Practise Sexual and asexual reproduction. 12 exam-style questions on this subtopic, at up to four difficulty levels, with full mark schemes and a progress tracker. Free, no account needed.
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Organisms can reproduce sexually or asexually. How many parents are involved in asexual reproduction?
One
Describe how the genetic information in the anemones produced by method 1 compares with the genetic information in the parent.
It is identical; they are clones of the parent
A seed germinates and grows into a plant. Name the type of cell division that produces the new cells as the plant grows, and describe what happens to the cells as the plant develops.
Mitosis; the cells differentiate / become specialised
Complete the sentences. Sexual reproduction involves the joining (fusion) of male and female .......... . In sexual reproduction there is mixing of genetic information, which leads to .......... in the offspring.
gametes; variety (variation)
Sample questions
Written for this site in the style of AQA exam questions. They are not taken from real past papers.
Question 1Easy5 marks
Organisms can reproduce sexually or asexually.
(a) Which type of cell division is involved in asexual reproduction? Tick (✓) one box.[1]
Fertilisation
Meiosis
Mitosis
Pollination
(b) Which two are gametes in flowering plants? Tick (✓) two boxes.[2]
Egg cell
Pollen
Root hair cell
Seed
Xylem cell
(c) How many parents are involved in asexual reproduction?[1]
(d) Asexual reproduction produces offspring that are genetically identical to the parent. What name is given to genetically identical offspring?[1]
Show the answer and mark scheme
(a)Answer: Mitosis
(b)Answer: Egg cell; Pollen
(c)Answer: One
one / 1
(d)Answer: Clones
clones
Question 2Medium6 marks
Sexual and asexual reproduction produce offspring in different ways.
(a) Give two differences between sexual reproduction and asexual reproduction.[2]
(b) Explain why offspring produced by sexual reproduction show variation.[2]
(c) Explain why offspring produced by asexual reproduction are genetically identical to their parent.[2]
Show the answer and mark scheme
(a)Answer: Sexual reproduction involves two parents and the fusion of gametes; asexual involves one parent and no gametes. Sexual reproduction mixes genetic information and gives variation; asexual produces clones
sexual involves two parents but asexual involves only one
sexual involves the fusion / joining of gametes but asexual does not
sexual produces variation / genetically different offspring but asexual produces clones
sexual involves meiosis (to make gametes) but asexual involves only mitosis
(b)Answer: Genetic information from two parents is mixed when gametes fuse, and the gametes are genetically different from each other
genetic information from two parents is mixed (when gametes fuse)
gametes (made by meiosis) are genetically different from each other
(c)Answer: There is only one parent and no fusion of gametes, so there is no mixing of genetic information; only mitosis is involved, which produces genetically identical cells
only one parent / no fusion of gametes / no mixing of genetic information
only mitosis is involved (which makes genetically identical cells)
Question 3Hard7 marks
Strawberry plants can reproduce sexually by producing seeds. They can also reproduce asexually by growing runners. A runner is a stem that grows along the ground and forms a new plant where it touches the soil.
(a) A gardener grew new plants from runners and from seeds of the same strawberry plant. Compare the genetic information in the new plants grown from runners with that in the new plants grown from seeds. Explain your answer in terms of the cell division and the cells involved.[5]
(b) A seed germinates and grows into a plant. Name the type of cell division that produces the new cells as the plant grows, and describe what happens to the cells as the plant develops.[2]
Show the answer and mark scheme
(a)Answer: Plants from runners are genetically identical to the parent and to each other because they are formed by mitosis only. Plants from seeds are genetically different from the parent and from each other because the gametes are formed by meiosis and are all different, and fertilisation mixes genetic information (from two gametes)
plants from runners are genetically identical to the parent / each other (clones)
runners are produced by mitosis only / no gametes involved
plants from seeds are genetically different from the parent / each other
(because) gametes are produced by meiosis
(and) gametes are all genetically different
fertilisation / fusion of gametes mixes genetic information
(b)Answer: Mitosis; the cells differentiate / become specialised