Explanation​:
Amino acids (Choice B) can form polypeptides through the formation of peptide bonds as a result of condensation reactions. Fatty acids (Choice A) are involved in the formation of lipids and are not monomers. Proteins (Choice C) are composed of one or more polypeptides and are polymers. Nucleotides (Choice D) are the building blocks of DNA and RNA.

Explanation​:
Ducks and fish are consumers (Choice B, C and D), which is a type of heterotroph, whereas Azolla and rice can carry out photosynthesis and are, therefore, autotrophs (self-feeding).

Explanation​:
Sieve plates (Statement I) and plasmodesmata (Statement II) are features found in phloem. Sieve plates possess pores which allow continual flow of sap through the sieve tubes. Plasmodesmata are small channels which connect the sieve tube elements to the adjacent companion cells. A high lignin content (Statement III) is found in xylem vessels. It provides support to withstand hydrostatic pressure, and is also impermeable to water.

Explanation​:
Choice B is correct because disease is a living factor and is, therefore, a biotic factor, not an abiotic one. Sunlight (Choice A), precipitation (Choice C), and pH (Choice D) are all non-living factors and are therefore abiotic.

Explanation​:
Obligate anaerobes are single-celled organisms that will not survive if oxygen is present. Facultative anaerobes are organisms that can either respire aerobically or anaerobically. Obligate aerobes can only respire if oxygen is present and cannot survive in conditions low in oxygen. Therefore Choice A is correct.

Choices B and D are incorrect because obligate anaerobes cannot respire when oxygen is present. Choice C is incorrect as obligate anaerobes require anoxic conditions, and obligate aerobes cannot carry out anaerobic respiration.

Explanation:
Choice A is correct because a lysosome usually fuses with phagocytic vacuoles containing pathogens or cellular debris, or other vacuoles in the cytoplasm. The enzymes are then released from the lysosome into the vacuole to digest the contents.

Choice B is incorrect because lysosomes contain digestive enzymes that break down cellular components, which involve catabolic reactions, not anabolic reactions. Choice C is incorrect because lysosomes form from vesicles budding off of the Golgi apparatus. Choice D is incorrect because lysosomes are membrane-bound organelles.

Explanation​:
Statement I
In the Singer-Nicholson model of the plasma membrane, proteins were believed to move within the phospholipid bilayer. The finding that proteins can move throughout the membrane supported the Singer-Nicholson model and refuted earlier models. Statement I is correct.

Statement II
In an earlier model, proteins were assumed to form one layer above and one layer below the phospholipids. The finding that some membrane proteins were hydrophobic (nonpolar) refuted this model and supported the Singer-Nicholson model, since hydrophobic proteins could not form a continuous layer along the charged phospholipid heads but could be embedded within the nonpolar phospholipid tails. Statement II is correct.

Statement III
In an earlier model, the membrane was assumed to consist of three layers (a layer of lipids sandwiched between two layers of proteins). The finding that the membrane consists of two dark bands separated by a light band was consistent with this earlier model. Statement III is incorrect.

Explanation​:
Autotrophs are producers (Choice A, B). They are self-feeding whereas heterotrophs are organisms that gain nutrition by feeding on another organisms (Choice C, D). Detritivores consume dead organic matter by ingestion (Choice C) whereas saprotrophs break down food outside their bodies by secreting enzymes into the environment.

Explanation​:
Water diffuses out of stomata from the inner air space of leaves during transpiration (Option I). Because oxygen is produced during photosynthesis, its concentration is generally higher in the inner air space than the atmosphere which means it diffuses out through the stomata (Option II). Mineral ions (Option III) enter plants through root cells, not through the stomata.

Explanation​:
Choice A - There are still stem cells that can be found in the adult body. For example, stem cells are present in the bone marrow, skin, and liver.

Choice B - The foetal stage of development happens from the ninth week after conception until birth. In this stage, the organs have begun to form, and these developing organs come from differentiated stem cells.

Choice C - Stem cells are characterised by their capacity to divide and differentiate. These cells are similar to a blank canvas with the possibility of becoming any type of cell.

Choice D - Stem cells are yet to undergo specialisation through the process of differentiation.

Explanation:
Water is transported passively via protein channels known as aquaporins.

Cholesterol (Choice A) and glycoproteins (Choice B) are not components responsible for transport while protein pumps (Choice C) carry out active transport which is not utilized in the transport of water.

Explanation:
Choice A is the correct response because arteries are not non-elastic, instead they do have a degree of elasticity. Choices B, C and D all correctly match the structure and function of each blood vessel.

Explanation​:
Choice B is correct because incisors are used for biting chunks of food. Choice A is incorrect because tearing is the role of canines. Choices C and D are incorrect because crushing or slicing is the role of the premolars, and grinding is the role of molars.

Explanation​:
Choice D is correct because multipotent stem cells can produce only cells of a particular tissue or organ. Choice A is incorrect because pluripotent stem cells are usually found in early embryos and are capable of differentiating to become any cell type found in the organism except for extra-embryonic tissues such as the placenta. Additionally, they are not found in bone marrow. Choice B is incorrect because totipotent stem cells are only found in early stages of embryonic development and can produce all cell types of the organism as well as extra-embryonic tissues such as the placenta. Choice C is incorrect because stem cells are by definition, undifferentiated.

Explanation​:
Choice A - The surface area of a cell affects the rate of diffusion of materials in and out of the cell.

Choice B - A small cell will have a bigger surface area to volume ratio which means that diffusion will be easier and other cell processes will become faster.

Choice C - The volume of the cell affects the rate at which materials are produced.

Choice D - A larger spherical cell will have a low surface area to volume ratio. Therefore, the comparatively large volume of cytoplasm may produce waste products at a rate too high to rely on diffusion through the comparatively small surface area of the cell membrane.

Explanation​:
When two monosaccharides are joined together to form a disaccharide, water is produced, therefore it is a condensation reaction. Choice A is correct.

Choice B is incorrect as hydrolysis uses water to break bonds, in this case converting a disaccharide into a monosaccharides. Choice C is incorrect as catabolism breaks down large molecules into smaller molecules. Choice D is incorrect as oxidation means adding oxygen or losing electrons.

Explanation:
Choice C is correct because the habitat is a place a community, population, species, or organism lives. Choice A refers to an organism's niche, Choice B refers to the ecosystem, and Choice D refers to a community.

Explanation:
A community is a group of populations living and interacting in a shared habitat (biotic factors). The abiotic factors for this community have not been described but could be the depth of the water, light intensity and the nutrients available for phytoplankton.

A population (Choice A) is a group of organisms of the same species living in the same area at the same time which can interbreed. A habitat (Choice C) refers to the environment in which a species normally lives. An ecosystem (Choice D) is a group of populations living and interacting in a common habitat and includes both biotic and abiotic factors.

Explanation​:
Statement II is incorrect as both starch and glycogen are made up of $\alpha -$ glucose molecules (Choices B and D). Choice A is incorrect as it only includes one correct statement (statement I).

Explanation​:
An ecosystem refers to an area where organisms interact with each other and with the physical environment.

A habitat (Choice A) refers to the environment in which a species normally lives. A population (Choice C) is a group of organisms of the same species living in the same area at the same time which can interbreed. A community (Choice D) is a group of populations living and interacting with each other in the same habitat.

Explanation:
Regular exercise prevents the buildup of fatty plaque in the coronary arteries thereby preventing heart disease (Choice D). Some of the factors that cause the buildup of fatty plaque and occlusion of the arteries causing chest pain are high blood pressure (Choice A), high blood sugar due to diabetes (Choice B) and some genetic factors (Choice C).

Explanation​:
Choice D is correct because starch is made of chains of alpha glucose, proteins are made of chains of amino acids and triglycerides are made of fatty acids and glycerol. Choice A is incorrect because starch is not composed of beta glucose and peptides are not the simplest units of proteins. Choice B is incorrect because starch is not composed of beta glucose and triglycerides do not contain glycogen. Choice C is incorrect because peptides are not the smallest unit of proteins and triglycerides do not contain glycogen.

Explanation​:
Autotrophs are producers (Choice A) which synthesize their own organic compounds. Consumers gain their nutrition by feeding (Choice B) on other organisms. Detritivores consume dead organic matter (Choice C) by ingestion. Saprotrophs break down food outside their bodies (Choice D) by secreting enzymes and then ingesting the digested compounds.

Explanation​:
In prokaryotes, the mRNA produced after transcription is ready for translation and does not undergo splicing. In contrast, eukaryotic pre-mRNA undergoes splicing to remove introns and join exons, producing mature mRNA. Choice C is, therefore, correct.

Both prokaryotes and eukaryotes use DNA as a template for transcription. Choice A is, therefore, incorrect. In prokaryotes, transcription occurs in the cytoplasm, while in eukaryotes, it occurs in the nucleus. Choice B is, therefore, incorrect. Splicing of mRNA occurs in eukaryotes, not prokaryotes. Choice D is, therefore, incorrect

Explanation:
All the statements are true. A mesocosm is a stable, small representation of an ecosystem and can be used to study how one factor in an ecosystem affects other factors in an ecosystem. In all ecosystems, energy is lost and autotrophs such as algae or green plants generate the energy needed for the ecosystem. Saprotrophs are necessary for nutrient cycling, which is why no external addition of nutrients is generally required. Herbivores are not necessary for mesocosms to be stable as autotroph abundance is also regulated by the availability of resources such as nutrients and light. The only choice that includes all three statements is Choice C. All other choices (A, B and C) are therefore incorrect.