Set A (AQA GCSE Biology): Exam Questions

Figure 4 below shows a plant cell.

Figure 4

Name each labelled part of the plant cell and give its function.

Identify the cell wall in Figure 4, label it as S and describe its function.

The cell wall of a plant is made from cellulose.

Name one type of cell, other than a plant cell, that has a cell wall made from cellulose.

The cell in Figure 5 below is a salivary gland cell.

Figure 5

Salivary gland cells are adapted to produce salivary amylase, an important enzyme in digestion.

Use the information above and your own knowledge to suggest how salivary gland cells are adapted to their function.

All living organisms exchange substances with the environment. Plant roots use two different methods to absorb water and ions from the soil.

Explain why roots have two different methods to absorb water and ions.

Table 1 shows the concentrations of three mineral ions in the roots of a plant and in the surrounding soil.

All three mineral ions are essential to the healthy functioning of a plant.

Table 1

Explain why the plant roots can not absorb these mineral ions by diffusion.

Waterlogged soil has a lower oxygen concentration than non-waterlogged soil.

Suggest the impact of waterlogged soil on the activity of root cells.

Non-communicable diseases are a major cause of ill health or reduced lifespan.

Factors including diet, stress and life situations can all contribute to an increased incidence of a non-communicable disease.

Using specific examples describe how the above factors can affect health.

The interactions of many factors may negatively impact the health of an individual.

Infection of certain strains of the human papillomavirus (HPV), which is the most common sexually transmitted infection (STI), is associated with an increased risk of developing cervical cancer.

Suggest how the risk factors associated with HPV infection can be minimised

If a patient has heart failure they may benefit from a heart transplant using donor organs.

There is a greater demand for donor organs than availability so another option is to fit an artificial heart.

Table 2 lists some of the advantages associated with using an artificial heart.

Table 2

Complete the table by suggesting the disadvantages of using artificial heart transplants.

The image in Figure 1 shows some strawberry plants growing in a greenhouse on a hot sunny day in August.

Figure 1

Identify one limiting factor that will affect the rate of photosynthesis at this time?

Explain your answer.

Higher Tier Only

The rate at which plants grow can be altered by changing the conditions in which they grow.

A propagator is a container in which the temperature, light intensity and carbon dioxide concentration can be controlled.

The graph in Figure 2 shows the effects of changing these factors on the growth of strawberry plants.

Figure 2

Describe and explain the impact of increasing carbon dioxide concentration on the mean mass of strawberry plants at bright light and 20 °C.

Higher Tier Only

Farmers wish to make as much profit as they can from their crops. 

What do farmers need to consider before making decisions about the best growing conditions for their plants?

Higher Tier Only

Some scientists investigated the effect of exercise on the quantity of glycogen in the liver cells before, immediately after exercise, and after a recovery period.

Figure 3 shows the results they collected from a study group in the post exercise recovery phase

Figure 3

Suggest an explanation for the changes in glycogen shown in Figure 3.

Higher Tier Only

Cirrhosis of the liver is a disease of the liver often associated with alcohol consumption.

In serious cases of cirrhosis, patients may suffer complete liver failure.

Which statement gives the most likely effect directly as a result liver failure.

A student used the equipment shown in Figure 4 to investigate the rate of anaerobic respiration in yeast.

Figure 4

The student measured the volume of carbon dioxide produced by 5 g of yeast over a 60 minute period. His results are shown in Table 3.

Table 3

Calculate the rate of carbon dioxide production in cm³ g^-1min^-1 for the first 30 minutes of the investigation.

With reference to the data in Table 3, suggest why the rate of carbon dioxide production decreased between 50 and 60 minutes.

Plant leaves have many adaptations to maximise the rate at which they can photosynthesise.

A group of students wanted to investigate the behaviour of stomata in different plants.

Figure 2 is a drawing of the underside of a leaf of one of the plants as visualised under a light microscope.

Name cell X in Figure 2 and outline its role in the leaf.

Calculate the number of stomata per mm² of this leaf surface.

Another plant species has 200 stomata per mm² of its leaf surface. An increased number of stomata is not always advantageous.

Explain why.

The students then measured the mean widths of the stomata from three different species of plant which had been growing under different light conditions.

Table 1 shows their results.

Table 1

Species A is unlikely to be found growing in a hot, dry desert.

Explain why, using data from Table 1.

A student would like to test a sample of food to show which biological molecules are present.

Describe how the student should prepare the food sample ready for testing.

A food testing lab was sent four samples of food to test, they carried out some simple tests using chemical reagents.

The results are shown in Table 1 where '+' represents a positive result and '-' represents a negative result.

Table 1

The lab concluded that one of the samples was honey.

Using the results in Table 1, explain which sample was most likely to be honey.

One of the samples tested by the lab in part (b) was identified to be coconut milk.

Figure 6 shows a nutrition facts label from a packet of coconut milk which lists all the nutritional information.

Figure 6

Table 2 shows the visual observation and result for an iodine test of the sample of coconut milk.

Table 2

Complete Table 2 using the information from the nutrition facts label in Figure 6

Many people make claims on the health benefits of consuming coconut milk and say it should form a major component of your diet.

Explain why people should be careful of consuming too much coconut milk. Use the information in the nutrition facts label in Figure 6 to support your answer.

Figure 1 below is a photomicrograph of cells in the root of an onion.

Figure 1

On the image above, label a cell that is actively dividing with the letter X.

Name the type of cell division that occurs in the meristem of plants for growth.

Before a cell divides, what must happen to its genetic material?

A group of students decided to investigate the cell cycle.

They prepared a microscope slide of a root tip from an onion.

They then viewed the slide under a light microscope to count the number of cells in each part of the cell cycle in one field of view.

The table below shows their results.

Parts of the cell cycle

Different parts of the cell cycle take different lengths of time.

State which part of the cell cycle is the slowest. Give a reason for your answer.

It takes 18 hours for one complete cell cycle in a typical onion root tip cell.

Calculate the length of time stage 3 lasts in a typical onion root tip cell.

Give your answer in minutes to 2 significant figures.

Zika virus is a type of pathogen that is spread, in most cases, via the bites of Aedes mosquitoes. 

What methods can be used to prevent the spread of Zika virus? 

In some people, Zika virus produces very mild symptoms such as a fever and a headache. Most people experience no symptoms at all. 

The most severe consequences of Zika virus occur in the babies of mothers who were infected with Zika virus during pregnancy. 

The babies do not develop correctly in the womb and are sometimes born with small brains and heads, as well as other potential life-threatening abnormalities.

These circumstances make it difficult to develop drugs to protect unborn babies from the effects of Zika virus. 

Suggest a reason why this is the case.

Zika virus can be diagnosed using a test with monoclonal antibodies. 

Describe how monoclonal antibodies specific to Zika virus would be produced. 

In order to be tested for Zika virus the patient gives a sample of blood, which may or may not contain antibodies for the virus. 

Monoclonal antibodies can be produced that are bound to enzymes.

The enzymes catalyse a reaction that leads to a colour change in the sample.

The colour change indicates whether the Zika virus antibodies are present in the blood sample from the patient. 

Explain why the scientists can be sure that only the Zika virus antibodies are being detected, and not antibodies for other types of diseases.