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IGCSE Biology: Characteristics and classification of living organisms — Practice Questions & Answers
Learn the seven characteristics of life, how organisms are classified into kingdoms, binomial naming, and how to use dichotomous keys.
767 practice questions available for this topic — here are 10 with full answers and explanations.
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Practice questions with answers
1
Multiple choice · Easy
Which set of letters is commonly used to remember the seven characteristics of living organisms?
MRS GREN
DNA RNA
ATP ADP
SI units
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Why MRS GREN stands for Movement, Respiration, Sensitivity, Growth, Reproduction, Excretion and Nutrition.
2
Multiple choice · Easy
In the term MRS GREN, what does the letter N stand for?
Nutrition
Nerves
Nucleus
Nitrogen
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Why N stands for nutrition, the taking in of materials for energy, growth and development.
3
Multiple choice · Easy
Which characteristic of living organisms is defined as an increase in size or dry mass by an increase in cell number or cell size?
Growth
Movement
Excretion
Sensitivity
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Why Growth is a permanent increase in size and dry mass by an increase in cell number, cell size, or both.
4
Multiple choice · Easy
Which characteristic is the removal of the waste products of metabolism and substances in excess of requirements?
Excretion
Nutrition
Reproduction
Respiration
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Why Excretion is the removal of metabolic waste products and substances in excess of requirements.
5
Multiple choice · Easy
The chemical reactions in cells that break down nutrient molecules and release energy is called:
Respiration
Excretion
Growth
Movement
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Why Respiration is the chemical reactions in cells that break down nutrient molecules and release energy for metabolism.
6
Multiple choice · Easy
Sensitivity in living organisms is best described as the ability to:
Detect and respond to changes (stimuli)
Make identical copies of itself
Remove waste products
Increase in dry mass
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Why Sensitivity is the ability to detect and respond to changes (stimuli) in the internal or external environment.
7
Multiple choice · Easy
Which characteristic of living organisms produces more of the same kind of organism?
Reproduction
Respiration
Growth
Nutrition
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Why Reproduction is the process that makes more of the same kind of organism.
8
Multiple choice · Easy
A species is best defined as a group of organisms that:
can reproduce to produce fertile offspring
live in the same habitat
are the same colour
eat the same food
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Why A species is a group of organisms that can reproduce to produce fertile offspring.
9
Multiple choice · Medium
Which row correctly matches a characteristic with its meaning?
Movement - a change of position or place
Excretion - taking in nutrients
Growth - detecting stimuli
Respiration - making offspring
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Why Movement is an action by an organism or part of an organism causing a change of position or place.
10
Multiple choice · Medium
The binomial system of naming species gives each organism a name made up of two parts. These two parts are the:
genus and species
kingdom and phylum
family and order
class and genus
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Why In the binomial system the first name is the genus and the second is the species.
Key terms in Characteristics and classification of living organisms
Organism: Any individual living thing that carries out the seven life processes.
Characteristics of living organisms: The seven shared life processes that all living things perform, summarised by the acronym MRS GREN: movement, respiration, sensitivity, growth, reproduction, excretion and nutrition.
MRS GREN: A memory aid for the seven characteristics of living organisms: Movement, Respiration, Sensitivity, Growth, Reproduction, Excretion and Nutrition.
Movement: An action by an organism, or part of it, that causes a change in position or place.
Respiration: The chemical reactions in cells that break down nutrient molecules to release energy for use by the organism.
Sensitivity: The ability to detect and respond to changes (stimuli) in the internal or external environment.
Stimulus: A change in the environment, internal or external, that an organism can detect and react to.
Growth: A permanent increase in size and dry mass of an organism, brought about by an increase in cell number, cell size, or both.
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