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  1. WAEC Biology Free Exam Questions
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  2. 2024 Biology WAEC (WASSCE) Past Questions
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WAEC: BIOLOGY 2024 Biology WAEC (WASSCE) Past Questions 2024 Biology WAEC (WASSCE) Essay Past Questions (Paper 2)
Lesson 2, Topic 2
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2024 Biology WAEC (WASSCE) Essay Past Questions (Paper 2)

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Content:

  • 2024 Biology WAEC (WASSCE) Essay Past Questions (Paper 2)
  • SECTION A (1 - 4) - Candidates will be expected to answer two questions from Section A for 40 marks.
  • SECTION B (5) - Candidates will be expected to answer all the short-structured questions for 30 marks .
  • Write your answers in ink in this booklet.
  • Large labelled diagrams should ...

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Nwachuku Olivia
Nwachuku Olivia
07/05/2025 2:45 AM

Very impressive thanks so much

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Question 1

(a) State one function each of the following parts of the nephron:

(i) glomerulus;

Answer

  • The primary function of a glomerulus is to filter blood passing through it.
  • It removes waste products and excess fluid from the bloodstream and passes them into the nephron to be excreted as urine

 

(ii) Browman’s capsule;

Answer:

Collects the filtrate produced by the glomerulus, initiating the process of blood filtration and urine formation by allowing small molecules from the blood to pass through its walls while retaining larger molecules like blood cells and proteins.

 

(iii) proximal convoluted tubule;

Answer:

Selective reabsorption takes place. Glucose, amino acids, vitamins and water are reabsorbed at the proximal convoluted tubule into the blood vessels

 

(iv) distal convoluted tubule.

Answer:

The distal convoluted tubule selectively reabsorbs ions such as sodium, chloride and calcium from the tubular fluid, while potassium is secreted.

 

(b) Complete the table below.

Answer:

Organism Structure for excretion Form in which waste is
excreted by organism
Amoeba/Paramecium Contractile vacuole Gaseous/Liquid
Flatworm Flame cell Liquid
Earthworm Nephridium/Nephridia Liquid
Cockroach Malpighian tubule Solid
Human Kidney/Skin/Lungs Liquid
Plant (green) Stomata pore Gaseous

Question 2

An individual ate a hot and large meal of cassava with salty groundnut soup. The individual was sweating profusely and did not drink water after the meal.

(a) State one role each played by the following organs involved in the activity above:

(i) mouth;

Answer:

  • In the mouth, food is masticated or broken down into small pieces by the teeth, and salivary glands present in the mouth secrete saliva to soften the food.
  • The saliva contains an enzyme called ptyalin which converts cooked starch to complex sugars (maltose).

(ii) skin;

Answer:

  • Excretes excess salt and eliminates excretory waste from the body.

(iii) tongue;

Answer:

  • The tongue mixes the food with saliva after which it is rolled into a ball or bolus, which is then swallowed.

(iv) kidney;

Answer:

  • excretes excess water and salt
  • carries out osmoregulation

(v) stomach;

Answer:

  • The stomach stores the food temporarily for 3 – 4 hours.
  • The stomach’s strong muscles act like a blender and break down food materials mechanically into usable forms.

(vi) small intestine;

Answer:

The small intestine is where 90% of the digestion and absorption of food occurs,

(vii) large intestine;

Answer:

  • absorbs water from undigested food.
  • moves waste to the rectum as faeces to be egested out of the body through the anus.

(viii) liver;

Answer:

  • deaminates excess amino acids
  • converts excess glucose to glycogen for storage

 

(b) Name three of the organs listed in 2 (a) that contain enzymes needed to break down food.

Answer:

  • mouth
  • stomach
  • small intestine

 

(c) Name three digestive enzymes that would be involved in the digestion of the meal.

Answer:

  •  salivary amylase, also known as ptyalin
  • amylopsin
  • lactose

 

(d) Name two end products of the meal after digestion.

Answer:

  • amino acids
  • glucose
  • fatty acids and glycerol

 

(e)

(i) State one effect that the excess salt in the meal might have on the individual.

Answer:

  • increased/high blood pressure
  • stroke
  • headache
  • dehydration
  • kidney damage
  • enlarges heart muscles
  • heart failure

 

(ii) State three advantages that the individual would derive from the meal.

Answer:

  • improves digestion
  • cassava can help to improve energy and mood because it is high in carbohydrates
  • cassava can help to manage diabetes as it contains fibre and resistant starch which can help to reduce the speed of sugar absorption into the blood.
  • prevents cardiovascular disease.
  • as a source of vitamin C, cassava can help to improve skin and hair elasticity, as well as strengthen the nails.
  • salt helps maintain the proper balance of water and minerals.
  • groundnut provides nutrients like protein, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.

Question 3

(a) A piece of raw meat was left in an uncovered bowl for seven days. Use the information to answer questions 3(a) and 3(b).

(i) State four likely changes that would be observed in the meat.

Answer:

  • change in colour
  • texture
  • odour
  • microbial growth
  • presence of maggots

 

(ii) Name the biological process that led to the changes that are observed in the meat.

Answer:

  • decomposition/decay
  • putrefaction

 

(iii) On the table below, list four methods of preserving meat to prevent it from the changes stated in 3(a)(i) and mention the principle involved in the methods.

Answer:

Four methods of preserving the meat One principle involved in the preservation method
Refrigeration: Bacteria and microorganisms that spoil food are not active when the temperature is very cold.
Drying: Drying removes water that bacteria and other microorganisms need to live
Salting: Salting kills microorganisms by increasing the osmotic pressure in the meal.
Frying: Involves the immersion of the meat in the boiling oil. It dehydrates the food and reduces microbial growth
Canning: The airtight environment excludes oxygen and hinders the growth of microorganisms.

 

(iv) Name two environmental factors that may be responsible for the changes in 3(a)(i).

Answer:

Exposure of food to:

  • oxygen
  • light
  • warmth (temperature)
  • moisture

 

(b) Name one method of preserving the following food items:

(i) dried maize grains;

Answer:

  • storage (treat with chemicals, store in airtight containers like metal silos, or jute bags)
  • sun drying

(ii) fresh tomatoes;

Answer:

  • canning
  • drying
  • freezing

(iii) vegetables;

Answer:

  • drying
  • refrigeration/freezing
  • curing

(iv) beans;

Answer:

  • sun drying
  • keep dried beans in a cool, dry place in an airtight container like a glass jar or resealable plastic bag

(v) milk;

Answer:

  • refrigeration
  • canning
  • pasteurization

Question 4

(a)(i) Complete the table below by stating the type of cell division and the type of set of chromosomes for the listed cells.

Answer:

Cell Type of cell division Set of chromosomes
Onion cell mitosis diploid
Sperm cell meiosis haploid
Pollen grain meiosis haploid
Ovum meiosis haploid
Guard cell mitosis diploid
Cheek cell mitosis diploid

 

(ii) What is mitosis?

Answer:

Mitosis is a nuclear division giving rise to genetically identical daughter cells. It is that step in the cell cycle where the newly formed DNA is separated and two new cells are formed with the same number and kind of chromosomes as the parent nucleus.

 

(b) Explain briefly how parents with blood groups A or B could have an offspring with blood group O.

Answer:

Parents with blood groups A or B can have a child with blood group O if both parents are “heterozygous,” meaning they carry both the dominant A or B allele and the recessive O allele, i.e. the genotype AO; if each parent contributes the O allele to the child, the offspring will have blood group O, as the O allele is only expressed when both alleles are O (recessive trait).

For example, when someone with blood group AO mates with an individual with blood group O the offspring could be AB, BO, AO and OO. OO represents the recessive genotype of blood O.

 

(c) Explain briefly how genes are involved in the process of evolution.

Answer:

  • Genes are the fundamental unit of inheritance
  • They are transferred through reproduction
  • When certain genetic variations or mutations present an advantage in an environment, organisms with those genes are more likely to survive and reproduce, passing on those beneficial traits to their offspring, thus causing the population to evolve over time.

Question 5

(a)(i) What is competition?

Answer:

Competition is an interaction between organisms or species in which both require one or more resources that are in limited supply (such as food, water, space or territory). Animals compete for food, water, and space to live. Plants compete for light, water, minerals, and root space.

 

(ii) List two types of competition.

Answer:

  • intra-specific competition – when members of the same species compete for limited resources.
  • inter-specific competition – is when different species compete for the same resources in an ecosystem.

 

(iii) List four factors that organisms compete for in a habitat.

Answer:

  • food
  • water
  • space or territory
  • mate
  • minerals

 

(iv) Explain briefly the relationship between competition and succession.

Answer:

Competition is a key driving force behind ecological succession, as species constantly compete for limited resources, leading to the replacement of less competitive species with better-adapted ones throughout the different stages of a changing ecosystem, ultimately shaping the composition of the climax community; essentially, the species that can outcompete others in a given environment will become dominant, driving the progression of succession.

 

(b)(i) What is structural adaptation?

Answer:

Structural adaptation refers to the physical features of an organism which enable it to adjust or fit into environmental conditions.

 

(ii) State four types of structural adaptations in animals.

  • Adaptation for movement: e.g. Streamlined shape for easy movement in water e.g. Tilapia fish, the presence of fins for swimming.
  • Adaptation for offence and defence: e.g. Fearsome appearance, mimicry, feigning death when touched.
  • Adaptation for obtaining food: e.g. Hooked beaks of eagles for tearing and ripping flesh, the strong and pointed beaks of the woodpecker for drilling holes in trees.
  • Adaptation for securing a mate: e.g. The vibrant, large tail feathers of a male peacock
  • Adaptations for water conservation: e.g. Some animals have fewer or no sweat glands to reduce water loss through perspiration.
  • Adaptations to weather conditions: In cold regions, some animals grow thicker coats while others hibernate.

 

(c) List four features of variation in humans that are used in crime detection.

Answer:

  • DNA
  • fingerprints
  • blood groups
  • eye colour
  • peculiar body features
  • facial expression

 

(d) Complete the table below by listing three types of adaptive colouration in animals and give one example each of animals that show the colourations.

Answer:

Three types of adaptive colouration in animals One example of an animal that shows the type of colouration
Camoflague Chameleon
Warning colouration Bees
Countershading Fish, snake, toads
Mimicry Moth, butterfly
Alluring colouration Agama lizard

 

(e) Give three examples of plants found in a tropical Rainforest.

Answer:

  • Obeche
  • Cacao tree
  • African walnut
  • Iroko
  • Opepe
  • Rubber tree
  • Mahogany
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