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138 free Biology trivia questions with answers — science & nature quiz, new questions added Aug 2026.
50 free biology trivia questions with answers. From the tiniest cells to the largest ecosystems, biology is the science of life. Test your knowledge of DNA, evolution, the human body, and the incredible diversity of living things.
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Q 01Which structure do prokaryotic cells such as bacteria lack?
Nucleus
Prokaryotes keep their DNA in a region of the cytosol called the nucleoid, with no nuclear envelope around it. Only eukaryotic cells have a true membrane-bound nucleus and organelles such as mitochondria.
Q 02What molecule carries genetic information in most living organisms?
DNA
DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) is the molecule that carries the genetic instructions used in the growth, development, functioning, and reproduction of all known living organisms.
Q 03Which process do plants use to convert sunlight into food?
Photosynthesis
Photosynthesis is the process by which green plants and some other organisms use sunlight to synthesize foods from carbon dioxide and water, generating oxygen as a byproduct.
Q 04What is the largest organ in the human body?
Skin
The skin makes up roughly 16% of body mass. It is a barrier against pathogens, helps regulate temperature, and carries the sense of touch.
Q 05How many chromosomes do humans typically have?
46
Humans typically have 46 chromosomes arranged in 23 pairs. One set of 23 comes from each parent. These chromosomes contain all the genetic information needed for development.
Q 06Which naturalist wrote On the Origin of Species, published in 1859?
Charles Darwin
Charles Darwin published On the Origin of Species in November 1859, arguing that species change over generations through natural selection. Its first print run of 1,250 copies was fully subscribed by booksellers on publication day.
Q 07What type of cell division produces two identical daughter cells?
Mitosis
Mitosis is the type of cell division that produces two genetically identical daughter cells from a single parent cell. It is used for growth and repair in multicellular organisms.
Q 08What gas do plants primarily absorb from the atmosphere during photosynthesis?
Carbon dioxide
Plants absorb carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere during photosynthesis. They combine it with water using light energy to produce glucose and release oxygen.
Q 09Which blood cells are responsible for fighting infections?
White blood cells
White blood cells (leukocytes) are the cells of the immune system that are involved in protecting the body against infectious diseases and foreign invaders.
Q 10What is the basic unit of life?
Cell
The cell is considered the basic unit of life. All living organisms are composed of one or more cells, and all cells arise from pre-existing cells.
Q 11What pigment gives plants their green color?
Chlorophyll
Chlorophyll is the green pigment found in chloroplasts that absorbs light energy for photosynthesis. It reflects green wavelengths, which is why plants appear green.
Q 12Which organs filter waste from the blood to produce urine?
Kidneys
About one-fifth of the blood entering the kidneys is filtered at the glomerulus, producing an ultrafiltrate that becomes urine. The kidneys also regulate electrolytes, blood pressure, and acid-base balance.
Q 13What is the term for an organism that makes its own food from sunlight?
Autotroph
An autotroph, or producer, makes its own food from light (photoautotroph) or chemical energy (chemoautotroph); plants are the most common example.
Q 21What is the function of ribosomes in a cell?
Protein synthesis
Ribosomes carry out protein synthesis: they read messenger RNA and translate its codons into a growing polypeptide chain. Each ribosome is built from ribosomal RNA and proteins in two subunits.
Q 22Which type of blood vessel carries blood away from the heart?
Arteries
Arteries carry oxygenated blood away from the heart to the body's tissues, except the pulmonary arteries, which carry deoxygenated blood to the lungs.
Q 23What is the term for the variety of life in a particular habitat or ecosystem?
Biodiversity
Biodiversity refers to the variety of life in a particular habitat or ecosystem. It encompasses the diversity of species, genes, and ecosystems in a given area.
Q 14What structure in plant cells is not found in animal cells?
Cell wall
Plant cells have a rigid cell wall made of cellulose that surrounds the cell membrane. Animal cells lack this structure, having only a flexible cell membrane.
Q 15Which kingdom of life includes mushrooms and yeasts?
Fungi
Fungi is the kingdom that includes mushrooms, yeasts, and molds. Unlike plants, fungi cannot photosynthesize and instead obtain nutrients by decomposing organic matter.
Q 16Which Galápagos birds, studied for their varied beak shapes, are named after Darwin?
Finches
Darwin's finches are roughly 15 closely related Galápagos species whose beak shapes match their diets, from seed-crushing to insect-probing; David Lack's 1947 book Darwin's Finches popularised the name.
Q 17What are the tiny pores in a leaf's surface that control gas exchange called?
Stomata
Stomata are each flanked by two guard cells that swell or shrink to open and close the pore; plants lose most of their water through them, which is why many desert plants open them only at night.
Q 18Which part of the brain controls balance and coordination?
Cerebellum
The cerebellum, located at the back of the brain, is primarily responsible for coordinating voluntary movements, balance, posture, and motor learning.
Q 19What is the term for animals that eat both plants and meat?
Omnivore
Omnivores are animals that eat both plant and animal matter. Humans, bears, and pigs are common examples of omnivores.
Q 20What scientist is known as the father of genetics?
Gregor Mendel
Gregor Mendel, an Augustinian friar, is considered the father of genetics. His experiments with pea plants in the 1860s established the fundamental laws of inheritance.
Q 24Which organelle is responsible for packaging and shipping proteins in a cell?
Golgi apparatus
The Golgi apparatus (also called the Golgi body) modifies, sorts, and packages proteins and lipids for transport to their final destinations within or outside the cell.
Q 25What is the process by which a caterpillar transforms into a butterfly?
Metamorphosis
Metamorphosis is the biological process by which an animal physically develops after birth, involving a conspicuous change in body structure. Butterflies undergo complete metamorphosis through four stages: egg, larva, pupa, and adult.
Q 26What type of symbiotic relationship benefits one organism while harming the other?
Parasitism
Parasitism has the parasite living on or inside its host and harming it; ticks, tapeworms and malaria-causing Plasmodium are examples.
Q 27Which vitamin is produced by the human body when exposed to sunlight?
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is synthesized in the skin when it is exposed to ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation from sunlight. It is essential for calcium absorption, bone health, and immune function.
Q 28What is the term for an organism that breaks down dead organic matter?
Decomposer
Decomposers are organisms that break down dead or decaying organic matter, recycling nutrients back into the ecosystem. Fungi and bacteria are the most important decomposers.
Q 29How many chambers does the human heart have?
Four
The human heart has four chambers: two upper chambers (atria) that receive blood, and two lower chambers (ventricles) that pump blood out. This design separates oxygenated and deoxygenated blood.
Q 30What are the building blocks of proteins?
Amino acids
Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins. There are 20 standard amino acids that combine in different sequences to form the vast array of proteins found in living organisms.