Name _________________________________ Period ____________

HL Test 2013: Cells (Topics 2.1 to 2.4)

Section A: Multiple Choice questions 26K 14U

1. What is the ratio of the relative size of a eukaryotic cell, a virus and a prokaryotic cell? (1K) D

2. Cells in the placenta take in droplets of fluid from maternal blood. Vesicles containing fluid are formed during this
process. The vesicles are visible in the placental cells. What is the name of the transport mechanism involved? (1K)

A. Pinocytosis
B. Exocytosis
C. Phagocytosis
D. Carrier-assisted transport

3. Which structure is only found in plant cells? (1K)

A. Mitochondrion
B. Cell membrane
C. Chloroplast
D. Golgi apparatus

4. Which of these functions are carried out by the plant cell wall? (1K)

I. Providing support to the cell and to the plant

II. Controlling the diffusion of solutes into and out of the cell
III. Active transport of mineral nutrients into the cell

A. I only
B. I and II only
C. II and III only
D. I, II and III
5. Which cellular structure(s) is (are) found in both a plant cell and an animal cell? (1K)

I. Cell wall
II. Chloroplast
III. Mitochondrion

A. I only
B. I and II only
C. I and III only
D. III only

6. The DNA of eukaryotic cells (1K)

A linear but not contained in the nucleus

B linear and contained in the nucleus
C circular but not contained in the nucleus
D circular and contained in the nucleus

7. Which statement best describes active transport? (1K)

A uses ATP and moves substances against a concentration gradient

B makes ATP and moves substances down a concentration gradient
C uses ATP and moves substances down a concentration gradient
D makes ATP and moves substances against a concentration gradient

Section B: Short answer questions

8. Explain the importance of the surface area to volume ratio in limiting cell size.
(2U)

rate of transport of materials across membrane;

energy / heat is a function of surface area;
rate of metabolism is a function of mass to volume ratio;
as size increases the ratio between SA and volume decreases;
causing problems in transport / rate of exchange;

9. Draw and label a diagram of the ultra structure of a liver cell as an example of an animal cell
(4K)
Award [1] for each of the following structures clearly drawn and labelled
correctly. Award marks for labelled eukaryotic structures, then deduct [1] per
labelled prokaryotic structure shown e.g. mesosome, cell wall.
nuclear membrane / nucleus (with nuclear membrane shown double with pores);
ribosomes (free or attached to ER);
endoplasmic reticulum / ER;
plasma / cell membrane (reject if shown as double line);
mitochondria (shown with inner and outer membrane);
Golgi (apparatus);
lysosomes;
2
10. The drawing below shows the structure of a virus.

Use the scale bar to calculate the maximum diameter of the virus. Show your working.
(2U)

(5 cm x 10 nm)/1cm

52 nm (±5 nm); (units required) or 0.052 μm

11. The diagram below represents the structure of part of the cell surface membrane.

B Hydrophilic
region

O u ts id e o f c e ll
C
A

In s id e o f c e ll

(a) Name the molecules labelled A, B and C.

(3K)

A cholesterol

B integral protein
3
 C glycoprotein

(b) Describe one function of part C.

(2K)

act as a marker / antigen / recognition site ;

other molecules combine with it / detecting similar / non-self cells ;
OR
reference to receptor / binding site ;
other (specific) molecules / named e.g. / combine with it ;

(c) Indicate on the diagram a hydrophilic region.

(1K)

4
Data question
12. The process of protein synthesis and the subsequent secretion of products by a cell can be investigated
by following the movement of a radioactive substance.

In one such experiment, small pieces of pancreas tissue were incubated in a medium containing the
amino acid leucine. This amino acid contained radioactive carbon, 14C. The pieces of tissue were then
transferred to a medium in which the radioactive leucine had been replaced with a large excess of
normal (non-radioactive) leucine. They were incubated for 120 minutes and the route taken by the
radioactive amino acids was followed.

The graph below shows the changes in the radioactivity in the rough endoplasmic reticulum and the
secretory vesicles, expressed as a percentage.

100

90

80
S e c re to ry
70 v e s ic le s

60
R a d io a c tiv ity (% )

50

40

30 R o u g h e n d o p la s m ic
re tic u lu m
20

10

0
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110 120
I n c u b a tio n tim e /m in

(a) Compare the distribution of radioactivity in the rough endoplasmic reticulum with that in the
secretory vesicles during the experiment.
(3U)
Increases in secretory vesicles and decrease in RER
RER dec levels off after 60 mins secretory vesicles continue to rise/did not inc til 20 mins
RER dec more than secretory vesicles inc
Low vs high at the beginning/vice versa at end

(c) Calculate the rate of increase in radioactivity in the secretory vesicles between 60 and 100 minutes.
Show your working.
(2U)

5
 50-35 % /100-60 mins

0.38%min-1 unit required

(d) After an incubation time of 20 minutes, most of the radioactivity was found in the Golgi apparatus.
Radioactivity associated with the Golgi apparatus then steadily decreased. Suggest an explanation for
these observations.
(2U)

Proteins move to Golgi

for processing
enclosed in vesicles
Then released by exocytosis

(e) Describe the process by which enzymes are secreted by the pancreatic cells.

(2K)
Exocytosis;
Vesicles move to cell membrane;
Vesicle fuses with cell membrane;
Contents released outside cell;

(f) Some of the enzymes synthesised by the pancreatic cells appear in lysosomes, rather than in the
secretory vesicles.

Describe the functions of lysosomes.

(2K)
Digest material brought into cell
Digest worn out organelles
Self destruction of whole cell when they burst.

Extended Response Question

13. Discuss possible exceptions to the cell theory. (3U)

skeletal muscle fibres are larger / have many nuclei / are not typical cells;
fungal hyphae are (sometimes) not divided up into individual cells;
unicellular organisms can be considered acellular;
because they are larger than a typical cell / carry out all life functions;
some tissues / organs contain large amounts of extracellular material;
e.g. vitreous humour of eye / mineral deposits in bone / xylem in trees / other example;
statement of cell theory / all living things/most tissues are composed entirely of true
cells;

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9. Describe passive transport across a biological membrane.
(5K)
passive transport requires no energy;
molecules move down a concentration gradient;
water moves by osmosis;
from lower solute concentration to higher solute concentration / high water concentration to low water;
small uncharged molecules move by diffusion;
between phospholipid molecules;
charged molecules move by facilitated diffusion;
requires a protein channel;