is mitosis.
Quick checks
Short questions with options. Choose one before you open the answer.
Check 1
What is growth?
Show answer
An increase in size or mass, by making more cells or making cells bigger.
Check 2
What type of cell division is used for growth?
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Mitosis.
Check 3
How do animals grow?
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By cell division (mitosis) and differentiation.
Check 4
Why do adult animals still need cell division?
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To repair damage and replace worn-out cells.
Check 5
What is differentiation?
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The process by which a cell becomes specialised for a particular job.
Check 6
Why is differentiation important?
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It makes the specialised cells that form tissues and organs.
Check 7
What are embryonic stem cells?
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Unspecialised cells in an embryo that can become any type of cell.
Check 8
What is a meristem?
Show answer
A region at the tip of a root or shoot where plant cells divide by mitosis.
Check 9
What are the three stages of plant growth?
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Cell division, cell elongation and cell differentiation.
Check 10
What is cell elongation?
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A cell getting longer as it takes in water and the vacuole swells.
Check 11
Can plant cells differentiate in adult plants?
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Yes. Many plant cells keep the ability to differentiate throughout life.
Check 12
Name three ways to measure growth.
Show answer
Height or length, fresh mass and dry mass.
Check 13
What is fresh mass?
Show answer
The mass of the living organism, including water.
Check 14
What is dry mass?
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The mass after all water has been removed by drying.
Check 15
Why is dry mass the best measure of growth?
Show answer
The amount of water in an organism varies, but dry mass shows only the mass of cells.
Check 16
What is the formula for percentage change?
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(new value − old value) ÷ old value × 100.
Check 17
What does a percentile chart show?
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How a child's measurement compares with other children of the same age and sex.
Check 18
What does the 50th percentile mean?
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Half of children of that age are larger and half are smaller.
Check 19
What does the 25th percentile mean?
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The child is larger than 25% of children of that age.
Check 20
Why do doctors use percentile charts?
Show answer
To monitor growth and spot children whose growth is unusual.
Check 21
What is a good sign on a percentile chart?
Show answer
The child follows roughly the same percentile curve over time.
Check 22
Why can a cutting grow into a new plant?
Show answer
Many plant cells can differentiate throughout life.
Check 23
Give one example of an adult stem cell location.
Show answer
Bone marrow.
Check 24
Why can a single measurement on a growth chart be misleading?
Show answer
A trend over time is more useful than a single point.
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