Answers to Coursebo0k questions
Unit 1 Plants and humans
as organisms
Topic 1.1 Plant organs
1 The dark green areas show dense forest, and the
light green areas show other types of vegetation,
such as grassland. This is worth discussion, as
obviously small areas of dense forest will not show up
at this scale.
2 The brown areas represent dry places – deserts and
semideserts. Few plants grow here because there is
not enough water.
3 a, b The answers will depend on where the student
lives. It’s important to realise that the map
cannot show vegetation at the kind of scale
with which a student is familiar. A city in a
part of the world shown as brown or dark
green on the map may have very different local
vegetation.
4 The two reasons given in the text are (1) that plants
provide food for animals and (2) that they provide
oxygen. Students may also think of other ideas, such
as plants providing shelter for animals.
5 Branching roots make more contact with the soil.
They have a large amount of surface. This helps
them to grip the soil firmly, and to absorb water over
a bigger area.
6 This gives them a large area to absorb energy from
sunlight. Being thin allows the sunlight to get right
inside the leaf (which is where food is made).
Topic 1.2 Human organ systems
1 mouth, stomach, small intestine, large intestine
(colon), rectum. (Note that the food does not pass
through the pancreas or liver.)
2 It passes out through the anus, as faeces.
3 Nerves pass signals between the brain and spinal
cord, and other body organs.
4 Cells need oxygen for respiration. This is how they
obtain their energy.
5 The lungs allow oxygen from the air to enter the
blood, and carbon dioxide from the blood to pass out
into the air.
Topic 1.3 The human skeleton
1 support, protection and movement
2 In both the arms and the legs, there is a single bone
at the top (in the thigh and upper arm) and two
bones below (in the forearm and the lower leg). The
wrist bones and the ankle bones are similar. The
hand bones and foot bones are similar. There are
small bones (phalanges) in the fingers and the toes.
Copyright Cambridge University Press 2012
3 24 (12 on each side)
4 The cranium protects the brain. The ribs and
sternum protect the lungs and heart.
5 In general, the X-ray photograph does show that
the bones in the mink are equivalent to those in the
human skeleton, though students should also point
out that the bones are not the same shape or size as
in a human. Students may give particular examples.
Not all of the bones can be clearly seen in the X-ray,
and students should point out they therefore cannot
be certain that all of the bones are the same.
Activity 1.3 Do long bones break more
easily than short bones?
A1 The most important factors (variables) that were kept
the same, or should have been kept the same, were:
• the material the straw was made from
• the diameter of the straw
• the length of the straw that was pushed over the
head of the nail or screw
• the force with which the other end of the straw was
pushed to support it
• the angle at which the forcemeter was pulled
upwards
• the point at which the force was applied to the straw
(it should be halfway along each time).
A2 This will depend on the results obtained by the
student. It is likely that they will find that a larger
force is needed to bend a shorter straw.
Topic 1.4 Joints
1 In the cranium (part of the skull). This helps to make
the cranium strong, so it can protect the brain.
2 the scapula (socket) and humerus (ball)
3 the humerus and ulna
4 Friction between the bones would make it difficult to
move them. More force would be needed. The ends
of bones would be damaged. It would be painful.
5 Cartilage covers the ends of the bones. It is there to
reduce friction, as it is very smooth and slippery.
6 Synovial fluid lubricates the joint, reducing friction.
7 The joint capsule (made mostly of ligaments) helps to
hold the bones together.
Activity 1.4 Which kind of joint?
a Finger joints are hinge joints.
b The knee joint is a hinge joint.
c A toe joint is a hinge joint.
d The hip joint is a ball-and-socket joint.
Cambridge Checkpoint Science 7 1
 Answers to Coursebo0k questions: Unit 1

Topic 1.5 Muscles 1.2 a digestive system [1]

1 scapula and radius b A stomach B small intestine C liver [3]
2 scapula, humerus and ulna c breaking down food into small particles that
can be absorbed [1]
3 The biceps has two tendons attaching its upper end
to bones. The triceps has three. 1.3 a the length of each stem
the weights hung on each stem [2]
4 The triceps will get shorter. It will pull the ulna
towards the scapula. The arm will get straighter. b P 5.0 cm Q 7.0 cm R 3.8 cm [3]
5 The tendons must transmit the force of the c
Plant Distance of tip of stem from the top
contracting muscles to the bones. If the tendons of the card / cm
stretched, the bones would not move.
P 5.0
6 The biceps muscle cannot make itself get longer. It
Q 7.0
cannot push the radius downwards.
R 3.8

Topic 1.6 Studying the human body
1 -ist
2 An anatomist studies the structure of the body. A
physiologist studies how the body works.
3 A sports physiologist can help a sportsperson to
prepare their body to be able to do as well as it
possibly can in their chosen sport. They can advise
on the best diet to eat – which foods, how much of
them, and when to eat them. They can advise on the
best training programme to help the heart, lungs and
muscles to become as effective as possible.
correct heading of first column [1]
correct unit in second column –
allow cm or mm [1]
all three readings correct – note that there
should not be a unit with any of them (for
example, 5.0 cm is wrong), and that the
measurements should match the unit in the
column heading (for example, if this is mm,
then the reading for P should be 50) [1]
d Plant P has stems that bend less than Plant Q. [1]

End of unit questions

1.1 Roots, leaves, stems and flowers are organs found
in plants. Roots absorb water and help to hold the
plant in the ground.
Leaves are where the plant makes its food. Flowers
are for reproduction. The stem holds the leaves
and flowers above the ground. [6]

Copyright Cambridge University Press 2012 Cambridge Checkpoint Science 7 2