Biology Questions That Will Test What You Remember from Science Class

Biology is one of those subjects that shows up everywhere once you start paying attention. It is in the food you eat, the air you breathe, the plants outside, and every system working inside your body right now. That makes it a great trivia topic because the questions feel familiar, but a few can still catch people off guard.

Below, you will find biology trivia questions split into sections so the quiz feels easy to follow. Some are quick basic questions, some lean more into the human body or plants, and a few get into genetics and ecosystems. It is a nice mix for classrooms, study groups, or anyone who just likes science.

Easy Biology Trivia Questions

  1. What is the basic unit of life?
    Show Answer
    The cell
  2. What molecule carries genetic information in most living things?
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    DNA
  3. What process lets plants make food using sunlight?
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    Photosynthesis
  4. What organ pumps blood around the body?
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    The heart
  5. What gas do humans breathe in to survive?
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    Oxygen
  6. What gas do plants take in during photosynthesis?
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    Carbon dioxide
  7. What is the largest organ in the human body?
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    Skin
  8. Which blood cells help fight infection?
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    White blood cells
  9. Which blood cells carry oxygen?
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    Red blood cells
  10. What is the name of the pigment that makes plants green?
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    Chlorophyll
  11. What part of the body helps you think, remember, and control movement?
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    The brain
  12. Which organ is mainly responsible for breathing?
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    The lungs
  13. What do we call animals that eat only plants?
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    Herbivores
  14. What do we call animals that eat only meat?
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    Carnivores
  15. What do we call animals that eat both plants and animals?
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    Omnivores
  16. What is the scientific name for animals without backbones?
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    Invertebrates
  17. What is the scientific name for animals with backbones?
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    Vertebrates
  18. What type of animal is a frog?
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    An amphibian
  19. What type of animal is a whale?
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    A mammal
  20. What is the process by which living things produce offspring?
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    Reproduction

Cell Biology Trivia Questions

  1. What structure controls what enters and leaves the cell?
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    The cell membrane
  2. What part of the cell contains the genetic material?
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    The nucleus
  3. Which organelle is often called the powerhouse of the cell?
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    The mitochondrion
  4. What jelly-like substance fills much of the inside of a cell?
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    Cytoplasm
  5. What do ribosomes make?
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    Proteins
  6. Which organelle packages and ships proteins?
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    The Golgi apparatus
  7. Which organelle helps break down waste in animal cells?
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    Lysosomes
  8. Which cell structure is found in plant cells but not animal cells and gives support?
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    The cell wall
  9. Which cell structure in plant cells stores water and helps keep the cell firm?
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    The vacuole
  10. Which organelle contains chlorophyll?
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    The chloroplast
  11. What type of cells do bacteria have?
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    Prokaryotic cells
  12. What type of cells do plants and animals have?
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    Eukaryotic cells
  13. What is the process called when one cell splits into two identical cells for growth and repair?
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    Mitosis
  14. What is the type of cell division that produces sex cells?
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    Meiosis
  15. What are sex cells also called?
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    Gametes
  16. What is the name for a group of similar cells working together?
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    Tissue
  17. What is the name for a group of tissues working together?
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    An organ
  18. What is the name for a group of organs working together?
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    An organ system
  19. What structure in the cell acts like a set of instructions?
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    DNA
  20. What sugar is found in DNA?
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    Deoxyribose

Human Body Biology Trivia Questions

  1. How many chambers does the human heart have?
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    Four
  2. Which organ filters blood and makes urine?
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    The kidneys
  3. What is the largest bone in the human body?
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    The femur
  4. What is the smallest bone in the human body?
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    The stapes
  5. Which part of the brain helps control balance and coordination?
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    The cerebellum
  6. What is the name of the tube that carries food from the mouth to the stomach?
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    The esophagus
  7. Which organ produces insulin?
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    The pancreas
  8. Which organ makes bile?
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    The liver
  9. What is the name of the acid found in the stomach?
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    Hydrochloric acid
  10. What is the body’s main breathing muscle?
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    The diaphragm
  11. Which part of the eye controls how much light enters?
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    The iris
  12. Which part of the eye focuses light onto the retina?
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    The lens
  13. What is the hard outer covering of a tooth called?
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    Enamel
  14. What part of the body contains alveoli?
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    The lungs
  15. What do platelets help with?
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    Blood clotting
  16. Which system carries messages through the body using nerves?
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    The nervous system
  17. Which body system includes glands like the thyroid and pancreas?
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    The endocrine system
  18. What is the main function of the skeletal system?
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    Support, protection, and movement
  19. What is the main function of the digestive system?
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    Breaking down food and absorbing nutrients
  20. What is homeostasis?
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    Maintaining a stable internal environment

Plant Biology Trivia Questions

  1. What part of the plant absorbs water and minerals from the soil?
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    The roots
  2. What part of the plant usually carries water from roots to leaves?
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    The stem
  3. What part of the plant usually makes food?
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    The leaves
  4. What tissue carries water in plants?
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    Xylem
  5. What tissue carries sugars in plants?
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    Phloem
  6. What is the male part of a flower called?
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    The stamen
  7. What is the female part of a flower called?
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    The pistil or carpel
  8. What part of a flower attracts pollinators with color and scent?
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    The petals
  9. What process moves pollen from one flower part to another?
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    Pollination
  10. What is formed after a plant’s ovule is fertilized?
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    A seed
  11. What opens and closes on leaves to control gas exchange?
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    Stomata
  12. What gas do plants release during photosynthesis?
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    Oxygen
  13. Which plant hormone is linked to bending toward light?
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    Auxin
  14. What do we call plants that live for just one growing season?
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    Annuals
  15. What do we call plants that lose their leaves seasonally?
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    Deciduous plants

Animal and Ecosystem Biology Trivia Questions

  1. What is the term for an animal active at night?
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    Nocturnal
  2. What is the term for an animal active during the day?
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    Diurnal
  3. What do we call an animal hunted by another animal?
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    Prey
  4. What do we call an animal that hunts other animals for food?
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    Predator
  5. What is a group of the same species living in one area called?
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    A population
  6. What is a community plus its physical environment called?
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    An ecosystem
  7. What term describes the role a species plays in its environment?
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    Its niche
  8. What do decomposers do in an ecosystem?
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    They break down dead matter and recycle nutrients
  9. Name one common decomposer.
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    Fungi or bacteria
  10. What do we call animals that regulate their body temperature internally?
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    Endotherms
  11. What do we call animals that rely more on outside conditions for body temperature?
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    Ectotherms
  12. What is the process some animals use to blend into their surroundings?
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    Camouflage
  13. What is the relationship called when both species benefit?
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    Mutualism
  14. What is the relationship called when one benefits and the other is harmed?
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    Parasitism
  15. What is the relationship called when one benefits and the other is unaffected?
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    Commensalism

Genetics and Harder Biology Trivia Questions

  1. Who is often called the father of genetics?
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    Gregor Mendel
  2. What are different versions of the same gene called?
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    Alleles
  3. What do we call a trait that can hide another trait?
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    Recessive
  4. What do we call a trait that shows when present?
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    Dominant
  5. What is an organism’s genetic makeup called?
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    Genotype
  6. What is an organism’s observable traits called?
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    Phenotype
  7. What shape is DNA famous for having?
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    Double helix
  8. What three-letter sequence on mRNA is read during protein building?
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    A codon
  9. What is a change in DNA sequence called?
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    A mutation
  10. What is natural selection?
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    The process in which traits that improve survival or reproduction become more common over time

These questions are a good reminder that biology is everywhere, from the cells in your body to the plants outside your window.

Rowan
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