JAMB Biology Past Questions, Preparing for the JAMB Biology exam requires more than just reading textbooks; it demands practice. Studying with past questions is one of the most effective ways to prepare for the UTME. It helps you understand the exam format, identify frequently tested topics, improve your timing, and build confidence.
JAMB Biology Practice Questions
1. The part of the cell responsible for controlling all metabolic activities is the?
A) Mitochondrion
B) Nucleus
C) Ribosome
D) Cell wall
Answer: B) Nucleus
2. Which of these is a characteristic feature of arteries?
A) They have thin walls
B) They possess valves
C) They carry blood away from the heart
D) They carry deoxygenated blood only
Answer: C) They carry blood away from the heart
3. In humans, the exchange of gases occurs in the?
A) Trachea
B) Bronchioles
C) Alveoli
D) Larynx
Answer: C) Alveoli
4. The theory of evolution by natural selection was proposed by?
A) Gregor Mendel
B) Charles Darwin
C) Jean-Baptiste Lamarck
D) Robert Hooke
Answer: B) Charles Darwin
5. Which of the following is a producer in an aquatic ecosystem?
A) Zooplankton
B) Fish
C) Phytoplankton
D) Tadpole
Answer: C) Phytoplankton
6. The process by which plants lose water vapor to the atmosphere is known as?
A) Photosynthesis
B) Respiration
C) Guttation
D) Transpiration
Answer: D) Transpiration
7. Which part of the mammalian brain is responsible for maintaining balance and posture?
A) Cerebrum
B) Cerebellum
C) Medulla oblongata
D) Olfactory lobe
Answer: B) Cerebellum
8. The blood group known as the “universal donor” is?
A) A
B) B
C) AB
D) O
Answer: D) O
9. Which of these organisms undergoes incomplete metamorphosis?
A) Butterfly
B) Mosquito
C) Cockroach
D) Housefly
Answer: C) Cockroach
10. The fusion of a male gamete with a female gamete is called?
A) Pollination
B) Ovulation
C) Fertilization
D) Implantation
Answer: C) Fertilization
11. Which of the following instruments is used to measure the rate of transpiration in plants?
A) Photometer
B) Potometer
C) Barometer
D) Hydrometer
Answer: B) Potometer
12. The unit of heredity found on a chromosome is the?
A) Gene
B) Allele
C) Gamete
D) Zygote
Answer: A) Gene
13. Which of these is NOT a function of the liver?
A) Production of bile
B) Detoxification of blood
C) Production of insulin
D) Regulation of blood sugar
Answer: C) Production of insulin
14. An example of a plant that carries out vegetative propagation through its leaves is?
A) Onion
B) Bryophyllum
C) Ginger
D) Yam
Answer: B) Bryophyllum
15. The supporting tissue in plants is mainly?
A) Xylem
B) Phloem
C) Cambium
D) Sclerenchyma
Answer: D) Sclerenchyma
16. Which of the following is a sex-linked trait?
A) Albinism
B) Sickle-cell anemia
C) Haemophilia
D) Dwarfism
Answer: C) Haemophilia
17. The process of breaking down large food molecules into smaller, absorbable units is called?
A) Ingestion
B) Assimilation
C) Digestion
D) Egestion
Answer: C) Digestion
18. In the nitrogen cycle, the conversion of nitrates to atmospheric nitrogen is carried out by?
A) Nitrifying bacteria
B) Nitrogen-fixing bacteria
C) Denitrifying bacteria
D) Putrefying bacteria
Answer: C) Denitrifying bacteria
19. The long-sightedness defect of the eye is corrected by using a?
A) Concave lens
B) Convex lens
C) Cylindrical lens
D) Plane mirror
Answer: B) Convex lens
20. The part of a flower that develops into a fruit after fertilization is the?
A) Ovule
B) Ovary
C) Petal
D) Sepal
Answer: B) Ovary
21. Which of these is a density-dependent factor in population studies?
A) Flood
B) Predation
C) Fire
D) Drought
Answer: B) Predation
22. The movement of organisms in response to a chemical stimulus is known as?
A) Phototaxis
B) Thigmotaxis
C) Hydrotaxis
D) Chemotaxis
Answer: D) Chemotaxis
23. Which of these is a component of the central nervous system?
A) Spinal cord
B) Sciatic nerve
C) Olfactory nerve
D) Cranial nerve
Answer: A) Spinal cord
24. The enzyme responsible for the digestion of protein in the stomach is?
A) Amylase
B) Lipase
C) Pepsin
D) Trypsin
Answer: C) Pepsin
25. A group of similar cells performing the same function is known as a/an?
A) Organ
B) Tissue
C) System
D) Organism
Answer: B) Tissue
26. The part of the plant that exhibits negative phototropism is the?
A) Shoot
B) Leaf
C) Root
D) Flower
Answer: C) Root
27. Which of these is an abiotic factor in an ecosystem?
A) Plant
B) Fungus
C) Temperature
D) Animal
Answer: C) Temperature
28. The functional unit of the kidney is the?
A) Ureter
B) Nephron
C) Medulla
D) Pelvis
Answer: B) Nephron
29. The process by which an organism maintains a stable internal environment is called?
A) Osmosis
B) Homeostasis
C) Diffusion
D) Plasmolysis
Answer: B) Homeostasis
30. Which of these animals has a closed circulatory system?
A) Earthworm
B) Cockroach
C) Snail
D) Grasshopper
Answer: A) Earthworm
31. The hormone responsible for the development of female secondary sexual characteristics is?
A) Testosterone
B) Progesterone
C) Oestrogen
D) Adrenaline
Answer: C) Oestrogen
32. The sequence of organisms through which energy is transferred is known as a?
A) Food web
B) Trophic level
C) Food chain
D) Pyramid of numbers
Answer: C) Food chain
33. The division of the nucleus during cell division is called?
A) Cytokinesis
B) Karyokinesis
C) Meiosis
D) Mitosis
Answer: B) Karyokinesis
34. Which of these structures is found in a plant cell but not in an animal cell?
A) Nucleus
B) Mitochondrion
C) Cell membrane
D) Chloroplast
Answer: D) Chloroplast
35. The part of the ear that transduces sound waves into nerve impulses is the?
A) Eardrum
B) Ossicles
C) Cochlea
D) Pinna
Answer: C) Cochlea
36. Mendel’s first law of inheritance is the law of?
A) Segregation
B) Independent assortment
C) Dominance
D) Co-dominance
Answer: A) Segregation
37. The vector for the pathogen that causes malaria is the?
A) Tsetse fly
B) Male Anopheles mosquito
C) Female Anopheles mosquito
D) Aedes mosquito
Answer: C) Female Anopheles mosquito
38. The process of anaerobic respiration in yeast produces?
A) Lactic acid and water
B) Carbon dioxide and ethanol
C) Oxygen and water
D) Carbon dioxide and lactic acid
Answer: B) Carbon dioxide and ethanol
39. Which of these adaptations is primarily for an arboreal habitat?
A) Gills
B) Fins
C) Prehensile tail
D) Hooves
Answer: C) Prehensile tail
40. The term “ecology” was coined by?
A) Ernst Haeckel
B) Charles Darwin
C) Arthur Tansley
D) Gregor Mendel
Answer: A) Ernst Haeckel
41. The part of the skeleton that protects the brain is the?
A) Vertebral column
B) Rib cage
C) Pelvic girdle
D) Cranium
Answer: D) Cranium
42. Which of these is NOT a greenhouse gas?
A) Methane
B) Carbon dioxide
C) Nitrous oxide
D) Oxygen
Answer: D) Oxygen
43. The phylum that includes organisms with jointed appendages is?
A) Annelida
B) Mollusca
C) Arthropoda
D) Chordata
Answer: C) Arthropoda
44. The deficiency of Vitamin D in humans leads to?
A) Scurvy
B) Rickets
C) Beri-beri
D) Pellagra
Answer: B) Rickets
45. The movement of water molecules from a region of higher water potential to a region of lower water potential through a semi-permeable membrane is called?
A) Diffusion
B) Active transport
C) Osmosis
D) Translocation
Answer: C) Osmosis
46. Which of these hormones is responsible for the “fight or flight” response?
A) Insulin
B) Thyroxine
C) Adrenaline
D) Glucagon
Answer: C) Adrenaline
47. A habitat is best defined as?
A) The role of an organism in an ecosystem
B) A community of interacting organisms
C) The specific place where an organism lives
D) A collection of different populations
Answer: C) The specific place where an organism lives
48. Which of these is a product of photosynthesis?
A) Carbon dioxide
B) Water
C) Oxygen
D) Chlorophyll
Answer: C) Oxygen
49. The transfer of pollen grains from the anther to the stigma is called?
A) Fertilization
B) Pollination
C) Ovulation
D) Germination
Answer: B) Pollination
50. An organism that feeds on both plants and animals is known as a/an?
A) Carnivore
B) Herbivore
C) Producer
D) Omnivore
Answer: D) Omnivore
How to Use These Past Questions Effectively
- Time Yourself: Try to answer these 50 questions in about 35-40 minutes to simulate the actual JAMB exam conditions.
- Review Your Answers: Don’t just check the correct answer. Understand why your choice was right or wrong. This helps to reinforce your learning.
- Identify Weak Areas: If you consistently get questions wrong on a particular topic (e.g., genetics or ecology), you know where to focus your study time.
- Study in Groups: Discussing questions and answers with fellow students can provide new perspectives and deepen your understanding.
Good luck with your preparation!
