Typical exam questions on classification of living organisms and answers?

1. What is the purpose of classification in biology?

Answer: The purpose of classification in biology is to organize and categorize living organisms based on their similarities and differences, allowing for easier study and understanding of the diversity of life on Earth.

2. What are the seven levels of classification in the Linnaean system?

Answer: The seven levels of classification in the Linnaean system are kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus, and species.

3. How are organisms classified into different kingdoms?

Answer: Organisms are classified into different kingdoms based on their characteristics, such as cell structure, mode of nutrition, and reproduction methods. The five kingdoms are Animalia, Plantae, Fungi, Protista, and Monera.

4. What is the difference between a genus and a species?

Answer: A genus is a group of closely related species that share common characteristics, while a species is a group of individuals that can interbreed and produce fertile offspring.

5. How do scientists determine the evolutionary relationships between different species?

Answer: Scientists determine the evolutionary relationships between different species by analyzing their genetic similarities, physical characteristics, and fossil records to create phylogenetic trees that show the evolutionary history of organisms.

Question 1: Which of the following is the correct order of taxonomic ranks according to the Linnaean system?

(A) Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species
(B) Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Genus, Species
(C) Genus, Species, Family, Order, Class, Kingdom
(D) Kingdom, Class, Phylum, Order, Family, Genus, Species

Answer: D

Question 2: Which of the following is a characteristic used to classify plants in the angiosperm group?

(A) Presence of flowers
(B) Possession of vascular tissues
(C) Type of root system
(D) Number of cotyledons

Answer: A

Question 3: The five-kingdom system of classification was proposed by which scientist?

(A) Aristotle
(B) Carl Linnaeus
(C) Robert Whittaker
(D) Ernst Haeckel

Answer: C

Question 4: Which of the following is the broadest taxonomic category?

(A) Domain
(B) Kingdom
(C) Class
(D) Order

Answer: A

Question 5: Which of the following characteristics distinguishes prokaryotic from eukaryotic cells?

(A) Presence of a nucleus
(B) Presence of ribosomes
(C) Presence of a cell wall
(D) Presence of mitochondria

Answer: A

Question 6: Classify the following organism as a plant, animal, fungus, or protist:

- Unicellular eukaryote with chlorophyll

Answer: Protist

Question 7: Which of the following is a monophyletic group?

(A) Birds
(B) Reptiles
(C) Mammals
(D) Animals

Answer: A

Question 8: The study of the similarities and differences between organisms to establish their evolutionary relationships is known as:

(A) Taxonomy
(B) Phylogeny
(C) Morphology
(D) Anatomy

Answer: B

Question 9: Which of the following is a factor that influences the classification of organisms?

(A) DNA sequence
(B) Environmental conditions
(C) Behavioral patterns
(D) Fossil record

Answer: A

Question 10: The cladistic approach to classification is based on:

(A) Shared derived characteristics
(B) Overall similarity
(C) Evolutionary history
(D) Genetic makeup

Answer: A