Maris Stella High School Name: ___________________

GCE O Level Science Biology Class (Index No.): Sec 4__ ( )

GEP LESSON 1 Date: ________________

COOrdination & Response: EYE

1. The figure below shows a section of the eye of a boy who is viewing a distant tree.

a) On the figure, clearly label

i) by means of the letter X, the region when stimulated by light, results in no nerve
impulses being transmitted by L;
ii) by means of the letter Y, the region of clearest vision. [2]

b) What is the function of structure A? [1]

c) Explain the statement “Structure B has a protective function”. [2]

d) i) On the figure below, complete the diagram to show the appearance of the lens when the
boy is checking the time on his watch. [1]
ii) Describe how the appearance of the lens in (di) is brought about. [2]

2. A student with one eye covered, used her other eye to look at the following objects
within a period of eight seconds.

A A stationary object nearby

B A stationary object far away
C An object moving towards her
D An object moving away from her

An instrument was used to measure the curvature of her lens. The graph below shows
the changes in lens curvature during the eight seconds of the test.

Maximum curvature

Increase
in curvature

Minimum curvature

0 2 4 6 8
Time (seconds)
a. Using the letters A, B, C and
D to indicate which objects she was looking at during the following periods. [2]

Periods Objects
(A, B,C or D)
0 – 2 seconds
2 – 4 seconds
4 – 6 seconds
6 – 8 seconds
b. Describe the changes that take place inside the student’s eye at time 6s. [3]

3 Fig. 3.1 shows a human eye in longitudinal section.

Fig. 3.1

2(a) Identify and label, on Fig. 3.1, the structures in the human eye that
(i) respond to bright light,
(ii) is affected if a person is colour-blind, and
(iii) changes shape to focus on near and distant objects [3]

2(b) Explain the similarities between a pupil reflex action and a knee jerk reaction. [4]

GEP LESSON 1: EYE answers

1ai. X= Blind Spot [1]
ii. Y= yellow spot/fovea centralis [1]
b. allow light to enter [1] (reject “control amount of light to enter”)
c. decrease in pupil size [1]; to prevent retina damage due to strong light intensity [1] or
radial muscles relax, circular muscles contract, pupil constricts/becomes smaller [1]
di. lens become thicker/more convex [1]
ii. ciliary muscles contract [1]; suspensory ligaments slacken [1]; lens become thicker and
more convex.

2a. 0.5 mark each. Total: 2 marks

Periods Objects
(A, B,C or D)
0 – 2 seconds B
2 – 4 seconds C
4 – 6 seconds D
6 – 8 seconds A
2b. Impulses are sent to the ciliary muscle which contracts, causing the suspensory
ligaments to slacken; This releases the pull on the elastic lens and causes it to become
thicker and more convex; The diverging rays from a near object is focused clearly onto
the retina;

(iii) lens/ cornea,

3 (a) conjunctiva
(ii) retina/ fovea

(i) iris

Fig. 3.1
The following explanation is not necessary for answering this question. It is written to help you
understand.
(i) Iris responds to bright light. Pupil will constrict, This is caused by the contraction of the
circular muscles and relaxation of the radial muscles in the iris.
(ii) The cone cells (one of the photoreceptors on the retina) is for colour vision. These cone
cells are mainly distributed in the fovea.
(iii) The lens changes its convexity and thickness when focusing on distant and near objects.

2(b) Both reflexes are involuntary because they do not involve conscious decision by the brain; (the
reflex centre for the pupil reflex is the optic centre in the brain, and the spinal reflex is the spinal
cord.) [1]
Both reflexes are initiated by sensory receptors /organs: (pupil reflex is the retina; spinal reflex is
the stretch receptor at the upper thigh.) [1]
Both reflexes are fast acting/immediate as the distance traveled by the impulses from the
sensory organ to the reflex centre and back to the effector is short; [1]
Both reflexes are innate, no prior experience is needed to shape the response; and The
response for both reflexes is always the same as it involves the same reflex arc and the same
effector organs; [1]