Question 1: Define cloning in biological terms.

Answer: Cloning is the process of producing genetically identical organisms or cells from a single parent organism or cell.

Question 2: Explain the basic mechanism of how reproductive cloning is performed.

Answer: Reproductive cloning typically involves extracting a somatic cell nucleus, inserting it into an enucleated egg cell, stimulating it to develop into an embryo, and then implanting it into a surrogate mother.

Question 3: What is the primary ethical concern associated with cloning?

Answer: Ethical concerns include issues of identity, potential harm to clones, and the implications of cloning humans.

Question 1: If a cloning procedure produces 15 viable clones from one embryo, how many clones would you expect from 4 such procedures? Show your calculation.

Answer: 15 clones per procedure x 4 procedures = 60 clones.

Question 2: A scientist isolates 200 somatic cells for cloning. If 5% of these cells are successfully used to create viable clones, how many clones can be expected? Show the formula and calculation.

Answer: Number of clones = Total cells x success rate = 200 x 0.05 = 10 clones.

Question 1: Describe the main variables that must be controlled during a cloning experiment to ensure consistent results.

Answer: Variables include the source of the somatic cells, the age and health of the donor, the condition of the egg cells, and the environment during embryo development.

Question 2: List three safety precautions that should be considered when performing cloning experiments in a laboratory setting.

Answer: Using sterile equipment, handling chemicals and biological materials with proper PPE, and ensuring ethical guidelines are followed.

Question 1: A cloning experiment resulted in 8 viable clones from 10 attempts. Calculate the success rate as a percentage and interpret what this indicates about the efficiency of the cloning process.

Answer: Success rate = (8/10) x 100 = 80%. This indicates a high efficiency of the cloning process under the given conditions.

Question 1: Discuss the potential benefits and risks of cloning technology in medicine and agriculture. Your answer should include at least two points for each side. (6 marks)

Answer: Benefits include producing genetically identical organs for transplants and improving crop yields. Risks involve ethical dilemmas, genetic diversity reduction, and potential health problems in clones.

Question 1: Explain how cloning technology is used in the conservation of endangered species, providing a specific example.

Answer: Cloning can be used to reproduce individuals of endangered species from preserved cells, such as the cloning of the endangered Pyrenean ibex to increase population numbers.