IB Biology HL 3.1.15 Preventing polyspermy Question Bank
Practise IB Biology HL 3.1.15 by applying preventing polyspermy concepts to exam-style questions.
- Syllabus
- First assessment 2025
- Course
- Biology HL
- Level
- HL
Practise IB Biology HL 3.1.15 by applying preventing polyspermy concepts to exam-style questions.
Hemophilia is a sex-linked disease that affected some members of royal families in Europe during the 19th and 20th centuries.

Explain the mechanism that prevents polyspermy during fertilization.
a. Cortical reaction (after first sperm nucleus enters the egg).
b. Vesicles/cortical granules release their contents/enzymes (from the egg/zygote).
c. Zona pellucida/glycoprotein coat/outer coat hardened / fertilization membrane formed.
d. Enzymes of sperm/acrosome cannot digest (hardened coat).
OR
Glycoproteins/ZP3 (in zona pellucida) altered so sperm cannot bind.
[2 max]