AQA GCSE Biology
AQA GCSE Biology 4.6.4 Classification of Living Organisms Exam Questions
Free AQA GCSE Biology exam questions for 4.6.4 Classification of Living Organisms, with a mark scheme for every pack. Covers the Linnaean system, binomial naming, the three-domain system of Carl Woese, and evolutionary trees.
4.6.4 Classification of Living Organisms exam questions
1 question pack of real past exam questions, each with its mark scheme. Do not stop after a few: answer as many as you can without notes, then mark every answer with the mark scheme. The more questions you do, the more quickly you will spot how examiners ask about each idea.
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About AQA GCSE Biology 4.6.4 Classification of Living Organisms
Classification of living organisms closes the AQA Inheritance, variation and evolution topic on Paper 2. It explains how Carl Linnaeus grouped organisms by structure and characteristics, how binomial names work, and why new evidence from microscopes and biochemical analysis led Carl Woese to propose the three-domain system. It also covers evolutionary trees, which show how closely related organisms are. Examiners often ask you to list the Linnaean ranks in order, write a binomial name correctly, interpret evolutionary trees, and explain why classification systems have changed over time.
What you need to know
- Linnaean system Linnaeus classified living things into kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus and species based on their structure and characteristics.
- Binomial system Organisms are named by genus and species, for example Homo sapiens. The genus starts with a capital letter and the species with a lower case letter.
- Why classification changed As microscopes improved and understanding of biochemical processes grew, new models of classification were proposed. Comparing DNA and other molecules shows relationships more accurately than appearance alone.
- Three-domain system Carl Woese used evidence from chemical analysis to propose three domains: Archaea (primitive bacteria, usually living in extreme environments), Bacteria (true bacteria) and Eukaryota (protists, fungi, plants and animals).
- Evolutionary trees Evolutionary trees use current classification data for living organisms and fossil data for extinct organisms to show how organisms are related. Organisms that share a more recent common ancestor are more closely related.
Common mistakes in 4.6.4 Classification of Living Organisms
- Getting the ranks out of order. Use a mnemonic for kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus, species.
- Writing binomial names with two capitals. Only the genus has a capital letter, for example Panthera leo.
- Saying archaea are a type of eukaryote. Archaea are prokaryotic cells in their own domain.
- Judging relatedness on an evolutionary tree by how close names are on the page. Look for the most recent shared branching point (common ancestor).
Try three 4.6.4 Classification of Living Organisms exam-style questions
1. Name the seven ranks of the Linnaean system in order, starting with kingdom. (2 marks)
Show the mark scheme answer
Kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus, species (all correct for 2 marks, one error for 1 mark)
2. Explain why Carl Woese proposed the three-domain system. (2 marks)
Show the mark scheme answer
Evidence from chemical analysis, for example of RNA or DNA; showed archaea are very different from true bacteria so organisms needed to be grouped differently
3. The lion is Panthera leo and the tiger is Panthera tigris. Explain what the names show about their relationship. (2 marks)
Show the mark scheme answer
Both are in the same genus, Panthera; so they are closely related but are different species
4.6.4 Classification of Living Organisms FAQs
What does AQA GCSE Biology 4.6.4 Classification of living organisms cover?
It covers the Linnaean system, binomial naming, the three-domain system proposed by Carl Woese and evolutionary trees.
Which paper is 4.6.4 examined on?
Inheritance, variation and evolution, including classification, is assessed on Paper 2.
What are the three domains?
Archaea (primitive bacteria often found in extreme environments), Bacteria (true bacteria) and Eukaryota (protists, fungi, plants and animals).
