Lesson 3.3.1.1

3.3.1.1 Surface area to volume ratio and exchange Quiz: AQA Biology, Unit 3

20 questions

Written by Revision Ninja · Last reviewed 11 October 2026

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Lesson 3.3.1.1, Surface area to volume ratio and exchange: 20 multiple choice questions for the AQA Biology (7402), Unit 3: Organisms exchange substances with their environment, written with Revision Ninja.

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The 20 questions

  1. What is the surface area to volume ratio of a cube with side length 2 cm?

    • 12:1
    • 3:1
    • 6:1
    • 1:3

  2. What happens to the surface area to volume ratio as an organism increases in size?

    • It stays constant
    • It decreases
    • It doubles
    • It increases

  3. Which system helps large organisms overcome a low surface area to volume ratio?

    • Nervous system
    • Mass transport system
    • Excretory system
    • Endocrine system

  4. By what factor is the SA:V ratio of a 1 cm cube greater than a 4 cm cube?

    • 16
    • 4
    • 2
    • 8

  5. How does metabolic rate per unit mass compare in smaller organisms versus larger organisms?

    • Higher in smaller
    • Lower in smaller
    • Zero in smaller
    • Equal in both

  6. A cell is modelled as a cube of side 3 cm. What is its surface area to volume ratio?

    • 2:1
    • 1:2
    • 6:1
    • 9:1

  7. Which factor primarily limits the effectiveness of simple diffusion across large organisms?

    • Small surface area
    • High temperature
    • Low concentration gradient
    • Long diffusion distance

  8. Which change to an agar block increases the rate of diffusion per unit volume?

    • Lower SA:V ratio
    • Higher SA:V ratio
    • Greater total volume
    • Thicker outer layer

  9. What is the surface area of a cube with sides of 5 cm?

    • 75 cm^2
    • 125 cm^2
    • 25 cm^2
    • 150 cm^2

  10. Why is diffusion alone insufficient to supply internal cells in large organisms?

    • Fixed diffusion rate
    • Cells lack membranes
    • Enzymes are denatured
    • Long diffusion pathway

  11. What effect does a higher surface area to volume ratio have on substance exchange rate?

    • Slower rate
    • Zero rate
    • Faster rate
    • No effect

  12. What happens to a cell's surface area to volume ratio as it increases in size?

    • It decreases
    • It increases
    • It fluctuates
    • It remains constant

  13. Which structural adaptation increases the rate of exchange across a specialised surface?

    • Reduced blood supply
    • Increased membrane thickness
    • Decreased temperature
    • Increased surface folding

  14. What is the surface area to volume ratio of a sphere of radius 1 cm?

    • 1:3
    • 4:1
    • 6:1
    • 3:1

  15. What is the surface area to volume ratio of a cube with side length 10 cm?

    • 0.6:1
    • 0.06:1
    • 60:1
    • 6:1

  16. An organism keeps the same shape but its length doubles. By what factor does its volume increase?

    • 2
    • 8
    • 4
    • 16

  17. Which body shape adaptation provides a high surface area to volume ratio in flatworms?

    • Spherical body
    • Cuboidal body
    • Cylindrical body
    • Flattened body

  18. A cube of side 2 cm is cut into eight cubes of side 1 cm. What is the total surface area of the eight small cubes?

    • 96 cm^2
    • 48 cm^2
    • 24 cm^2
    • 6 cm^2

  19. Which shape has the highest surface area to volume ratio for a given volume?

    • Sphere
    • Cube
    • Cylinder
    • Thin flat shape

  20. Which factor decreases the rate of diffusion into the centre of a large cell?

    • Larger surface area
    • Longer diffusion distance
    • Higher temperature
    • Steeper concentration gradient

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