Heredity — Class 10 MCQs with Answers
Class 10 CBSE Science (Biology) · Chapter 8
115 practice questions · 33 Easy · 42 Medium · 40 Hard · Updated
Jump to the 6 solved questions
Practise the most important Class 10 CBSE Science (Biology) questions from Chapter 8, "Heredity". You get 11 timed quizzes made from 115 NCERT-based MCQs, with answers and explanations. The questions are split into 33 Easy, 42 Medium and 40 Hard. Warm up on the basics, then move on to the exam-level questions that top scorers in CBSE Board exams and the JEE & NEET foundation years get right.
To score well in "Heredity", focus on clear concepts in physics, chemistry and biology basics. Each MCQ here is timed and uses exam-style marking (+4 correct, −1 wrong, 0 skipped). This helps you stay accurate when time is short, just as real papers need. Every question has a short explanation, so a wrong answer becomes a quick lesson. It is the fastest way to fix gaps before a test.
Use this chapter for focused revision. Start with the Easy set to check your basics on Heredity, then move to Medium and Hard to practise applying them. Your accuracy, streaks and XP save automatically. This chapter also adds to your overall Class 10 Science (Biology) mastery score. Try the 6 sample questions below: tap an option to see the answer and a worked explanation. Sign in free to start practising.
Heredity — important questions & MCQs with answers (Class 10 Science (Biology))
6 solved questions from this chapter's difficulty levels, each with its answer and explanation. Tap an option to check yourself.
0 of 6 answered
- Q1 of 6Easy
Father of genetics:
Show answerHide answer
Answer: Mendel
Explanation: Gregor Mendel's 1860s pea-plant experiments uncovered the basic laws of inheritance, earning him the title father of genetics; Darwin explained evolution by natural selection, a different question.
- Q2 of 6Easy
Heredity is the:
Show answerHide answer
Answer: Transmission of characters from parents to offspring
Explanation: Heredity is the process by which characters/traits are passed from parents to offspring through genes on chromosomes, explaining why children resemble their parents rather than random change.
- Q3 of 6Medium
Chromosome combination in a human male:
Show answerHide answer
Answer: XY
Explanation: Human males carry one X and one Y chromosome (XY), while females carry two X chromosomes (XX); the Y chromosome, inherited only from the father, triggers male development.
- Q4 of 6Medium
Assertion (A): A plant can be short if the gene for an enzyme that helps make a growth hormone has an alteration. Reason (R): An altered gene can make the enzyme less efficient, so less of the growth hormone is made.
Show answerHide answer
Answer: Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A
Explanation: Both are true. The chapter explains that a less efficient enzyme makes less hormone, so the plant stays short; this is how genes control traits.
- Q5 of 6Hard
Colour blindness in humans is a sex-linked recessive trait. It is more common in:
Show answerHide answer
Answer: Males
Explanation: Colour blindness is carried on the X chromosome; a male (XY) needs only one copy of the recessive allele to be affected, while a female (XX) needs it on both X's, making it far more common in males.
- Q6 of 6Hard
Assertion (A): In Mendel's cross between a tall plant with round seeds and a short plant with wrinkled seeds, some F2 plants were tall with wrinkled seeds. Reason (R): The tall/short trait and the round/wrinkled seed trait are inherited independently of each other.
Show answerHide answer
Answer: Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A
Explanation: Both are true. Because the two traits are inherited independently, they can recombine in F2 and give new combinations such as tall plants with wrinkled seeds.
Heredity notes: key concepts (Class 10 Science (Biology))
Characters pass from parents to offspring through genes, and Mendel's experiments on pea plants revealed the rules. This chapter covers dominant and recessive traits, monohybrid and dihybrid ratios, sex determination in humans, and how inherited variation drives evolution.
- Heredity
- The transmission of characters from parents to offspring through genes carried on chromosomes.
- Gene and allele
- A gene is a unit of inheritance controlling a character; alleles are its alternative forms, such as tall and dwarf.
- Dominant and recessive traits
- A dominant allele expresses itself even when only one copy is present; a recessive allele is expressed only when both copies are recessive.
- Genotype and phenotype
- The genotype is the genetic make-up, such as Tt; the phenotype is the visible character, such as tall.
- Homozygous and heterozygous
- Homozygous means both alleles are identical (TT or tt); heterozygous means they differ (Tt).
- Mendel's monohybrid cross
- A cross following one character, giving a 3 : 1 phenotypic ratio and a 1 : 2 : 1 genotypic ratio in the F₂ generation.
- Mendel's dihybrid cross
- A cross following two characters at once, giving a 9 : 3 : 3 : 1 phenotypic ratio in F₂ and showing independent inheritance.
- Law of dominance and segregation
- Of a pair of contrasting traits only one is expressed, and the two alleles separate during gamete formation so each gamete carries one.
- Law of independent assortment
- Alleles of different characters are inherited independently of one another, which is why the dihybrid ratio appears.
- Sex determination in humans
- Females are XX and males XY; the child's sex depends on whether the sperm carries an X or a Y chromosome.
- Variation
- Differences among individuals of a species, arising from sexual reproduction and mutation, providing the raw material for evolution.
- Acquired and inherited traits
- Acquired traits develop during an individual's lifetime and are not passed on; only inherited traits, present in the germ cells, are.
- Evolution and natural selection
- Gradual change in a species over generations as individuals with advantageous variations survive and reproduce more successfully.
- Speciation
- The formation of new species when populations become reproductively isolated, often through geographical separation.
- Evidence for evolution
- Homologous organs of common ancestry, analogous organs of similar function, and fossils showing intermediate forms.
Start this chapter free
You have 6 to try above. Sign in with Google (no card needed). You get 1 Easy + 1 Medium quiz on every chapter, free for good (up to 6 quizzes a day) — plus a free Hard quiz when you score 70%+ on a Medium quiz (1 per subject), and the formulas & exam tips.
This chapter has 115 questions (33 Easy · 42 Medium · 40 Hard), with timed scoring and instant feedback. The rest unlock with the ₹999/year plan.
Start with the questions above. The full quiz opens here after.
Heredity — FAQs
What are the key concepts in Class 10 Science (Biology) Heredity?+
Characters pass from parents to offspring through genes, and Mendel's experiments on pea plants revealed the rules. This chapter covers dominant and recessive traits, monohybrid and dihybrid ratios, sex determination in humans, and how inherited variation drives evolution. Key ideas include Heredity, Gene and allele, Dominant and recessive traits, Genotype and phenotype, Homozygous and heterozygous, Mendel's monohybrid cross.
What does Class 10 Science (Biology) Chapter 8 (Heredity) cover on XamBaaz?+
It has 115 NCERT-based MCQs on "Heredity": 33 Easy, 42 Medium and 40 Hard. Together they make 11 timed quizzes, and you never get the same set twice. Every question has an instant explanation. They help you prepare for CBSE Board exams and the JEE & NEET foundation years.
Are these "Heredity" questions free to practise?+
Yes. Sign in with Google to practise "Heredity" free. Full unlimited access is ₹999/year. One year from the day you pay. You stay in Class 10 till 31 March; on 1 April your account moves up to Class 11 and the rest of your year carries over. No chapter is charged separately.
How should I revise "Heredity" for the exam?+
Start with the Easy quiz to check your basics, then try Medium and Hard to practise applying them. There are 11 timed quizzes on this chapter, so you can come back for a fresh set instead of one you have seen. Read each explanation, retry the questions you miss, and track your accuracy until it stays high.
Are these "Heredity" MCQs available with answers?+
Yes. 6 sample questions are on this page with answers: tap an option, or "Show answer", to see the correct option and a step-by-step explanation. Sign in free with Google to start practising, with instant scoring.
Is there negative marking in the "Heredity" quizzes?+
Yes. The timed quizzes use exam-style marking: +4 for a right answer, −1 for a wrong one and 0 for a skip. MHT-CET and CBSE board papers have no negative marking. Our mocks for those are scored their way.
What are the important questions from Heredity (Class 10 Science (Biology))?+
The questions that matter most test Heredity, Gene and allele, Dominant and recessive traits, Genotype and phenotype, Homozygous and heterozygous, Mendel's monohybrid cross. This page shows 6 solved important MCQs with answers and explanations. Sign in to practise all 115 questions on the chapter as timed quizzes.
Is there an online quiz for Heredity?+
Yes — Class 10 Science (Biology) Heredity has timed online quizzes at Easy, Medium and Hard levels, with instant scoring and a worked explanation on every question. The first quiz on the chapter is free.
Are there question answers and extra questions for Heredity (Class 10 Science (Biology))?+
Yes. This page has 6 solved questions on Heredity, each with the correct answer and a short explanation. Sign in to practise all 115 questions on the chapter as timed quizzes.
Are there assertion–reason and case study questions for Heredity (Class 10 Science (Biology))?+
Yes. The Heredity question bank has 9 assertion–reason questions and 12 case-based (case study) questions in the CBSE board format, alongside the regular MCQs. Each comes with the answer and a worked explanation. Sign in to practise them in timed quizzes.