Transport in Living Organisms: JAMB Biology Questions, Answers & Notes

What Transport in Living Organisms covers in the JAMB Biology syllabus

Transport moves materials round an organism. In mammals, blood (plasma + red cells with haemoglobin for oxygen, white cells for defence, platelets for clotting) flows through arteries (away from the heart), veins (back to the heart, with valves preventing backflow) and capillaries (exchange). The heart has atria (upper) and ventricles (lower). In plants, xylem carries water and minerals upward (pulled by transpiration — water-vapour loss from leaves, faster in heat and wind) and phloem carries food (translocation). Materials also move by diffusion (high to low concentration), osmosis (water across a semi-permeable membrane) and active transport (against the gradient, using energy).

For Transport in Living Organisms, JAMB expects you to be able to:

• Describe blood, blood vessels and the mammalian heart
• Explain transport in plants: xylem, phloem, transpiration and translocation
• Explain diffusion, osmosis and active transport

Key facts & revision notes: Transport in Living Organisms

These are the recurring points our Transport in Living Organisms questions test — revise them until each feels automatic, then practise the questions above to lock them in.

• Blood is the transport medium that carries substances around the body in mammals.
• Haemoglobin in red blood cells binds and transports oxygen.
• White blood cells (leucocytes) defend the body against disease and infection.
• Platelets help blood to clot, preventing excessive bleeding.
• Arteries carry blood away from the heart; veins carry it back.
• Veins return blood to the heart and usually carry deoxygenated blood (except the pulmonary vein).
• Capillaries are tiny, thin-walled vessels where exchange of gases and nutrients occurs.
• Plasma is the liquid part of blood that carries cells and dissolved substances.
• Xylem transports water and mineral salts in plants.
• Transpiration is the loss of water vapour from plant leaves, mainly through stomata.
• Translocation is the movement of manufactured food (sugars) through the phloem.
• The heart's upper chambers are the atria (auricles); the lower chambers are ventricles.
• Valves ensure blood flows in one direction only, preventing backflow.
• The pulmonary vein carries oxygenated blood from the lungs to the heart (an exception among veins).
• Osmosis is the movement of water across a semi-permeable membrane from higher to lower water concentration.
• Diffusion is the net movement of particles from a region of high to low concentration.
• Heat and wind increase transpiration; high humidity and darkness reduce it.
• The aorta is the largest artery, carrying oxygenated blood from the heart to the body.
• Active transport moves substances against their concentration gradient and requires energy.
• Water is pulled up the xylem by transpiration pull, aided by root pressure and capillarity.
• Plasma is the watery liquid part of blood.
• Haemoglobin gives red blood cells their colour.
• Red cells carry oxygen bound to haemoglobin.
• White blood cells defend against germs.

Worked examples

Three Transport in Living Organisms questions with the answer and a short explanation, so you can see how the topic is set before you practise the full set.

How Transport in Living Organisms is tested in JAMB Biology

Our Transport in Living Organisms bank holds 40 questions (2 easy, 25 medium, 13 hard). JAMB Biology typically returns to Transport in Living Organisms year after year, so steady practice on this topic is high-value revision. Questions are multiple-choice with four options, and at UTME pace you get roughly 40 seconds each — which is why timed practice matters.

How to answer Transport in Living Organisms questions

Work the stem first and predict the answer before you look at the options; then eliminate the ones that contradict the key facts above. Watch for “which is not…”, “all of the above” and “except” style stems, which are where rushed candidates lose easy marks on Transport in Living Organisms. If a calculation or a precise definition is involved, work it from first principles rather than guessing from a half-remembered rule. When two options look right, re-read the stem for the qualifier that separates them — JAMB rarely repeats an option by accident. If you are still unsure, eliminate the two weakest choices to lift your odds, flag the question, and move on; never burn a full minute on one Biology item when the exam gives you about forty seconds each. Then come back to flagged questions with whatever time remains. The single most reliable way to get faster at Transport in Living Organisms is repeated timed practice, so use the button above until the recurring patterns feel automatic.

Common mistakes to avoid in Transport in Living Organisms

The errors that cost marks on Transport in Living Organisms are usually careless rather than conceptual: misreading a negative stem, confusing two similar terms, or rushing a definition you actually know. Candidates also over-rely on “expo” and last-minute cramming instead of understanding the topic — which fails the moment JAMB rephrases a familiar idea. Treat every option as a claim to be checked against the facts above, keep your working tidy for any calculation, and don’t change a considered answer on a hunch. Above all, revise Transport in Living Organisms actively by answering questions, not just by re-reading notes — recall under time is what the exam rewards.

Frequently asked questions

Is Transport in Living Organisms part of the JAMB Biology syllabus?

Yes. Transport in Living Organisms is a recognised topic in the JAMB Biology syllabus, covering describe blood, blood vessels and the mammalian heart. You should be able to recall its key facts and apply them to multiple-choice questions.

How many Transport in Living Organisms questions can I practise on Belmadeng?

There are 40 original, JAMB-standard Transport in Living Organisms questions in our free bank, each with the correct answer and a worked explanation. You can practise them untimed or as a timed test.

What are the most important points to know about Transport in Living Organisms?

Transport moves materials round an organism. In mammals, blood (plasma + red cells with haemoglobin for oxygen, white cells for defence, platelets for clotting) flows through arteries (away from the heart), veins (back to the heart, with valves preventing backflow) and capillaries (exchange). The he…

How do I answer Transport in Living Organisms questions quickly in JAMB?

Read the stem carefully, eliminate clearly wrong options, and match the remaining choices to the key facts for Transport in Living Organisms. Practising timed Transport in Living Organisms questions builds the speed you need for UTME's pace of about 40 seconds per question.

Are these JAMB Biology Transport in Living Organisms questions past questions or original?

They are original questions written to JAMB (UTME) standard and mapped to the official syllabus — not reproduced past papers. This keeps them legal to use freely while closely mirroring how the real exam tests the topic.

Where can I practise Transport in Living Organisms questions free without signing up?

Right here — tap “Start Transport in Living Organisms practice” on this page to begin instantly. Belmadeng's CBT practice is completely free and needs no sign-up, download or subscription.

About these questions: original, JAMB-standard items written from the official UTME Biology syllabus (last reviewed 2026-09-18). Belmadeng is an independent study platform and is not affiliated with JAMB. Spotted an error? Use the report link.