Introduction: The Five kingdoms of life and basis of classification MCQs With Answer is an essential review for B. Pharm students studying biological diversity and pharmacognosy. This concise guide explains the five-kingdom concept (Monera, Protista, Fungi, Plantae, Animalia), core classification criteria—cell type, cell wall composition, nutrition, reproduction, and molecular phylogeny—and links these principles to drug discovery, microbial pathogens, and therapeutic targets. Focused, keyword-rich practice improves retention of concepts like peptidoglycan vs. chitin, unicellular eukaryotes, and antibiotic selectivity. Now let’s test your knowledge with 50 MCQs on this topic.
Q1. Which set correctly lists the Five Kingdoms of life in Whittaker’s system?
- Monera, Protista, Fungi, Plantae, Animalia
- Bacteria, Archaea, Fungi, Plants, Animals
- Prokaryotae, Eukaryota, Fungi, Plantae, Animalia
- Viruses, Bacteria, Plants, Animals, Fungi
Correct Answer: Monera, Protista, Fungi, Plantae, Animalia
Q2. Whittaker’s basis for the Five Kingdom classification emphasized which three main criteria?
- Cell structure, mode of nutrition, level of organization
- Color, habitat, economic importance
- Genome size, mutation rate, chromosome number
- Geographic distribution, diet, lifespan
Correct Answer: Cell structure, mode of nutrition, level of organization
Q3. Which kingdom comprises organisms that are predominantly prokaryotic?
- Protista
- Monera
- Fungi
- Plantae
Correct Answer: Monera
Q4. The primary component of bacterial cell walls is:
- Chitin
- Cellulose
- Peptidoglycan
- Lignin
Correct Answer: Peptidoglycan
Q5. A defining chemical of fungal cell walls is:
- Peptidoglycan
- Chitin
- Cellulose
- Complex lipopolysaccharide
Correct Answer: Chitin
Q6. Which pigment is primarily responsible for photosynthesis in typical multicellular plants?
- Phycoerythrin
- Chlorophyll
- Carotenoid exclusively
- Myoglobin
Correct Answer: Chlorophyll
Q7. Unicellular eukaryotic organisms that include amoebae and many algae belong to which kingdom?
- Monera
- Protista
- Fungi
- Animalia
Correct Answer: Protista
Q8. Yeasts and molds are classified in which kingdom and why is that important for pharmaceutics?
- Plantae; they are photosynthetic sources of drugs
- Fungi; they are sources of antibiotics and biotechnological enzymes
- Monera; they are prokaryotic contaminants
- Animalia; they produce hormones for therapy
Correct Answer: Fungi; they are sources of antibiotics and biotechnological enzymes
Q9. Multicellular, autotrophic organisms with cellulose cell walls are typically placed in which kingdom?
- Monera
- Protista
- Plantae
- Fungi
Correct Answer: Plantae
Q10. Which kingdom’s organisms lack a membrane-bound nucleus?
- Animalia
- Fungi
- Protista
- Monera
Correct Answer: Monera
Q11. Plasmodium, the malaria parasite, is classified in which kingdom?
- Fungi
- Protista
- Monera
- Animalia
Correct Answer: Protista
Q12. Modern molecular classification often uses which method as the most reliable indicator of evolutionary relationships?
- Ribosomal RNA sequencing and molecular phylogeny
- Coloration patterns
- Geographic location
- Cell size measurement
Correct Answer: Ribosomal RNA sequencing and molecular phylogeny
Q13. Gram-positive bacteria are characterized by which cell wall feature?
- Thin peptidoglycan layer with outer membrane
- Thick peptidoglycan layer without outer membrane
- Cellulose-based wall
- Chitin reinforcement
Correct Answer: Thick peptidoglycan layer without outer membrane
Q14. Cyanobacteria are classified under which kingdom in the Five Kingdom system?
- Protista
- Monera
- Plantae
- Fungi
Correct Answer: Monera
Q15. Yeast reproduces asexually primarily by which process?
- Binary fission
- Budding
- Spore formation by meiosis only
- Fragmentation of hyphae
Correct Answer: Budding
Q16. Lichens represent a symbiotic association between which two groups?
- Fungi and cyanobacteria/algae (Protista)
- Plants and animals
- Two fungal species only
- Bacteria and viruses
Correct Answer: Fungi and cyanobacteria/algae (Protista)
Q17. Animals are primarily distinguished from other kingdoms by which nutritional mode?
- Autotrophic photosynthesis
- Heterotrophic ingestion
- Saprophytic absorption
- Chemoautotrophy
Correct Answer: Heterotrophic ingestion
Q18. Organisms that decompose organic matter externally and absorb nutrients are typically in which kingdom?
- Plantae
- Protista
- Fungi
- Animalia
Correct Answer: Fungi
Q19. Chlorella, a unicellular green alga used in bioproduct research, belongs to which kingdom?
- Monera
- Protista
- Plantae
- Fungi
Correct Answer: Protista
Q20. Penicillin acts primarily by inhibiting synthesis of which bacterial component?
- Cellulose
- Peptidoglycan
- Chitin
- Lipopolysaccharide
Correct Answer: Peptidoglycan
Q21. In which year did Robert Whittaker propose the Five Kingdom classification?
- 1866
- 1969
- 1990
- 2005
Correct Answer: 1969
Q22. Tapeworms and roundworms studied in parasitology for pharmacy students are classified in which kingdom?
- Protista
- Animalia
- Monera
- Fungi
Correct Answer: Animalia
Q23. Which kingdom’s members are predominantly saprophytic, contributing to nutrient recycling and producing secondary metabolites?
- Plantae
- Fungi
- Animalia
- Monera
Correct Answer: Fungi
Q24. The fundamental difference separating Monera from Protista in Whittaker’s scheme is:
- Presence or absence of chloroplasts
- Prokaryotic vs. eukaryotic cell organization
- Multicellularity vs. unicellularity only
- Ability to cause disease
Correct Answer: Prokaryotic vs. eukaryotic cell organization
Q25. Viruses are excluded from Whittaker’s Five Kingdoms because they:
- Are prokaryotic cells
- Are cellular eukaryotes
- Are acellular and require host machinery to replicate
- Are multicellular parasites
Correct Answer: Are acellular and require host machinery to replicate
Q26. Which kingdom’s members typically obtain nutrients by absorption of organic matter rather than ingestion?
- Animalia
- Fungi
- Plantae
- Monera
Correct Answer: Fungi
Q27. Bryophytes, pteridophytes and angiosperms are representatives of which kingdom?
- Protista
- Fungi
- Plantae
- Monera
Correct Answer: Plantae
Q28. Complex tissue organization and organ systems are characteristic features of which kingdom?
- Fungi
- Protista
- Animalia
- Monera
Correct Answer: Animalia
Q29. Who is credited with popularizing the Five Kingdom classification in modern biology?
- Carolus Linnaeus
- Robert Whittaker
- Charles Darwin
- Ernst Haeckel
Correct Answer: Robert Whittaker
Q30. Which kingdom’s cell walls are primarily made of cellulose and often contain lignin in higher forms?
- Fungi
- Monera
- Plantae
- Protista
Correct Answer: Plantae
Q31. The canonical eukaryotic flagellum has which structural arrangement of microtubules?
- 9 + 2 microtubule arrangement
- Simple filament of flagellin subunits
- Triple microfilament bundle
- No microtubules, only actin fibers
Correct Answer: 9 + 2 microtubule arrangement
Q32. A 70S ribosome is typically found in which group of organisms?
- Eukaryotes (Animalia/Plantae)
- Prokaryotes (Monera)
- Fungi (80S only)
- All eukaryotes including Protista
Correct Answer: Prokaryotes (Monera)
Q33. Archaea, though often separated in modern systems, were originally grouped under which kingdom?
- Protista
- Monera
- Fungi
- Plantae
Correct Answer: Monera
Q34. Multicellular heterotrophs that obtain nutrients by internal ingestion belong to which kingdom?
- Plantae
- Fungi
- Animalia
- Protista
Correct Answer: Animalia
Q35. Which storage carbohydrate is characteristic of fungi and also found in animals?
- Starch
- Glycogen
- Cellulose
- Chitin
Correct Answer: Glycogen
Q36. Plastids such as chloroplasts are typically found in which kingdoms?
- Plantae and some Protista
- Monera only
- Fungi and Animalia
- Animalia and Monera
Correct Answer: Plantae and some Protista
Q37. Penicillium, the source of penicillin, belongs to which kingdom?
- Plantae
- Monera
- Fungi
- Protista
Correct Answer: Fungi
Q38. Saccharomyces cerevisiae, used in fermentation and biotechnology, is classified under:
- Monera
- Fungi
- Plantae
- Protista
Correct Answer: Fungi
Q39. Alternation of generations (sporophyte and gametophyte) is a life-cycle feature prominent in which kingdom?
- Monera
- Plantae
- Fungi only
- Animalia
Correct Answer: Plantae
Q40. Which classification basis replaced many morphology-based errors by comparing conserved genetic sequences?
- Ecological classification
- Molecular phylogeny using DNA/RNA sequences
- Color-based taxonomy
- Geological era classification
Correct Answer: Molecular phylogeny using DNA/RNA sequences
Q41. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is a major component of the outer membrane of which bacterial group?
- Gram-positive bacteria
- Gram-negative bacteria
- Archaea with pseudomurein
- Fungi cell walls
Correct Answer: Gram-negative bacteria
Q42. Slime molds, once considered fungi, are now usually placed in which kingdom?
- Plantae
- Protista
- Fungi
- Monera
Correct Answer: Protista
Q43. Organisms that obtain energy by oxidizing inorganic molecules (chemoautotrophs) are most commonly found in which kingdom?
- Animalia
- Protista
- Monera
- Fungi
Correct Answer: Monera
Q44. Eukaryotic organisms lacking complex tissue differentiation, often single-celled, fall into which kingdom?
- Plantae
- Protista
- Fungi
- Animalia
Correct Answer: Protista
Q45. Penicillin is ineffective against fungal infections because fungi lack which target?
- 70S ribosomes
- Peptidoglycan cell wall
- Chitin cell wall
- Membrane-bound nucleus
Correct Answer: Peptidoglycan cell wall
Q46. Nitrogen-fixing bacteria such as Rhizobium are classified in which kingdom?
- Protista
- Monera
- Fungi
- Plantae
Correct Answer: Monera
Q47. Which kingdom contains organisms with cellulose walls and stores energy mainly as starch?
- Fungi
- Plantae
- Monera
- Protista
Correct Answer: Plantae
Q48. Sponges (Porifera) are classified under which kingdom and why are they pharmacologically significant?
- Fungi; for antibiotic production
- Animalia; they produce bioactive marine metabolites for drug leads
- Protista; they are single-celled drug factories
- Monera; they are source of bacterial toxins
Correct Answer: Animalia; they produce bioactive marine metabolites for drug leads
Q49. Diatoms, important as primary producers with silica frustules, are members of which kingdom?
- Protista
- Plantae
- Monera
- Fungi
Correct Answer: Protista
Q50. The Five Kingdom system has largely been superseded by which higher-level system emphasizing three domains?
- The Five Kingdom revised scheme
- Three-domain system (Bacteria, Archaea, Eukarya)
- Two-empire system
- Phylogenetic tree of animals only
Correct Answer: Three-domain system (Bacteria, Archaea, Eukarya)
I am a Registered Pharmacist under the Pharmacy Act, 1948, and the founder of PharmacyFreak.com. I hold a Bachelor of Pharmacy degree from Rungta College of Pharmaceutical Science and Research. With a strong academic foundation and practical knowledge, I am committed to providing accurate, easy-to-understand content to support pharmacy students and professionals. My aim is to make complex pharmaceutical concepts accessible and useful for real-world application.
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