1 (a) State the balanced chemical equation for photosynthesis.

light
............................................................... chlorophyll ...............................................................

[2]

A student investigated the effect of different wavelengths of light on the rate of photosynthesis of
the water plant, Cabomba.

The student used the apparatus shown in Fig. 6.1.

OFF

tap syringe
1
2
3
4
0.0 5
graduated tube gas
0.5

1.0

1% sodium
hydrogencarbonate
solution

funnel

Cabomba

bench lamp
coloured filter

Fig. 6.1

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 (b) The student collected the gas produced by the plant for five minutes. The results are shown
in Table 6.1.

Table 6.1

colour of filter wavelength of volume of gas

3
light / nm collected / cm

violet 400 0.80

blue 475 0.80

green 550 0.20

yellow 600 0.40

red 675 0.90

Describe the effect of wavelength of light on the rate of photosynthesis as shown in the student’s
results in Table 6.1.

You will gain credit if you use data from the table.

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(c) State how the student would calculate the rates of photosynthesis from the results in Table 6.1.

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 (d) State why the student:

(i) kept the lamp at the same distance during the investigation,

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(ii) used sodium hydrogencarbonate solution.

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(e) State three uses in a plant of the carbohydrate produced in photosynthesis.

1.........................................................................................................................................

2.........................................................................................................................................

3.........................................................................................................................................

[3]

[Total: 11]

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2 Fig. 2.1 is a flow chart that shows the events that occur as light travels through the eye.

light reflected
by an object

light enters the eye and

passes through the cornea

light passes
through the lens

light enters
tissue X

light is absorbed
by rod cells

impulse is
generated

impulse is transmitted
to the brain

Fig. 2.1

(a) (i) State the name of the tissue X.

................................................................................................................................ [1]

(ii) State the name of the nerve that transmits impulses from the eye to the brain.

................................................................................................................................ [1]

(iii) State what happens to rays of light as they enter the cornea and the lens.

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 (iv) Describe the role of rod cells.

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(b) A plant, Arabidopsis thaliana, was placed on its side in the dark. Fig. 2.2 is a series of drawings
made of the plant, over seven days, as it responded to a change in its surroundings.

Fig. 2.2

(i) State the stimulus to which the plant responded.

................................................................................................................................ [1]

(ii) Name the growth response shown by the plant.

................................................................................................................................ [2]

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 (iii) Explain the advantage to plants of the growth response shown in Fig. 2.2.

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(iv) Auxins control the growth responses of seedlings.

Explain how auxins control the growth response of A. thaliana, shown in Fig. 2.2.

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[Total: 14]

PhysicsAndMathsTutor.com
3 A student carried out an investigation to find the effect of carbon dioxide concentration on the rate
of photosynthesis of an aquatic plant.

The apparatus that the student used is shown in Fig. 2.1. The student was advised to use a light
meter positioned at the same distance from the lamp as the pond plant. The student counted the
number of bubbles produced by the cut end of the stem.

dilute sodium
hydrogencarbonate
solution
thermometer
movable lamp

stop watch

water-bath
pond plant
0 15
ruler cm

Fig. 2.1

(a) Explain why the student included the following in the apparatus.

(i) The beaker of water and the thermometer.

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(ii) The light meter and the ruler.

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 (b) The results obtained by the student are shown in Fig. 2.2.

25

Y
20
rate of
photosynthesis 15
/ number of
bubbles X
10
per minute
5

0
0.00 0.05 0.10 0.15 0.20 0.25 0.30 0.35 0.40 0.45 0.50
carbon dioxide concentration / %

Fig. 2.2

(i) Describe the student’s results.

You will gain credit if you use data from Fig. 2.2 in your answer.

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(ii) State the factor that is limiting the rate of photosynthesis in region X of the graph.

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 (iii) Suggest and explain the reasons for the shape of the graph in region Y.

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(c) Counting bubbles may not be the best way to measure the rate of photosynthesis. The volume
of the bubbles is not always exactly the same.

Suggest and explain one alternative way of measuring the gas given off to solve this problem.

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PhysicsAndMathsTutor.com
 (d) Fig. 2.3 shows the carbon dioxide concentration in the atmosphere as determined at Mauna
Loa in Hawaii between 1959 and 2013.

400 range of
values

380

concentration
of carbon 360
dioxide in the mean value
atmosphere
/ parts per 340
million

320

300
1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020
year

Fig. 2.3

(i) Explain why the concentration of carbon dioxide has increased between 1959 and 2013.

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PhysicsAndMathsTutor.com
 (ii) Global warming is largely due to this increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide.

Explain how increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations contribute to global

warming.

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[Total: 21]

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1 (a) one mark for the correct chemical formulae
6CO2 + 6H2O
C6H12O6 + 6O2 ;; one mark for balancing the equation correctly
[2] R word equation

(b) as wavelength increases, rate (of photosynthesis) decreases and units must be used once in the answer
increases ; A volume of gas for rate

high rates in, blue and violet and red / 400–475 nm and 675 nm ;
low(est) rate in, green and yellow / 550–600 nm ;

either
maximum rate = 0.9 cm3, at 675 nm / red
or
minimum rate = 0.2 cm3, at 550 nm / green ; [max 3]

(c) divide the volumes by, five (minutes) / time ; [1]

(d) (i) to keep the light intensity the same ; R temperature I ‘fair test’
A ‘control light intensity’ / ‘light intensity is a
[1] control(led) variable’

(ii) to provide carbon dioxide / so carbon dioxide is not a limiting factor /

so the only limiting factor is wavelength ; [1]

(e) for, respiration / energy ; I protein synthesis / growth / active transport

converted to sucrose ; R produces energy
used to make, nectar / fruits ;
used to make, cellulose / lignin ;
used in cell walls ;
used to make, starch / oils / fats ; I ‘makes food’, but A ‘stores food’ for 1 mark
storage ;
used to make, amino acids ;
used to make, chlorophyll ; [max 3]

[Total: 11]

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Question
uestio Mark Guidance

2 (a (i) retina ; [1]

(ii) optic (nerve) ; [1] I sensory neurone

(iii) (light is) refracted ; [1] A description of refraction

(iv) sensitive to / detect, light ; sensitive in dim light = 2 marks

in low intensity / night ; A provides night vision
pass impulse to, sensory neurone / optic nerve ;
AVP ; [max 2]

(b) (i) gravity ; [1]

(ii) negative / away from (gravity) ;

(gravi)tropism / (geo)tropism ; [2]

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Question
uestio Mark Guidance

2 (iii) upwards
grow towards (where) light (should be) ;
more, light absorbed / photosynthesis ;
more growth ;
flowers more likely to attract, insects / pollinators ;
more likely to, release / shed / disperse, seeds ;

downwards
better, anchorage / AW ;
absorb, water / mineral ions ;

AVP ; ref to competition / damage [max 2]

(iv) auxins made in shoot tip ; I found in tip

(auxin) spread / move / diffuse ;
idea of unequal distribution of auxin ;
auxins collect, in lower side of stem ;
auxin stimulates (cell) elongation (where it accumulates) ; I growth
AVP ; e.g. (by) absorption of water (
e.
osmosis) / ref to turgor pressure
(and) stretching of cell
[max 4] walls / statoliths / detect gravity

[Total: 14]

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3 (a (i) maintain constant temperature / prevent heat from the lamp heating 1 mark for ‘controlling’
the water / absorbs heat from the lamp / heat shield ; 1 mark for ‘measuring’

(thermometer) to measure / check / monitor / record, water ;

prevent temperature (change), influencing / affecting, the results /

rate of photosynthesis ;

temperature is a, control(led) / standardised, variable ; [max 2]

(ii) maintain constant light intensity ; 1 mark for ‘controlling’

1 mark for ‘measuring’
(light meter) to measure / check / monitor / record, the light intensity ;

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Question
uestion Answers Marks Additional Guidance

3 prevent light intensity (change) influencing / affecting the, results /

rate of photosynthesis ;

make sure the lamp is always, in the same place / at right distance ; A (ruler) to measure the distance between
lamp and plant
light, intensity / level, is dependent on distance ;

light intensity is, a controlled / standardised, variable ; [max 2]

(b) (i) rate / photosynthesis / bubbles: units must be used at least once
anywhere in the answer to award marking
increases as carbon dioxide concentration increases and then, levels off points that require them
AW ;
A bpm for bubbles per minute
increases to 0.40 % ; A rate remains constant above 0.40%

little / slow, increase up to 0.1 % ; ora

one data quote with CO2 concentration and rate with units ; [max 3]

(ii) carbon dioxide / CO2, concentration / % / level / availability ; [1] R ‘amount of carbon dioxide’

(iii) ref to limiting factor in suitable context ;

carbon dioxide (concentration), is no longer limiting / AW ;

light, intensity / level, could be limiting / AW ;

reference to light providing energy for photosynthesis ;

temperature could be limiting / AW ;

reference to temperature influencing the activity of enzymes ; [ma 4]

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Question
uestion Answers Marks Additional Guidance

3 chloroplast / chlorophyll / number of leaves / size of plant, could be limiting

factor ;

(c) measure volume (of oxygen / gas) ;

use, inverted test-tube / measuring cylinder / syringe (barrel) ;

reference to, graduations / markings ; A ‘take readings from…’ / ‘record

results…’

filled with water ;

gas collects at the top and pushes out the water / downward displacement
of water;

gas syringe ;

attached by (delivery) tube to, flask / AW ;

oxygen sensor ;

data logger for any other suitable electronic method ;

reference to equilibration / described ;

reference to time period ; A rate = volume divided by time [max 3]

(d) (i) use / combustion / burning, of fossil fuels ; A named fossil fuel(s)
A named example, e.g. increased use of
reason for increased demand for energy ; cars / heating / air-conditioning

carbon dioxide from, volcanic activity / volcanoes ;

[max 2]

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Question Expected Answers Marks Additional Guidance

deforestation ;
3
burning of, forests / trees ;

(ii) carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas ;

R ‘ozone causes greenhouse effect’
(enhanced) greenhouse effect (in context of carbon dioxide) ;

heat / infra-red / long wavelength radiation, radiated / emitted, from / A reflected as an alternative to radiated

absorbed / trapped / AW, by, carbon dioxide / greenhouse gases ;

ignore UV light / visible light / (solar)
travels / AW, back to the surface ; radiation

heat cannot, leave (from the atmosphere) / pass into outer space ; [max 4]

[Total: 21]

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