NCERT Exemplar Solutions Class 9 Science Diversity in Living Organisms

Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs).............................

Question 1:  Find out incorrect sentence
(a) Protista includes unicellular eukaryotic organisms
(b) Whittaker considered cell structure, mode and source of nutrition for classifying the organisms in five kingdoms
(c) Both Monera and Protista may be autotrophic and heterotrophic
(d) Monerans have well defined nucleus

Solution 1:  (d) Monerans have well defined nucleus.

Single-celled prokaryotic bacteria, filamentous actinomycetes, and photosynthetic blue green algae make up the Kingdom-Monera. They lack membrane-bound cell organelles and a well-defined nucleus because they are prokaryotic. Nucleoid refers to the undefined nuclear region.

Question 2:  Which among the following has specialized tissue for conduction of water?

(i) Thallophyta                            

(ii) Bryophyta

(iii) Pteridophyta                         

(iv) Gymnosperms

(a) (i) and (ii)             (b) (ii) and (iii)               (c) (iii) and (iv)             (d) (i) and (iv)

Solution 2:  (c) (iii) and (iv).            

Pteridophyta are the world's oldest vascular plants, with an aerial shoot system and an underground root system. This category includes all ferns. With a few exceptions, such as Selaginella, they are the most developed seedless plants.

Gymnosperms are seed-bearing plants that are completely covered in their seeds which include all conifers like pines, ferns, cedars, and redwoods. They are vascular plants, which mean their conduction is done through xylem and phloem.

Question 3:  Which among the following produce seeds?

(a) Thallophyta                

(b) Bryophyta                    

(c) Pteridophyta                  

(d) Gymnosperms

Solution 3:   (d) Gymnosperms. 

Seeds are formed after fertilization in phanerogams (seed-bearing plants), such as gymnosperms and angiosperms. They contain embryos as well as food that has been preserved. The embryo derives nourishment from the food that has been prepared. gymnosperms bear seeds that are not enclosed in a fruit that means the seeds are not covered within an ovary and are hence called “naked seeds”, while angiosperms  bear seeds that are enclosed in a fruit that means the ovules are inside the ovary.

Question 4:  Which one is a true fish?

(a) Jellyfish                           

(b) Starfish                

(c) Dogfish                  

(d) Silverfish

Solution 4:  (c) Dogfish. 

Scoliodon (dog fish) is a piscean of the class Chandricythes. Owing to their ability to scent, these fish are known as dog fish.

Jellyfish, also known as jellies, are phylum Cnidaria members with a cylindrical vase shape. These are free-swimming aquatic animals with tentacles and a gelatinous umbrella-shaped bell (which pulses for locomotion) (to capture prey).

Starfish are echinoderms with a star shape. These are five-armed marine invertebrates with a central disc (tube feet for locomotion)

Lepismasacharina, also known as silver fish, is a small wingless insect in the Arthropoda phylum.

Question 5:  Which among the following is exclusively marine?

(a) Porifera                     

(b) Echinodermata                         

(c) Mollusca                     

(d) Pisces

Solution 5:   (b) Echinodermata. 

Echinodermata are marine creatures with a spiny shell.

Porifera is made up of sponges, which are marine organisms that cling to the seafloor. The majority of sponges are marine, but freshwater sponges such as Spongilla are also found.

Mollusca are non-segmented species with a soft body. Mollusca come in both aquatic and terrestrial forms.

Pisces can be present in both marine (e.g., dogfish) and freshwater habitats (e.g., Rohu).

Question 6: Which among the following have open circulatory system?

(i) Arthropoda                            

(ii) Mollusca

(iii) Annelida                               

(iv) Coelenterata

(a) (i) and (ii)                       (b) (iii) and (iv)                  (c) (i) and (iii)                  (d) (ii) and (iv)

Solution 6:  (a) (i) and (ii). 

Arthropods and Mollusca have an open circulatory system, while Annelida and Coelenterata have a closed circulatory system.

Question 7:  In which group of animals, coelom is filled with blood?

(a) Arthropoda                

(b) Annelida                  

(c) Nematoda                   

(d) Echinodermata

Solution 7:  (a) Arthropoda. 

The true coelom is a body cavity that develops in embryonic mesoderm as a cavity. The dividing up of mesoderm occurs in arthropods, annelids, and Mollusca. It's known as schizocoelom. However, a colorless blood called haemocoel is found in the cavities of Arthropoda and non-cephalopoda molluscs.

Blood isn't found in Annelida, Nematoda, or Echinodermata.

Question 8:  Elephantiasis is caused by

(a) Wuchereria                

(b) Pinworm                

(c) Planarians              

(d) Liver flukes

Solution 8:  (a) Wuchereria. 

Wuchereria is a parasitic infection that affects humans. Elephantiasis is a disease spread by mosquitos that causes elephantiasis (vector).

The phylum Nematoda includes pinworms. Threadworm and seatworm are other names for it. It causes enterobiasis and is a common intestinal parasite.

A planarian is a flatworm that isn't parasitic.

The flat worms that cause liver rot are known as liver flukes.

Question 9:  Which one is the most striking or (common) character of the vertebrates?

(a) Presence of notochord                          

(b) Presence of triploblastic condition

(c) Presence of gill pouches                       

(d) Presence of coelom

Solution 9:   (a) Presence of notochord.                     

Vertebrates, also known as craniate, are the most advanced group of mammals.

The presence of a notochord is one of the distinguishing characteristics of vertebrates. It's a long rod-like support structure that runs the length of the animal's back, separating nervous tissue from gut.

Question 10: Which among the following have scales?

(i) Amphibians                        

(ii) Pisces

(iii) Reptiles                                 

(iv) Mammals

(a) (i) and (iii)                 (b) (iii) and (iv)              (c) (ii) and (iii)                  (d) (i) and (ii)

Solution 10:  (c) (ii) and (iii).

For protection, fish and reptiles have hard protective scales on their skin. Scales, which are part of the fish's integumentary system, cover the outer body of many fish. The mesoderm is where the scales come from (skin).

Reptiles have scales made of a protein called keratin, which is one of their most distinguishing features. These scales form a waterproof skin barrier that allows reptiles to live without fear of dehydration when they are not near water.

Amphibians use their skin as a second layer of protection against the elements. Their skin is mucous-lined and permeable to liquids and gases.

Question 11:  Find out the false statement
(a) Aves are warm blooded, egg laying and have four chambered heart
(b) Aves have feather covered body, fore limbs are modified as wing and breathe through lungs
(c) Most of the mammals are viviparous
(d) Fishes, amphibians and reptiles are oviparous

Solution 11:  (d) Fishes, amphibians and reptiles are oviparous. 

Some fish are viviparous, but because Amphibians exhibit external fertilization, they cannot be preserved as oviparous or viviparous.

Question 12:  Pteridophyta do not have

(a) root                     

(b) stem                     

(c) flowers                 

(d) leaves

Solution 12:   (c) flowers.

The oldest vascular plants are pteridophytes. Their bodies are divided into two systems: aerial shoots and underground roots. The reproductive organs are made up of several cells. The pollen produced by these plants is carried by the wind, and after fertilization, an embryo develops. These plants don't have seeds or don't have flowers because they're seedless.

Question 13:  Identify a member of Porifera

(a) Spongilla             

(b) Euglena               

(c) Penicillium          

(d) Hydra

Solution 13:  (a) Spongilla. 

Spongilla is a member of the phylum Porifera, and its passers feed on the body and are attached to the substrate with havitats.

The protist Euglena, the fungus Penicillium, and the coelentrate Hydra are all members of the kingdom Fungi.

Question 14:  Which is not an aquatic animal?

(a) Hydra                 

(b) Jelly fish               

(c) Corals                  

(d) Filaria 

Solution 14:   (d) Filaria. 

Filaria is a disease caused by Wuchereria bancrofti, but it is not an aquatic animal; on the other hand, Hydra is a coelenterate that lives in freshwater. Jelly fish are a type of marine creature. Cnidarians and marine invertebrates are corals.

Question 15:  Amphibians do not have the following
(a) Three chambered heart
(b) Gills or lungs
(c) Scales
(d) Mucous glands

Solution 15:  (c) Scales. 

Instead of scales, amphibians have mucous-secreting glands on their skin. (Also see question 10)

Question 16:  Organisms without nucleus and cell organelles belong to

(i) fungi                                             

(ii) Protista

(iii) cyanobacteria                          

(iv) archaebacteria

(a) (i) and (ii)              (b) (iii) and (iv)                      (c) (i) and (iv)                      (d) (ii) and (iii)

Solution 16:   (b) (iii) and (iv). 

Kingdom-Monera includes cyanobacteria and archaebacteria. Monerans are prokaryotes, which are organisms that lack a nucleus and cell organelles.

(Refer also to Q. 1)

Question 17:  Which of the following is not a criterion for classification of living organisms?
(a) Body design of the organism
(b) Ability to produce one’s own food
(c) Membrane bound nucleus and cell organelles
(d) Height of the plant

Solution 17:   (d) Height of the plant. 

The arrangement of organisms or groups of organisms into categories is referred to as classification. The shape, size, structure, and function of living forms differ. The differences in their appearance, body design, and behaviors serve as the foundation for classification.

Question 18:  The feature that is not a characteristic of protochordata?
(a) Presence of notochord
(b) Bilateral symmetry and coelom
(c) Jointed legs
(d) Presence of circulatory system

Solution 18:  (c) Jointed legs. 

Because joined legs are a feature of arthropods, protochorblats do not have them. Protochordates have a triploblastic bilaterally symmetrical body and a coelom as a distinguishing feature.

They exhibit notochord (a new feature of body design) at various stages of life. Balanoglossus, Herdmania, Amphioxus, Branchiostoma, and Doliolum are examples of marine mammals.

Question 19:  The locomotory organs of Echinodermata are

(a) tube feet              

(b) muscular feet                     

(c) jointed legs                        

(d) parapodia

Solution 19:  (a) tube feet.             

Echinoderms are spiny-skinned marine mammals with tube feet as locomotory organs. They have a calcareous plate exoskeleton from which the spines grow. The larvae are bilaterally symmetrical, while the adults are radially symmetrical. Sessile echinoderms live in groups, while solitary echinoderms live alone.

Question 20:  Corals are
(a) poriferans attached to some solid support
(b) cnidarians, that are solitary living
(c) poriferans present at the sea bed
(d) cnidarians that live in colonies

Solution 20:  (d) cnidarians that live in colonies. 

Cnidaria is a phylum of marine invertebrates that includes corals. They live in dense colonies made up of many identical individual polyps. The coral reef builders belong to this group, which live in tropical oceans and secrete calcium carbonate to form a hard skeleton.

Question 21:  Who introduced the system of scientific nomenclature of organisms

(a) Robert Whittaker                                    

(b) Carolus Linnaeus

(c) Robert Hooke                                           

(d) Ernst Haeckel

Solution 21: (b) Carolus Linnaeus. 

Carolus Linnaeus (a Swedish botanist) is considered the father of Taxonomy. He formulated the method of naming organisms called the binomial system of nomenclature. Each type of organism in this system has two Latin names, one for its genus and the other for its species. For example, all frogs belong to the genus Rana, and the Indian bull frog belongs to the species tigrina, so the Indian bull frog is known as Rana tigrina.

Question 22:  Two chambered heart occurs in    .

(a) crocodiles            

(b) fish                         

(c) aves                     

(d) amphibians

Solution 22:  (b) fish. 

Crocodiles have a heart with four chambers. The hearts of aves and amphibians have three chambers. Fishes have two chambered hearts.

Question 23:  Skeleton is made entirely of cartilage in

(a) sharks                 

(b) tuna                     

(c) rohu                     

(d) None of these

Solution 23:  (a) sharks. 

Cartilaginous sharks, such as the Scoliodon (dogfish), shark Torpedo, sting ray, and others, have a cartilage-based endoskeleton.

Question 24:  One of the following is not an Annelida

(a) Nereis                 

(b) Earthworm            

(c) Leech                   

(d) Sea urchins

Solution 24:  (d) Sea urchins. 

Sea urchins are not annelids. Small spiny globular reptiles belonging to the phylum Echinodermata are known as sea hedgehogs. They can be found almost anywhere in the world's oceans. Black, dull green, olive, brown, purple, blue, and red are some of the most common colors.
Annelids are triploblastic mammals with a body that is symmetrical on both sides. They are the first coelomates and have metameric segmentation. Nereis, earthworm, and leech, for example.

Question 25:  The book Systema Naturae was written by
(a) Linnaeus             

(b) Haeckel                

(c) Whittaker              

(d) Robert Brown

Solution 25:  (a) Linnaeus. 

Carolus Linnaeus, a Swedish botanist, zoologist, and physician, wrote Systema Naturae. In this book, he explains his binomial classification system.

Question 26:  Carl von Linna was involved with which branch of science?

(a) Morphology           

(b) Taxonomy              

(c) Physiology                

(d) Medicine

Solution 26:   (b) Taxonomy. 

The Father of Taxonomy is Carl von Linnaeus.

Question 27:  Real organs are absent in

(a) Mollusca               

(b) Coelenterata        

(c) Arthropoda           

(d) Echinodermata

Solution 27:   (b) Coelenterata. 

Coelenterates are multicellular, diploblastic, and acoelomate mammals with tissue-level organization, meaning they don't have true organs. Organ level organization can be found in Mollusca, Arthropoda, and Echinodermata.

Question 28:  Hard calcium carbonate structures are used as skeleton by

(a) Echinodermata      

(b) Protochordata     

(c) Arthropoda           

(d) Nematoda

Solution 28:   (a) Echinodermata. 

Spiny, hard, calcareous (calcium carbonate) plates (ossicles) cover the body wall of echinodermata, forming a stiff or flexible endoskeleton.

Question 29: Differentiation in segmental fashion occurs in

(a) Leech                   

(b) Starfish                

(c) Snails               

(d) Ascaris

Solution 29:  (a) Leech.

Leeches (annelids) have metameric segmentation, which means their bodies are divided into segments that are identical to one another and each contain a set of organs.

Question 30:  In taxonomic hierarchy family comes between

(a) Class and Order                                     

(b) Order and Genus

(c) Genus and Species                                

(d) Division and Class

Solution 30:   (b) Order and Genus.

The following is the taxonomic hierarchy:

Species - The lowest taxonomic level, for example, Pisum sativum (pea)

Genus- A genus is a group of closely related species that is ranked higher than a species. For example, the genus Cam's includes both dogs and wolves.

Family- A family is a group of related genera that share some common characteristics, such as cat and lion, and belong to the same family-Felidae.

Order- An order is a grouping of households that share similar characteristics. Class Organisms of related orders or orders with similar characteristics are grouped together in a class; for example, rats, camels, and monkeys are all members of the Chordata class.

Phylum- The classes that share the same special characters that are common to all of them are classified as Phylum-Angiospermae.

Kingdom- The highest level of taxonomic classification, consisting of a set of common distinguishing characteristics. Organisms with similar basic traits, such as Kingdom-Plantae and Animalia, are grouped together.

Question 31:  Five kingdom classification has given by

(a) Morgan              

(b) R H Whittaker                 

(c) Linnaeus                 

(d) Haeckel

Solution 31:  (b) R H Whittaker.                 

Monera, Protista, Fungi, Plantae, and Animalia are the five kingdoms proposed by R. Whittaker.

Question 32:  Well defined nucleus is absent in

(a) blue-green algae                

(b) diatoms                 

(c) algae                    

(d) yeast

Solution 32:   (a) blue-green algae.               

Blue - green alga, also known as cyanobacteria is a prokaryotic organism with no well-defined nucleus, while diatoms, algae, and yeast are all eukaryotic organisms with a true nucleus and cell membrane bound organelles.

Question 33:  The ‘Origin of Species’ is written by

(a) Linnaeus              

(b) Darwin                 

(c) Haeckel                

(d) Whittaker

Solution 33:  (b) Darwin. 

The concept of evolution was first explained by Charles Darwin, an English naturalist, in his book "The Origin of Species," published in 1859. According to him, most modern life forms have evolved over time through natural selection as a result of an accumulation of changes in body design, and are more complex than their ancestral forms.

Question 34:  Meena and Hari observed an animal in their garden, Hari called it an insect while Meena said it was an earthworm. Choose the character from the following which confirms that it is an insect.

(a) Bilateral symmetrical body                      

(b) Body with jointed legs

(c) Cylindrical body                                         

(d) Body with little segmentation

Solution 34:   (b) Body with jointed legs.

The presence of jointed appendages or jointed legs is the most striking characteristic of arthropods, i.e. insects.

Short Answer Type Questions..........................

Question 35:  Write true (T) or false (F).
(a) Whittaker proposed five kingdom classifications.
(b) Monera is divided into archaebacteria and eubacteria.
(c) Starting from class species comes before the genus.
(d) Anabaena belongs to the kingdom-Monera.
(e) Blue green algae belong to the kingdom-Protista.
(f) All prokaryotes are classified under Monera.

Solution 35: