Lesson T1.1.5

T1.1.5 Unicellular organisms and their adaptations Quiz: KS3 Biology, Unit 1

20 questions

Written by Revision Ninja · Last reviewed 11 October 2026

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Lesson T1.1.5, Unicellular organisms and their adaptations: 20 multiple choice questions for the KS3 Biology (National Curriculum), Unit 1: Structure and function of living organisms, written with Revision Ninja.

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The 20 questions

  1. What does the biological term unicellular mean?

    • Lives in salt water
    • Made of one cell
    • Made of many cells
    • Contains no nucleus

  2. How does an amoeba capture and take in its food?

    • Beating cilia
    • Cytoplasm extensions
    • Root hair cells
    • Cellulose walls

  3. Which microscopic structures does a paramecium use to swim?

    • Flagella
    • Cilia
    • Pseudopodia
    • Chloroplasts

  4. Which combination of features allows Euglena to move and make its own food?

    • Nucleus and vacuole
    • Cilia and mitochondria
    • Flagellum and chloroplasts
    • Flagellum and cell wall

  5. Which gas produced by yeast respiration causes bread dough to rise?

    • Carbon dioxide
    • Oxygen
    • Nitrogen
    • Hydrogen

  6. What are the two main products of anaerobic respiration in yeast?

    • Glucose and oxygen
    • Water and oxygen
    • Alcohol and carbon dioxide
    • Lactic acid and water

  7. Why is a large surface area compared with volume beneficial for a single-celled organism?

    • More energy storage
    • Slow water loss
    • Fast substance exchange
    • Easier cell division

  8. How do unicellular organisms carry out all necessary life processes?

    • Using complex organs
    • Through multicellular tissues
    • Via organ systems
    • Within one cell

  9. Which type of single-celled organism typically contains both a cell wall and chloroplasts?

    • Plant-like alga
    • Fungal yeast
    • Bacterial cell
    • Animal-like amoeba

  10. What is the primary function of cilia in a paramecium?

    • Waste storage
    • Photosynthesis
    • Locomotion and feeding
    • Reproduction

  11. What is the main function of chloroplasts in a unicellular pond alga?

    • Excretion
    • Respiration
    • Digestion
    • Photosynthesis

  12. Why are unicellular organisms typically microscopic in size?

    • Heavy cytoplasm
    • Low surface area
    • High surface area
    • Thick cell walls

  13. Which of these is a unicellular fungus used in baking?

    • Lichen
    • Yeast
    • Mushroom
    • Mould on bread

  14. How does the energy released by anaerobic respiration in yeast compare with aerobic?

    • Zero energy released
    • Less energy per glucose
    • Equal energy per glucose
    • More energy per glucose

  15. Which feature distinguishes a bacterial cell from an animal cell?

    • Presence of cytoplasm
    • Presence of a cell membrane
    • Unenclosed genetic material
    • Presence of ribosomes

  16. How do gases pass directly in and out of a single-celled amoeba?

    • Diffusion across membrane
    • Pumping through spiracles
    • Ingestion via mouth pore
    • Active transport by pumps

  17. What is the main difference between unicellular and multicellular organisms?

    • Plant structure
    • No nucleus
    • Fixed shape
    • Specialised cells

  18. What is a key similarity between a unicellular protist and a bacterium?

    • Multicellular tissue
    • Presence of chloroplasts
    • Enclosed nucleus
    • Single-celled structure

  19. What is a pseudopodium in an amoeba?

    • Permanent rigid hair
    • Temporary cytoplasm extension
    • Photosynthetic organelle
    • Internal bony skeleton

  20. Which term describes an organism that carries out all its life processes inside one cell?

    • A tissue
    • An organ system
    • A multicellular organism
    • A unicellular organism

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