Genetics & DNA Quiz

Question 1

What does DNA stand for?

Accepted Answer

Deoxyribonucleic Acid

Answer

Dinitrogen Nucleic Acid

Answer

Double Nitrogen Acid

Answer

Deoxyribose Nitrous Acid

Question 2

What is the shape of the DNA molecule?

Accepted Answer

Double helix

Answer

Single helix

Answer

Triple helix

Answer

Flat ladder

Question 3

The four nitrogenous bases in DNA are Adenine, Thymine, Guanine, and:

Accepted Answer

Cytosine

Answer

Uracil

Answer

Leucine

Answer

Serine

Question 4

How many chromosomes does a typical human cell have?

Accepted Answer

46

Answer

23

Answer

44

Answer

48

Question 5

What is a gene?

Accepted Answer

A section of DNA encoding a protein or functional RNA

Answer

The entire DNA molecule

Answer

A type of chromosome

Answer

The protein produced by DNA

Question 6

What is a DNA mutation?

Accepted Answer

A permanent change in the DNA sequence

Answer

When DNA is replicated perfectly

Answer

When proteins are made incorrectly

Answer

When chromosomes separate

Question 7

What is 'natural selection' as a mechanism of evolution?

Accepted Answer

Environmental pressures favouring survival and reproduction of better-adapted individuals

Answer

Organisms choosing to adapt

Answer

Random genetic changes over time

Answer

Humans choosing which organisms to breed

Question 8

What is 'dominant' and 'recessive' in genetics?

Accepted Answer

Dominant alleles are expressed when present; recessive alleles are only expressed when two copies are inherited

Answer

Dominant genes are stronger; recessive genes are weaker versions

Answer

Dominant traits appear in males; recessive in females

Answer

Dominant = from mother; recessive = from father

Question 9

Who are credited with discovering the structure of DNA in 1953?

Accepted Answer

Watson, Crick, Franklin, and Wilkins all contributed

Answer

Watson and Crick

Answer

Franklin and Wilkins

Answer

Darwin and Mendel

Question 10

What is 'genetic engineering'?

Accepted Answer

Directly manipulating an organism's DNA to alter its characteristics

Answer

Traditional cross-breeding of plants and animals

Answer

Studying family genetics over generations

Answer

Cloning entire organisms

Question 11

What is the Human Genome Project?

Accepted Answer

An international project that mapped and sequenced all human DNA

Answer

A project to clone humans

Answer

A project to eliminate genetic diseases

Answer

A database of human ancestry

Question 12

What is CRISPR-Cas9?

Accepted Answer

A gene editing tool that can precisely cut and modify DNA

Answer

A type of DNA molecule

Answer

A type of chromosome

Answer

A genetic disease

Question 13

What are stem cells?

Accepted Answer

Undifferentiated cells that can develop into specialised cell types

Answer

The first cells to form in a embryo only

Answer

Cancer cells

Answer

Cells found only in bone marrow

Question 14

What is a 'karyotype'?

Accepted Answer

A visual display of an organism's full set of chromosomes

Answer

A map of a person's genes

Answer

The sequence of DNA bases

Answer

A test for genetic mutations

Question 15

Down syndrome is caused by having an extra copy of which chromosome?

Accepted Answer

Chromosome 21

Answer

Chromosome 18

Answer

Chromosome X

Answer

Chromosome 13

Question 16

What is RNA and how does it differ from DNA?

Accepted Answer

RNA is single-stranded, uses ribose sugar, and uracil instead of thymine; it carries genetic instructions from DNA to ribosomes

Answer

RNA is identical to DNA

Answer

RNA carries genes; DNA carries proteins

Answer

RNA only exists in plants

Question 17

Dolly the sheep (1996) was significant because she was:

Accepted Answer

The first mammal cloned from an adult cell

Answer

The first genetically modified animal

Answer

The first sheep to undergo gene therapy

Answer

The first animal to have its genome sequenced

Question 18

Blood type (ABO system) is an example of which genetic principle?

Accepted Answer

Codominance and multiple alleles

Answer

Simple dominant/recessive inheritance

Answer

Sex-linked inheritance

Answer

Polygenic inheritance

Question 19

What percentage of DNA do humans share with chimpanzees?

Accepted Answer

98%

Answer

85%

Answer

92%

Answer

99%

Question 20

What is 'epigenetics'?

Accepted Answer

Changes in gene expression caused by factors other than DNA sequence changes

Answer

The study of genes above the species level

Answer

The study of genetic mutations

Answer

Genetic changes that occur after birth