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Subjects · Leaving Cert Biology

Leaving Cert Biology: Excretion

How often Excretion comes up on the Biology papers, every year it was asked, and questions to try.

HL Asked on 8 of the last 10 Higher Level papers, most recently in 2026. most years

OL Asked on 7 of the last 10 Ordinary Level papers, most recently in 2024. most years

June 2027 is the first exam on the new Biology course. These come from the 2016–2026 papers, so read them as a guide.

Excretion, Higher Level(6 marks)

Quick ones on Excretion.

(a)Functional unit of the kidney?
  1. Neuron
  2. Nephron
  3. Alveolus
(b)Knot of capillaries inside Bowman's capsule?
  1. Collecting duct
  2. Loop of Henle
  3. Glomerulus
(c)Nitrogenous waste made in the liver?
  1. Urea
  2. Bile salts
  3. Glucose
Show the answers

(a) Nephron

(b) Glomerulus

(c) Urea

Your turn: Higher Level questions on Excretion.

Higher Level

Asked on 8 of the last 10 Higher Level papers, most recently in 2026. most years

Every paper, year by year

YearWhere it came up
2026Q17
2025Q17
2024Q6, Q17
2023Q6
2022Q15
2021Q16
2019Not asked
2018Q6
2017Not asked
2016Q12

Links open the State Examinations Commission’s paper for that year.

More Excretion questions

Excretion, 2 marks

Inner region of the kidney containing loops of Henle and collecting ducts?

  1. Cortex
  2. Ureter
  3. Medulla
Show the answer

Medulla

Filtration happens in the cortex; reabsorption continues through the medulla; urine drains into the renal pelvis.

Excretion, 2 marks

Space in the kidney where urine collects before entering the ureter?

  1. Cortex
  2. Renal pelvis
  3. Bladder
Show the answer

Renal pelvis

Collecting ducts empty into the renal pelvis. The ureter then carries urine to the bladder, and the urethra carries it out.

Ordinary Level

Asked on 7 of the last 10 Ordinary Level papers, most recently in 2024. most years

Every paper, year by year

YearWhere it came up
2026Not asked
2025Not asked
2024Q16
2023Q16
2022Q4
2021Q3, Q16
2019Q15
2018Q12
2017Not asked
2016Q14

Links open the State Examinations Commission’s paper for that year.

More Excretion questions

Excretion, 2 marks

Which organ removes urea from the blood?

  1. The liver
  2. The lung
  3. The kidney
Show the answer

The kidney

The liver makes urea from spare amino acids, then the kidney filters it out of the blood into the urine.

Excretion, 3 marks

Which tube carries urine from the kidney to the bladder?

  1. The renal artery
  2. The ureter
  3. The urethra
Show the answer

The ureter

Ureter comes first and there are two of them, one from each kidney. The single urethra carries urine out of the body.

Excretion, 2 marks

Which waste gas is excreted by the lungs?

  1. Carbon dioxide
  2. Oxygen gas
  3. Urea
Show the answer

Carbon dioxide

Carbon dioxide is made by respiration in every cell, carried in the blood and breathed out. Urea leaves in the urine, not the breath.

Other Biology topics

All of Leaving Cert Biology