Practise 41 exam-style questions on Cloning (biology only) for AQA GCSE Biology. Write your answer as you would in the exam and get it marked in seconds against the mark scheme, point by point, with an AI tutor on hand if you get stuck.
41 questions
2–6 marks each
Instant marking
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20 questions, marked as you go
Sample questions with model answers
Here are 4 of the questions in this topic, each with a model answer, an explanation of why it earns the marks and the mark scheme an examiner would use.
Question 1
2 marks
Why is genetic diversity in crop species sometimes maintained by seed banks rather than cloning?
Model answer
Seed banks preserve many genotypes and alleles across populations which maintains genetic diversity for future breeding; cloning preserves individual genotypes but not the wider variation a seed bank stores.
Explanation
Seed banks are repositories of genetic variation across many individuals and varieties, enabling future breeding and adaptation; cloning does not capture that breadth.
Mark scheme
1 mark
Seed banks store many genotypes / alleles maintaining diversity
1 mark
Cloning preserves single genotypes only, not population variation
Question 2
3 marks
What is meant by 'reproductive cloning' and give one example where it has been used.
Model answer
Reproductive cloning is creating a new organism that is genetically identical to the donor by implanting a cloned embryo into a surrogate; example: Dolly the sheep.
Explanation
Reproductive cloning produces full organisms, demonstrated historically by the successful cloning of Dolly, the first mammal cloned from an adult somatic cell.
Mark scheme
1 mark
Definition: creating a new organism genetically identical to a donor (implant embryo into surrogate)
1 mark
Example: Dolly the sheep (or other named cloned animal)
1 mark
Key point: producing whole organism (not just cells)
Question 3
4 marks
Explain the term 'therapeutic cloning' and give one ethical concern associated with it.
Model answer
Therapeutic cloning involves creating an embryo (via nuclear transfer) to harvest embryonic stem cells genetically matched to a patient for tissue repair. Ethical concern: destruction of embryos to obtain stem cells raises moral objections about the status of the embryo.
Explanation
Therapeutic cloning aims to produce stem cells for treatment but involves creating and using embryos, which some consider morally impermissible.
Mark scheme
2 marks
Therapeutic cloning explained: produce embryo to derive stem cells matched to patient for therapy
Award 2 marks for clear explanation including purpose.
2 marks
Ethical concern: destroying embryos / moral status of embryo / consent issues
Question 4
6 marks
A nursery uses tissue culture to conserve a rare plant species. Design a brief practical plan (method) for producing identical new plants by tissue culture. Include controls and safety/aseptic points.
Model answer
Explants (small pieces of leaf/stem) taken from parent plant; sterilise explants (e.g., surface sterilisation with bleach/ethanol) to remove microbes; place explants on sterile nutrient agar with plant growth regulators in sterile Petri dishes; incubate at appropriate temperature and light; once shoots form transfer to rooting medium then acclimatise plantlets to soil. Controls: sterile technique, sterile media, replicate explants, label plates. Safety: use aseptic technique, PPE, dispose of waste correctly.
Explanation
Tissue culture requires sterile explants placed onto nutrient agar with hormones; maintaining sterility and using replicates ensures success and valid results; after shoots form, plantlets are rooted and gradually moved to soil.
Mark scheme
1 mark
Take explants (small pieces of plant tissue) from parent plant
1 mark
Sterilise explants (surface sterilisation) and use aseptic technique
E.g., bleach/ethanol, flame, sterile hood, PPE.
1 mark
Place explants on sterile nutrient agar containing growth regulators
Mention of auxin/cytokinin scores.
1 mark
Incubate under suitable light and temperature until shoots form; then transfer to rooting medium
