Systems in the Human Body (AQA GCSE Combined Science: Synergy: Life & Environmental Sciences): Exam Questions

Rapeseed is grown to produce oil for cooking.

Describe how a sample of rapeseed oil could be tested to show it contains lipid.

There are many different types of cell in the human body.

Each type of body cell is specialised for a different function.

Draw one line from each type of cell to the function of that cell.

Figure 1 shows a doctor testing a reflex action of a patient.

When the doctor touches the patient's foot with a blunt rod, the patient's toes curl.

Where are the receptors in this reflex action?

What is the coordinator in this reflex action?

What is the response in this reflex action?

Muscle cells use oxygen for respiration.

Explain why muscle cells need to respire.

The human circulatory system transports blood around the body.

The human circulatory system is made of different structures.

Give the structures in order of size from the largest to the smallest.

Choose answers from the box.

The first one has been completed for you.

Figure 18 shows a heart.

The heart pumps blood from the body to the lungs.

Which route does blood travel through the heart?

Explain why the wall of the left ventricle is thicker than the wall of the right ventricle.

What is the function of structure X shown in Figure 18?

The heart contains a group of cells called the pacemaker.

Which part of the heart contains the pacemaker?

What is the function of the pacemaker?

A person started an exercise training programme to improve their health.

Table 6 shows information about the person's heart.

• Stroke volume is the volume of blood pumped out of the heart each beat.

• Cardiac output is the total volume of blood pumped out of the heart each minute.

Table 6

After the training programme the person's heart rate had decreased.

Explain the effect the training programme had on the person's cardiac output.

Use Table 6.

Rapeseed is grown to produce rapeseed oil for cooking.

Complete the sentence.

Choose the answer from the box.

Rapeseed oil is a type of .

It is important to keep our feet healthy.

Figure 9 shows a doctor testing a reflex action of a patient.

When the doctor touches the patient’s foot with a blunt rod, the patient’s toes curl.

Describe the pathway of this reflex action.

Sometimes runners tie their shoelaces too tightly.

Tight shoes can cause muscle pain part-way through a long run.

Explain why the muscle pain starts part-way through the run.

This question is about the blood and the circulatory system.

Give the functions of red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets.

Red blood cells____________

White blood cells_____________

Platelets______________

Figure 1 shows a human heart.

Figure 1

Draw one arrow on Figure 1 to show the movement of the blood between the left atrium and the left ventricle.

Which blood vessel carries blood from the lungs into the heart?

Tick (✓) one box.

Which blood vessel is the aorta?

Tick (✓) one box.

What structures prevent blood flowing in the wrong direction through the heart?

Heart muscle cells obtain oxygen from the blood.

Which blood vessels exchange oxygen with heart muscle cells?

Tick (✓) one box.

Heart rate is controlled by a group of cells called the pacemaker.

Where is the pacemaker in the heart?

Tick (✓) one box.

Carbon monoxide is a toxic gas.

Explain why an increase of carbon monoxide in the air increases heart rate.

A person was exposed to carbon monoxide in the air for 1 hour.

During the hour the person’s heart rate increased from 80 beats per minute to 130 beats per minute.

Calculate the percentage increase in heart rate.

Use the equation:

$\text{percentage increase}=\frac{\text{final heart rate}-\text{starting heart rate}}{\text{starting heart rate}}\times 100$

Percentage increase = %

Starch is digested in the gut.

Why is digestion of starch needed?

Describe the process of starch digestion.

Particulates can be harmful to people’s health when breathed in.

Large particulates are prevented from getting into the lungs by the body’s defences.

Complete the sentences.

Choose answers from the box.

The cells in the trachea and bronchi produce sticky .

The particulates are moved away from the lungs using .

The small intestine (gut) is adapted to digest and absorb food molecules.

Digested food molecules pass across the wall of the small intestine into the blood.

Figure 5 shows part of the wall of the small intestine.

Figure 5

The small intestine is adapted to increase the efficiency of absorption of digested food.

Two adaptations of the small intestine are:

• a thin wall

• a constant blood flow through the capillaries

Describe how each adaptation allows the efficient absorption of digested food.

Thin wall

Constant blood flow

A student used partially permeable tubing to make a model of a human small intestine.

Figure 6 shows the apparatus used.

Figure 6

This is the method used:

1. Add starch and enzyme solution to the tubing

2. Take a sample of the mixture from inside the tubing and a sample of the water from the test tube. Test each sample using the iodine test and using the Benedict’s test

3. Place the test tube into a water bath at 37 °C

4. Repeat step 2 after 30 minutes

What type of enzyme breaks down starch?

The water bath was kept at 37 °C.

Explain why 37 °C was the most suitable temperature for the investigation.

Table 3 shows the results.

Table 3

Key: ✓ positive test result; ✗ negative test result

Explain the results for test 3.

Explain the results for test 4 in table 3.

Bees feed on sugar solution produced by the flowers of plants.

Figure 1 shows a bee feeding on a flower.

Why do bees feed on sugar solution?

Tick (✓) one box.

Bees have a simple nervous system.

The bee nervous system has many similar features to the human nervous system.

The antenna is a sense organ.

The antenna contains specialised cells that detect stimuli.

What are cells that detect stimuli called?

Tick (✓) one box.

When an antenna of a bee touches sugar solution the bee automatically sticks out its tongue.

What type of action is automatic?

Tick (✓) one box.

Figure 2 shows the nervous pathway taken when a bee antenna touches sugar solution.

What is the gap labelled X?

Tick (✓) one box.

What type of neurone is Y?

Tick (✓) one box.

Eyes are sense organs that can detect electromagnetic radiation.

A bee’s eye can detect ultraviolet radiation.

Detecting ultraviolet radiation allows the bee to see the parts of the flower that produce sugar solution.

Why is it an advantage for bees to see the parts of the flower that produce sugar solution?

Figure 3 shows the electromagnetic spectrum.

Which letter shows the position of ultraviolet radiation in the electromagnetic spectrum?

Tick (✓) one box.

Which part of the electromagnetic spectrum in Figure 3 has the lowest frequency?

Starch molecules are broken down into glucose molecules in the small intestine (gut).

The glucose molecules are absorbed across the wall of the small intestine into the blood.

Figure 9 shows part of the wall of the small intestine.

Figure 9

Give two ways that the small intestine is adapted for the absorption of glucose into the blood.

Use Figure 9.

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Figure 10 shows:

• the breakdown of starch molecules

• the movement of glucose molecules across the wall of the small intestine

Figure 10

Look at processes A, B and C in Figure 10.

Complete the sentences.

Choose answers from the box.

In process A, starch molecules are broken down into glucose by the process of .

In process B, glucose molecules move into the cells of the small intestine by .

In process C, glucose molecules move from the cells of the small intestine into the blood by .

Give one reason why starch molecules cannot be absorbed into the blood.

Use Figure 10.

A student investigated the breakdown of starch with an enzyme and without an enzyme.

Figure 11 shows the apparatus.

Figure 11

This is the method used.

1. Add 5 ${\text{cm}}^3$ of starch and enzyme mixture to a test tube

2. Place the test tube into a water bath at 37 °C

3. Remove one drop of the mixture every 60 seconds and test for starch using iodine solution

4. Repeat step 3 until the starch is broken down or until 20 minutes is reached

5. Repeat steps 1 to 4 another three times

6. Repeat steps 1 to 5 using 5 ${\text{cm}}^3$ of starch solution with no enzyme

What colour will the iodine solution change to when starch is present?

Tick (✓) one box.

What is the dependent variable in this investigation?

Tick (✓) one box.

Table 2 shows the results for the starch and enzyme mixture.

Table 2

One of the results in Table 2 is anomalous.

Which result is anomalous?

Tick (✓) one box.

What should the student do with the anomalous result?

The student removed one drop of the mixture every 60 seconds and tested the drop for starch.

How could the student improve the method?

Tick (✓) one box.

Another student repeated the investigation.

Table 3 shows the results.

Table 3

Give one conclusion that can be made from the results.

Particulates in the air can be breathed in.

The body’s defences prevent particulates larger than 10 micrometres getting into the lungs.

Describe how the body prevents the particulates reaching the lungs and removes the particulates from the airways.

Carbon monoxide changes the amount of oxygen that blood can transport.

Which part of the blood transports oxygen?

Figure 1 shows how the percentage of carbon monoxide in air affects the concentration of oxygen in blood.

When the percentage of carbon monoxide in air is 40% the concentration of oxygen in blood is 64 arbitrary units.

Complete Figure 1 to show the result for 40% carbon monoxide in air.

The percentage of carbon monoxide in air changes from 0% to 80%.

Determine the change in the concentration of oxygen in blood.

Use Figure 1.

Change = _______________ arbitrary units

Describe how increasing the percentage of carbon monoxide in air affects the concentration of oxygen in blood.

Use Figure 1.

Figure 7 shows part of the human breathing system.

Label structures A, B and C on Figure 7.

Choose answers from the box.

Describe one way that lungs are adapted for gas exchange.

A student investigated the effect of surface area to volume ratio on diffusion.

The student used gel cubes with different surface area to volume ratios.

The gel cubes:

• were pink at the start of the investigation

• became colourless as acid diffused into the cube

This is the method used.

1. Cut the gel into a cube with sides that are 1 cm long

2. Place the cube in a beaker

3. Cover the cube with acid

4. Keep the beaker at 20 °C

5. Record the time taken for the cube to go colourless

6. Repeat steps 2 to 5 with cubes of different sizes

Draw one line from each type of variable to that variable in the investigation.

Figure 8 shows one of the cubes.

Figure 8

Calculate the surface area to volume ratio for the cube.

Complete the following steps.

The surface area of one face of the cube is 4 cm².

Calculate the total surface area of the cube

Surface area = _cm²

Calculate the volume of the cube

Volume = _cm³

Give the surface area to volume ratio of the cube _

Surface area : volume = :

Table 2 shows the results.

Table 2

Describe the effect of increasing the size of the cube on the time taken for the cube to go colourless.

What would be an improvement to the investigation?

Tick (✓) one box.

Bees have a simple nervous system.

The bee nervous system has similar features to the human nervous system.

The bee’s antenna is a sense organ.

Figure 8 shows a bee feeding on a flower.

Figure 8

Bees feed on sugar solution produced by the flowers of plants.

When an antenna of a bee touches sugar solution the bee automatically sticks out its tongue. This response is a reflex action.

Describe the nervous pathway for the reflex action.

Some species of flowers produce sugar solution that contains the chemical caffeine.

A scientist investigated the effect of caffeine on the feeding behaviour of bees. The investigation was carried out in a laboratory.

This is the method used:

1. Feed 15 newly hatched bees on sugar solution for 24 hours

2. Release the bees

3. Record the number of visits made by the bees to a feeder containing sugar solution in 3 hours

4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 for a further 2 days

The scientist then took another 15 newly hatched bees and repeated the same method using a sugar and caffeine solution.

Table 5 shows the results.

Table 5

(Mean number of visits in 3 hours per bee)

The scientist controlled the concentration of the solutions.

Give one other variable that should have been a control variable in the investigation.

The scientist concluded that:

> ‘Caffeine affects the feeding behaviour of bees.’

Evaluate the scientist’s conclusion.

Use data from Table 5 and information from the method.

This question is about the nervous system.

A person steps on a sharp object.

The person immediately moves their foot away from the object in a reflex action.

Complete the sentences.

Choose answers from the box.

When the person steps on the object, the receptor is in ____________ .

An electrical impulse travels from the receptor along __________.

The effector is _____________.

What is the name of the gap between two neurones?

A scientist investigated how age affects reaction time in a group of students.

Figure 6 shows the results.

The students had not practised the reaction time test.

Suggest two other control variables the scientists should have used.

What was the mean reaction time of 10-year-olds?

Use Figure 6.

Mean reaction time = ___________ milliseconds

How old were the students with the lowest mean reaction time?

Use Figure 6.

The scientist also measured the reaction time of 35 adults.

Describe how to calculate the mean reaction time for the 35 adults.

The reaction time of one adult was 450 milliseconds.

What is the reaction time of the adult in seconds?

1 second = 1000 milliseconds.

Reaction time = _____________seconds

In multicellular organisms, cells are organised into tissues.

What is meant by a ‘tissue’?

A student investigated the effect of surface area to volume ratio on diffusion.

The student used gel cubes with different surface area to volume ratios.

• The cubes contained indicator and an alkaline solution

• The indicator was pink at the start of the investigation because the cubes were alkaline

• As acid diffused into the cubes the indicator changed from pink to colourless

• If acid had not diffused to the centre of the cube some of the cube would not have changed colour

This is the method used.

1. Make a gel containing indicator and an alkaline solution

2. Cut the gel into a cube with 1 cm long sides

3. Place the cube in a beaker

4. Cover the cube with acid

5. After 5 minutes, remove the cube from the acid

6. Cut the cube in half

7. Measure the width of the area inside the cube that did not change colour

8. Calculate the volume at the centre of the cube that did not change colour

9. Repeat steps 3 to 8 with cubes of different sizes

Give two control variables the student should have used.

Do not refer to time in your answer.

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The student calculated the percentage of the volume of each cube that had changed colour.

Table 2 shows the results.

Table 2

Calculate percentage X in Table 2.

Percentage X = %

The different sized cubes are a model for organisms of different sizes.

Explain why surface area to volume ratio is important to organisms of different sizes.

Give two limitations of using cubes to model diffusion in organisms.

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This question is about respiration.

Complete the sentence.

Choose the answer from the box.

Respiration releases energy, therefore respiration is ____________ .

Yeast is a type of fungus.

A student investigated how temperature affects respiration in yeast.

Figure 9 shows some of the apparatus used.

The yeast produces a gas. The gas passes through the layer of oil and is collected in the measuring cylinder.

The oil above the yeast and sugar solution prevents oxygen from entering the solution.

What type of respiration occurs in the yeast when no oxygen is present?

This is the method used.

1. Place yeast and sugar solution in a test tube.

2. Add a thin layer of oil.

3. Place the test tube in a water bath at 5 °C.

4. After 10 minutes set up the apparatus as shown in Figure 9.

5. Record the volume of gas collected in 1 hour.

6. Repeat steps 1 to 5 at different temperatures.

Give two control variables the student used in the investigation.

Table 3 shows the results.

Table 3

Complete the sentence.

Choose the answer from the box.

As the temperature increased, the volume of gas produced_ .

Why should the data from Table 3 be presented as a line graph and not as a bar chart?

Tick (✓) one box.

Complete Figure 10.

You should:

• label the y-axis

• plot the data from Table 3

• draw a line of best fit.

Predict the volume of gas that would be produced at 7 °C.

Use Figure 10.

Volume = ____________ cm³

The student repeated the investigation at 60 °C.

Suggest why gas was not produced by the yeast at 60 °C.

Our nervous system controls our reactions.

Figure 1 shows the part of the nervous system involved in the rapid response to a stimulus

What is this type of rapid response called?

Tick one box.

Features of the nervous system are labelled A, B, C, D and E on Figure 1

Draw one line from each feature to the correct label from Figure 1.

Two students compare their reactions using a ruler.

Method:

1. Student A sits with his elbow on a table top.

2. Student B holds the ruler so the bottom of the ruler is level with the top of student A's thumb.

3. Student B drops the ruler.

4. Student A catches the ruler.

5. Record the drop distance.

6. Repeat steps 1 to 5 four more times.

7. Repeat the whole experiment with student A dropping the ruler and student B catching it.

Both students are right-handed.

The students are testing the hypothesis:

the drop distance of the ruler is smaller when a right-handed person uses their right hand to catch the ruler.

Student A uses his right hand to catch the ruler.

Student B uses her left hand to catch the ruler.

Complete the sentence. Use an answer from the box.

The drop distance was the variable.

Table 1 shows the students' results.

Figure 2 shows student B's Test 2 result

Use Figure 2 to complete the missing result for Test 2.

Write the answer in Table 1.

What was the resolution of the ruler the students used? (Smallest divisions on the ruler are at every 0.5 cm.)

Tick one box.

One of the results in Table 1 is anomalous.

Identify the anomalous result.

Give the reason why you chose your answer.

The students are testing the hypothesis:

the drop distance of the ruler is smaller when a right-handed person uses their right hand to catch the ruler.

The results in Table 1 are not a good test of the hypothesis.

What is one reason why?

Tick one box.

The nervous system allows humans to respond to their surroundings.

Figure 4 shows two nerve pathways.

Nerve pathway A is 92 cm long.

A nerve impulse travels along pathway A at 76.2 m/s.

Calculate how long it takes for the nerve impulse to travel the length of the pathway.

Use the equation:

$\text{distance}=\text{speed}\times \text{time}$

Time = __________s

Nerve pathways A and B are the same length.

The nerve impulse takes longer to travel along pathway A than along pathway B.

Use Figure 4 to explain why.

Two students compare their reactions using a ruler.

Method used:

1. Student A sits with his elbow on a table top.

2. Student B holds the ruler so the bottom of the ruler is level with the top of student A's thumb.

3. Student B drops the ruler.

4. Student A catches the ruler.

5. Record the drop distance.

6. Repeat steps 1 to 5 four more times.

7. Repeat the whole experiment with student A dropping the ruler and student B catching it.

Both students are right-handed.

Student A uses his right hand to catch the ruler.

Student B uses her left hand to catch the ruler.

Table 2 shows the students' results.

Table 2

What is the range of student A's results?

The students are testing the hypothesis:

The drop distance of the ruler is smaller when a right-handed person uses their right hand to catch the ruler.

The students' results in Table 2 are not a good test of the hypothesis.

Suggest what the students should have done to test the hypothesis.

Student A's mean reaction time was 0.19 s.

Mean reaction time can be calculated using the equation:

$\text{Mean reaction time}=\sqrt{\frac{2\times \text{drop distance (m)}}{9.8}}$

Calculate the mean reaction time for Student B.

Give your answer to two significant figures.

Student B's results are repeated here to help you answer the question.

Mean reaction time = _______________s

Funnel-web spiders produce poison to kill prey.

The poison enters the prey when the spider bites the prey.

The poison contains a protein.

What is a protein?

Tick (✓) one box.

What reagent is used to test for protein?

This question is about the nervous system.

A person steps on a sharp object. The person immediately moves their foot away from the object.

The response is a pain withdrawal reflex.

Describe two ways that a reflex action is different from a conscious action.

Describe how the nervous system causes the reflex action after stepping on the sharp object.

Table 1 shows information about two types of reaction time.

Table 1

Scientists investigated how the age of students affects SRT and CRT.

Figure 5 shows the results

In the investigation the sex, physical health and mental health of the students were control variables.

Suggest one other control variable the scientists should have used.

Determine the size of the range of CRT for students aged 11 years.

Give your answer in seconds.

Size of range = __________seconds

A student stated:

'The age of students affects their reaction time.'

Evaluate the student's statement.

Use Figure 5.

What is the function of blood vessel C? (C is the pulmonary vein from the lungs.)

Tick one box.

A student investigates the rate of respiration in maggots.

Figure 3 shows the equipment he uses.

Why does the student put the maggots on gauze?

When maggots respire they take in a gas from the air and release a different gas.

Solution A absorbs the gas released.

At the start of the investigation the student records the distance of the water droplet from the bend in the capillary tube.

Explain what happens to the water droplet as the maggots respire.

Table 1 shows the results the student calculated.

Table 1

The student uses his results to plot the graph in Figure 4.

Label the x and y axis.

How could the student find out if the result at 30 °C is anomalous?

Suggest what the value at 30 °C should be to fit the pattern of the graph.

Funnel-web spiders produce a poison to kill prey.

The poison enters the prey when the spider bites the prey.

The poison contains a protein.

A scientist tested the spider poison for protein.

Describe the test for protein and the colour change that would be seen when the poison is tested.

Description of test: ________

Colour change from ________ to ________

Animals produce protease enzymes.

Explain why protease enzymes do not protect animals that are bitten by funnel-web spiders.

Hormones are released from glands.

Which gland produces hormones to control other glands in the endocrine system?

Tick one box.

Figure 7 shows the level of adrenaline in a man's bloodstream while he was watching a 12-minute film.

Calculate the percentage increase in adrenaline after point B.

Percentage increase in adrenaline =______

Suggest why the percentage increase in adrenaline after point B is different from the percentage increase after point A.

Adrenaline causes changes in the body to prepare for a 'fight or flight' response.

What changes in the man's body are caused by adrenaline?

A person is given a measles vaccination by injection.

There is a small amount of bleeding from the wound.

What is the role of platelets after the person receives the injection?

Tick (✓) one box.

Red blood cells contain haemoglobin.

Describe how the shape and internal cell structure of a red blood cell are adaptations to its function.

Shape: _____________

Internal cell structure: _______

Explain why a high concentration of carbon monoxide in the air causes a person to become seriously ill.