WAEC Biology 2004 past questions

Checked by the Skolra question team · Last updated 15 October 2026

Ten questions from the 2004 WAEC Biology paper, with answers and explanations. We hold 64 questions from this paper, and the Skolra app has all of them.

WAEC Biology 2004 questions and answers

1. 1.

   (a)(i) What is a joint?
   (ii) List three types of movable joints and mention one location in the mammalian body of each type.

   (b)(i) Make a labelled diagram, 8-10cm long, of a typical movable joint.
   (iii) Explain how the structure of the joint adapts it to its function.

   1. A
      A tough fibrous band that connects one muscle to another at a point of movement
   2. B
      The point where two or more bones meet and are held together allowing or restricting movement
      Correct
   3. C
      The synovial fluid secreted to lubricate the ends of bones
   4. D
      A pad of cartilage that provides cushioning between adjacent vertebrae only
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   Answer: B

   A joint is defined as the point of articulation where two or more bones meet and are held together by ligaments. Joints may be movable (synovial joints, e.g. ball-and-socket, hinge, pivot), slightly movable (cartilaginous joints), or immovable (fibrous joints). Synovial fluid is a secretion of the joint capsule that reduces friction, while ligaments and tendons connect bone to bone and muscle to bone respectively.

2. 2.Euglena can be classified as an animal because of the possession of
   1. A
      a contractile vacuole and the ability to ingest solid food particles holozoically
      Correct
   2. B
      chloroplasts that enable it to manufacture food by photosynthesis
   3. C
      a cell wall composed of a flexible pellicle instead of cellulose
   4. D
      flagella used for locomotion in aquatic environments
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   Answer: A

   Euglena exhibits both plant-like and animal-like characteristics, making it difficult to classify. Its animal-like features include possessing a contractile vacuole for osmoregulation and the capacity for holozoic nutrition (ingesting particulate food) in the absence of light. Its plant-like features include chloroplasts and the ability to photosynthesize. The flagellum is used for locomotion but is also found in some plant cells such as gametes, so it alone does not determine animal classification.

3. 3.The theory of evolution by natural selection was first put forward by
   1. A
      Gregor Mendel and Charles Darwin
   2. B
      Jean-Baptiste Lamarck and Thomas Malthus
   3. C
      Charles Lyell and Thomas Huxley
   4. D
      Charles Darwin and Alfred Russel Wallace
      Correct
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   Answer: D

   The theory of evolution by natural selection was independently conceived by Charles Darwin and Alfred Russel Wallace and jointly presented to the Linnean Society of London in 1858. Darwin subsequently elaborated the theory in his landmark book 'On the Origin of Species' published in 1859. The theory proposes that heritable variations exist among individuals, and those with favorable traits are more likely to survive and reproduce. Lamarck proposed an earlier but distinct theory of evolution through acquired characteristics, while Mendel independently established the laws of heredity.

4. 4.A solution which contains all the required elements in their correct proportions is known as a
   1. A
      saturated solution
   2. B
      balanced solution
      Correct
   3. C
      buffer solution
   4. D
      isotonic solution
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   Answer: B

   A balanced solution (also called a complete nutrient solution) contains all the essential mineral elements required by an organism in their correct proportions and concentrations. A buffer solution resists changes in pH, while an isotonic solution has the same osmotic pressure as a cell's contents. A saturated solution holds the maximum amount of dissolved solute and is not defined by the presence of specific elements.

5. 5.Which of the following is not essential in the studying of the ecological factors that directly affect plants?
   1. A
      Measurement of light intensity at different positions in the habitat
   2. B
      Recording of ambient temperature and relative humidity
   3. C
      Estimation of the population size of animal predators in the habitat
      Correct
   4. D
      Determination of soil moisture content and soil pH
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   Answer: C

   Ecological factors that directly affect plants are primarily abiotic factors such as light, temperature, water availability, soil pH, and mineral content. Measuring light intensity, soil moisture, soil pH, temperature, and humidity are all directly relevant to understanding plant growth and distribution. The population of animal predators is not a direct abiotic environmental factor for plants; it relates more to the animal community structure. For studying direct plant ecology, abiotic measurements of the physical environment are the most essential variables.

6. 6.

   (a) Describe six protective adaptations used by animals against predation and give one example in each case.

   (b)(i) What is pollution?
   (ii) State six human activities which cause pollution.
   

   1. A
      The natural decomposition of organic waste materials by microorganisms in the soil
   2. B
      The introduction of harmful substances or energy into the environment causing adverse effects on living organisms
      Correct
   3. C
      The excessive use of water resources by industries and urban households
   4. D
      The removal of vegetation from an area to create space for human settlement
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   Answer: B

   Pollution is defined as the introduction of harmful or unwanted substances (pollutants) or forms of energy into the natural environment at a rate faster than they can be dispersed, diluted, decomposed, recycled, or stored in a harmless form. It causes injury to living organisms, damage to ecosystems, and adverse effects on human health. Decomposition, deforestation, and water overuse are related environmental issues but do not constitute the definition of pollution.

7. 7.Which of the following groups of vertebrae have two branches at the end of their transverse processes?
   1. A
      Sacral vertebrae
   2. B
      Thoracic vertebrae
   3. C
      Lumbar vertebrae
   4. D
      Cervical vertebrae
      Correct
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   Answer: D

   Cervical vertebrae (C3–C7) have transverse processes that are perforated by the vertebrarterial foramen and each ends in two projections — an anterior tubercle (costal element) and a posterior tubercle — giving a bifid or two-branched appearance. The first cervical vertebra (atlas) and second (axis) have distinct forms. Thoracic vertebrae have costal facets for rib articulation, while lumbar vertebrae have broad, flat transverse processes without the two-branch feature.

8. 8.Which two structures are present in a palisade cell but not in a liver cell?
   1. A
      Chloroplasts and cell wall
      Correct
   2. B
      Mitochondria and ribosomes
   3. C
      Large central vacuole and endoplasmic reticulum
   4. D
      Cell membrane and nucleus
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   Answer: A

   A palisade cell is a plant cell found in the leaf mesophyll and contains chloroplasts (for photosynthesis) and a cell wall made of cellulose — both of which are absent in animal cells such as liver cells. Mitochondria, ribosomes, cell membrane, and nucleus are present in both plant and animal cells. The endoplasmic reticulum is also found in both cell types.

9. 9.Hydra able to perform all the following functions except
   1. A
      asexual reproduction through the process of budding
   2. B
      movement by looping and somersaulting using its tentacles
   3. C
      sexual reproduction by the formation and dispersal of spores
      Correct
   4. D
      capture and digestion of small prey organisms using nematocysts
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   Answer: C

   Hydra reproduces asexually by budding and sexually by producing gonads that release eggs and sperm. It does NOT reproduce by spore formation, which is characteristic of fungi and some plants. Hydra moves by looping, somersaulting, and gliding, and it captures prey using nematocysts (stinging cells) on its tentacles, then digests food in its gastrovascular cavity.

10. 10.Which of the following is not true about a potted plant left in the laboratory for one week without watering?
    1. A
       The plant cells will show signs of plasmolysis as they lose water
    2. B
       The leaves will wilt due to loss of turgidity in the cells
    3. C
       The rate of photosynthesis will increase as the plant conserves energy
       Correct
    4. D
       The stomata will close to reduce further water loss by transpiration
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    Answer: C

    When a plant is deprived of water, it experiences water stress, causing leaves to wilt due to the loss of turgidity. The stomata close to prevent further transpiration, but this also restricts the entry of carbon dioxide needed for photosynthesis. Therefore, the rate of photosynthesis actually decreases rather than increases. Plasmolysis — the shrinkage of cell contents away from the cell wall — also occurs in severely dehydrated plant cells, making option c the statement that is not true.

The questions come from past JAMB, WAEC and NECO papers. We use software to help write the answer options and explanations, and every answer is checked twice before it goes on the site. How we check

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