Grade 10 · CAPS

Grade 10 Cells: The Basic Unit of Life

Life Sciences practice questions and a worked example

Grade 10 Cells: The Basic Unit of Life is part of the CAPS Life Sciences curriculum, covering cell structure and function — the organelles found in plant and animal cells, the structure of the cell membrane, and how substances move into and out of cells through diffusion, osmosis and active transport. Learners also work with microscopy, identifying cell structures from diagrams and micrographs. The practice questions below are drawn from ReClass's own question bank, based on real Grade 10 CAPS assessments, giving learners a chance to work through cell structure and transport questions in the same style they will meet in a test.

Worked example

2.1.5 Describe the structure of cell membranes that allows selective/differential permeability.

Answer

Phospholipid molecules - and (large) protein molecules - move around V (3) TOTAL QUESTION 2: 15 QUESTION 3 (b) Glucosev

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Cells: The Basic Unit of Life

Question 1 of 3

1.1.1 A Dutch scientist who designed the first microscope and is regarded as the father of microscopy.
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More practice questions

Explore additional Grade 10 Cells: The Basic Unit of Life questions.

  • 2
    1.2.1 Give the correct biological term for the part of the microscope that concentrates light rays from the light source onto the specimen.
  • 3
    1.3.2 Indicate whether the description 'Controls all cell activities' applies to A ONLY, B ONLY, BOTH A AND B or NONE of the items in COLUMN II.
  • 4
    1.3.3 Indicate whether the description 'Spontaneous movement of gas molecules from an area of high concentration to an area of low concentration until equilibrium is reached' applies to A ONLY, B ONLY, BOTH A AND B or NONE of the items in COLUMN II.
  • 5
    2.1.1 (a) Give the LETTER and NAME of the organelle where protein synthesis takes place.

Common mistakes

  • Mixing up diffusion and osmosis — osmosis is specifically the movement of water across a selectively permeable membrane.
  • Naming the wrong organelle for a described function (e.g. confusing the rough endoplasmic reticulum with the Golgi body).
  • Forgetting that active transport, unlike diffusion and osmosis, requires energy and moves substances against the concentration gradient.

More Grade 10 Life Sciences topics

Aligned to CAPS Grade 10 Life Sciences — Cells: The Basic Unit of Life. Curriculum source: CAPS for the FET Phase, Department of Basic Education.

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