Q1.

The diagram outlines the digestion and absorption of lipids.

(a) Tick (✔) the box by the name of the process by which fatty acids and glycerol enter
the intestinal epithelial cell.

Active transport

Diffusion

Endocytosis

Osmosis

(1)

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 (b) Explain the advantages of lipid droplet and micelle formation.

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(3)

(c) Name structure Q in the diagram above and suggest how it is involved in the
absorption of lipids.

Name _____________________________________________________________

How it is involved ____________________________________________________

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(4)
(Total 8 marks)

Q2.
The figure below shows a test that has been developed to find out if a person has
antibodies to the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) antigen.

HIV antigens are attached

Step 1
to a test well in a dish.

Step 2 A sample of blood plasma

is added to the well.
If HIV antibodies are

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 present, they bind to the
HIV antigen.

The well is washed.

A second antibody with an
enzyme attached is then
Step 3
added.
This binds specifically to
the HIV antibody.

The well is washed again.

A yellow solution is added,
which changes to blue if
Step 4 the enzyme is present. A
blue colour shows that the
person has HIV
antibodies.

(a) This test only detects the presence of HIV antibodies. Give two reasons why it
cannot be used to find out if a person has AIDS.

1. _________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

2. _________________________________________________________________

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(2)

(b) The solution will remain yellow if a person is not infected with HIV. Explain why.

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(2)

(c) A mother who was infected with HIV gave birth to a baby. The baby tested positive

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 using this test. This does not prove the baby is infected with HIV.
Explain why.

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(2)

(d) A control well is set up every time this test is used. This is treated in exactly the
same way as the test wells, except that blood plasma is replaced by a salt solution.

Use information from the figure above to suggest two purposes of the control well.

1. _________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

2. _________________________________________________________________

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(2)
(Total 8 marks)

Q3.
The figure below shows some cells from an onion root tip at different stages of the cell
cycle.

© Ed Reschke/Oxford Scientific/Getty Images

(a) Place stages A to E in the correct order. Start with stage D.

D
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(1)

To obtain these images, the onion root tip was cut off, stained and put on a microscope

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slide. A cover slip was placed on top. The root tip was then firmly squashed and viewed
under an optical microscope.

(b) Complete the table below to give one reason why each of these steps was
necessary.

Step Reason

Taking cells from the root tip

Firmly squashing the root tip

(2)

The figure below shows how the amount of DNA per cell changed during interphase and
meiosis in an animal.

(c) Explain how the behaviour of chromosomes causes these changes in the amount of
DNA per cell between F and G.

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 (Extra space) _______________________________________________________

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(3)

(d) What would happen to the amount of DNA per cell at fertilisation of cell G?

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(1)
(Total 7 marks)

Q4.
A scientist investigated the uptake of sodium ions by animal tissue.
To do this, he:

• used two flasks, F and G

• put equal masses of animal tissue into each flask
• added equal volumes of a solution containing sodium ions to each flask
• added to flask F a solution of a substance that prevents the formation of ATP by
cells
• measured the concentration of sodium ions remaining in the solution in each flask.

The graph below shows his results.

Time / minutes

(a) Calculate the rate of uptake of sodium ions by the tissue in flask G during the first 20
minutes of this investigation.

Answer = ____________________ arbitrary units per minute

(1)

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 (b) The scientist concluded that the cells in flask G took up sodium ions by active
transport. Explain how the information given supports this conclusion.

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(Extra space) _______________________________________________________

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(4)

(c) The curve for flask F levelled off after 20 minutes. Explain why.

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(2)
(Total 7 marks)

Q5.
(a) Describe how you would use cell fractionation techniques to obtain a sample of
chloroplasts from leaf tissue. Do not include in your answer information about any
solutions.

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 ___________________________________________________________________

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(3)

(b) The table shows features of a mitochondrion and a chloroplast. Complete the table
with ticks where a feature is present.

Feature Mitochondrion Chloroplast

Double outer
membrane

Starch grains

Diffusion of oxygen into

the organelle
(3)

(c) Give the function of a mitochondrion.

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(1)

(d) Scientists investigated the effect of an exercise programme on the number and size
of mitochondria in skeletal muscle. They took samples of muscle from a large
number of volunteers before and after the exercise programme. From each sample,
they cut thin sections and used these to determine the mean number of
mitochondria per μm2 and the mean area of inner mitochondrial membranes.

Their results are shown in Graph 1 and Graph 2.

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 What do the data in Graph 1 and Graph 2 suggest about the effect of the exercise
programme on mitochondria?

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(2)
(Total 9 marks)

Q6.
(a) Cells lining the ileum of mammals absorb the monosaccharide glucose by co-
transport with sodium ions. Explain how.

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 ___________________________________________________________________

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(3)

A student set up the experiment shown in the diagram below.

The material from which Visking tubing is made is partially permeable.

After 15 minutes, the student removed samples from the liquid in the beaker and from the
liquid inside the Visking tubing. She carried out biochemical tests on these samples. She
drew the table below to record her results.

(b) Complete the table by placing a tick (✔) in each box that you expect to have shown
a positive result.

Liquid from Liquid inside

Biochemical test
beaker Visking tubing

Biuret reagent

Iodine in potassium
iodide

Benedict’s solution

(3)

(c) Justify your answers to part (b).

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___________________________________________________________________
(3)
(Total 9 marks)

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Mark schemes

Q1.
(a) Diffusion
Automarker
1

(b) 1. Droplets increase surface areas (for lipase / enzyme

action);
2. (So) faster hydrolysis / digestion (of triglycerides /
lipids);
3. Micelles carry fatty acids and glycerol /
monoglycerides to / through membrane / to (intestinal
epithelial) cell;
1. Context is important
1. Reject micelles increase surface area
2. Ignore ‘breakdown’
3. Ignore ‘small enough’
3. Accept description of membrane
3. Reject any movement through membrane proteins
3

(c) 1. Golgi (apparatus);

2. Modifies / processes triglycerides;
3. Combines triglycerides with proteins;
4. Packaged for release / exocytosis
OR
Forms vesicles;
Ignore ‘processes and packages’ unqualified
2. Reject synthesises triglycerides
3. Accept ‘forms / are lipoproteins’
4
[8]

Q2.
(a) (To diagnose AIDS, need to look for / at)
1. (AIDS-related) symptoms;
2. Number of helper T cells.
Neutral: ‘only detects HIV antibodies’ as given in the
question stem
2

(b) 1. HIV antibody is not present;

Accept HIV antibodies will not bind (to antigen)

2. (So) second antibody / enzyme will not bind / is not present.

2

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 (c) 1. Children receive (HIV) antibodies from their mothers / maternal
antibodies;
2. (So) solution will always turn blue / will always test positive (before 18
months).
Allow 1 mark for the suggestion that the child does not
produce antibodies yet so test may be negative
2

(d) (Shows that)

1. Only the enzyme / nothing else is causing a colour change;
2. Washing is effective / all unbound antibody is washed away.
2
[8]

Q3.
(a) (D)CBEA.
1

(b)
Step Reason

Region where
(Taking cells
mitosis / cell
from the root
division
tip)
occurs;

To allow light
(Firmly
through /
squashing
make tissue layer
the root tip)
thin;
2

(c) (Increase)
1. Chromosomes / DNA replicates;
(First decrease)

2. Homologous chromosomes separate;

(Second decrease)

3. Sister chromatids separate.

3

(d) 1. (DNA would) double / go to 2 (arbitrary units).

1
[7]

Q4.
(a) 0.22;
1

(b) 1. Uptake in flask G much greater than in flask F;

2. Showing use of ATP in flask G;

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 3. Sodium ion concentration in flask G falls to zero;
4. Showing uptake against a concentration gradient.
4

(c) 1. (Uptake of sodium ions occurring by) facilitated diffusion;

2. Equilibrium reached / sodium ion concentrations in solution and in cells
the same.
2
[7]

Q5.
(a) 1. Macerate / homogenise / blend / break tissues / cells (in solution);
2. Centrifuge;
3. At different / increasing speeds until chloroplast fraction obtained;
1. Accept any suitable method to break tissues / cells /
release organelles
2. and 3. Allow ‘perform differential centrifugation until
chloroplasts obtained.’ for 2 marks
3

(b)
Feature Mitochondrion Chloroplast

Double outer
✔ ✔
membrane

Starch grains ✔

Diffusion of
oxygen into the ✔
organelle
1 mark for each correct row
Crosses = blank space
3

(c) The site of aerobic respiration (reactions)

OR
ATP is made / ADP is phosphorylated;
Reject ‘energy is produced’
1

(d) 1. Training made no difference to number (of mitochondria per μm2);

2. Training led to an increase in the area (of inner mitochondrial
membrane);
1. Accept Graph 1 as mean number of mitochondria per
μm 2
2. Accept Graph 2 as area of inner mitochondrial membrane
2
[9]

Q6.

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(a) 1. Sodium ions actively transported from ileum cell to blood;

2. Maintains / forms diffusion gradient for sodium to enter cells from gut (and with
it, glucose);

3. Glucose enters by facilitated diffusion with sodium ions;

3

(b)

Biochemical Liquid from Liquid inside

test beaker Visking tubing

Biuret reagent ✔

I2/KI ✔ or blank

Benedict’s ✔ ✔

1 mark for each correct row

3

(c) 1. Biuret: protein molecules too large to pass through tubing;

Neutral: enzyme molecules

2. Iodine in potassium iodide solution: starch molecules too large to pass through
tubing;
If no tick in 04.2, allow no starch hydrolysed

3. Benedict’s: starch hydrolysed to maltose, which is able to pass through tubing.

Reject: glucose
3
[9]

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