1 Answers to end-of-chapter questions

Multiple choice questions

1

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10 A

[1]

Structured questions
11 a i Factor which is least favourable/nearest its maximum value
Which limits the rate of reaction
If factor is increased, it would speed up the process

ii

Carbon dioxide concentration

Light intensity
Temperature
Wavelength of light
Mineral ions e.g. magnesium
Water

Any point [1]

max [2]

34 points [2]
12 points [1]

Place light at a fixed distance from plant

Plants give off O2 in photosynthesis
Bubbles of O2 from cut end of plant trapped in flared end capillary tube
Bubbles drawn into capillary tube by syringe
Length of bubble measured using scale after a fixed period of time e.g. 15
minutes
Bubble drawn into syringe so that new bubbles can be pulled into capillary tube
Repeat experiment to find average length of bubble
Repeat above steps using varying concentration of NaHCO3
Any 8 points [4]
Add 0.01 M NaHCO3 into pond water
67 points [3]
Repeat experiment above
45 points [2]
Repeat experiment with 0.02 M, 0.05 M, 0.07 M and 0.1 M NaHCO3
12points [1]

Biology Unit 2 for CAPE Examinations

Original material Cambridge University Press 2011

ii

Flatten fronds of Elodea against the central stem

Leave plant for some time to allow shoot to equilibrate to conditions before
proceeding with expt.
Cut end of plant should fit into flared end of capillary tube to collect gas
Plant should remain upright to receive maximum light
Temperature of water should be kept constant e.g. 35 C for each experiment
Ensure it is air and water tight no leakage
Ensure capillary tube is completely filled with water/no airlocks
Any 1 point [1]
Any correct answer
Max [2]

A Light intensity: as light intensity increases, rate of photosynthesis increases

B Temperature: light is not limiting because rate does not increase as light
intensity increased; rate increased when temperature increased to 30 C even though
[3]
concentration of CO2 was kept at 0.14%
ii

12

Farmers can use their knowledge of these limiting factors to increase crop growth in
greenhouses
They may use artificial light so that photosynthesis can continue beyond
daylight hours, or in a higher-than-normal light intensity more of lightdependent reaction
The use of paraffin lamps inside a greenhouse increases the rate of
photosynthesis because the burning paraffin produces carbon dioxide and heat
too. More CO2 = more fixation
An increase in temperature will ensure that enzyme-controlled reactions would
proceed at a high rate but the temperature must not exceed the optimum temperature
of the enzyme
Any 1 point [1]
Max [2]

Stroma: ATP stalk particle projects into stroma

Each correct label [1]
Thylakoid lumen: proton pumped into lumen space; high concentration of protons
Max [2]
present in lumen
Reason (each) [1]
Any correct answer
Max [2]

Biology Unit 2 for CAPE Examinations

Original material Cambridge University Press 2011

ii

Place where light-dependent reaction occurs/captures light

Found mainly in thylakoids/grana/intergranal membranes
Consists of chlorophyll a molecules and accessory pigments
Forms a light harvesting cluster and a reaction centre
Involved in excitation and transfer of electrons
Any correct answer

Any 2 points [1]

Each correct label [1]
Max [2]

See diagram in a above

iii

Drawing neat/clear [1]

Any 3 labels [1]
c

Light absorbed by antenna system of light harvesting system/complex/pigments

Wavelengths absorbed are mainly red and blue light
Light energy transferred by resonance to the primary pigment/chlorophyll a in
reaction centre
Light energy excites electrons of chlorophyll a
56 points [3]
Excited electrons boosted to a higher energy level
34 points [2]
12 points [1]
Electrons lost from chlorophyll a in reaction centre

A cytochrome

[1]

Generates ATP synthesis by chemiosmosis

Hydrogen ions pumped into lumen from stroma
Concentration builds up in thylakoid lumen
Electrochemical gradient develops/ proton motive force
H+ ions diffuse through channel in ATP stalk particle
Energy used to phosphorylate ADP +Pi to form ATP
Non-cyclic
Involves PSI and PSII
ATP, reduced NADP and oxygen formed instead of ATP alone
Electrons from photosystems used to reduce NADP
Photolysis of water occurs
Any correct answer

Biology Unit 2 for CAPE Examinations

56 points [3]
34 points [2]
12 points [1]

Point 1[1]
Any other point [1]

Original material Cambridge University Press 2011

13 a

Stroma

[1]

ii

Stage 1 Carbon dioxide fixation/carboxylation

Stage 2 Reduction
Stage 3 Protein synthesis
Stage 4 Regeneration

[1]
[1]
[1]
[1]

iii

Rubisco

[1]

iv

ATP
Reduced NADP/NADPH

[1]
[1]

For ATP (1 for each point) [2]

For NADPH [1]

No ATP and reduced NADP formed

No fixation of CO2
GP cannot be reduced to GALP
No sugars and other organic molecules can be formed
No respiration

Biology Unit 2 for CAPE Examinations

Any 4 points [1]

Max [4]

Original material Cambridge University Press 2011

Essay questions
14 a

Drawing neat and clear [1]

23 annotations [2]
1 annotation [1]
No annotation but with
3 correct labels [1]
Max [3]
ii

Drawing neat and clear [1]

23 annotations [2]
1 annotation [1]
No annotation but with
3 correct labels [1]
Max [3]
iii

Drawing neat and clear [1]

23 annotations [2]
1 annotation [1]
No annotation but with
3 correct labels [1]
Any correct answer

Biology Unit 2 for CAPE Examinations

Original material Cambridge University Press 2011

Photosynthetic pigment:
Light absorbing molecule
Located in the chloroplasts
Absorbs specific wavelengths of light
Different pigments chlorophyll a, carotenoids
Used in the light-dependent stage of photosynthesis
Primary pigment:
Primary pigments found in reaction centre of photosystem
Chlorophyll a
Absorbs wavelengths 700, 680 nm
Accessory pigment:
Found in light harvesting antennae of photosystem
Absorbs wavelengths of light not absorbed by chlorophyll a
Carotenoids, chlorophyll b

15 a

Any 1 point for pigment [1]

Max [2]

Any 1 point from primary [1]

Any point accessory [1]

Photons of light collected by light-harvesting system. These light harvesting

systems form two photosystems, PSI and PSII
Light energy collected by pigments are passed along the pigment molecules to the
reaction centre by resonance transfer
Light energy excites electrons in the reaction centre and these electrons pass to a
higher energy level
Electrons are lost from the chlorophyll a in the reaction centre and the chlorophyll
a molecule is oxidised
Electrons flowing through the electron transport chains have two possible routes:
non-cyclic and cyclic photophosphorylation
Non-cyclic photophosphorylation
Process begins in PSII (P680)
Electrons from P680 pass along an electron transport chain (ETC)
consisting of plastoquinone (PQ), complex of two cytochromes and some
other proteins
These electrons end up in P700 (PSI)
Electron flow is exergonic and provides energy to pump protons from the
stroma across the thylakoid membrane into the thylakoid space
A proton /H+ gradient is set up
Proton motive force occurs
Electrons flow through ATP stalk particles down a gradient
Formation of ATP with the use of ATP synthase chemiosmotic generation
Since chlorophyll a in PSII is still oxidised, the electron hole must be filled
for further reactions to occur
Reference to photolysis of water
Cyclic photophosphorylation:
Used only for production of ATP
Electrons originate in PSI
Electrons flow from the primary electron acceptor to ETC to P700
ATP synthesis by chemiosmosis
Any 7 points well
explained [7]

Biology Unit 2 for CAPE Examinations

Original material Cambridge University Press 2011

Main points:

Occurs in the stroma

A series of enzyme catalysed reactions/temperature sensitive
Does not depend directly on light but, instead, on the products of the light reactions: ATP
and NADPH

Steps 15: carbon dioxide fixation/ carboxylation

1. CO2 fixed by RuBP, carbon dioxide acceptor. This molecule is a 5C sugar
2. Carboxylation/fixation
3. Enzyme is rubisco
4. Unstable 6C intermediates
5. Forms 2 molecules of GP (3C), an acid COOH
Steps 68: reduction of GP
6. Forms TP/GALP/PGAL, an aldehyde (CHO) by reduction
7. Using ATP which provides energy and reduced NADP from the light reaction to remove
oxygen from acid group (COOH) of GP to form an aldehyde (CHO), TP
8. Oxidised NADP and ADP and inorganic phosphate diffuse back (by facilitated diffusion)
into the grana for reformation in the light-dependent stage
Steps 911: regeneration of RuBP
9. Most of TP used to regenerate RuBP
10 molecules of TP = 10 x 3C = 30 carbon atoms
10. Rearrangement of carbon to form pentose sugars (30 carbon atoms form 6 RuMP ribulose
monophosphate)
11. ATP required for the phosphorylation of RuMP to RuBP by adding a phosphate group to
RuMP
Steps 12: product synthesis
TP used in product synthesis to form lipids, amino acids, hexose sugars,
starches, DNA, RNA, nucleic acids, chlorophyll etc. The hexose sugars/
glucose may be respired immediately or stored as starch until required
16 a

Any 7 points well

explained [8]

Synthesis of complex organic material using carbon dioxide and water, and light
energy (from sunlight) captured by light-absorbing pigments, such as chlorophyll and
other accessory pigments
Well explained [2]

ii

Photosynthesis has two main stages light-dependent and light-independent

Photolysis of water not shown
ATP and reduced NADP not shown
Reactions of the Calvin Cycle not shown
Any correct answer
Any 4 points [4]

Biology Unit 2 for CAPE Examinations

Original material Cambridge University Press 2011

ii

Any 3 points [3]

Water is split, providing electrons to replace those lost from chlorophyll a in PSII
Water is split into H+ + OHHydroxyl ions provide electrons to stabilise chlorophyll a in PSII
4 OH- 4e- = 2H2O + O2
The two protons, H+ are used to reduce NADP
Oxygen is a by-product
Any 3 points [3]

Used in light harvesting in photosynthesis

Photons of light collected by light harvesting system. These light harvesting
systems form two photosystems, PSI and PSII
PSI is located in the intergranal membrane and PSII in the grana
Each photosystem consists of a reaction centre containing chlorophyll a and a
region of several hundred antenna/accessory pigments molecules that funnel
energy into chlorophyll a
Accessory pigments/carotenoids surround the reaction centre and absorb
wavelengths of light not absorbed by the primary pigments/chlorophyll a.
They transfer energy to the primary pigments
Two photosystems can raise the electrons to a higher energy level for
reduction of NADP+ to NADPH + H+
Light energy collected by pigments are passed along the pigment molecules to
the reaction centre by resonance transfer
Light energy excites electrons in the reaction centre and these electrons pass to
a higher energy level
67 points [3]
Electrons accepted by primary electron acceptor
45 points [2]
Then passes to electron carriers
12 points [1]

iii

Source of energy
Excites electrons of chlorophyll a in reaction centre
For the phosphorylation of ATP
And production of reduced NADP

Biology Unit 2 for CAPE Examinations

Original material Cambridge University Press 2011