CONTEST 1; ROUND 2

1. A student was bitten by an arthropod during athletics training on the school

field. This arthropod had two fang-like mouth parts, no antennae, and a large
abdomen. Which of the following is the likely arthropod?
Lobster, Mayfly, Cockroach, Centipede, Scorpion,
Scorpion,

2. Why do fruits often ripen faster when placed in closed paper bags?
When fruits are placed in closed paper bags, the ethylene gas produced
by the fruits gets trapped inside the bag. This high concentration of
ethylene accelerates the ripening process by activating enzymes that
break down starches into sugars, softening the fruit and enhancing its
flavor

3. Why do the caterpillars of monarch butterfly feed exclusively on milkweed

leaves, which contain toxins?
That make them toxic and unpalatable to predators
……………………………………………
CONTEST 2; ROUND 2

1. What are multipolar neurons?

They are neurons that intercept messages by multiple dendrites which
are all attached to one cell body.

2. What are Dimorphic fungi?

It refers to fungi that can grow as either yeast or mold depending on the
temperature or environment. / This means that under certain
conditions, these fungi can exist as single-celled yeast forms, while under
other conditions, they can form multicellular filamentous structures
called hyphae.

3. What device is used to extract desiccation-intolerant invertebrates from

samples of soil or leaf litter?
A Berlese funnel or Berlese trap
CONTEST 3; ROUND 2

1. What specific impact would it have on fertilization, if an embryo sac lacks

synergids?
The pollen tube will form but will not be guided toward the egg.

2. An SHS 3 biology student is studying a species of lizard and documenting

all of its physical characteristics. A lizard would be best be classified as
having which type of symmetry?
Bilateral symmetry

3. Blood sugar levels in the human body are regulated by a few different organ
systems which work together. In what way does the digestive system
regulate blood sugar levels in humans?
The digestive system works along with the nervous system to respond to
hunger by telling the human body that it needs food.

……………………………………………………………………..
CONTEST 4; ROUND 2

1. Arrange the following to indicate the sequence in which electrons travel

downhill during aerobic respiration. Oxygen →NADH→electron transport
chain→ Food
Food→NADH→electron transport chain→oxygen

2. Two organisms A and B share some common features but can't breed with
one another. What can one infer about how they are classified?
They belong to the same family, but different genera and species

3. When humans are eating banana fruits, they peel off the outside layer before
eating what is within. Which layer of banana fruit is the peel?
The exocarp layer
…………………………………………………………………
CONTEST 5; ROUND 2

1. What muscle is the prime mover of the shoulder abduction helping to move
the arm front, side and backwards?
The Posterior Deltoid

2. Why is the Respiratory Quotient of glucose equal to 1?

Respiratory quotient refers to the volume of carbon dioxide released
over the volume of oxygen absorbed. Glucose is completely oxidized
during respiration, producing equal amounts of carbon dioxide and
oxygen.

3. In a pedigree chart, if two unaffected individuals (neither of them has the

trait) have a child with the trait, what is the most likely mode of inheritance
for this trait?
Autosomal recessive inheritance.
…………………..
Contest 6; Round 2

1. Which branch of ecology would one study if one is trying to help save a
species from extinction?
Conservation Biology

2. Why should the diameter of mitochondria remain fairly constant when the
length is so variable?
For rapid diffusion of molecules between the cytoplasm of the cell and
mitochondria.

3. Every blood system possesses three distinct characteristics. Mention 2 of

them.
a. A circulatory fluid: The blood
b. A contractile, pumping device to propel the fluid around the body.
(may be a modified blood vessel or the heart)
c. Tubes through which the fluid can circulate.
Contest 7; Round 2

1. When growing maize, farmers at Abrankese Nyameani in the Bosomtwe

District in Ashanti region choose seeds from high-yielding plants. This is an
example of which biological practice?
Artificial Selection

2. What name is given to pain that is perceived at a location other than the site
of the painful stimulus?
Referred pain / Reflective pain.

3. What are linked genes, and what does a linkage map show?
Linked genes are genes that are located on the same chromosome. A
linkage map shows the location of specific genes on a chromosome.
…………………………………………

Contest 8; Round 2

1. What does biosecurity mean in ecology?

In ecology, biosecurity entails the various processes that will detect,
control, or minimize the capacity of unwanted organisms in disrupting
ecological balance.

2. Name one non-muscle tissue found in the mammalian heart and give its
function.
Non-muscle tissues in the heart include nervous tissues, which control
the beating of the heart; / connective tissues, which make up heart
valves that keep blood flowing in just one direction through the heart.

3. If a part of the human body needed a lining that was protective, but still able
to absorb nutrients, what would be the best type of epithelial tissue to use?
Simple cuboidal or simple columnar epithelial tissue.
……………………….
Contest 9; Round 2
1. What name is given to a collection of blood outside of a blood vessel,
usually due to an injury or trauma that causes blood vessel walls to break,
allowing blood to leak into surrounding tissue?
Hematoma

2. If a person has a problem with blood cell production, what type of bone
tissue is most likely involved? Explain your answer.
Red marrow, because that is where blood cells are produced in the
bone.

3. Give two examples of physiological processes in humans controlled by

positive feedback loops.
Two examples of physiological processes that are controlled by positive
feedback loops are blood clotting and childbirth

………………………………………….

SEMI FINAL 1; ROUND 2

1. A student ate fried rice and chicken which was contaminated because it was
left in the chop box for too long which caused disease causing organisms
(pathogens) to grow. State the type of non-specific defense that will take
place to rid the student’s body of the pathogen if the food enters the
stomach?
Enzymes (They are a type of nonspecific chemical defense. They will
break down or “attack” harmful pathogens and the stomach and
digestive system is full of them).

2. A cross between two plants A and B resulted in offspring with unique

photosynthetic pigment. The leaves of the offspring appeared to be reddish
yellow in colour. What wavelengths of visible light are not being absorbed
by this pigment?
Red and yellow
 *The leaves of the plant appear reddish yellow, indicating that the
pigment in the plant is absorbing all other colors of visible light except
for red and yellow

3. A cross between two species of mice resulted in an offspring that can

consume sugar and thrive in the absence of air, which suggests that it can
switch between aerobic and anaerobic respiration. What is the best
description of the offspring?
It is a facultative anaerobe
…………………………………

SEMI FINAL 2; ROUND 2

1. Why do some foods, mostly fruits and vegetables, turn brown once you cut
them?
Fruits and vegetables turn brown when cut due to enzymic browning,
which occurs when enzymes come into contact with oxygen in the
air. The cut sides turn brown because of oxidation. When fruits and
vegetables are cut, the part containing the oxygen-reactive enzyme is
exposed, leading to browning

2. Why does the rib cage need to be flexible? Why can it be flexible?
The rib cage needs to be flexible because it needs to expand and
contract with breathing movements. It can be flexible because true ribs
are attached to the sternum by cartilage, which creates partly movable
joints. Also, false ribs and floating ribs are attached by cartilage to true
ribs or to muscles in the abdominal wall, respectively. This also allows
them the flexibility to move as the person breathes.

3. If a person’s body is dehydrated, what do the kidneys do? What does this do
to the appearance of the urine produced?
If the body is dehydrated, the kidneys retain more water, releasing less
into the urine. This causes the urine to appear darker and more
concentrated.
SEMI FINAL 3; ROUND 2
1. A group of biology students on a field trip came across an organism which
they tried to classify as either a reptile or an amphibian. They agreed that the
organism was an amphibian because it possessed a very moist thin skin
which is a defining characteristic of amphibians. What is the purpose of this
defining characteristic to amphibians?
For respiration/ for cutaneous respiration / It allows gaseous exchange
to happen through skin.

2. What name is given to a water body that is saltier than fresh water but not as
salty as seawater is called a brackish water body.
Brackish water

3. State 2 changes that occur in the human body during acclimatization to high
altitude.
Additional red blood cells are produced
Capillaries become more numerous in muscle tissues,
The lungs increase slightly in size,
There is a small increase in the size of the right ventricle of the heart,
which is the heart chamber that pumps blood to the lungs.
FINALS; ROUND 2
1. Explain why it is a misconception for the term Recommended Daily
Amounts (RDA) of food and energy to be taken as an ideal which everyone
should try to achieve for a healthy life.
It is a misconception because the RDA value quoted for a particular
group is not the average requirement for that group, but a level which
would cover the needs of everyone in that group. Many people regard it
as a minimum desirable intake. For most people, though, the RDA is
much more than they need. Its misuse could result in an average person
over-eating.

2. Why are mucus membranes often located in regions that interface between
the body and the outside world?
Mucus is a slimy substance that traps pathogens, particles, and debris
from the outside world to protect the body. Therefore, the mucus
membranes that produce it are often located in regions of the body that
interface with the outside world.

3. Why is that astronauts can easily lose muscle mass in space?

Because astronauts work in a weightless (microgravity) environment,
where very little muscle contraction is needed to support their bodies or
move around due to the lack of gravity. Without regular use and
exercise, muscles weaken and deteriorate, a process called atrophy.