Let us have a look at some of the important points in the chapter “Cell: The Building Block of Life” from the class 9th NCERT book. These important points are for quick revision of the chapter. In this we have also included formulas which you will be using while solving the numerical problems.
- Cells are the basic units of life.
- Life may have originated in water.
- Microscopes help study tiny cells.
- Robert Hooke first observed cells.
- Cell membrane is selectively permeable.
- Osmosis is water movement across membranes.
- Plant cells possess a rigid cell wall.
- Cell wall provides support and protection.
- Cytoplasm contains organelles and cell inclusions.
- Prokaryotic cells lack a true nucleus.
- Eukaryotic cells contain membrane-bound organelles.
- Nucleus stores hereditary information as DNA.
- Ribosomes are sites of protein synthesis.
- Mitochondria produce energy in the form of ATP.
- Plastids and vacuoles synthesize and store materials.
Once you have revised these, lets dive into solving some of the simple and few challenging questions for chapter 2 “Cell: The Building Block of Life”. We have 35 multiple choice questions and match the column question below. You can check out other MCQ questions for class 9 science.
30 MCQ Questions for Class 9 Science: Chapter 2 Cell: The Building Block of Life
Question 1. Who first observed cells?
a) Leeuwenhoek
b) Robert Hooke
c) Darwin
d) Mendel
Answer:
b) Robert Hooke — Observed cork cells in 1665.
Question 2. The basic unit of life is:
a) Tissue
b) Organ
c) Cell
d) Organ system
Answer:
c) Cell — Smallest structural unit.
Question 3. Human eye resolution limit is about:
a) 1 mm
b) 0.1 mm
c) 10 mm
d) 0.01 mm
Answer:
b) 0.1 mm — Smaller objects need microscopes.
Question 4. One millimetre equals:
a) 10 µm
b) 100 µm
c) 1000 µm
d) 10000 µm
Answer:
c) 1000 µm — Important unit conversion.
Question 5. Electron microscopes use:
a) Mirrors
b) Sunlight
c) Lasers
d) Electrons
Answer:
d) Electrons — Gives nanometre-scale details.
Question 6. Cell membrane is also called:
a) Cell wall
b) Plasma membrane
c) Cytoplasm
d) Nucleoid
Answer:
b) Plasma membrane — Universal cell boundary.
Question 7. Cell membrane is:
a) Impermeable
b) Permeable
c) Selectively permeable
d) Semi-solid
Answer:
c) Selectively permeable — Controls material movement.
Question 8. Osmosis involves movement of:
a) Sugar
b) Proteins
c) Water
d) Salts
Answer:
c) Water — Across selective membrane.
Question 9. Diffusion occurs from:
a) Low to high concentration
b) High to low concentration
c) Equal concentrations
d) None
Answer:
b) High to low concentration — Down concentration gradient.
Question 10. Potato swells in plain water due to:
a) Respiration
b) Photosynthesis
c) Osmosis
d) Digestion
Answer:
c) Osmosis — Water enters cells.
Question 11. Equal solute concentration forms:
a) Hypertonic solution
b) Hypotonic solution
c) Isotonic solution
d) Saturated solution
Answer:
c) Isotonic solution — No net water movement.
Question 12. Plant cell wall is mainly made of:
a) Protein
b) Cellulose
c) Lipid
d) Chitin
Answer:
b) Cellulose — Structural carbohydrate.
Question 13. Cell wall is:
a) Selectively permeable
b) Impermeable
c) Permeable
d) Non-living fluid
Answer:
c) Permeable — Water and minerals pass.
Question 14. Animal cells lack:
a) Cytoplasm
b) Cell membrane
c) Nucleus
d) Cell wall
Answer:
d) Cell wall — Allows flexibility.
Question 15. Cytoplasm is:
a) Solid
b) Jelly-like substance
c) Empty space
d) Membrane
Answer:
b) Jelly-like substance — Contains organelles.
Question 16. Prokaryotic cells possess:
a) True nucleus
b) Nucleoid
c) Chloroplast
d) Golgi body
Answer:
b) Nucleoid — Primitive genetic region.
Question 17. Which is a prokaryotic cell?
a) Plant cell
b) Animal cell
c) Bacterial cell
d) Fungal cell
Answer:
c) Bacterial cell — Lacks true nucleus.
Question 18. Eukaryotic cells contain:
a) Nucleoid
b) Membrane-bound organelles
c) No nucleus
d) No organelles
Answer:
b) Membrane-bound organelles — Key characteristic.
Question 19. Functional DNA segments are called:
a) Chromosomes
b) Proteins
c) Genes
d) Ribosomes
Answer:
c) Genes — Units of heredity.
Question 20. Ribosomes are sites of:
a) Respiration
b) Digestion
c) Protein synthesis
d) Photosynthesis
Answer:
c) Protein synthesis — Cell’s protein factories.
Question 21. Rough ER contains:
a) Chlorophyll
b) Ribosomes
c) DNA
d) Vacuoles
Answer:
b) Ribosomes — Gives rough appearance.
Question 22. Smooth ER synthesises:
a) Proteins
b) DNA
c) Lipids
d) RNA
Answer:
c) Lipids — Also stores hormones.
Question 23. Golgi apparatus mainly:
a) Produces ATP
b) Stores DNA
c) Packages materials
d) Photosynthesises
Answer:
c) Packages materials — Cell’s shipping centre.
Question 24. Lysosomes contain:
a) Chlorophyll
b) Enzymes
c) ATP
d) Cell sap
Answer:
b) Enzymes — Break cellular waste.
Question 25. Mitochondria are called:
a) Control centre
b) Protein factory
c) Powerhouse
d) Storage sacs
Answer:
c) Powerhouse — Produces cellular energy.
Question 26. Energy currency of cells is:
a) DNA
b) ATP
c) RNA
d) Glucose
Answer:
b) ATP — Stores usable energy.
Question 27. Photosynthesis occurs in:
a) Vacuoles
b) Lysosomes
c) Chloroplasts
d) Nucleus
Answer:
c) Chloroplasts — Contain chlorophyll.
Question 28. Colourless plastids are:
a) Chromoplasts
b) Chloroplasts
c) Leucoplasts
d) Mitochondria
Answer:
c) Leucoplasts — Store food materials.
Question 29. Large central vacuole occurs in:
a) Bacteria
b) Plant cells
c) Animal cells
d) Viruses
Answer:
b) Plant cells — Maintains turgidity.
Question 30. Cell division helps in:
a) Digestion only
b) Reproduction only
c) Growth and repair
d) Photosynthesis only
Answer:
c) Growth and repair — Replaces damaged cells.
10 True and False Questions for Chapter 2 Cell: The Building Block of Life
Question 1. All living organisms are made of cells. (True/False)
Answer:
True
Question 2. Robert Hooke observed living cells in cork. (True/False)
Answer:
False
Question 3. The plasma membrane is selectively permeable. (True/False)
Answer:
True
Question 4. Osmosis involves movement of water molecules. (True/False)
Answer:
True
Question 5. Animal cells possess a cell wall. (True/False)
Answer:
False
Question 6. Prokaryotic cells lack a true nucleus. (True/False)
Answer:
True
Question 7. Ribosomes are responsible for protein synthesis. (True/False)
Answer:
True
Question 8. Mitochondria are known as the cell’s powerhouse. (True/False)
Answer:
True
Question 9. Chloroplasts are present in all animal cells. (True/False)
Answer:
False
Question 10. Large central vacuoles are characteristic of plant cells. (True/False)
Answer:
True
10 Fill in the Blanks Questions for Chapter 2 Cell: The Building Block of Life
Question 1. The __________ is the basic unit of life.
Answer:
Cell
Question 2. Robert Hooke observed cells in a thin slice of __________.
Answer:
Cork
Question 3. The cell membrane is also called the __________ membrane.
Answer:
Plasma
Question 4. Movement of water through a selectively permeable membrane is called __________.
Answer:
Osmosis
Question 5. The rigid outer covering of plant cells is the __________ wall.
Answer:
Cell
Question 6. The jelly-like substance inside a cell is called __________.
Answer:
Cytoplasm
Question 7. The genetic material in a prokaryotic cell is located in the __________.
Answer:
Nucleoid
Question 8. Ribosomes are responsible for __________ synthesis.
Answer:
Protein
Question 9. Mitochondria produce energy in the form of __________.
Answer:
ATP
Question 10. Green plastids containing chlorophyll are called __________.
Answer:
Chloroplasts
Question on Match the Columns
Unmatched Columns – Questions
| Column A | Column B |
|---|---|
| (i) Robert Hooke | (a) Produces ATP |
| (ii) Plasma Membrane | (b) Site of protein synthesis |
| (iii) Cell Wall | (c) First observed cells in cork |
| (iv) Ribosome | (d) Selectively permeable boundary |
| (v) Mitochondria | (e) Rigid outer covering in plants |
| (vi) Nucleus | (f) Stores hereditary information |
Matched Columns – Answer
| Column A | Column B |
|---|---|
| (i) Robert Hooke | (c) First observed cells in cork |
| (ii) Plasma Membrane | (d) Selectively permeable boundary |
| (iii) Cell Wall | (e) Rigid outer covering in plants |
| (iv) Ribosome | (b) Site of protein synthesis |
| (v) Mitochondria | (a) Produces ATP |
| (vi) Nucleus | (f) Stores hereditary information |
Unmatched Columns – Questions
| Column A | Column B |
|---|---|
| (i) Osmosis | (a) Green plastid |
| (ii) Prokaryotic Cell | (b) Water movement through membrane |
| (iii) Chloroplast | (c) Lacks true nucleus |
| (iv) Golgi Apparatus | (d) Cell’s packaging center |
| (v) Lysosome | (e) Contains digestive enzymes |
| (vi) Vacuole | (f) Stores water and cell sap |
Matched Columns – Answer
| Column A | Column B |
|---|---|
| (i) Osmosis | (b) Water movement through membrane |
| (ii) Prokaryotic Cell | (c) Lacks true nucleus |
| (iii) Chloroplast | (a) Green plastid |
| (iv) Golgi Apparatus | (d) Cell’s packaging center |
| (v) Lysosome | (e) Contains digestive enzymes |
| (vi) Vacuole | (f) Stores water and cell sap |
Related Class 9 Biology Chapters
Once you know the cell, move to how cells work together and how life continues:
- Tissues in Action MCQs – groups of similar cells and their jobs.
- Reproduction: How Life Continues MCQs – cell division, mitosis and meiosis.
- Patterns in Life: Diversity and Classification MCQs – cell type decides the group.
- Exploration: World of Secondary Science MCQs – why the cell model works.
Next chapter: Chapter 3 – Tissues in Action
See all chapters: MCQ Questions for Class 9 Science – All 13 Chapters
