Explanation​:
Mitosis forms two genetically identical daughter cells with the same number of diploid chromosomes as the parent cell.

18 (Choice B) is incorrect as it is the haploid number of chromosomes. 72 (Choice C) is incorrect as it is twice the diploid number of chromosomes. 9 (Choice D) is incorrect as it is a quarter of the diploid number and an odd number.

Explanation​:
Choice C is correct, as the 9th nucleotide in the sequence (C) has been deleted from the original sequence.

Choice A is incorrect as it is the exact same sequence as the original sequence. Choice B is incorrect as it represents an insertion mutation, an adenine has been inserted in the 7th position. Choice D is incorrect as it represents a base substitution mutation, as G has replaced a T in the 14th position.

Explanation​:
A mRNA strand contains four nitrogenous bases: adenine (A), cytosine (C), guanine (G) and uracil (U). It does not contain thymine (T) (Choice C and Choice D).

Most mRNA strands which code for polypeptides begin with the $\text{‘}$START$\text{’}$ codon AUG and end with a `STOP$\text{’}$ codon, UAG, UAA or UGA (Choice A). Choice B has a $\text{‘}$STOP$\text{’}$ codon at the beginning which would terminate translation before it begins.

Explanation:
Choice A is correct because during metaphase I homologous chromosomes align at the equator and are subject to random orientation. Choice B is incorrect as, during Prophase I, homologous chromosomes condense and crossing over occurs. Choice C is incorrect as, during Metaphase II, chromosomes align on the cell's equator, and there is random orientation of the sister chromatids and not homologous chromosomes. Choice D is incorrect as, during Prophase II, chromosomes align on the cell's equator.

Explanation​:
Choice A is correct because pollen is produced by the anther and the ovum (plural: ova) is produced by the ovule, found inside the ovary. Choice B is incorrect because the stigma is where pollen lands. Choice C is incorrect because the filament supports the anther and does not produce pollen. Choice D is incorrect because the filament supports the anther and the style is the part of the flower that the pollen passes through.

Explanation​:
The question states that heterozygous individuals have the banded pattern on their hairs, which means that the agouti trait is dominant. Two heterozygous parents will produce offspring with the dominant and recessive characteristics in the ratio of 3:1 (Choice B). The offspring of a heterozygous individual and a homozygous agouti individual will all receive at least one dominant allele, so they would all be agouti (Choice A). The offspring of at least one parent that is homozygous for agouti will all have the agouti characteristic (Choices C and D).

Explanation​:
Choices B, C and D are incorrect because as the trees get darker, the camouflage of the peppered moth will be less effective, meaning it is more visible to predators and therefore more likely to be eaten.

Explanation​:
Statement III is not true, as homologous chromosomes often have different alleles (forms of genes), so are generally not identical to each other.

Statements I and II are true, as homologous chromosomes are pairs of chromosomes that have their centromeres and genes at the same positions. Therefore, Choice C is correct.

Explanation​:
Choice A is incorrect as autosomes are chromosomes that are not the sex chromosomes and so do not determine biological sex. Choice B is incorrect as linked genes are genes that are found on the same chromosome. Choice C is incorrect as a gene locus is the position of a gene on a chromosome.

Explanation​:
Choice A is correct because high blood glucose concentration is detected by the beta cells in the pancreas and they respond by releasing insulin. Choice B is incorrect because alpha cells produce glucagon and not insulin. Choice C is incorrect because the release of insulin is triggered by high blood glucose concentration and not low blood glucose concentration. Choice D is incorrect because low blood glucose concentration does not cause the release of insulin and insulin is not secreted by alpha cells.

Explanation​:
The solution used to bathe organs to be used in a transplant should have an osmolarity equal to that of the organ to be transplanted and so the solution is isotonic compared to the organ’s tissues.

A solution with an osmolarity higher than that of the organ to be transplanted (Choice A) would cause tissue cells to shrivel, while a solution with an osmolarity lower than that of the organ to be transplanted (Choice B) would cause organ cells to burst. There are no described protocols that indicate that the solution should be mixed with cells from the organ to be transplanted (Choice D).

Explanation:
Choice D is correct because food is stored in the cotyledon(s). Choice A is incorrect because the function of the radicle is to develop into the root of the seedling. Choice B is incorrect because the function of the plumule is to develop into the shoot of the seedling. Choice C is incorrect because the testa is the outer covering of the seed.

Explanation​:
Choice D is correct because transpiration is the loss of water from the stomata of a plant, it is not a stage of plant reproduction. Choices A, C and D are incorrect because pollination, fertilisation and seed dispersal are all stages of plant reproduction.

Explanation:
A greenhouse gas is a gas that contributes to the greenhouse effect. Greenhouse gases absorb the long wave infrared radiation (heat energy) emitted from Earth’s surface and can reradiate it back to Earth’s surface. So, one factor that determines whether a gas acts as a greenhouse gas is its ability to absorb long wave radiation: gases that are better able to absorb long wave radiation are more likely to act as greenhouse gases. A second factor that qualifies carbon dioxide as a greenhouse gas of concern is its relatively high concentration in the atmosphere: gases that are in higher concentration in the atmosphere have a larger effect on Earth’s temperature.

Explanation​:
The largest area in the pie charts showing sources of methane and nitrogen oxides is agricultural production.

Land use and biomass burning (Choice A) are a source of both methane and nitrous oxide but the area in the pie charts is less than agricultural production.

Industrial use (Choice B) releases mainly nitrous oxide.

Residential sources (Choice C) also release both methane and nitrous oxide but in lesser amounts than agricultural production.

Explanation:
The fossil record provides evidence of evolution, as the sequence in which fossils appear matches the sequence that they would be expected to evolve. Homologous structures provide evidence of evolution as they provide evidence that organisms shared a common ancestor. Speciation provides evidence of evolution as when populations become reproductively isolated, then natural selection can act differently on those populations, resulting in the formation of new species. Choice C is correct. Choices A and D are incorrect as the organisms becoming more complex does not necessarily correlate with evolution. Choice B is incorrect, as the increasing size of organisms does not necessarily correlate with evolution.

Explanation​:
The four stages of mitosis are prophase, where chromosomes supercoil and become visible; Metaphase, where chromosomes line up at the equator of the cell; anaphase, where sister chromatids are pulled apart and telophase, where the nuclear envelope reforms and two new daughter nuclei are formed.

Statement I is incorrect as sister chromatids are not pulled apart during metaphase. They are pulled apart during anaphase.
Choice B is incorrect as both statements II and III are correct and should be included.

Explanation:
The graph shows an overall positive correlation, as maternal age increases, the incidence of non-disjunction increases (Choice A). Choice B is incorrect because there is a positive correlation not a negative correlation. Choice C is incorrect because there is a correlation. Choice D is incorrect because non-disjunction does occur below 35 years, but the incidence is lower when compared to above 35 years.

Explanation​:
Choice A is correct because in both selective breeding and natural selection, favourable characteristics are “selected”, by either the environment (natural selection) or humans (selective breeding). Choice B is incorrect because natural selection doesn’t increase variation, it influences the proportion of existing variants. Choices C and D are incorrect because natural selection is not controlled by humans and does not contribute to the domestication of animals.

Explanation​:
Photosynthesis (Choice B) is the process by which carbon dioxide in the air is converted to carbon compounds in green plants.

Respiration releases carbon dioxide (Choice A), and decomposition by decomposers (Choice C) also releases carbon dioxide. Transpiration is the process by which water is drawn up the stem of a plant to the leaves where it evaporates (Choice D) and is not involved directly in the carbon cycle.

Explanation​:
Choice A is correct because if the heart were placed in a hypotonic solution (as opposed to isotonic) water would diffuse into the cardiac muscles.

Choice B is incorrect because there would be no net movement into the tissues of the heart in an isotonic solution, not a hypotonic or hypertonic solution. Choice C is incorrect because even if it is placed in a solution other than an isotonic solution, it cannot dry out as it is still bathed in a watery solution. Choice D is incorrect as the tonicity of the solution the heart is stored in has no effect on whether the recipient’s immune system identifies the heart as foreign which would lead to rejection of the heart by the immune system.

Explanation​:
Haemoglobin is a globular protein which is responsible for transporting oxygen around the body (Choice A). Choice B is incorrect as collagen is a fibrous protein. Choice C is incorrect as haemoglobin is not a fibrous protein and does not provide structural support. Choice D is incorrect as collagen does not transport oxygen.

Explanation​:
Choice C is correct because the biological mother passes on the X chromosome to a son and the biological father contributes only with Y. For the son to be colour-blind, he must have an allele for it on the X chromosome. Therefore the biological mother must have at least one recessive allele (n). Choices A and B are incorrect because individuals with X and Y are male. Choice D is incorrect because, in this case, no sons would have the condition.

Explanation​:
Choice A, B, and D – These statements are true.

Choice C -This statement is false. In eukaryotic cells, translation takes place in the cytoplasm. Prokaryotic cells do not have a nucleus.

Explanation:
Facilitated diffusion and osmosis are both passive means of transport and therefore do not require energy.

Active transport (Choice A) requires energy expenditure. Facilitated diffusion is a passive form of transport but active transport requires energy (Choice B). Facilitated diffusion (Choice D) does not require energy expenditure but this answer choice does not include osmosis.