AICE Biology Actual Exam 2026/2027 | Complete Practice
Questions, Correct Answers & Detailed Rationales
Section 1: Cell Structure and Microscopy
1. Which organelle is primarily responsible for ATP production in
aerobic respiration?
A. Ribosome
B. Mitochondrion
C. Golgi apparatus
D. Lysosome
Correct Answer: B. Mitochondrion
Rationale: Mitochondria contain the enzymes, electron carriers and ATP
synthase required for aerobic respiration and oxidative
phosphorylation.
2. Which structure is present in plant cells but absent from animal
cells?
A. Cell surface membrane
B. Ribosome
C. Cellulose cell wall
D. Mitochondrion
Correct Answer: C. Cellulose cell wall
Rationale: Plant cells possess a cellulose cell wall outside the cell
surface membrane. Animal cells lack a cellulose cell wall.
3. Which organelle contains hydrolytic enzymes used in intracellular
digestion?
,A. Lysosome
B. Nucleolus
C. Chloroplast
D. Centriole
Correct Answer: A. Lysosome
Rationale: Lysosomes contain hydrolytic enzymes that digest
macromolecules and worn-out cellular components.
4. What is the main function of ribosomes?
A. Lipid storage
B. Protein synthesis
C. ATP production
D. DNA replication
Correct Answer: B. Protein synthesis
Rationale: Ribosomes translate the sequence of codons in mRNA into a
polypeptide chain.
5. Which structure controls movement of substances into and out of a
cell?
A. Cell wall
B. Cytoplasm
C. Cell surface membrane
D. Nucleolus
Correct Answer: C. Cell surface membrane
Rationale: The cell surface membrane is selectively permeable and
regulates exchange between the cell and its surroundings.
,6. Which feature of an electron microscope gives it greater resolving
power than a light microscope?
A. Lower magnification
B. Shorter wavelength of electrons
C. Use of visible light
D. Larger specimen size
Correct Answer: B. Shorter wavelength of electrons
Rationale: Electrons have a much shorter wavelength than visible light,
allowing much smaller structures to be resolved.
7. A microscope has a ×10 eyepiece and a ×40 objective lens. What is
the total magnification?
A. ×40
B. ×50
C. ×400
D. ×4,000
Correct Answer: C. ×400
Rationale: Total magnification = eyepiece magnification × objective
magnification = 10 × 40 = ×400.
8. Which organelle modifies and packages proteins for secretion?
A. Golgi apparatus
B. Nucleus
C. Chloroplast
D. Ribosome
, Correct Answer: A. Golgi apparatus
Rationale: The Golgi apparatus modifies proteins and packages them
into vesicles for transport or secretion.
9. Which organelle contains chlorophyll?
A. Mitochondrion
B. Chloroplast
C. Nucleus
D. Golgi apparatus
Correct Answer: B. Chloroplast
Rationale: Chlorophyll is located in the thylakoid membranes of
chloroplasts and absorbs light energy for photosynthesis.
10. What is the function of the nucleolus?
A. ATP synthesis
B. Ribosome assembly
C. Lipid digestion
D. Cell movement
Correct Answer: B. Ribosome assembly
Rationale: The nucleolus is a region of the nucleus where ribosomal
RNA is produced and ribosomal subunits are assembled.
Section 2: Biological Molecules
11. Which elements are present in all carbohydrates?
A. Carbon, hydrogen and oxygen
B. Carbon, hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen
Questions, Correct Answers & Detailed Rationales
Section 1: Cell Structure and Microscopy
1. Which organelle is primarily responsible for ATP production in
aerobic respiration?
A. Ribosome
B. Mitochondrion
C. Golgi apparatus
D. Lysosome
Correct Answer: B. Mitochondrion
Rationale: Mitochondria contain the enzymes, electron carriers and ATP
synthase required for aerobic respiration and oxidative
phosphorylation.
2. Which structure is present in plant cells but absent from animal
cells?
A. Cell surface membrane
B. Ribosome
C. Cellulose cell wall
D. Mitochondrion
Correct Answer: C. Cellulose cell wall
Rationale: Plant cells possess a cellulose cell wall outside the cell
surface membrane. Animal cells lack a cellulose cell wall.
3. Which organelle contains hydrolytic enzymes used in intracellular
digestion?
,A. Lysosome
B. Nucleolus
C. Chloroplast
D. Centriole
Correct Answer: A. Lysosome
Rationale: Lysosomes contain hydrolytic enzymes that digest
macromolecules and worn-out cellular components.
4. What is the main function of ribosomes?
A. Lipid storage
B. Protein synthesis
C. ATP production
D. DNA replication
Correct Answer: B. Protein synthesis
Rationale: Ribosomes translate the sequence of codons in mRNA into a
polypeptide chain.
5. Which structure controls movement of substances into and out of a
cell?
A. Cell wall
B. Cytoplasm
C. Cell surface membrane
D. Nucleolus
Correct Answer: C. Cell surface membrane
Rationale: The cell surface membrane is selectively permeable and
regulates exchange between the cell and its surroundings.
,6. Which feature of an electron microscope gives it greater resolving
power than a light microscope?
A. Lower magnification
B. Shorter wavelength of electrons
C. Use of visible light
D. Larger specimen size
Correct Answer: B. Shorter wavelength of electrons
Rationale: Electrons have a much shorter wavelength than visible light,
allowing much smaller structures to be resolved.
7. A microscope has a ×10 eyepiece and a ×40 objective lens. What is
the total magnification?
A. ×40
B. ×50
C. ×400
D. ×4,000
Correct Answer: C. ×400
Rationale: Total magnification = eyepiece magnification × objective
magnification = 10 × 40 = ×400.
8. Which organelle modifies and packages proteins for secretion?
A. Golgi apparatus
B. Nucleus
C. Chloroplast
D. Ribosome
, Correct Answer: A. Golgi apparatus
Rationale: The Golgi apparatus modifies proteins and packages them
into vesicles for transport or secretion.
9. Which organelle contains chlorophyll?
A. Mitochondrion
B. Chloroplast
C. Nucleus
D. Golgi apparatus
Correct Answer: B. Chloroplast
Rationale: Chlorophyll is located in the thylakoid membranes of
chloroplasts and absorbs light energy for photosynthesis.
10. What is the function of the nucleolus?
A. ATP synthesis
B. Ribosome assembly
C. Lipid digestion
D. Cell movement
Correct Answer: B. Ribosome assembly
Rationale: The nucleolus is a region of the nucleus where ribosomal
RNA is produced and ribosomal subunits are assembled.
Section 2: Biological Molecules
11. Which elements are present in all carbohydrates?
A. Carbon, hydrogen and oxygen
B. Carbon, hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen
