Lesson 3.3.13.5

3.3.13.5 Action of anticancer drugs Quiz: AQA Chemistry, Unit 3

20 questions

Written by Revision Ninja · Last reviewed 11 October 2026

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Lesson 3.3.13.5, Action of anticancer drugs: 20 multiple choice questions for the AQA Chemistry (7405), Unit 3: Organic chemistry, written with Revision Ninja.

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The 20 questions

  1. What is the oxidation state of platinum in cisplatin?

    • +1
    • +4 (Pt(IV))
    • +2 (Pt(II))
    • 0

  2. What type of reaction does cisplatin undergo with DNA?

    • Neutralisation of an acid
    • Free-radical addition
    • Ligand replacement
    • Hydrolysis of an ester

  3. Which atom in DNA forms a bond to platinum in cisplatin?

    • A carbon atom in the thymine ring
    • An oxygen atom on the sugar
    • A nitrogen atom on guanine
    • A phosphorus atom in the backbone

  4. Why does cisplatin prevent DNA replication?

    • It binds to the bases and forms cross-links, so the strands cannot separate and copy
    • It changes guanine into thymine, so that the wrong base is inserted during replication
    • It removes the phosphate groups from DNA, so that the strands can no longer be copied
    • It converts DNA into RNA directly, so that the genetic code is read differently

  5. What must society assess when using drugs such as cisplatin?

    • Only the colour of the drug solution
    • The balance between benefits and adverse effects
    • Only the cost of manufacturing the drug
    • Only the number of atoms in the molecule

  6. Why do anticancer drugs such as cisplatin have adverse effects?

    • They dissolve all proteins in the body
    • They cause no effects at all
    • They also affect healthy cells that divide rapidly
    • They only affect cancer cells and never healthy ones

  7. Which ligands in cisplatin are replaced when it binds DNA?

    • Chloride ligands
    • The platinum atom itself
    • Ammonia ligands
    • Both ligands are always kept

  8. What is the coordination number of platinum in cisplatin?

    • 2
    • 8
    • 4
    • 6

  9. Why is the cisplatin-DNA bond described as a dative bond?

    • The bond is ionic because both atoms carry charges
    • The bond is metallic between two metal atoms
    • The nitrogen donates a lone pair of electrons to the platinum
    • The platinum donates both electrons to the nitrogen

  10. Why is cisplatin described as a complex?

    • It is a mixture of two different salts
    • It has a polymer backbone of platinum atoms
    • A central metal ion is bonded to surrounding ligands
    • It contains a metal and an organic chain only

  11. Why do cancer cells suffer more from cisplatin than many normal cells?

    • Cancer cells divide rapidly, so they are more affected by DNA replication being blocked
    • Normal cells cannot take up platinum at all, so they are never damaged by the drug
    • Cancer cells have no DNA at all, so they are destroyed by any DNA-binding drug
    • Cancer cells do not contain nitrogen bases, so the drug cannot bind to them at all

  12. What is the main factor weighed when deciding whether to use cisplatin?

    • Cure rate compared with toxicity to healthy tissue
    • Only the number of carbon atoms in the drug molecule, which sets its overall size
    • Only the cost of the platinum, which determines how much of the drug is prescribed
    • The colour of the drug solution, which shows how concentrated it is in the body

  13. Which statement about cisplatin's action is correct?

    • It interferes with DNA replication by binding to guanine
    • It binds to the sugars in the DNA backbone only
    • It increases the rate of DNA replication
    • It converts DNA into a protein

  14. Which base in DNA does cisplatin bind to?

    • Thymine
    • Adenine
    • Guanine
    • Uracil

  15. Why does ligand replacement occur when cisplatin meets DNA?

    • Chloride ions are stronger ligands than nitrogen, so they stay bound to the platinum
    • The DNA contains no ligands to bind, so the platinum must bond to the solvent instead
    • Platinum requires a neutral solvent to react, and the DNA has no suitable solvent
    • The nitrogen donor on the DNA base is a stronger ligand than chloride and displaces it

  16. Which of these is an adverse effect of an anticancer drug in general?

    • Damage to healthy rapidly dividing cells, such as hair follicles
    • Conversion of healthy cells into metal ions, which are then excreted by the kidneys
    • Complete removal of all cancer cells in one dose, which avoids the need for later treatment
    • Increased speed of healthy cell division, which helps the body repair tissue faster

  17. Which statement describes the Lewis acid-base idea in cisplatin binding?

    • Platinum donates a lone pair to the nitrogen atom of guanine
    • Chloride ions accept protons from guanine
    • Guanine accepts electrons from the sugar backbone
    • Platinum accepts a lone pair from the nitrogen atom of guanine

  18. Why is cisplatin the focus of benefit-risk assessment in the specification?

    • It is a naturally occurring sugar that is found in fruit and does not act on DNA
    • It is effective but has adverse effects that must be weighed
    • It has no mechanism of action, so its effect on cells is unknown and unpredictable
    • It is a food additive with no effects on the body, and is used only in drinks

  19. What does cisplatin's binding to DNA prevent a cell from doing?

    • Producing ATP for energy, which the drug does not affect at any dose level
    • Replicating its DNA before dividing, which is the process that the drug stops
    • Replicating its DNA before dividing
    • Making lipids for membranes, which the drug blocks by binding to the cell surface

  20. Why do the two chloride ligands in cisplatin matter for its action?

    • They prevent cisplatin from entering cells, which is why it must be given by injection
    • They are the leaving groups that are replaced by nitrogen on DNA
    • They are the sites that bind to ammonia in the complex, which forms the drug
    • They make the complex neutral and inactive until it reaches the target cell

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