10. Which term refers to the study of soil?
[RRB NTPC Tier I, 28 April 2016, Shift 1]
(a) Pedology
(b) Geology
(c) Doxology
(d) Ecology
Answer: (a) Pedology
Explanation: Pedology examines soil as a natural body, including its origin, formation, profile development, classification and distribution. Edaphology places greater emphasis on how soil affects living organisms, especially plants. Geology is broader, dealing with Earth’s materials, history and physical processes.
9. What is vermiculture?
[BPSC Combined Competitive Examination, 2015]
(a) The science of raising worms
(b) The science of studying animals
(c) The science of studying fishes
(d) The science of killing worms
Answer: (a) The science of raising worms
Explanation: Vermiculture is the controlled cultivation of worms, particularly earthworms, for uses such as processing organic waste into vermicompost. It differs from vermicomposting, which refers to the decomposition process and resulting compost. These methods help recycle biodegradable waste into soil-enriching material.
8. The branch of biology concerned with the study of heredity and variation is called:
[Rajasthan Police Constable, 2014]
(a) Physiology
(b) Genetics
(c) Morphology
(d) Histology
Answer: (b) Genetics
Explanation: Genetics studies heredity, genes and variation among organisms. It explains how characteristics are transmitted from one generation to the next. Morphology focuses on form, histology on tissues and physiology on functions, whereas genetics directly deals with inheritance patterns and genetic principles.
7. The study of flowers is known as:
[SSC CGL Tier I, 2012]
(a) Phrenology
(b) Anthology
(c) Agrostology
(d) Palynology
Answer: (b) Anthology
Explanation: Anthology, in biological terminology, means the study of flowers. Agrostology deals with grasses, palynology deals with pollen grains and spores, and phrenology concerns the skull. In subdivision-based biology questions, anthology is the correct term associated with flowers.
6. Kinesiology is the study of:
[RSMSSB Physical Training Instructor, Paper II, 2011]
(a) Human motion
(b) Motor movements
(c) Physical fitness
(d) Anthropology
Answer: (a) Human motion
Explanation: Kinesiology studies the mechanics and physiology of human movement. It brings together concepts from anatomy, muscles, joints and biomechanics to explain motion. Although motor activity and physical fitness are related, the exam’s broadest and intended definition is the study of human motion.
5. Which scientist is known as the Father of Genetics?
[Uttarakhand Lower Subordinate Services Preliminary Examination, 2010]
(a) Johnson
(b) G. J. Mendel
(c) F. B. Morrison
(d) T. H. Morgan
Answer: (b) G. J. Mendel
Explanation: Gregor Johann Mendel established key principles of heredity through systematic pea-plant crosses. His findings explained dominance, segregation and independent assortment of inherited factors. Thomas Hunt Morgan later advanced chromosome-based genetics through experiments on fruit flies, but Mendel is called its father.
4. Mycology is the branch of science that deals with the study of:
[UPPCS Preliminary Examination, 2008]
(a) Algae
(b) Viruses
(c) Fungi
(d) Bacteria
Answer: (c) Fungi
Explanation: Mycology is the scientific study of fungi, including mushrooms, moulds and yeasts. It covers their classification, reproduction and ecological roles. Algae are studied under phycology, viruses under virology and bacteria under bacteriology, so fungi correctly identify the field of mycology.
3. The study of cancer is called:
[UPSC CDS Examination, 2004]
(a) Oncology
(b) Odontology
(c) Osmology
(d) Ophthalmology
Answer: (a) Oncology
Explanation: Oncology is the branch of medical biology concerned with tumours and cancer, including their causes, diagnosis and treatment. Odontology deals with teeth, ophthalmology with the eye and osmology with smell, making oncology the correct biological and medical term here.
2. Mendel’s classical experiments on the laws of inheritance were performed on which organism?
[UPPCS Mains, 2002]
(a) Drosophila
(b) Snapdragon
(c) Garden pea
(d) Sweet pea
Answer: (c) Garden pea
Explanation: Mendel selected garden pea, Pisum sativum, because it shows clear contrasting traits, has a relatively short generation time and permits controlled self- and cross-pollination. His experiments established foundational inheritance principles later central to genetics. Drosophila became important in subsequent chromosome research.
1. Which branch of biology deals with the study of tissues?
[RPSC Preliminary Examination, 2002]
(a) Cytology
(b) Histology
(c) Embryology
(d) Ecology
Answer: (b) Histology
Explanation: Histology is the microscopic study of tissues and their organization. Cytology studies individual cells, embryology studies embryo development and ecology studies organism–environment relationships. Because tissues are groups of similar cells forming body structures, histology is the precise branch involved.
Note: These are presented as previous-year questions in copy-ready HTML. Question wording has been lightly normalized for consistency, and source links have been removed as requested. The set is ordered from newest to oldest, with numbering reversed from 40 to 1.
