MASENO SCHOOL

Name ………………………………………………… Index No. ……………………

Candidate’s Signature ………………………… Date: ………………………….

231/2
BIOLOGY
PAPER 2 (THEORY)
JULY 2018
231/2-Biology- P12
Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education
BIOLOGY Monday 23/07/2018
231/2 PAPER 2
(THEORY) Time: 8:00am-10:30am
TIME: 21/2 HOURS

INSTRUCTIONS TO THE CANDIDATES

• Write your name and index number in the spaces provided above.
• Sign and write the date of examination in the spaces provided above.
• This paper consists of two sections; A and B.
• Answer all the questions in Section A in the spaces provided.
• In section B, answer question 6(compulsory) and either question 7 or 8 in the spaces provided after
question 8.
•
For Examiner’s Use Only:-
SECTION QUESTIONS MAXIMUM CANDIDATE’S SCORE
SCORE
A 1 8
2 8
3 8
4 8
5 8
B 6 20
7 20
8 20
TOTAL SCORE 80

This paper consists of 12 printed pages. Candidates should check to ascertain that all pages are printed as indicated and that no
questions are missing

The Maseno School Mock Committee 2018 Page 1

1. a) In Drosophila melanogaster (fruit fly), the gene for eye colour is sex-linked. The gene for
red-eye is dominant. A cross was made between a homozygous red eyed female and a white
eyed male. Work out the phenotypic ratio of F1 generation. (4marks)

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

b) State any other observable characteristic of the fruit fly that shows discontinuous variation.

(1mark)

…………………………………………………………………………………………………..

c) (i) What is genetic engineering?

(1mark)

…………………………………………………………………………………………………..

(ii) State any one practical application of genetic engineering in medicine.

(1mark)

………………………………………………………………………………………………….

d) Name the type of chromosomal mutation that lead to loss or addition of an extra
chromosome in the cell of an organism.
(1mark)

…………………………………………………………………………………………………..

The Maseno School Mock Committee 2018 Page 2

 2. The diagram below is a sectional view of part of human female reproductive system.

a) Name the parts labeled A, B, and C. (3marks)

A
………………………………………………………………………………………………
B
………………………………………………………………………………………………
C
………………………………………………………………………………………………
b) Using letter R label the part of diagram where ectopic pregnancy may occur. (1mark)
c) Explain why;
i. Surgical removal of ovaries after three months of pregnancy does not terminate
pregnancy. (1mark)
………………………………………………………………………………………

………………………………………………………………………………………

ii. Fertilization occurs within the uterus and not oviduct. (1mark)
………………………………………………………………………………………

………………………………………………………………………………………

………………………………………………………………………………………

d) Name the two membranes that form placenta after pregnancy. (1mark)
………………………………………………………………………………………………

………………………………………………………………………………………………

The Maseno School Mock Committee 2018 Page 3

3. The set-up below is an instrument used to measure the rate of transpiration

a) Explain the two importance of part labeled X. (2marks)

………………………………………………………………………………………………

………………………………………………………………………………………………

………………………………………………………………………………………………

………………………………………………………………………………………………

………………………………………………………………………………………………

b) Name any two precautions to be observed while setting the set up. (2marks)
………………………………………………………………………………………………

………………………………………………………………………………………………

………………………………………………………………………………………………

The Maseno School Mock Committee 2018 Page 4

 c) How does the instrument work to measure the rate of transpiration? (4marks)
………………………………………………………………………………………………

………………………………………………………………………………………………

………………………………………………………………………………………………

………………………………………………………………………………………………

4. An experiment was carried out to investigate the effect of different concentrations of sodium
chloride solutions on red blood cells. Equal amounts of blood were added to equal volumes
of the salt solutions but of different concentrations. The results are shown in the table below.

Set-up Sodium chloride Number of red blood cells

concentration (%) At the start of experiment At the end of experiment
A 0.9 Normal No change
B 0.3 Normal Fewer in number
a) Account for results in;
A: (2marks)
………………………………………………………………………………………………

………………………………………………………………………………………………

………………………………………………………………………………………………

………………………………………………………………………………………………

B: (2marks)
………………………………………………………………………………………………

………………………………………………………………………………………………

………………………………………………………………………………………………

………………………………………………………………………………………………

b) Briefly describe how turgor pressure builds up if onion epidermal cell is placed in
distilled water. (4marks)

The Maseno School Mock Committee 2018 Page 5

 ………………………………………………………………………………………………

………………………………………………………………………………………………

………………………………………………………………………………………………

………………………………………………………………………………………………

………………………………………………………………………………………………

………………………………………………………………………………………………

………………………………………………………………………………………………

………………………………………………………………………………………………

5. The set-up below was used by students to investigate respiration.

a) State the two aims of the experiment. (2marks)

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

The Maseno School Mock Committee 2018 Page 6

 b) What is the role of yeast in the experiment? (1mark)
………………………………………………………………………………………………

………………………………………………………………………………………………

c) State two reasons why it is necessary to boil the glucose solution before adding yeast.
(2mark
)
………………………………………………………………………………………………

………………………………………………………………………………………………

d) Write an equation for the reactions/processes that occurs in chambers A and B. (2marks)
A:
………………………………………………………………………………………………
B:
………………………………………………………………………………………………

e) Suggest any one modification that can be made to the set-up to make it more efficient.

(1mark)

………………………………………………………………………………………………

6. During germination and growth of a maize cereal; dry weight of endosperm, embryo and
total dry weight were determined after two day intervals. The results are shown in the table
below.
Time after Dry weight of Dry weight of Total dry weight
planting(days) endosperm(mg) embryo (mg)
0 43 2 45
2 40 2 42
4 33 7 40
6 20 17 37
8 10 25 35
10 6 33 39
a) On the same axes draw graphs of dry weight of endosperm, embryo and total dry weight
against time. (8marks)

The Maseno School Mock Committee 2018 Page 7

 b) What was the total dry weight on day 5. (1mark)

………………………………………………………………………………………………

………………………………………………………………………………………………

c) Account for;
(i) Decrease in dry weight of endosperm from day 0 to 10 (2marks)
………………………………………………………………………………………

………………………………………………………………………………………

(ii) Increase in dry weight of embryo from day 0 to 10 (2marks)

………………………………………………………………………………………

The Maseno School Mock Committee 2018 Page 8

 ………………………………………………………………………………………

………………………………………………………………………………………

(iii) Decrease in total dry weight from day 0 to 8 (2marks)

………………………………………………………………………………………

………………………………………………………………………………………

………………………………………………………………………………………

(iv) Increase in total dry weight after day 8 (1mark)

………………………………………………………………………………………

………………………………………………………………………………………

d) (i) State any one factor within a seed that may cause dormancy. (1mark)
………………………………………………………………………………………………

………………………………………………………………………………………………

(ii) State any one importance of seed dormancy (1mark)

………………………………………………………………………………………………

……………………………………………………………………………………………..

(iii) Briefly describe how vascular cambium contribute to secondary growth (2marks)
………………………………………………………………………………………………

………………………………………………………………………………………………

………………………………………………………………………………………………

7. (a) Discuss drift as an evidence of organic evolution. (10marks)

(b) Describe adaptations of wind pollinated flowers to their mode of pollination. (10marks)
8. Describe the process of water absorption in flowering plants. (20marks)
…………………………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

The Maseno School Mock Committee 2018 Page 9

 …………………………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

The Maseno School Mock Committee 2018 Page 10

 …………………………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………………..

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

The Maseno School Mock Committee 2018 Page 11

 …………………………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………………..

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………………..

The Maseno School Mock Committee 2018 Page 12