OCR General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) Biology Practice Exam

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Study for the OCR GCSE Biology Exam. Use multiple choice questions and quiz flashcards with explanations and hints. Excel in your exams!

Each practice test/flash card set has 50 randomly selected questions from a bank of over 500. You'll get a new set of questions each time!

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What is the first step in the rooting reflex?

Moving arms and legs
Stroking the baby's cheek
Putting a finger in the mouth
Hearing a loud noise

The correct answer is: Stroking the baby's cheek

The first step in the rooting reflex involves stroking the baby's cheek. This reflex is a natural instinct found in newborns that helps them find food. When the cheek is stroked, the baby instinctively turns their head in the direction of the stimulus and opens their mouth, searching for a nipple to latch onto for feeding. This behavior is vital for the survival of infants as it aids in breastfeeding, which provides essential nutrition and bonding with the caregiver. Other options, such as moving arms and legs, putting a finger in the mouth, or hearing a loud noise, do not initiate the rooting reflex. Instead, they may describe different reflex actions or responses but do not specifically relate to the feeding instinct that the rooting reflex is part of.