Question 1

Growth in plants is largely restricted to specialised regions of active cell division called:

Accepted Answer

Meristems. Meristematic tissues (apical, lateral, intercalary) retain the capacity to divide, giving plants indeterminate growth.

Question 2

The three phases of growth in a cell/tissue are, in order:

Accepted Answer

Meristematic → elongation → maturation. Cells first divide (meristematic), then enlarge (elongation), then differentiate (maturation).

Question 3

The phenomenon by which cells derived from meristems become structurally and functionally specialised is:

Accepted Answer

Differentiation. Differentiation leads to loss of division ability and acquisition of specific structure/function (e.g. tracheary elements).

Question 4

When living differentiated cells (e.g. parenchyma) regain the ability to divide (as in interfascicular cambium), it is called:

Accepted Answer

Dedifferentiation. Dedifferentiation: mature cells resume meristematic activity (e.g. cork cambium, interfascicular cambium formation).

Question 5

Arithmetic growth is represented by a ______ curve, whereas geometric growth gives a ______ curve:

Accepted Answer

Linear; sigmoid (S-shaped). Arithmetic growth (constant rate) → linear plot; geometric growth (exponential then plateau under limits) → sigmoid.

Question 6

Growth is an ______ event, so it can be measured by increase in fresh weight, dry weight, length, area, volume or cell number:

Accepted Answer

Irreversible and permanent. Growth is defined as an irreversible, permanent increase in size, measurable by several parameters.

Growth, Phases & Differentiation — NEET Biology MCQs with Solutions

Questions with solutions