Unit 2 Biology past papers

2019 #2b

Control mechanisms involving regulators occur in plants. These control mechanisms have
commercial. With reference to the properties of ethylene, analyze its actions to bring about
desirable changes in fruits during commercial ripening (6marks)

Ethylene is a gas secreted naturally from plants to speed growth and ripening (converting starch
to simple sugars) in plants, and make its way through tiny airspaces and can affect other plants
near it. It is known to increase respiration rates promoting abscission of fruits and leaves.
Commercial use of this gas requires the breakdown of ethephon which releases ethylene. This is
used in the ripening of tomatoes, since it promotes the formation of lycopene(ripe appearance)
and it converts starch and acids to simple sugars. It can also be used to ripen fruits from storage.
Unripe fruits can be stored in an atmosphere lacking O2 and the ripeneing can be regulated using
ethane and O2.

2019 #3aiii

Explain the mechanisms by which viruses can be transmitted from an infected person to an
uninfected person by mosquitoes. (6 marks)

Mosquitoes consumed blood from humans by biting them and drawing up blood from them, the
person’s blood does not colt because the mosquitoes secrete an anticlotting agent. A Mosquito
may bite an infected person and draw blood from them in doing so they also act as host for the
virus as they now contract it. The mosquito not only acts as hosts for the viruses but also a vector
because they then go on to consume blood from an uninfected person ad in doing so the person
becomes infected with the virus. This mosquito is now infected and can transmit the virus to
anyone throughout its life span.
2018 #4a

“For a top carnivore to be numerous in an ecosystem, it ust feed at many different levels of the
food chain and not just the one beneath it.”

Discuss the veracity of this statement. (6marks)

This statement argues that in order for a top consumer in a food chain to have a large population
it must feed at various trophic levels such as primary and secondary consumers. Consuming
foods at different trophic levels as opposed to one may provide the benefit of more biomass
available which provides more energy for population growth. This is also more energy efficient
since energy is lost from one trophic level to a higher one therefore less energy is lost from the
ecosystem if the carnivores eat at lower trophic levels. However eating at many trophic levels
can disrupt a food web and may compromise the carnivores primary food source e.g. a tertiary
consumer’s main food source may be a at trophic level 3, however if they eat at trophic level 2
the consumers at trophic level will have no food and son their population will drop.

2018 #5b

The resting potential across the membrane of a resting neuron is approximately -70 mV. Explain
the role of the membrane in maintaining the resting potential (7 marks)

The resting potential is the potential difference across the cell surface membrane. At resting
potential the membrane is said to be polarized whereby the inside is negative and the outside is
positive. This is achieved by the membrane. During resting potential the membrane has the
Na+/K+ pump working this ensures 3 Na+ ions are leaving while 2K+ are entering this creates a
net charge of -1 inside the membrane. The Na+ gated protein is closed so that no positive Na
ions enter and therefore there is a negative charge inside the membrane since no positive Na+
ions can enter. The K+ gated protein is open to allow positive K ions to exit leaving the
membrane negatively charged since the positive K+ ions exit the membrane. All of the gates
function in a way to obtain a negative potential difference across the cell surface membrane
called the resting potential of -70 mV.