Diversity of Microorganisms is one of 9 topics in the Grade 10 Life Sciences CAPS syllabus, covered across 3 lessons on Study Vault. Below are real practice questions from this topic with full worked answers.
Sample practice questions
Easy
1. Bacteria and Archaea are both classified as:
Prokaryotic organisms, lacking a true, membrane-bound nucleus
Eukaryotic organisms, with a true, membrane-bound nucleus
Multicellular organisms only
Viruses
Answer: Prokaryotic organisms, lacking a true, membrane-bound nucleus — Both bacteria and archaea are prokaryotic single-celled organisms, meaning their cells lack a true, membrane-bound nucleus and membrane-bound organelles.
Easy
2. What structure allows some bacteria to move by whip-like motion?
Flagellum
Pili
Cell wall
Nucleoid
Answer: Flagellum — A flagellum is a whip-like tail structure that allows some bacterial cells to move through their environment.
Medium
3. What process do bacteria use to reproduce asexually, producing two genetically identical daughter cells?
Binary fission
Meiosis
Mitosis in a nucleus
Fertilisation
Answer: Binary fission — Binary fission is the asexual reproductive process bacteria use, in which a cell copies its DNA and divides into two genetically identical daughter cells.
