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AQA Style
GCSE
BIOLOGY
Foundation Tier
Biology Paper 2

Time allowed: 1 hour 45 minutes

Question Mark
Materials
1
• A ruler

• A pen and pencil 2

• A calculator 3

Instructions 4
• Answer all questions using a black pen.
5
• Answer the questions in the space available and cross
through any work you do not want to be marked. 6
• In any calculations, make sure you show your working out.
7
• The marks available for each question are shown in brackets.
8
• The maximum mark for this paper is 100.

• You must make your work as neat as possible and use good 9
English in your answers.
10
• You should make sure you leave time to check your answers.
11

Total

Name 

Date 
 2 of 25

0 1 Figure 1 shows a section of DNA.

Figure 1

DNA is contained in structures called chromosomes.

0 1 . 1 In which part of a cell would you find chromosomes?

[1 mark]
Tick one box.
cell membrane

cytoplasm

nucleus

ribosomes

0 1 . 2 Figure 2 shows how a male gamete and a female gamete join together
during sexual reproduction in humans.
Figure 2

What is the name of the process shown in Figure 2?

[1 mark]
Tick one box.
cloning

differentiation

fertilisation

meiosis
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0 1 . 3 Draw one line from each cell to the number of chromosomes the cell contains.

[2 marks]
Cell Number of Chromosomes

13
cell A

23

cell B 26

46

0 1 . 4 Cells can divide by either mitosis or meiosis.

Table 1 shows some features of mitosis and meiosis.

Place one tick () in each row to show if it is a feature of mitosis or meiosis.

[4 marks]
Table 1

Feature Mitosis Meiosis

Produces gametes.

Produces genetically
identical cells.
Produces two daughter
cells.
Produces daughter cells
with half the number of
chromosomes.

0 1 . 5 Give two advantages of sexual reproduction.

[2 marks]
1. 


2. 


10
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0 2 The endocrine system is made up of glands which secrete hormones into the
bloodstream.

Figure 3 shows the position of some glands in the human body.

Figure 3

thyroid gland

adrenal gland

C
D

0 2 . 1 Four of the glands in Figure 3 have been labelled A, B, C and D.

Draw one line from each label to the name of the gland.
[4 marks]
Label Name of Gland

A ovary

B pancreas

C pituitary gland

D testis

gall bladder

0 2 . 2 During puberty, reproductive hormones cause secondary sex characteristics

to develop.
Name the main reproductive hormone found in each sex.
[2 marks]
males
females
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0 2 . 3 Several hormones are involved in the menstrual cycle of a woman.

Draw one line from each function to the hormone responsible for that function.
[3 marks]
Function Hormone

follicle stimulating
Involved in maintaining hormone (FSH)
the uterus lining.

luteinising hormone (LH)

Stimulates the release
of an egg.
progesterone

Causes the egg to

mature in the ovary.
testosterone

Turn over for the next question

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0 3 Two patients were given a glucose solution to drink. Figure 4 shows how their
blood glucose concentration changed after they drank the glucose solution.

Figure 4

12
patient A
11
Blood Glucose Concentration (mmol/L)
10
9
8
7
6
5 patient B
4
3
2
1
0
0 0.5 1 1.5 2

0 3 . 1 Write down the maximum blood glucose concentration of patient A.

[1 mark]

mmol/L

0 3 . 2 Write down the time taken for the blood glucose concentration of patient B to
reach its maximum level.
[1 mark]

hours

0 3 . 3 Patient A has Type 1 diabetes.

Patient B does not have Type 1 diabetes.

Name the hormone that patient A does not produce enough of.
[1 mark]
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0 3 . 4 A different patient, patient C, has Type 2 diabetes.

Describe how Type 2 diabetes is different to Type 1 diabetes.

You should refer to the hormone you named in 03.3 in your answer.
[2 marks]




0 3 . 5 Give two ways that Type 2 diabetes can be treated.

[2 marks]
1. 


2. 


Turn over for the next question

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0 4 The nervous system enables humans to react to their surroundings and

coordinate their behaviour.

Figure 5 shows a reflex arc.

Figure 5

A B
spinal cord

E D
synapse

0 4 . 1 Complete the sentence.

[1 mark]

Messages are sent along neurones by .

0 4 . 2 Some parts of the reflex arc have been labelled on Figure 5.

Draw one line from each part of the reflex arc to the correct label.
[3 marks]
Part of Reflex Arc Label

A
motor neurone
B

receptor C

D
relay neurone
E

0 4 . 3 Explain why reflex actions are important.

[2 marks]



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0 4 . 4 Some students investigated the effect of caffeine on reaction times. They used
the following method.
• Student 1 sits on the chair and places their arm on the table so that their
hand is hanging over the edge.
• Student 2 places a ruler vertically between Student 1’s thumb and first
finger, with the 0cm mark level with the top of the thumb as shown in
Figure 6.
• Student 2 drops the ruler with no warning.
• Student 1 catches the ruler as quickly as possible.
• The students record how many centimetres the ruler falls before student
1 catches it.
• The students repeat the experiment four more times.
• Student 1 drinks a caffeine drink.
• 15 minutes later, the students repeat the experiment.

Figure 6

Write down the dependent variable in this investigation.

[1 mark]

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0 4 . 5 Table 2 shows the students’ results.

Table 2

Drop Distance (cm)

Repeat Repeat Repeat Repeat Repeat Mean
1 2 3 4 5
Before Caffeine 21 18 20 16 20 19
After Caffeine 14 11 13 10 12

Calculate the mean drop distance after caffeine.

[1 mark]





mean = cm

0 4 . 6 Describe what the results in Table 2 show about the effect of caffeine on
reaction times.

[1 mark]




0 4 . 7 Suggest two improvements that the students could make to their method.

[2 marks]
1. 


2. 


11
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0 5 Figure 7 shows a diagram of the eye.

Figure 7

ciliary muscle

suspensory ligament

lens

0 5 . 1 Label parts A, B and C on Figure 7.

[3 marks]


0 5 . 2 Accommodation is the process of changing the shape of the lens to focus on

an object.

Explain how the eye focuses on a near object.

[3 marks]




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0 5 . 3 Figure 8 shows how light rays travel through the eye of someone with a
common eye defect.
Figure 8

Name the eye defect shown in Figure 8.

[1 mark]


0 5 . 4 Give one way that the defect you named in 05.3 could be treated.
[1 mark]


8
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0 6 MRSA is a type of bacteria which is resistant to certain antibiotics.

Figure 9 shows the number of deaths from MRSA in England and Wales
between 1993 and 2011.
Figure 9
Deaths from MRSA in England and Wales
2500

2000
Number of Deaths

1500

1000

500

0
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
Year
0 6 . 1 Describe the trend shown in Figure 9.

[3 marks]
You should include data from the graph in your answer.






0 6 . 2 In 2006, there were 2150 deaths from MRSA in the UK. In 2011, the number of
deaths fell to 638.

Calculate the percentage change in deaths from MRSA between 2006 and 2011.

Show your working.

[2 marks]





percentage change = %
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0 6 . 3 Why are bacteria able to evolve rapidly?

[1 mark]



0 6 . 4 MRSA is resistant to antibiotics.

Give two ways that the rate of development of antibiotic resistant strains of
bacteria can be reduced.
[2 marks]
1. 


2. 


8
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0 7 Haemochromatosis is an inherited condition that causes an accumulation of

excess iron in the body.

Haemochromatosis is caused by a recessive allele.

0 7 . 1 What is an allele?

[1 mark]



0 7 . 2 When does a recessive allele control the development of a characteristic?

[1 mark]



0 7 . 3 A man with haemochromatosis wants to have a child with a heterozygous

woman.

Complete Figure 10 to determine the probability of the child having

haemochromatosis.

Circle any children who would have haemochromatosis.

Use the following symbols to represent the alleles:

H = dominant allele

h = recessive allele

[4 marks]
Figure 10
Woman

Man

probability of a child having haemochromatosis =

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0 7 . 4 Doctors can screen embryos for haemochromatosis. Table 3 gives details of

two methods of embryo screening.

Table 3

Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis Chorionic Villus Sampling

(PGD) (CVS)
Egg and sperm cells are collected The couple would conceive naturally.
from the couple and used for IVF. Ten weeks into the pregnancy, a
The embryos will be tested for sample of blood would be taken
haemochromatosis at 3 days old. from the placenta and tested for
Only the healthy embryos will be haemochromatosis.
implanted into the woman.

It costs the NHS between £8000 and It costs the NHS around £500.
£12 500.

Affected embryos are discarded. If the embryo has the disorder

Extra unaffected embryos can be parents can choose whether to
frozen for later use. terminate the pregnancy or allow it
to continue.

There is a 15% chance of a There is a 1% chance of a

false-positive result, which would
result in destroying a healthy
embryo.
false-positive result, which may
result in aborting a healthy embryo.
The procedure has a 1% risk of
causing a miscarriage.

Evaluate the benefits of the two methods of embryo screening.

[4 marks]









 10
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0 8 Some students wanted to investigate the effect of light intensity on the

distribution of daisies down a hillside. Figure 11 shows some equipment that
could be used to investigate the distribution.

Figure 11

quadrat tape measure light meter

0 8 . 1 Describe a method the students could use to investigate the effect of light
intensity on the distribution of daisies down the hillside.

You should include details of how you would collect valid results.

[6 marks]



















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0 8 . 2 The hillside is the habitat for a population of rabbits. Figure 12 shows a food
chain for the hillside.
Figure 12

grass rabbit fox

Name the producer in Figure 12.

[1 mark]


0 8 . 3 What is the role of a producer in a food chain?

[1 mark]



0 8 . 4 The numbers of rabbits and foxes rise and fall in cycles, as shown in Figure 13.

Figure 13
Population

Time
= Predator = Prey
Explain why the population numbers in Figure 13 rise and fall over time.

[4 marks]






12
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0 9 Mutations can result in variation between individuals.

0 9 . 1 What is a mutation?

[1 mark]



0 9 . 2 Figure 14 shows a camel with two humps.

Figure 14

The camel’s humps are mounds of fat which allow them to travel for long
periods in the desert without stopping to eat.

Use Darwin’s theory of evolution to explain how camels may have evolved to
have two large humps.

[4 marks]













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0 9 . 3 Darwin’s theory of evolution was only gradually accepted. One reason was
that it would be another 50 years before the mechanism of inheritance was
discovered.

Give two other reasons that Darwin’s theory was not accepted straight away.

[2 marks]
1. 


2. 



0 9 . 4 50 years after Darwin’s theory was published, Mendel used pea plants in
breeding experiments to determine the mechanism of inheritance.
Pea plants can have pods that are either inflated or constricted.
Mendel crossed plants with inflated pods with plants with constricted pods.
Figure 15 shows the results of the cross.
Figure 15

inflated pods constricted pods

all inflated pods

Write down the genotype of the offspring.

Use A to represent a dominant allele and a to represent a recessive allele.

[1 mark]
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0 9 . 5 Two of the offspring plants were crossed together.

Write down the approximate ratio of inflated pods to constricted pods in the
second generation.

[1 mark]

ratio = :

Turn over for the next question

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1 0 Figure 16 shows a food chain.

Figure 16

phytoplankton krill Arctic tern Arctic wolf

1 0 . 1 Draw a pyramid of biomass for the food chain.

You should label each trophic level in your pyramid.

[2 marks]









1 0 . 2 In one month, an Arctic tern eats 400g of krill and gains 30g of body mass.

Calculate the percentage efficiency of biomass transfer.

[2 marks]





efficiency = %
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1 0 . 3 Explain why not all the biomass in the 400g of consumed krill is transferred to
biomass in the Arctic tern.
[3 marks]






1 0 . 4 Scientists that study the organisms shown in Figure 16 cannot always calculate
the exact biomass of each organism.

Suggest one reason why.

You should refer to an organism in Figure 16 in your answer.

[1 mark]



Turn over for the next question

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1 1 Plant roots have a directional growth response to gravity. This is known as

gravitropism.

1 1 . 1 Name the response of a plant to light.

[1 mark]


1 1 . 2 Some students investigated shoot growth by growing shoots inside a box.

They cut a hole in one side of the box.
Figure 17 shows the growth of the shoots inside the box.
Figure 17

tips covered

control
 tips removed

Draw a cross (×) on Figure 17 to show where the hole in the box is.
[1 mark]

1 1 . 3 Plant responses happen because of plant hormones.

From the results in Figure 17, the students concluded that the hormone that
coordinates the response to light is produced in the tip of the shoot.

Explain why the students came to this conclusion.

[3 marks]




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1 1 . 4 Explain what causes the control shoots to bend.

[3 marks]






END OF QUESTIONS