Unit 03

Transport

Assignment 03
In this assignment, you will answer exam-style
questions which will test your knowledge and
understanding of the specification content
covered in Unit 3, Exchange.

How does the assignment

meet the course
assessment criteria (AO)?
The questions provided in this assignment will assess the
following three assessment objectives (AOs):
AO1: Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of scientific ideas,
processes, techniques, and procedures

AO2: Apply knowledge and understanding of scientific ideas, processes,

techniques, and procedures:

in a theoretical context

in a practical context

when handling qualitative data

when handling quantitative data

AO3: Analyse, interpret, and evaluate scientific information, ideas,

and evidence, including in relation to issues, to:

make judgements and reach conclusions

develop and refine practical design and procedures

How is my work marked?

Your tutor will:
Assess how well that you have answered each question
and how detailed your response has been

Assess the appropriateness of your response

Provide feedback and ideas on how you may improve

your response in order to maximise your marks
Assessment
Activity
What you have to do
You should complete all the questions.

Questions
Q1 Surface are to volume ratio is an important property in
understanding how an organism exchanges substances with
its surroundings.

a) Explain what surface area is [2]

b) Explain the importance of surface area to volume ratio [2]

in exchange in organisms

c) A cell measures 17.5µm in diameter, calculate its

i) Volume [2]

ii) Surface area [2]

iii) Surface area : volume ratio [2]

d) A beaver has a relative surface area of 15 and a relative volume

of 3 while a wildebeest has a relative surface area of 1104 and
a volume of 2007.

i) for both the beaver and the wildebeest, calculate the surface [4]
area to volume ratios

ii) In light of your answer to i) explain which of these animals [4]

has the most favourable surface area to volume ratio and why.

Total for question one: 18 marks

Q2 As the size of an organism increases simple diffusion
becomes less and less sufficient in supplying the animal’s
cells with the oxygen and nutrients they need to survive.

a) The blue whale is the largest of all extant mammals on earth. [6]
Explain how it is adapted to allow the delivery of oxygen to
all the cells of its enormous body.

b) The alveoli in mammalian lungs are only a single cell

thick art their surface, as are the capillaries that cluster
around them.

i) Explain why this is crucial for effective gas exchange [2]

in the lungs

ii) Explain why it is beneficial that the lumen of the [2]

capillaries is, in places, as thin as the red blood cells
that flow through it

c) Explain how the metabolic rate of an organism compares to

i) Its size [2]

ii) its surface area to volume ratio [2]

Total for question two: 14 marks

Q3 Simple, single celled organisms can obtain the gases and
substances they need and remove waste purely by simple
diffusion through their cell membranes.

a) Explain why this is not sufficient for larger [2]

multi-cellular organisms

b) Compare and contrast the gas exchange systems employed [6]

by fish and insects

c)
The diagram below shows the anatomy of a domestic dog

i) Identify the parts labelled A, B and C [3]

ii) Draw a simple, labelled diagrams of the mammalian lungs, [3]

that shows the location of the trachea, bronchi, bronchioles,
and alveoli.

Total for question three: 16 marks

Q4 Plants need oxygen from the air to carry out photosynthesis,
but they also need water, which is easily lost in high
temperatures or windy conditions.

a) Explain how the leaves of plants are designed to allow the [4]
exchange of gases. Use labelled diagrams

b)
Explain how this design allows water to be lost [4]

c)
Outline TWO adaptations that desert plants might possess to [4]
combat the loss of water and conserve water in times of drought

Total for question four: 12 marks

Q5 The human lungs are designed to maximise surface area and
make gas exchange as efficient as possible.

a) Explain the two stages of breathing, exhalation, and inhalation, [6]

paying close attention to the muscles involved

b) The diagram below shows an alveolus of the lungs alongside

an exchange capillary

From
pulmonary
artery

Alveoli

To pulmonary
vein

CO2
out

O2 in Capillary
vein

Red cell

Endothelial cell

i) Summarise the adaptations of both the alveolus and the [6]

capillary in making gas exchange in to and out of the
bloodstream extremely efficient.

Total for question five: 12 marks

Q6 The diagram below shows the organs of the digestive system

a) On the diagram identify: [7]

i) The oesophagus

ii) The small intestine

iii) The large intestine

iv) The rectum

v) The liver

vi) The gall bladder

vii) The pancreas

 b) Compare and contrast mechanical digestive processes [4]
with chemical digestive processes

c)
Large biological molecules are broken down in chemical [2]
digestion to smaller units. The main chemical reaction
responsible for this is hydrolysis. Explain a general hydrolysis
reaction, use a general formula

Total for question six: 13 marks

Q7 Different enzymes are responsible for catalysing the hydrolysis

of different molecules and food group.

a) Identify the target molecules of the following groups of enzymes: [3]

i) Lipases

ii) Proteases

iii) Carbohydrases

b) Explain the breakdown of the complex carbohydrate starch, [6]

from its ingestion in the mouth, right through to the ileum.

c) Describe the specific roles of endopeptidases [4]

and exopeptidases

Total for question seven: 13 marks

Q8 The diagram below shows a haemoglobin molecule.
Haemoglobin
β Chain

Fe2+

α Chain Heme

a) Describe the four levels of protein structure in haemoglobins [4]

b) Explain how haemoglobin can bind to oxygen, including how [4]

many oxygen molecules each haemoglobin can carry

c) Explain how haemoglobin can both have high affinity for oxygen [4]
in the lungs, but also low affinity for oxygen in target tissue cells

d) Different organisms have different haemoglobins with different

affinities for oxygen.

i) Explain why an intertidal lugworm would have haemoglobin [4]

with a much higher affinity for oxygen than a mouse

Total for question eight: 16 marks

 Q9 The diagram below shows the human cardiovascular system.

a)
At the centre of this system is its muscular pump, the heart

i) Identify the FOUR heart chambers outlining each of their roles [4]

ii) Explain the reason for the different thickness of muscle on [4]
the two sides of the heart

b) The diagram below shows the external and internal structure

of the human heart

Y
 i) Identify and describe the roles of the valves labelled X, Y and Z [6]

ii) What are the arteries labelled A, and what is their purpose? [2]

iii) Explain how heart attack can result from the blockage of A [2]

Total for question nine: 18 marks

Q4 Plants possess specialist vascular tissues that are crucial in

transporting substances to all parts of the plant. The drawing
below represents a small, magnified cross section of a
plant stem.

a)
Identify the vascular tissue in this diagram and describe [4]
their different role

b) Explain how transpiration pulls water up through the roots, [4]

all the way to the leaves to be used in photosynthesis
 c)
Describe how the mass flow theory explains the movement [4]
of substances around a plant

d) At any given time, there is more sucrose in the leaves of [2]

plant than there are in the roots, a sink for sucrose.
Explain how this provides evidence for mass flow theory

e) Ringing experiments can be used to demonstrate how

food produced by photosynthesis is transported through
a plant

i) Outline the basic steps of a ringing experiment [4]

ii) What observations would we expect to make that [2]

support the idea of mass flow?

Total for question ten: 20 marks

Total: 152 marks

END OF ASSIGNMENT

Submitting your assignment

On completion of your work, you will need to submit your
work to your tutor using the Learning Management System.
From here you will receive feedback from your tutor and
any suggestions on how to make further progress.