Practice paper 1

Biology

01 Figure 1 shows some celery stalks.

Figure 1

A student investigated the effect of different salt solutions on celery stalks. They placed celery stalks
into different concentrations of salt solution. Depending on the concentration of salt solution, there
was a different change in mass.
Table 1 shows the results.
Table 1
Concentration of
Starting mass of Final mass of celery Change of mass of
salt solution in
celery stalk in g stalk in g celery stalk in g
mol/dm3
0.0 1.40 1.60 0.20
0.1 1.42 1.56 0.14
0.2 1.39 1.45
0.3 1.36 1.28 – 0.08
0.4 1.44 1.28 – 0.16

01.1 Describe an investigation method the student could use to get the results in Table 1.
Include the following in your answer:
• independent, dependent, and control variables
• apparatus used. [4 marks]
________________________________________________________________________________
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01.2 Calculate the change of mass for the 0.2 mol/dm3 concentration of salt solution in Table 1.
[1 mark]

Change of mass =______________g

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 Practice paper 1
Biology

01.3 Explain the reasons for the change of mass observed for the 0.0 and 0.4 mol/dm 3 salt solutions.
[3 marks]
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01.4 Suggest one potential risk in this experiment and explain how to manage this risk. [2 marks]
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02 LPL deficiency is an inherited condition that prevents the digestive enzyme lipase from working
efficiently.
02.1 What products will not be formed as easily in a patient with LPL deficiency? [2 marks]
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02.2 Suggest why protease cannot break down fats. [2 marks]
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02.3 The gall bladder is also involved in the breakdown of fats.
Patients who have gallstones often need to have their gall bladder removed in a procedure called a
cholecystectomy.
Explain what the consequences of removing the gall bladder would be to the patient and suggest
any changes that they may need to make to their lifestyle. [3 marks]
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Biology

02.4 A student investigated the effect of of pH on the rate of reaction of lipase.

Their results are shown in Figure 2.
Figure 2

Explain the difference in the rate of reaction between points A and B in Figure 2. [3 marks]
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02.5 Suggest what piece of equipment the student could have used to ensure that the temperature is
kept constant throughout the investigation. [1 mark]
________________________________________________________________________________
02.6 Explain why keeping the temperature constant would improve this investigation. [1 mark]
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03 People who are obese have a greater likelihood of developing Type 2 diabetes than people who are
not obese.
Table 2 shows the classification of Body Mass Index (BMI).
Table 2
Category BMI Range in kg/m2
underweight <18.5
normal 18.5 – 24.9
overweight 25.0 – 29.9
obese 30 and above

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Biology

03.1 A patient has a mass of 94 kg and a height of 1.8 m.

Calculate their body mass index. [2 marks]
Use the equation: BMI =

BMI =________________kg/m2
03.2 Give the patient’s weight category. [1 mark]
________________________________________________________________________________
03.3 Give one other risk factor that could lead to a person developing Type 2 diabetes. [1 mark]
________________________________________________________________________________

04 Cabomba is an aquatic plant that undergoes photosynthesis.

04.1 What type of reaction is photosynthesis? [1 mark]
Tick one box.

endothermic

exothermic

combustion

neutralisation

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Biology

04.2 Figure 4 shows the volume of gas produced by Cabomba at a light intensity of 1000 lux.
Figure 4

Suggest an appropriate piece of equipment that could be used to measure the volume of gas
produced by Cabomba. [1 mark]
________________________________________________________________________________
04.3 Suggest one variable that should be controlled in this investigation. [1 mark]
________________________________________________________________________________
04.4 Calculate the rate of photosynthesis in the first 30 seconds.
Give your answer to three significant figures. [3 marks]

Rate of photosynthesis = _________________cm3/s

04.5 Figure 5 shows how increasing light intensity affects the rate of photosynthesis.
Figure 5

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Biology

Describe the trend in the rate of photosynthesis in Figure 5 and explain why this trend was
observed. Refer to points A, B, and C in your answer. [3 marks]
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05 Figure 6 shows a simple diagram of a human heart.

Figure 6

05.1 Name feature A in Figure 6. [1 mark]

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05.2 The rates of blood flow through the heart differ when the body is at rest and during exercise.
A student has a heart rate during exercise of 125 beats per minute with a stroke volume (the
volume of blood pumped out during each contraction of the heart) of 70 ml.

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Biology

Calculate their cardiac output.

Use the equation below: [3 marks]
cardiac output (l/minute) = stroke volume (l) × heart rate (beats per minute)

________________litres/minute

05.3 A patient has an appointment with their doctor.

The doctor is concerned about the patient’s high cholesterol, which was confirmed by a blood test.
The doctor also gave the patient an ultrasound scan, which confirmed that fatty materials had
deposited in their coronary arteries.
The doctor considers three treatment options: inserting a stent, prescribing a statin medication, or
a combination of both treatments.
Suggest which treatment option(s) the doctor should use to treat the patient at this stage.
[6 marks]
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06 A student measures the diameter of a capillary on an electron micrograph.

The image measures 10 mm and the student knows the magnification is ×1250.
06.1 Calculate the actual diameter of the capillary.
Give your answer in micrometres. [3 marks]

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Biology

Diameter =________________μm
06.2 Compare the resolution and magnification of light and electron microscopes. [2 marks]
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Biology

06.3 Table 3 shows the relative lengths of different cells.

Table 3
Relative length in
Component
μm
Small animal cell 10
Large plant cell 100
Prokaryotic cell 1
Calculate how many orders of magnitude larger a large plant cell is than a small animal cell.
[2 marks]

___________________
06.4 Describe how you would use a light microscope to view a plant cell from an onion skin. [5 marks]
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07 Figure 7 shows how the number of units of alcohol consumed link to the probability of being
hospitalised.
Figure 7

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Biology

07.1 The graph in Figure 7 shows a correlation but not necessarily a causal link.
Explain what this statement means. [2 marks]
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07.2 Cirrhosis of the liver is more likely to develop in people who regularly drink more than ten units of
alcohol per day over a period of time.
Explain what the consequences of cirrhosis of the liver would be for someone diagnosed with the
condition. [3 marks]
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07.3 What are the short-term effects of drinking alcohol? [2 marks]
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08 Figure 8 shows an image of a bacterial cell.

Figure 8

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 Practice paper 1
Biology

08.1 Label the ribosomes on Figure 8. [1 mark]

08.2 State the function of the ribosomes. [1 mark]
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08.3 Bacteria can be pathogenic.
Which of these can also be pathogenic? [1 mark]
Tick one box.

disinfectants

antibiotics

viruses

antibodies

08.4 Sneezing is a symptom of the common cold.

This can cause pathogens to spread by air.
Explain how this happens and suggest how the spread of pathogens by air could be prevented.
[3 marks]
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End of questions

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