Mineral Nutrition MCQs with Answers and Concept Explanations
Under the topic mineral nutrition, you will learn in detail about essential mineral elements that plants require for growth and development. In addition to that, you will also learn how plants absorb these essential nutrients, deficiency symptoms and the significance of nitrogen as a micronutrient and biological nitrogen fixation.
Before moving on to the MCQ on nutrition, let us go through some important concepts from this chapter. Notably, plants being autotrophs, derive all these essential elements from the soil.
Minerals are one of the four types of crucial nutrients required for the growth of a plant, and the deficiency of which causes disease and hampers its life cycle. Others are vitamins such as essential fatty acids, vitamins, and essential amino acids. In the body, five prime minerals are potassium, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, and sodium. There are two types of nutrients i.e. micro and macro.
The following MCQs on minerals and trace elements will enable you to gain more clarity on the concepts discussed within this chapter. Aside from that, practising these questions will also help you to revise this section thoroughly before examinations.
Since mineral nutrition NEET is an important part of the NEET syllabus, students appearing for the same can also go through these questions for a quick revision. Therefore, keeping the requirements of students in mind the questions given below cover all the essential topics within the chapter.
Mineral Nutrition Multiple Choice Questions
The questions given below should enable you to gain an idea about question patterns for mineral nutrition NEET.
Who among the following presented the theory of essential mineral nutrients in plants?
Carl Linnaeus
Aristotle
Arnon and Stout
Leonhart Fuchs
The process of growth of plants by suspending their roots
Osmosis
Hydroponics
Diffusion
Aeroponics
Dark green colouration in leaves is caused due to deficiency of which mineral?
Calcium
Phosphorus
Nitrogen
Potassium
Which one of the following is a magnesium deficiency syndrome
Elongated stem
Chlorosis in young leaves
Chlorosis in older leaves
Spindly and woody stem
Enzymes involved in respiration are activated by which minerals?
Sulphur and iron
Potassium and calcium
Nitrogen and phosphorus
Magnesium and manganese
Which is not a micronutrient?
Boron
Zinc
Magnesium
Molybdenum
What is the function of leg-haemoglobin in root nodules of legumes?
They act as a catalyst during transamination
It carries oxygen to root nodules
It acts as a scavenger of oxygen
They provides energy to nitrogen-fixing bacteria
Among the elements given below, which one has not yet been proved as essential for plants?
Zinc
Iron
Potassium
Sodium
Plants absorb nitrogen from the soil which is in the form of
Nitrogen oxide
Nitric acid
Nitrates
Free nitrogen gas
Which of the following components contain phosphorus?
Carbohydrate
Fat
Starch
Nucleotide
Obligate parasites are organisms that
Are saprophytes but can also become parasites.
Are pests but can also become saprophytes.
Consume only dead and organic matter.
Consume living host.
Which one of the following discovered nitrogen-fixing bacteria?
Pasteur
Lister
Winogradsky
Koch
Answer Key: 1. (C), 2. (D), 3. (B), 4. (C), 5. (D), 6. (C), 7. (C), 8. (D), 9. (C), 10. (D), 11. (D), 12.(C)
The answer is C as the theory of mineral nutrients was proposed by Arnon and Stout in 1939.
The answer is D as it contributes to the suspension of the roots.
The right option is B as it is caused by Phosphorus (P) due to being cold for the uptaking of nutrients.
Chlorosis in older leaves is the right answer.
The correct answer is D as Magnesium is responsible for activating enzymes of respiration.
The sixth one clearly indicates that magnesium is not a micronutrient.
C is the right choice as it acts as oxygen.
Sodium is not essential for plants.
Plants absorb nitrogen in the form of nitrates.
A nucleotide contains phosphorus.
Obligate parasites consume the living host
Winogradsky made this discovery in 1886.
Plant physiology is an essential topic for the class 11 examination as well as for those who want to study botany further. Hence, you need to have a proper understanding of all the basic concepts and definitions. Additionally, you can also go through important nutrition questions and answers for exams which will help you to clear their doubts while also improving your chances of scoring better grades.
FAQs on Mineral Nutrition Multiple Choice Questions in Biology
1. What is mineral nutrition in plants?
Mineral nutrition in plants is the process by which plants absorb and utilize essential mineral elements from the soil for growth and development.
- Minerals are absorbed mainly through roots in the form of ions.
- They are required for structural roles, enzyme activation, and metabolic processes.
- Examples include nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, and magnesium.
- Mineral nutrition is essential for processes like photosynthesis, respiration, and protein synthesis.
2. What are essential mineral elements in plants?
Essential mineral elements are those nutrients that are absolutely required for a plant to complete its life cycle and cannot be replaced by another element.
- They are directly involved in plant metabolism.
- Their deficiency causes specific deficiency symptoms.
- Examples: Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P), Potassium (K), Iron (Fe), and Zinc (Zn).
- The criteria for essentiality were given by Arnon and Stout.
3. How are mineral nutrients classified in plants?
Mineral nutrients are classified based on the quantity required by plants into macronutrients and micronutrients.
- Macronutrients: Required in large amounts (e.g., Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium, Calcium, Magnesium, Sulfur).
- Micronutrients: Required in trace amounts (e.g., Iron, Manganese, Zinc, Copper, Boron, Molybdenum, Chlorine, Nickel).
- This classification is based on concentration, not importance.
4. What is the role of nitrogen in mineral nutrition?
Nitrogen is a major macronutrient required for the synthesis of amino acids, proteins, nucleic acids, and chlorophyll in plants.
- Absorbed mainly as nitrate (NO₃⁻) and ammonium (NH₄⁺) ions.
- Essential for vegetative growth and leaf development.
- Deficiency causes chlorosis in older leaves.
5. What are deficiency symptoms in mineral nutrition?
Deficiency symptoms are visible abnormalities in plant growth that occur due to the lack of an essential mineral element.
- Common symptoms include chlorosis, necrosis, stunted growth, and poor flowering.
- Mobile elements like nitrogen show symptoms in older leaves first.
- Immobile elements like calcium show symptoms in younger leaves.
6. What is hydroponics in mineral nutrition?
Hydroponics is a method of growing plants in a nutrient solution without soil to study mineral nutrition.
- Plants are grown in a water-based solution containing essential minerals.
- It helps identify deficiency symptoms of specific elements.
- Widely used in research and commercial cultivation.
7. What is the difference between macro and micronutrients in plants?
The main difference between macronutrients and micronutrients is the quantity required by plants for normal growth.
- Macronutrients are needed in large amounts (e.g., Nitrogen, Potassium).
- Micronutrients are needed in very small or trace amounts (e.g., Iron, Zinc).
- Both are equally essential for plant metabolism.
8. What is the role of phosphorus in plants?
Phosphorus is essential for energy transfer in plants as a component of ATP (adenosine triphosphate).
- Important for root development and flowering.
- Forms part of DNA, RNA, and phospholipids.
- Deficiency may cause dark green or purplish leaves.
9. How do plants absorb mineral nutrients from the soil?
Plants absorb mineral nutrients from the soil through their roots mainly in the form of dissolved ions.
- Absorption occurs via diffusion, facilitated diffusion, and active transport.
- Root hairs increase the surface area for absorption.
- Active transport requires energy in the form of ATP.
10. Why is potassium important in mineral nutrition?
Potassium is important because it regulates enzyme activation and stomatal opening and closing in plants.
- Maintains osmotic balance and turgor pressure.
- Helps in protein synthesis and photosynthesis.
- Deficiency causes leaf edge yellowing and weak stems.
