Unit 4: Continuity and Change
Topic 4.1: DNA Replication Questions
Practice 20 exam-style questions for IB Biology Topic 4.1. Review the question stems below, then unlock the full Question Bank to access markschemes, model answers, and AI grading.
1Identify1 mark
During semi-conservative replication, what is the role of each parental (old) strand?
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What is the term for the whole of the genetic information of an organism?
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State the term used for the whole of the genetic information of an organism.
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Which conclusion did Meselson and Stahl reach from their density-labelling experiment?
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State one reason why the enzyme Taq polymerase is suitable for use in the polymerase chain reaction (PCR).
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Which sequence shows the three steps of one PCR cycle in the correct order?
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What is the main purpose of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR)?
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Unlock Question8Outline3 marks
Modern genetics often refers to the complete genetic information of an organism.
State the term used for the whole of an organism's genetic information, and outline how it relates to genes and chromosomes.
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State the conclusion Meselson and Stahl reached about how DNA is replicated.
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Distinguish between a gene and the genome of an organism.
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Which enzyme unwinds and unzips the DNA double helix at the start of replication?
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What does it mean to say that DNA replication is semi-conservative?
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Which bonds does helicase break to separate the two strands of DNA during replication?
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State the role of DNA polymerase in DNA replication.
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On a gel from gel electrophoresis, how do smaller DNA fragments behave compared with larger fragments?
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In the Meselson-Stahl experiment, why were the bacteria first grown for many generations in a medium containing only the heavy nitrogen isotope ¹⁵N?
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An exam asks you to state the role of DNA polymerase.
Which answer scores the mark?
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Unlock Question18Describe3 marks
Describe the three steps of one PCR cycle, naming each step and the approximate temperature used.
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In gel electrophoresis, why does DNA move through the gel towards the positive electrode?
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On the nested scale of genetic information, which sequence runs from the smallest unit to the largest?
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