Biology

Minerals and Nutrients

936 Questions

Review essential biology concepts regarding minerals and nutrients in this question bank. It covers trace elements required by plants and minerals crucial for human blood and bone formation. These facts frequently appear in general science exams.

Essential plant micronutrientsChlorophyll synthesis elementsHuman blood and bone mineralsTrace elements in physiology

Minerals and Nutrients Questions

Multiple choice biology transportation in plants and circulation in animals heart beat cardiac cycle heart, blood vessels and cardiac cycle

Which of the following statements is false?

  1. $Mg^{2+}$ ions form a complex with ATP
  2. $Ca^{2+}$ ions are important in blood clotting
  3. $Ca^{2+}$ ions are not important in maintaining the regular beating of the heart
  4. $Mg^{2+}$ ions are important in the green parts of plants.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Calcium is important for heart because the movement of calcium ions help the heart muscles to contract. This occurs because: calmodulin, a protein binds to the sodium channel, helps keep it open. Calcium ions regulate the connection between the protein and the channel by causing the protein to hook up to the channel. This in turn, keeps it open and allows sodium ions to pass through. In the absence of Ca$^2$$^+$ the heart beat will be irregular. 

So the correct answer is ' Ca2+ ions are not important in maintaining the regular beating of the heart'.

Multiple choice biology soldiers of defense blood clotting and healing of wounds coagulation of blood blood clotting

Which of the metallic ions is essential for blood clotting?

  1. Na$^+$
  2. Ca$^{++}$
  3. K$^+$
  4. Fe$^{++}$
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation
Calcium ions along with vitamin K are essential for clotting process as all the reaction in the clotting process take place in the presence of calcium ions. It is very important for the conversion reaction of prothrombin into the thrombin.
Therefore, the correct answer is option B.
Multiple choice biology soldiers of defense blood clotting and healing of wounds coagulation of blood blood clotting

Which of the following are required for blood clotting?

  1. K${^+}$, thromboplastin
  2. Ca${^+}$${^+}$, thromboplastin
  3. Na${^+}$, Ca${^+}$${^+}$
  4. K${^+}$, prothrombin
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

When there is an injury and blood is shed, the platelets disintegrate and liberate thromboplastin or factor III. Certain amount of thromboplastin is also derived from the damaged tissues of the injured locality.
Thromboplastin converts prothrombin into thrombin with the help of calcium ions and thrombin interacts with fibrinogen forming fibrin. This is clot.
Calcium is the Factor IV and it acts as a co-factor in the coagulation process.
Thus, the correct answer is option (B).

Multiple choice biology soldiers of defense blood clotting and healing of wounds coagulation of blood blood clotting

Mark the pair of substances among the following which is essential for coagulation of blood.

  1. Heparin and calcium ions

  2. Calcium ions and platelet factors

  3. Oxalates and citrates

  4. Platelet factors and heparin
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Calcium ions and platelets are essential factors for clotting of blood. During some injury, the platelets release inactivated platelet factors that are involved in the activation of other factors involved in the formation of clots in the blood. Calcium ions in the blood catalyze the activation of many factors involved in clot formation like factor VIII, factor IX, factor V and factor XIII.

Thus, the correct answer is 'Calcium ions and platelet factors.'

Multiple choice biology soldiers of defense blood clotting and healing of wounds coagulation of blood blood clotting

Mineral essential for the coagulation of blood is

  1. Potassium

  2. Magnesium

  3. Calcium

  4. Sodium
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

All the reactions which happen during the clotting process require calcium ions for their occurrence. Calcium works together with vitamin K and a protein called as fibrinogen in the clotting cascade. Without adequate levels of calcium and vitamin K, blood will take longer to clot and if both nutrients are missing it could be fatal. Therefore, the correct answer is option C.

Multiple choice biology soldiers of defense blood clotting and healing of wounds coagulation of blood blood clotting

Choose the correct answer from the alternatives given.
Which of the following ions is involved in blood clotting?

  1. $K^+$
  2. $Na^+$
  3. $Fe^{+++}$
  4. $Ca^{++}$
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Blood coagulation is a complex biochemical process involving platelets and many proteins (enzymes).  Calcium is involved at several steps in the blood clotting, including the activation of the platelets, activation of clotting factors and enzymes which are present in the blood in inactive form. The $Ca^{++}$ ions bind with prothrombin and covert it into active form thrombin. The thrombin in turn converts fibrinogen into fibrin (a thread like protein) which traps red blood cells and helps in the formation of clot.

So, the correct option is '$Ca^{++}$'.

Multiple choice bio-chemistry unit of living - cell eukaryotic cell kinds of cell introduction to eukaryotic cell

Which element is found in abundance in eukaryotic cell?

  1. Ca

  2. P

  3. Mg

  4. S
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

A cell requires several mineral elements for various structural and metabolic roles. The calcium is the most abundant element in eukaryotic cells. It is required for integrity of plant cell wall. In animals, calcium is important for membrane permeability, muscle activity, blood clotting and its role as second messenger. 

Multiple choice chemistry non-metals introduction to non-metals occurence of metals occurrence of metals and non metals

The metallic element present in chlorophyll is:

  1. $Hg$
  2. $Fe$
  3. $Mg$
  4. $Ni$
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

1) Chlorophyll contains a magnesium ion, encased in a large ring structure known as a chlorine.

 2) The chlorine ring is a heterocyclic compound derived from pyrrole. 

3) Four Nitrogen atoms from the chlorine surround and bind the magnesium atom.

Multiple choice chemistry the p-block elements - group 13 study of diborane some important compounds of boron study of boron

For healthy growth of plants, boron is an essential:

  1. minor nutrient

  2. major nutrient

  3. both

  4. major metal
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Boron is essential for the growth of higher plants. The primary function of the element is to provide structural integrity to the cell wall in plants. 


Other functions likely include the maintenance of the plasma membrane and other metabolic pathways.

So it is essential micronutrient for plants.

Option A is correct.

Multiple choice zoology microbes in human welfare biofertilizers microbes as biocontrol agents and biofertilizers manuring

Which one of the following nutrients is not available in fertilizers?

  1. Nitrogen

  2. Phosphorus

  3. Iron

  4. Potassium
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Fertilizers provide three main macronutrients: potassium, nitrogen and phosphorous which are consumed in larger quantities and are present in plant tissue, in quantities from 0.15% to 6.0% of a dry matter (DM) (0% moisture) basis. Iron is a micronutrient for plant growth which is not available in fertilizers.

So, the correct answer is option C.

Multiple choice bio-chemistry cell-the basic unit of life introduction to cell discovery and cell theory cell discovery cell discovery and cell theory cell as structural and functional unit

Which of the following are the most abundant elements in the living cells?

  1. C, H, S and P

  2. C, O, N and P

  3. C, H, O and N

  4. C, H, Mg and Ca
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

The most common elements in living things are carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen. 
A carbohydrate is a biological molecule consisting of carbon (C), hydrogen (H) and oxygen (O) atoms.
Proteins are made up of amino acids which are organic compounds  (C, H, and O) containing amine (-NH2), along with a side chain (R group) specific to each amino acid.
Each nucleotide consists of a nitrogen-containing aromatic base attached to a pentose sugar (C, H, and O), which is in turn attached to a phosphate group. 

So, major macromolecules consist of C, H, O and N and hence, are the most abundant elements in living cells.
Thus, the correct answer is option (C). 

Multiple choice bio-chemistry minerals minerals and vitamins nutrition and diet role of various nutrients

Which of the group of elements is not essential for a normal plant?

  1. K, Ca, Mg

  2. Fe, Zn, Mn, B

  3. Pb, I, Na

  4. Mg, Fe, Mo
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

The plant ash reveals the presence of 40 elements but all are not essential for plant nutrition, only a few are essential for growth and development of plants. These are called as the essential elements. The essential elements may be grouped as major elements or macronutrients and trace elements or micronutrients, based on their requirement by plants. 

Major elements or macronutrients are required in large amounts and form the plant constituents. These include carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium and sulphur. These elements form an integral part of complex organic molecules. Some of these elements help in the functioning of enzyme systems. The sources of macronutrients are generally the soil or the atmosphere. 
Trace elements or micronutrients are elements, like iron, boron, manganese, copper, zinc and molybdenum. They are required for plants only in very small amounts but these are indispensable for the normal growth and development of plants. 
Lead, Iodine and sodium are generally not required by plants and are non essential elements for plant mineral nutrition.