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Key Facts: Schleswig-Holstein Abitur Biology Exam

300 min

Total Bearbeitungszeit for the written Biologie exam, covering selection among 4 Aufgaben and completion of 3 (no separate Auswahlzeit); up to +60 min for a completed fachpraktische Aufgabe

IQSH FAQ Zentralabitur Biologie, Stand Mai 2026

4 gegeben / 3 bearbeitet

The school receives four Aufgaben; each candidate chooses and completes three, changeable until the end of the working time

IQSH FAQ Zentralabitur Biologie, Stand Mai 2026

120 BE

Total Bewertungseinheiten across the three worked Aufgaben (40 BE each); AFB I 28-33%, AFB II 43-53%, AFB III 20-25% at erhöhtem Niveau

IQSH FAQ Zentralabitur Biologie, Stand Mai 2026

22.04.2026

Written Biologie Profilfach exam date in the 2026 main session — Biologie's first year on the IQB Gemeinsamer Aufgabenpool; 2027 sitting confirmed for 16.04.2027

za.schleswig-holstein.de Terminplanung 2026; profiling-institut.de; schullv.de

2025 / 2026

Chemie and Physik moved to the IQB task pool for the 2025 Abitur; Biologie followed for the 2026 Abitur, after a one-time Probeabitur in autumn 2025

za.schleswig-holstein.de, Das Zentralabitur an allgemeinbildenden Schulen; IQSH FAQ Zentralabitur Biologie

0-15 Punkte

Grading scale for each Prüfungsfach, from Note 1 (15-13 Punkte) to Note 6 (0 Punkte)

Landesverordnung über die Gestaltung der Oberstufe und der Abiturprüfung (OAPVO), Schleswig-Holstein

Free 100-question English-language MCQ study bank for Schleswig-Holstein Zentralabitur Biologie, weighted across the five taught content strands (Leben und Energie ~22%, Informationsverarbeitung in Lebewesen ~20%, Lebewesen in ihrer Umwelt ~18%, Molekulargenetische Grundlagen des Lebens ~22%, Entstehung und Entwicklung des Lebens ~18%) per the Fachanforderungen Biologie (2023). Official exam: 4 Aufgaben given, 3 completed (40 BE each, 120 BE total), up to one with a fachpraktischer Anteil; 300 minutes total; written date 22.04.2026 — Biologie's first year on the IQB Aufgabenpool (Chemie/Physik moved in 2025). Not an official-format simulation; no fee for regular school candidates.

Sample Schleswig-Holstein Abitur Biology Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to review concepts for the Schleswig-Holstein Abitur Biology exam. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1What is the active site of an enzyme?
A.The specific region where a substrate binds and the catalyzed reaction occurs
B.The part of the enzyme that is destroyed during the reaction
C.A storage site where excess substrate molecules accumulate
D.The region that anchors the enzyme to the cell membrane
Explanation: The active site is a three-dimensional pocket formed by the enzyme's folded tertiary structure. Its shape and chemical properties allow a specific substrate to bind, and catalysis of the reaction takes place there.
2How does the induced-fit model differ from the simple lock-and-key model of enzyme-substrate binding?
A.In induced fit, the active site changes shape slightly as it binds the substrate, improving the fit
B.In induced fit, the substrate changes its own chemical structure before binding occurs
C.Induced fit describes enzymes that bind many unrelated substrates equally well
D.Induced fit only applies to enzymes that work outside of cells
Explanation: The induced-fit model proposes that the enzyme's active site is flexible rather than rigid: it subtly reshapes around the substrate as binding occurs, strengthening the interaction and helping to align catalytic groups correctly.
3How do enzymes increase the rate of a biochemical reaction?
A.By lowering the activation energy needed for the reaction to proceed
B.By increasing the total free-energy difference between substrate and product
C.By supplying additional heat energy directly to the reacting molecules
D.By permanently changing the chemical equilibrium of the reaction
Explanation: Enzymes stabilize the transition state of a reaction, which lowers the activation energy barrier that must be overcome. This allows the reaction to proceed much faster at body temperature without altering its overall energy release.
4Why does enzyme activity typically decline sharply above its temperature optimum?
A.Rising temperature disrupts the weak bonds holding the enzyme's tertiary structure, denaturing the active site
B.The substrate molecules stop moving at higher temperatures
C.Enzymes convert to a different, inactive type of protein above the optimum
D.Higher temperatures increase the enzyme's affinity for its substrate indefinitely
Explanation: Beyond the optimum temperature, excess kinetic energy breaks the hydrogen bonds and other weak interactions that maintain the enzyme's folded three-dimensional shape. This denatures the active site so the substrate can no longer bind properly, and activity falls off rapidly.
5Why does pepsin, a stomach enzyme, work best at a strongly acidic pH of around 2, while most human enzymes prefer near-neutral pH?
A.Each enzyme has evolved an optimal pH matching the ionic environment it normally functions in, since pH affects the charge of amino acid side chains that shape the active site
B.Pepsin is not actually a protein and is therefore unaffected by pH
C.All enzymes function identically regardless of surrounding pH
D.Acidic pH always destroys enzyme activity completely
Explanation: pH affects the ionization state of acidic and basic side chains in an enzyme's structure, which in turn affects the three-dimensional shape and charge distribution of the active site. Pepsin evolved to keep its correct conformation and catalytic charges in the acidic gastric environment, while enzymes such as those in blood or cytoplasm are adapted to near-neutral conditions.
6How does a competitive enzyme inhibitor reduce reaction rate?
A.It resembles the natural substrate and binds reversibly to the active site, blocking the substrate from binding
B.It binds permanently to the active site and cannot be displaced under any conditions
C.It binds only at a site distinct from the active site and changes the enzyme's overall shape
D.It destroys the enzyme's tertiary structure irreversibly
Explanation: A competitive inhibitor has a structure similar enough to the true substrate that it can occupy the active site, competing directly with the substrate for binding. Because the binding is typically reversible, raising substrate concentration can outcompete the inhibitor and restore activity.
7How does an allosteric (noncompetitive) inhibitor typically affect an enzyme?
A.It binds at a site separate from the active site, changing the enzyme's shape so the active site no longer works properly
B.It competes directly with the substrate for the active site
C.It increases the enzyme's maximum reaction rate (Vmax)
D.It only affects enzymes that have no quaternary structure
Explanation: Allosteric inhibitors bind at a regulatory site distinct from the active site. This binding alters the enzyme's overall conformation, distorting the active site so that the substrate can no longer bind or react efficiently, even though the active site itself is not directly blocked.
8What role do cofactors and coenzymes play in enzyme function?
A.They are non-protein helper molecules or ions required by some enzymes to achieve full catalytic activity
B.They are the products released after the enzyme completes its reaction
C.They permanently bind to and inactivate the enzyme
D.They are alternative names for the substrate itself
Explanation: Many enzymes require additional non-protein components to function: inorganic cofactors such as metal ions (for example Mg2+ or Zn2+), or organic coenzymes such as NAD+ or FAD, which often assist in transferring electrons, atoms, or functional groups during catalysis.
9On a graph of reaction rate versus substrate concentration for an enzyme-catalyzed reaction, why does the rate eventually level off at Vmax even as substrate concentration keeps increasing?
A.At high substrate concentration, essentially all enzyme active sites are continuously occupied, so adding more substrate cannot further increase the rate
B.The enzyme is destroyed once substrate concentration becomes too high
C.Vmax represents the point where the substrate runs out completely
D.The reaction rate keeps increasing linearly and never actually levels off
Explanation: Vmax is reached when the fixed amount of enzyme present is saturated — essentially every active site is occupied with substrate at any given moment. Since the enzyme concentration limits how many reactions can occur per second, further increases in substrate concentration no longer raise the rate.
10What does the Michaelis constant (Km) represent for an enzyme-catalyzed reaction?
A.The substrate concentration at which the reaction rate is half of Vmax, indicating the enzyme's apparent affinity for its substrate
B.The maximum possible reaction rate an enzyme can achieve
C.The exact number of active sites present on a single enzyme molecule
D.The temperature at which the enzyme denatures
Explanation: Km is defined as the substrate concentration needed to reach half of Vmax. A low Km indicates the enzyme reaches half-maximal rate at a low substrate concentration, meaning it has high apparent affinity for the substrate; a high Km indicates lower apparent affinity.

About the Schleswig-Holstein Abitur Biology Exam

Schleswig-Holstein Zentralabitur Biologie is the state biology examination for the Allgemeine Hochschulreife, taken as a written Profilfach-Prüfung under the Landesverordnung über die Gestaltung der Oberstufe und der Abiturprüfung (OAPVO). Biologie is examined alongside Chemie and Physik as one of the state's Naturwissenschaften Profilfächer, and starting with the 2026 Abitur it joined Chemie and Physik (which moved in 2025) on the IQB Gemeinsamer Aufgabenpool der Länder, following the 2022 KMK resolution on shared science Bildungsstandards — a one-time Probeabitur ran in autumn 2025 to support the transition. Content follows the Fachanforderungen Biologie (2023): Leben und Energie (enzyme function, photosynthesis, cellular respiration), Informationsverarbeitung in Lebewesen (neuron and hormone signaling, sensory physiology), Lebewesen in ihrer Umwelt (population and ecosystem ecology), Molekulargenetische Grundlagen des Lebens (classical and molecular genetics, gene technology), and Entstehung und Entwicklung des Lebens (evolutionary theory, population genetics, evidence for evolution). The written exam gives candidates four Aufgaben and asks them to complete three, each worth 40 of 120 total Bewertungseinheiten, with up to one Aufgabe including a hands-on fachpraktischer Anteil such as preparing and examining a microscope slide. This free bank of 100 original multiple-choice questions is an English-language study adaptation designed to build and check genuine mechanistic understanding across that content. It is not a simulation of the official exam, which is written in German, partly hands-on, and answered with full, structured reasoning across multi-part tasks.

Exam sponsor: Ministerium für Allgemeine und Berufliche Bildung, Wissenschaft, Forschung und Kultur (MBWFK), Schleswig-Holstein, with the Institut für Qualitätsentwicklung an Schulen Schleswig-Holstein (IQSH) and, since 2026, the IQB ländergemeinsamer Aufgabenpool Biologie. The requirements and fees below concern the certification or admission exam, separate from our free practice resources.

Assessment

Official written Schleswig-Holstein Zentralabitur examination in Biologie, examined as a Profilfach (Naturwissenschaften) alongside Chemie and Physik under the Profiloberstufe introduced in 2021/22. Starting with the 2026 Abitur, Biologie moved onto the IQB Gemeinsamer Aufgabenpool der Länder — the same transition Chemie and Physik made in 2025 — following the 2022 KMK resolution on shared Bildungsstandards for the Naturwissenschaften; a one-time Probeabitur ran in autumn 2025 to support the change. The school receives four Aufgaben and every candidate works three of their own choosing (changeable until the end of the working time), each worth 40 BE (120 BE total, AFB I 28-33% / AFB II 43-53% / AFB III 20-25% at erhöhtem Niveau), built from 3-5 Teilaufgaben with 1-2 Operatoren each. Aufgaben are materialgebunden (texts, diagrams, tables, experimental data) and up to one can carry a fachpraktischer Anteil requiring the candidate to obtain real observations or data (for example, preparing and examining a microscope slide), with data backup pre-arranged in case an experiment fails. This 100-question bank is an English-language MCQ study adaptation only — it does not reproduce the German-language, partly hands-on free-response format and is not split by Aufgabe or Anforderungsbereich.

Time Limit

300 minutes total for selecting among the four Aufgaben and completing three of them, with the Auswahlzeit included in this figure rather than listed separately (IQSH FAQ Zentralabitur Biologie, Stand Mai 2026). A time supplement of up to 60 additional minutes is granted only to candidates who submit a completed fachpraktische Aufgabe. Schools are advised to run any practical work in a separate Fachraum. In the 2026 main session — Biologie's first year on the IQB task pool — the written exam was set for Wednesday, 22 April 2026; the 2027 sitting is confirmed for 16 April 2027.

Passing Score

Subject performance is reported on the 0-15 Punkte scale (Note 1 = 15-13 Punkte, Note 6 = 0 Punkte). Within the written paper, the three worked Aufgaben together carry 120 Bewertungseinheiten (40 BE each), with the confirmed Anforderungsbereich split at erhöhtem Niveau of AFB I 28-33%, AFB II 43-53%, AFB III 20-25%. Under the OAPVO, the Gesamtqualifikation requires at least 200 of a possible 600 Punkte in Block I (Qualifikationsphase Halbjahresergebnisse) and at least 100 of a possible 300 Punkte in Block II (the Abiturprüfungen, each weighted four times), subject to further per-subject and per-Aufgabenfeld minimums and no Prüfung scored 0. The 900-point maximum converts to the Abitur-Durchschnittsnote via the nationally shared KMK table; the landesweite Abiturdurchschnittsnote in 2025 was 2.37 at Gymnasien and 2.61 at Gemeinschaftsschulen.

Exam / Certification Fees

No exam fee for regularly enrolled school candidates; the Abitur is a state school examination administered by the MBWFK. Externenprüfungen (Nichtschülerprüfungen) follow separate school-administered arrangements, and no Biologie-specific external fee is published in the sources reviewed.

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Fees, eligibility, and exam policies can change. Confirm them with the exam sponsor before applying or paying.

Our practice resources: topics covered

We aim to reflect publicly available exam outlines and topic information in our study resources. Coverage, format, and difficulty may differ from the actual exam, and we cannot guarantee that every detail is accurate or current. Confirm exam requirements, fees, and policies with the official exam sponsor.

Study emphasis ~22%

Leben und Energie: Enzyme, Fotosynthese und Zellatmung

Enzyme structure/specificity, activation energy, inhibition, Fotosynthese (Licht-/Dunkelreaktion, C3/C4/CAM), Zellatmung (Glykolyse, Citratzyklus, Atmungskette, Gärung).

Study emphasis ~20%

Informationsverarbeitung in Lebewesen: Neurobiologie und Hormone

Ruhepotenzial, Aktionspotenzial, saltatorische Erregungsleitung, Synapse, Neurotransmitter, Hormonsystem, Regelkreise, Sinnesphysiologie.

Study emphasis ~18%

Lebewesen in ihrer Umwelt: Oekologie

Populationsdynamik, Kapazitätsgrenze, Ökosystemstruktur, Nahrungsnetze, Energiefluss, Stoffkreisläufe, ökologische Wechselbeziehungen.

Study emphasis ~22%

Molekulargenetische Grundlagen des Lebens: Genetik

Mendel'sche Regeln, Meiose, Rekombination, DNA-Replikation, Transkription/Translation, Mutationen, Gentechnik (PCR, Gelelektrophorese, Restriktionsenzyme).

Study emphasis ~18%

Entstehung und Entwicklung des Lebens: Evolution

Selektionstheorie, Populationsgenetik (Hardy-Weinberg), Artbildung, reproduktive Isolation, Evolutionsbelege (Homologie, Fossilien, molekulare Verwandtschaft).

Preparing for the Schleswig-Holstein Abitur Biology Exam

What You Need to Know

  • Passing score: Subject performance is reported on the 0-15 Punkte scale (Note 1 = 15-13 Punkte, Note 6 = 0 Punkte). Within the written paper, the three worked Aufgaben together carry 120 Bewertungseinheiten (40 BE each), with the confirmed Anforderungsbereich split at erhöhtem Niveau of AFB I 28-33%, AFB II 43-53%, AFB III 20-25%. Under the OAPVO, the Gesamtqualifikation requires at least 200 of a possible 600 Punkte in Block I (Qualifikationsphase Halbjahresergebnisse) and at least 100 of a possible 300 Punkte in Block II (the Abiturprüfungen, each weighted four times), subject to further per-subject and per-Aufgabenfeld minimums and no Prüfung scored 0. The 900-point maximum converts to the Abitur-Durchschnittsnote via the nationally shared KMK table; the landesweite Abiturdurchschnittsnote in 2025 was 2.37 at Gymnasien and 2.61 at Gemeinschaftsschulen.
  • Assessment: Official written Schleswig-Holstein Zentralabitur examination in Biologie, examined as a Profilfach (Naturwissenschaften) alongside Chemie and Physik under the Profiloberstufe introduced in 2021/22. Starting with the 2026 Abitur, Biologie moved onto the IQB Gemeinsamer Aufgabenpool der Länder — the same transition Chemie and Physik made in 2025 — following the 2022 KMK resolution on shared Bildungsstandards for the Naturwissenschaften; a one-time Probeabitur ran in autumn 2025 to support the change. The school receives four Aufgaben and every candidate works three of their own choosing (changeable until the end of the working time), each worth 40 BE (120 BE total, AFB I 28-33% / AFB II 43-53% / AFB III 20-25% at erhöhtem Niveau), built from 3-5 Teilaufgaben with 1-2 Operatoren each. Aufgaben are materialgebunden (texts, diagrams, tables, experimental data) and up to one can carry a fachpraktischer Anteil requiring the candidate to obtain real observations or data (for example, preparing and examining a microscope slide), with data backup pre-arranged in case an experiment fails. This 100-question bank is an English-language MCQ study adaptation only — it does not reproduce the German-language, partly hands-on free-response format and is not split by Aufgabe or Anforderungsbereich.
  • Time limit: 300 minutes total for selecting among the four Aufgaben and completing three of them, with the Auswahlzeit included in this figure rather than listed separately (IQSH FAQ Zentralabitur Biologie, Stand Mai 2026). A time supplement of up to 60 additional minutes is granted only to candidates who submit a completed fachpraktische Aufgabe. Schools are advised to run any practical work in a separate Fachraum. In the 2026 main session — Biologie's first year on the IQB task pool — the written exam was set for Wednesday, 22 April 2026; the 2027 sitting is confirmed for 16 April 2027.
  • Exam / certification fees: No exam fee for regularly enrolled school candidates; the Abitur is a state school examination administered by the MBWFK. Externenprüfungen (Nichtschülerprüfungen) follow separate school-administered arrangements, and no Biologie-specific external fee is published in the sources reviewed. Official sources

Using Our Practice Resources

  • Work through all 100 available questions
  • Review every answer and explanation
  • Track weak areas and revisit them
  • Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

Schleswig-Holstein Abitur Biology: Suggested Study Strategy

1Master enzyme kinetics conceptually — active site, substrate specificity, activation energy, and the difference between competitive and allosteric/noncompetitive inhibition — since Stoffwechsel Aufgaben routinely test this before moving into Fotosynthese or Zellatmung detail.
2Build one clear diagram each for the light-dependent reactions (Photosysteme, Wasserspaltung, ATP/NADPH) and the Calvin cycle (RuBisCO, CO2-Fixierung), then do the same for Glykolyse, Citratzyklus, and the Atmungskette — Bio-Abi tasks reward being able to place a given molecule or step correctly on these pathways.
3Drill the action-potential sequence (Ruhepotenzial, Depolarisation, Repolarisation, Refraktärzeit) and synaptic transmission end to end, since Informationsverarbeitung Aufgaben often present unfamiliar experimental traces you must interpret rather than just recall from memory.
4Practice reading and constructing population-growth graphs (exponentielles vs. logistisches Wachstum, Kapazitätsgrenze) and food-web/energy-flow diagrams, since Oekologie Aufgaben are heavily materialgebunden and reward graph literacy over pure recall.
5Work through Mendel'sche Kreuzungsschemata (monohybrid and dihybrid) and the transcription/translation pathway (DNA to mRNA to protein) until both are automatic, then layer on Mutationstypen and the core Gentechnik tools (PCR, Gelelektrophorese, Restriktionsenzyme).
6Learn the Hardy-Weinberg equation (p² + 2pq + q² = 1) and the standard evolutionary-evidence categories (Homologie, Fossilbelege, molekulare Verwandtschaft) so you can apply, not just define, evolutionary reasoning to a new scenario — this is exactly what Anforderungsbereich II and III tasks demand.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the official Schleswig-Holstein Biologie Zentralabitur exam multiple-choice?

No. The official written paper gives candidates four Aufgaben, of which three must be completed with full, structured reasoning across several Teilaufgaben; up to one Aufgabe can require hands-on work such as preparing a microscope slide. This bank is an English-language MCQ study adaptation for learning and checking the underlying biological concepts and mechanisms, not a simulation of the official format or a substitute for full written or practical exam practice.

Why are the questions in English when the exam is in German?

This bank is a study aid for building command of the Fachanforderungen Biologie content in English. German technical terms — Bewertungseinheiten, Fachpraktische Aufgabe, Inhaltsbereich, and so on — are preserved exactly as used in the curriculum, so you can carry the vocabulary straight into German-language revision.

Is Biologie really examined centrally for the first time in 2026?

Yes. Following the 2022 KMK resolution on shared Bildungsstandards for the sciences, Chemie and Physik moved onto the IQB Gemeinsamer Aufgabenpool der Länder starting with the 2025 Abitur, and Biologie followed starting with the 2026 Abitur. A one-time Probeabitur in autumn 2025 supported schools through the transition; after that, Vorklausuren return to being written by each school's own Fachlehrkräfte.

Which topics does the Schleswig-Holstein Bio-Abi cover?

Five content strands drawn from the KMK Bildungsstandards Biologie AHR (2020) and the Fachanforderungen Biologie (2023): Leben und Energie (enzymes, photosynthesis, cellular respiration), Informationsverarbeitung in Lebewesen (neurobiology, hormones, senses), Lebewesen in ihrer Umwelt (ecology), and Vielfalt des Lebens, taught as Molekulargenetische Grundlagen des Lebens (genetics) and Entstehung und Entwicklung des Lebens (evolution). Each exam Aufgabe is assigned primarily to one strand, and the three completed Aufgaben together must cover at least two strands.

What is a 'fachpraktische Aufgabe' and do all students do one?

It is a hands-on task — for example, preparing and examining a microscope slide or running a short experiment — that additionally requires obtaining and recording real observations or data, on top of the usual materialgebundene analysis. Schools must offer it whenever it is part of the Prüfungsaufgabe, but a candidate only receives it, and its associated time supplement of up to 60 minutes, if they choose one of the Aufgaben that includes it.

How long is the written exam?

300 minutes total for selecting among the four Aufgaben and completing three of them, with no separately listed Auswahlzeit. Candidates who submit a completed fachpraktische Aufgabe receive up to 60 additional minutes. Exact scheduling is re-issued every year, so check the current Prüfungsregelungen through za.schleswig-holstein.de, the IQSH Fachportal, or your school.

When was the exam held in 2026, and what about 2027?

The written Biologie Profilfach exam in the 2026 main session — the first year Biologie itself used the IQB task pool — was set for Wednesday, 22 April 2026, alongside Physik (23 April) and Chemie (24 April). The 2027 Biologie sitting is already confirmed for Thursday, 16 April 2027.