Lesson 3.1.1

3.1.1 Common features of living cells Quiz: Pearson Edexcel Biology, Unit 3

20 questions

Written by Revision Ninja · Last reviewed 11 October 2026

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Lesson 3.1.1, Common features of living cells: 20 multiple choice questions for the Pearson Edexcel Biology (9BI0), Unit 3: Voice of the Genome, written with Revision Ninja.

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The 20 questions

  1. Which structure is present in all living cells?

    • Cell wall
    • Nucleus
    • Mitochondrion
    • Plasma membrane

  2. According to cell theory, from where do all new cells originate?

    • Spontaneous generation
    • Pre-existing cells
    • Protein complexes
    • Non-living matter

  3. Which type of ribosome is found in prokaryotic cells?

    • 80S ribosomes
    • 100S ribosomes
    • 60S ribosomes only
    • 70S ribosomes

  4. Which molecule carries the genetic information in all cells?

    • Glucose
    • DNA
    • Cholesterol
    • Glycogen

  5. What term describes a membrane that allows only certain substances to cross?

    • Fully permeable
    • Impermeable
    • Partially permeable
    • Non-permeable

  6. What is the surface area to volume ratio of a cube of side 2 cm?

    • 3:1
    • 6:1
    • 1:3
    • 12:1

  7. What happens to a cell's surface area to volume ratio as its size increases?

    • It doubles
    • It decreases
    • It remains constant
    • It increases

  8. Which structure is needed by every cell to make proteins?

    • Chloroplasts
    • Flagella
    • Centrioles
    • Ribosomes

  9. Besides the nucleus, which organelle in animal cells contains its own DNA?

    • Golgi apparatus
    • Mitochondrion
    • Ribosome
    • Endoplasmic reticulum

  10. What is the fluid portion of cytoplasm called, excluding organelles?

    • Matrix
    • Stroma
    • Nucleoplasm
    • Cytosol

  11. Why can large multicellular organisms not rely solely on diffusion for gas exchange?

    • Small surface-area-to-volume ratio
    • Impermeable plasma membranes
    • Thick cell walls
    • Large surface-area-to-volume ratio

  12. A cell is 25 micrometres (um) across. How many millimetres is this?

    • 0.25 mm
    • 2.5 mm
    • 0.0025 mm
    • 0.025 mm

  13. For a sphere of radius r, which expression gives its surface area to volume ratio?

    • 3r
    • r/3
    • 3/r
    • 1/r^2

  14. Which structure is present in both prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells?

    • Mitochondria
    • Linear chromosomes
    • Nucleus
    • Plasma membrane

  15. What is the basic structural and functional unit of all living organisms?

    • The organelle
    • The molecule
    • The tissue
    • The cell

  16. Which plasma membrane adaptation increases the surface area of cells for absorption?

    • Microvilli
    • Cilia
    • Plasmodesmata
    • Flagella

  17. Two cubes have sides of 1 cm and 3 cm. What is the ratio of the surface area to volume ratio of the small cube to that of the large cube?

    • 9:1
    • 3:1
    • 1:1
    • 1:3

  18. A cube has a side of 4 cm. What is its surface area to volume ratio?

    • 0.75
    • 6
    • 3
    • 1.5

  19. Which cell type contains 70S ribosomes and lacks a membrane-bound nucleus?

    • Eukaryotic cell
    • Prokaryotic cell
    • Plant cell
    • Fungal cell

  20. What is the dense region inside the nucleus of a eukaryotic cell?

    • Nucleoplasm
    • Centrosome
    • Nucleolus
    • Chromatin

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