Lesson 3.2.1.1.1

3.2.1.1.1 Eukaryotic cell structure and organelles Quiz: AQA Biology, Unit 2

20 questions

Written by Revision Ninja · Last reviewed 11 October 2026

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Lesson 3.2.1.1.1, Eukaryotic cell structure and organelles: 20 multiple choice questions for the AQA Biology (7402), Unit 2: Cells, written with Revision Ninja.

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The 20 questions

  1. Which organelle is the site of aerobic respiration in eukaryotic cells?

    • Mitochondrion
    • Chloroplast
    • Lysosome
    • Golgi apparatus

  2. Which organelle is the site of photosynthesis in plant and algal cells?

    • Chloroplast
    • Ribosome
    • Vacuole
    • Mitochondrion

  3. What is the function of a lysosome?

    • It produces ribosomal RNA that is then used to assemble the proteins made in the cytoplasm
    • It transports water into and out of the cell by a process of active transport through its membrane
    • It contains hydrolytic enzymes that break down material within the cell
    • It synthesises lipids that are used to build and repair the membranes of the cell in the cytoplasm

  4. What is the main function of the nucleolus?

    • It stores the cell's glucose as glycogen
    • It packages proteins into vesicles for secretion
    • It is involved in making ribosomes
    • It breaks down fatty acids for energy

  5. What function is associated with the ribosomes on the rough endoplasmic reticulum?

    • Synthesis of lipids that are stored in the cytoplasm until they are needed for the cell membrane
    • Production of cellulose that is then secreted into the cell wall of the plant cell surrounding it
    • Digestion of cell debris using hydrolytic enzymes that are released into the cytoplasm
    • Synthesis of proteins that are then transported through the endoplasmic reticulum

  6. What is the role of the Golgi apparatus?

    • It stores the water that maintains the cell's turgor
    • It modifies proteins and packages them into Golgi vesicles
    • It releases ATP through its membrane-bound enzymes
    • It contains the cell's linear DNA with associated proteins

  7. What is the main component of the cell wall in plants?

    • Murein
    • Chitin
    • Phospholipid
    • Cellulose

  8. A cell specialised for secreting large amounts of protein would be expected to contain many of which organelles?

    • Nucleoli and mitochondria only, which make ribosomes and provide the ATP needed for secretion
    • Lysosomes and cell walls that digest the proteins and then release them through the cell surface
    • Rough endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi apparatus
    • Chloroplasts and vacuoles that store the water and light energy needed for protein synthesis

  9. A muscle cell has far more mitochondria than a skin cell. What is the most likely explanation?

    • Muscle cells contain more lysosomes, which need large numbers of mitochondria in order to function
    • Skin cells have little need for energy, so they do not contain mitochondria at any stage of their life
    • Muscle cells need more chloroplasts to make the glucose that they use as their main energy source
    • Muscle cells have a higher demand for ATP to power contraction, so more aerobic respiration is needed

  10. Thylakoid membranes in chloroplasts are stacked into grana. What is the advantage of this arrangement?

    • It increases the surface area for the light-dependent reactions of photosynthesis
    • It increases the volume of the stroma so that more glucose can be stored
    • It allows the thylakoids to produce more ribosomes for protein synthesis
    • It reduces the number of chlorophyll molecules needed to absorb light

  11. A liver cell is rich in smooth endoplasmic reticulum. What functions is this most consistent with?

    • Photosynthesis to produce glucose for the cell
    • Lipid synthesis and the breakdown of toxins
    • Cell division through the formation of spindle fibres
    • Protein synthesis for secretion from the cell

  12. Which organelle is found in a plant cell but not in an animal cell?

    • Nucleus
    • Mitochondrion
    • Golgi apparatus
    • Cell vacuole

  13. Which organelle contains its own DNA and ribosomes, resembling a bacterial feature?

    • Lysosome
    • Nucleus
    • Golgi apparatus
    • Mitochondrion

  14. The inner membrane of a mitochondrion is folded into cristae. What advantage does this give?

    • A larger volume for the storage of glucose
    • A larger surface for the packaging of proteins into vesicles
    • A larger surface area for ATP synthase and the electron transport chain
    • A larger area for the nucleus to attach to during division

  15. Free ribosomes, not attached to any membrane, are found in which location of a eukaryotic cell?

    • Within the thylakoids of chloroplasts only, where they make cellulose
    • Inside the lumen of the Golgi apparatus, where they process proteins
    • In the cytoplasm, where they make proteins that stay within the cell
    • Attached to the outer surface of the nuclear envelope only

  16. Why are lysosomal enzymes kept within a membrane-bound organelle rather than free in the cytoplasm?

    • To ensure that the enzymes can be transported to the nucleus with no exceptions
    • To allow the enzymes to synthesise lipids in the cytoplasm
    • To prevent the enzymes from digesting the cell's own components
    • To make the enzymes soluble in the cell membrane

  17. Explain how the structure of the nucleus allows it to function in controlling protein synthesis.

    • Its DNA is free in the cytoplasm, so the nucleus only stores the ribosomes
    • Its envelope has pores that let mRNA pass into the cytoplasm, while the DNA stays inside the nucleus
    • Its envelope is impermeable, so no molecules can pass into or out of the nucleus
    • Its nucleoli export proteins through the envelope to the Golgi apparatus

  18. Explain why a plant cell and an animal cell differ in whether they contain chloroplasts, and what this implies for their energy supply.

    • Plant cells have chloroplasts for photosynthesis, so they can make glucose from light, while animal cells rely on food and respiration
    • Both cell types contain chloroplasts, so both are able to produce glucose from light and to store it in the cytoplasm
    • Animal cells contain chloroplasts that store light energy for later use, while plant cells rely on mitochondria alone to make ATP
    • Plant cells lack mitochondria completely, so they must use chloroplasts to carry out all of their respiration in the cell

  19. A student says all eukaryotic cells contain chloroplasts because they are all plant-like. Which evaluation is correct?

    • Correct, because chloroplasts are found in every eukaryotic organelle system
    • Correct, because all eukaryotic cells contain chloroplasts in their cytoplasm
    • Incorrect, because only plant and algal cells contain chloroplasts, while animal cells do not
    • Incorrect, because no eukaryotic cells contain any organelles at all

  20. Explain why rough ER and the Golgi apparatus are closely linked in protein secretion.

    • The Golgi apparatus makes the ribosomes that are then attached to the rough ER
    • Rough ER breaks down proteins that are then transferred to the Golgi apparatus for storage
    • Rough ER and the Golgi apparatus are separate systems that do not exchange materials
    • Proteins made on rough ER pass in transport vesicles to the Golgi apparatus for processing and packaging

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