AQA A-level Biology

Mock Practice Paper 1

(this mock paper is not produced by AQA, it is a mixture of past paper question published on their
website to create a mock paper)

91 marks

Time allowed: 2 hours

Materials
For this paper you must have:
• a ruler with millimetre measurements
• a scientific calculator.

Instructions
• Use black ink or black ball-point pen.
• Fill in the boxes at the top of this page.
• Answer all questions in Section A.
• Answer one question from Section B.
• You must answer the questions in the spaces provided. Do not write
outside the box around each page or on blank pages.
• If you need extra space for your answer(s), use the lined pages at the end of
this book. Write the question number against your answer(s).
• Show all your working.
• Do all rough work in this book. Cross through any work you do not want
to be marked.

Information
• The marks for the questions are shown in brackets.
• The maximum mark for this paper is 91.

Page 1 of 33
For more resources to help you to improve and to reach an A/A*, try the
following resources:

1. To help you to create flashcards and review the content:

Summary Topic videos playlist on YouTube: All the theory

summarised for each entire topic

2. To improve your memory of the theory and learn key marking points:
Use my active recall workbook. Students love it!

3. To learn the theory, key marking points and essay links: Try my A-
level notes

Page 2 of 33
Q1.
The diagram below shows part of a DNA molecule.

(a)  Name the type of bond between:

complementary base pairs  _______________________________________

adjacent nucleotides in a DNA strand  _______________________________

(2)

(b)  The length of a gene is described as the number of nucleotide base pairs it contains.

Use information in above diagram to calculate the length of a gene containing 4.38 ×
103 base pairs.

Answer _______________ nm
(2)

(c)  Describe two differences between the structure of a tRNA molecule and the
structure of an mRNA molecule.

1  _________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

2  _________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(2)

Page 3 of 33
 (d)  In a eukaryotic cell, the structure of the mRNA used in translation is different from
the structure of the pre-mRNA produced by transcription.

Describe and explain a difference in the structure of these mRNA molecules.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(2)
(Total 8 marks)

Q2.
Uronema marinum is a single-celled eukaryotic organism. The diagram below is a
photograph of U. marinum taken through an optical microscope.

(a)  Explain why it is not possible to determine the identity of the structures labelled X
using an optical microscope.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(2)

Page 4 of 33
(b)  U. marinum cells ingest bacteria and digest them in the cytoplasm.

Describe the role of one named organelle in digesting these bacteria.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(3)

(c)  Calculate the actual length of the cell shown between Y and Z in the diagram above.

The magnification of the image is × 900

Give your answer in μm and to 2 significant figures.

Show your working.

Answer __________ μm
(2)

(d)  In large cells of U. marinum, most mitochondria are found close to the cell-surface
membrane. In smaller cells, the mitochondria are distributed evenly throughout the
cytoplasm. Mitochondria use oxygen during aerobic respiration.

Use this information and your knowledge of surface area to volume ratios to suggest
an explanation for the position of mitochondria in large U. marinum cells.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(2)
(Total 9 marks)

Page 5 of 33
Q3.
(a)     Cells lining the ileum of mammals absorb the monosaccharide glucose by co-
transport with sodium ions. Explain how.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(3)

A student set up the experiment shown in the diagram below.

The material from which Visking tubing is made is partially permeable.

After 15 minutes, the student removed samples from the liquid in the beaker and from the
liquid inside the Visking tubing. She carried out biochemical tests on these samples. She
drew the table below to record her results.

Page 6 of 33
 (b)     Complete the table by placing a tick (✔) in each box that you expect to have shown
a positive result.
 
Liquid from Liquid inside
Biochemical test
beaker Visking tubing

Biuret reagent    

Iodine in potassium
   
iodide

Benedict’s solution    

(3)

(c)     Justify your answers to part (b).

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(3)
(Total 9 marks)

Page 7 of 33
Q4.
A student investigated the activity of the enzyme amylase. He cut three identical wells (D,
E and F) in starch-agar in a Petri dish. He added 0.2 cm3 of:

•   amylase solution to well D

•   boiled amylase solution to well E
•   water to well F.

After 60 minutes, he covered the starch-agar with iodine solution. The figure below shows
his results.

(a)  Explain the appearance of the agar in the clear area surrounding well D.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(2)

(b)  What can you conclude about the activity of amylase from the appearance of the
agar surrounding well E and well F in the figure above?

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(2)

Page 8 of 33
 (c)  The student cut out a piece of agar from the clear area surrounding well D. He
obtained a solution of the substances contained in this piece of agar.

Describe a different biochemical test the student could use with this solution to
confirm that amylase had affected the starch in the clear area surrounding well D.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(2)

The diameter of the clear area around well D is 18 mm

In a different investigation, the student prepared a dilution of the amylase solution. He did
this by mixing amylase solution and water in the volumes shown in the table below.
 
Amylase solution /
Water / cm3
cm3

1.6 2.4

He prepared a starch-agar Petri dish identical to the figure above, but with a single well.
He added 0.2 cm3 of the diluted amylase solution to this well and left the Petri dish for 60
minutes.

(d)  Use all of this information to predict the diameter of the clear area that will form
around the well containing the diluted amylase solution.

Give your answer to the nearest whole number.

Show your working.

Answer __________ mm
(2)

(e)  The student used a ruler to measure the diameter in mm of the clear area around

Page 9 of 33
 well D in the figure above.

Use this information to explain why the answer to part (d) should be given to the
nearest whole number.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(1)
(Total 9 marks)

Q5.
(a)     Littorina littorea is a species of snail found on rocky sea shores.

A student investigated variation in snail shell height in two populations of snails.

Give two ways in which the student could ensure his samples would provide a
reliable measure of the variation between individuals in each population.

1 _________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

2 _________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(2)

(b)     The student could determine the median, mode and range from his measurement of
shell heights in these populations.

Give two other statistical values the student could calculate from his measurement
of shell heights in these populations.

1   ___________________________________

2   ___________________________________
(1)

(c)     Name the taxon in the hierarchy of classification represented by:

1 Littorina __________________________

2 Iittorea ___________________________
(1)

Page 10 of 33
 (d)     The student noticed there was a difference in shell height between these
populations of snails. He wanted to investigate if the difference was significant.

Give a suitable null hypothesis to use in his investigation and name the statistical
test to use with these data.

Null hypothesis  _____________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

Statistical test  ______________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(2)
(Total 6 marks)

Q6.
(a)  Explain the advantage for larger animals of having a specialised system that
facilitates oxygen uptake.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(2)

Figure 1 shows two models of oxygen uptake found in animals.

Figure 1

Page 11 of 33
(b)  Suggest how the environmental conditions have resulted in adaptations of systems
using Model A rather than Model B.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(2)

(c)  Figure 2 shows changes in concentration of oxygen in two gas exchange systems.

Figure 2

A student studied Figure 2 and concluded that the fish gas exchange system is
more efficient than the human gas exchange system.

Page 12 of 33
 Use Figure 2 to justify this conclusion.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(2)

(d)  Explain how the counter-current principle allows efficient oxygen uptake in the fish
gas exchange system.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(2)

(e)  The table below shows features of two mammals.

Bats are flying mammals; shrews are ground-living mammals.

 
Mean body mass / Mean lung
Mammal
kg volume / cm3

Bat 0.096 12.48

Shrew 0.024 0.72

Calculate how many times the lung volume per unit of body mass of the bat is
greater than that of the shrew.

Give your answer to an appropriate number of significant figures.

Give one suggestion to explain this difference.

Page 13 of 33
  

Answer _______________

Explanation  ________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(3)
(Total 11 marks)

Q7.
Uncontrolled cell division can cause tumours to form.

Figure 1 shows the growth pattern followed by a type of tumour.

Figure 1

(a)  Use Figure 1 to calculate the percentage of maximum growth this type of tumour

Page 14 of 33
 reaches before it can be detected.

You will need to use the 10x button on your calculator.

Answer = _________________________%
(1)

(b)  Figure 1 can also be used to calculate the age of this type of tumour.

At diagnosis, a patient had a tumour of 3.98 × 1011 cells.

Calculate the age of the tumour.

You will need to use the log10 button on your calculator.

Answer = _________________________ years

(1)

Trexall is a drug that can be used to slow the development of various forms of cancer.

Trexall slows cell division by interacting with an enzyme called dihydrofolate reductase
(DR).

DR is involved in making nucleotides; the substrate for DR is folic acid.

Figure 2 shows the chemical structure of Trexall.

Figure 3 shows the chemical structure of folic acid.

Figure 2

Figure 3

Page 15 of 33
  

(c)  Use the information provided to suggest how Trexall slows cell division.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(3)

Doctors investigated how the concentration of Trexall given to patients affected the growth
of lung tumours. The doctors measured the volume of tumours at the beginning of the
study and after 8 months.

Figure 4 shows the results of this investigation. The bars represent ± 2 standard
deviations. A value of ± 2 standard deviations from the mean includes over 95% of the
data.

Figure 4

Page 16 of 33
  

(d)  The scientists measured the percentage change in tumour volume.

Suggest why they recorded both percentage change and tumour volume.

Percentage change ___________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

Tumour volume ______________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(2)

(e)  A lung cancer patient received 15 mg of Trexall per week. After treatment, the
diameter of his lung tumour was 35.8 mm

Assuming the tumour was spherical, use the mean percentage change in tumour
volume shown in Figure 4 to calculate the volume of the patient’s tumour before
treatment with Trexall.

The formula for the volume of a sphere is where π = 3.14

Page 17 of 33
 Answer = _________________________ mm3
(2)

(f)   To reduce the size of tumours, would it be better to use 30 mg of Trexall per week,
or 20 mg of Trexall per week?

Explain your answer.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(2)

Trexall can also be used to slow the development of rheumatoid arthritis (a pain-causing
joint disease).

Scientists investigated the effectiveness of Trexall as a pain relief treatment in 12

rheumatoid arthritis patients. All of the patients were female. They randomly divided the
patients into two groups:

•   Group R received Trexall tablets for 35 days

•   Group S was a control group.

They asked both groups to rate their pain on a scale of 0–10 (0 being no pain and 10
being the worst pain possible) at the start and then every 7 days for 35 days. They
calculated mean scores for each group.

Their results can be seen in the table.

 

Page 18 of 33
 Number of Mean score for severity of
days of pain (scale 0–10)
treatment Group R Group S
0 9.7 9.8
7 8.2 9.1
14 8.4 8.6
21 7.6 7.2
28 6.3 7.5
35 5.1 7.8

(g)  Apart from age and general health, give two important factors when choosing
patients for this investigation.

1  _________________________________________________________________

2  _________________________________________________________________
(1)

(h)  A student analysed the table above and concluded that Trexall was effective in
reducing pain in arthritis patients.

Evaluate the student’s conclusion.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(3)
(Total 15 marks)

Q8.
(a)     A scientist measured the pressure in a phloem tube in a willow plant stem. He
repeated his measurements to obtain nine readings.

His results are shown in the table below.

 
Phloem pressure / arbitrary units

Page 19 of 33
 7.4 8.0 7.0 8.6 8.2 9.3 7.4 9.1 8.8

The percentage error of the mean phloem pressure in this phloem tube is calculated
using this equation.

The uncertainty in measurement is half the range of the measured values.Calculate

the percentage error of the mean phloem pressure in this phloem tube.

Show your working. 

Percentage error _______________ %

(2)

(b)     The mass flow hypothesis is used to explain the movement of substances through
phloem.

Use your understanding of the mass flow hypothesis to explain how pressure is
generated inside this phloem tube.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(3)

(c)     The scientist also measured changes in the phloem pressure and changes in the
rate of water movement in the xylem of a willow plant at intervals during a day.

His results are shown in the graph below.

Page 20 of 33
 Describe the relationship between phloem pressure and the rate of water movement
in xylem in this plant.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(1)

(d)     Phloem pressure is reduced during the hottest part of the day. Use information in
the graph above along with your understanding of transpiration and mass flow to
explain why.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

Page 21 of 33
 ___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(3)
(Total 9 marks)

Q9.
Bacterial meningitis is a potentially fatal disease affecting the membranes around the
brain. Neisseria meningitidis (Nm) is a leading cause of bacterial meningitis.

(a)     In the UK, children are vaccinated against this disease. Describe how vaccination
can lead to protection against bacterial meningitis.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(6)

Page 22 of 33
(b)     Penicillin has been the antibiotic of choice for the treatment of bacterial meningitis.
Since the year 2000, strains of Neisseria meningitidis that are resistant to penicillin,
sulfonamides and rifampin have been discovered in the UK.

Describe how a population of Neisseria meningitidis (Nm) can become resistant to

these antibiotics.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(4)

(c)     Contrast the structure of a bacterial cell and the structure of a human cell.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(5)
(Total 15 marks)

Page 23 of 33
Mark schemes

Q1.
(a)     1.      Hydrogen (bonds);

2.      Phosphodiester (bonds);
Accept ester/covalent bond
2

(b)     Correct answer for 2 marks = 1489/1489.2;;

Incorrect answer but for 1 mark accept:

876

OR

1861 - 1862
2

(c)     1.      tRNA is 'clover leaf shape', mRNA is linear;

Must be a comparison
Reject tRNA is double stranded
Accept tRNA is folded for tRNA is ‘clover leaf shaped’

2.      tRNA has hydrogen bonds, mRNA does not;

3.      tRNA has an amino acid binding site, mRNA does not;

Accept ‘CCA end' for amino acid binding site

4.      tRNA has anticodon, mRNA has codon;

2

(d)     1.      mRNA fewer nucleotides

OR

Pre-mRNA more nucleotides

OR

mRNA has no introns/has (only) exons

OR

Pre-mRNA has (exons and) introns;

Accept mRNA is shorter OR pre-mRNA is longer

2.      (Because of) splicing;

2
[8]

Q2.

Page 24 of 33
 (a)     1.      Resolution (too) low;

2.      Because wavelength of light is (too) long;

2

(b)     1.      Lysosomes;

2.      Fuse with vesicle;

Accept phagosome for vesicle

3.      (Releases) hydrolytic enzymes;

Accept lysozymes for "hydrolytic enzymes"
Accept ‘Ribosomes/ Rough endoplasmic reticulum form
hydrolytic enzymes = 2 marks
Accept ‘Golgi body forms lysosomes’ = 2 marks
Accept ‘Golgi body / ribosomes / rough endoplasmic
reticulum’ for 1 mark if no other mark awarded.
3

(c)     Correct answer for 2 marks = 32;;

Accept for 1 mark,

29 000 (correct conversion to μm)

OR

32.2 (correct answer but incorrect significant figures)

OR

OR

An incorrect answer that shows division by 900

2

(d)     1.      Large(r) cells have small(er) surface area to volume ratio;

2.      (Takes) longer for oxygen to diffuse (to mitochondria)

OR

Less/no oxygen diffuses (to mitochondria)

OR

Diffusion distance/pathway is long(er);

Accept converse for all marking points.
2
[9]

Q3.
(a)     1.      Sodium ions actively transported from ileum cell to blood;

Page 25 of 33
 2.      Maintains / forms diffusion gradient for sodium to enter cells from gut (and with
it, glucose);

3.      Glucose enters by facilitated diffusion with sodium ions;

3

(b)
 
Biochemical Liquid from Liquid inside
test beaker Visking tubing

Biuret reagent   ✔

I2/KI   ✔ or blank

Benedict’s ✔ ✔
1 mark for each correct row
3

(c)     1.      Biuret: protein molecules too large to pass through tubing;
Neutral: enzyme molecules

2.      Iodine in potassium iodide solution: starch molecules too large to pass through
tubing;
If no tick in 04.2, allow no starch hydrolysed

3.      Benedict’s: starch hydrolysed to maltose, which is able to pass through tubing.
Reject: glucose
3
[9]

Q4.
(a)     1.      Amylase hydrolyses starch;

2.      (To) maltose;
2

(b)     1.      (E) Amylase/enzyme is denatured;

Accept a description of denaturation

2.      (F) amylase is needed for/causes starch hydrolysis/breakdown/digestion

OR

(F) water (alone) does not (cause starch) hydrolysis/breakdown/digestion;

Ignore ‘it is a control’
2

(c)     1.      Heat in Benedict’s (solution);

Reject description of non-reducing sugar test

2.      Red/green/orange (precipitate/colour) (shows maltose/reducing sugar);

Accept for ‘heat’, water bath
2

Page 26 of 33
 (d)     Correct answer for 2 marks = 7;;

Accept for 1 mark,

7.2 (correct answer but not rounded)

OR

Evidence of 1.6 ÷ 4.0/0.4/40% (correct dilution factor)

OR

Evidence of 0.08 (correct amylase volume in 0.2cm3)

2

(e)     1.      Reduces (human) error/uncertainty;

2.      (It is) the resolution of a ruler;

3.      (For a ruler measurement) the uncertainty is ±1(mm)

OR

(For a ruler measurement) the true value lies with ±1(mm);

Ignore can only measure to whole numbers
Ignore reliability and precision
Accept, the uncertainty of a ruler reading is (±)0.5(mm) OR
readings of <1mm are not accurate
1 max
[9]

Q5.
(a)  1.      Select at random;
Accept description of random technique

2.      Large sample/number (of snails)/>10;

Ignore ‘many’
2

(b)     Mean and standard deviation;

Accept 2 correct statistical values for 1 mark
Accept any order
Accept average for mean
Accept standard error for standard deviation
Accept interquartile range
1

(c)     (Littorina -) genus and

(littorea -) species;
Accept phonetic spelling
Accept genera
1

Page 27 of 33
 (d)     1.      No (significant) difference between (mean) height (in these populations);

2.      (Students) t-test;
Accept suitable null hypothesis
2
[6]

Q6.
(a)     1.      Large(r) organisms have a small(er) surface area:volume (ratio);

OR

Small(er) organisms have a large(r) surface area:volume (ratio);

2.      Overcomes long diffusion pathway

OR

Faster diffusion;
Accept short diffusion pathway
Accept for ‘faster’, more
2

(b)     Mark in pairs, 1, and 2 OR 3. and 4.

1.      Water has low(er) oxygen partial pressure/concentration (than air);

2.      So (system on outside) gives large surface area (in contact with water)
OR
So (system on outside) reduces diffusion distance (between water
and blood);

3.      Water is dense(r) (than air);

4.      (So) water supports the systems/gills;

2

(c)     1.      In fish, blood leaving (V) has more oxygen than water leaving (E);

2.      (But) in humans, blood leaving (V) has less oxygen than air leaving (E);

3.      Difference in oxygen (concentration) between artery and vein is

greater in fish than in humans;

4.      (So) fish remove a greater proportion from the oxygen they take in;
2 max

(d)     1.      Blood and water flow in opposite directions;

2.      Diffusion/concentration gradient (maintained) along (length of)

lamella/filament;
Accept for 2 marks, suitably labelled diagram
2

(e)     1.      and 2. Correct answer for 2 marks, 4.3 (times greater);;

Page 28 of 33
 Accept for 1 mark,

4.333333333 (correct answer not given to 2 significant figures)

OR

Evidence of 130 (cm3 kg-1) and 30 (cm3 kg-1)

Correct explanation for 1 mark,

3.      Provides more oxygen for respiration;

3
[11]

Q7.
(a)  0.1;
1

(b)  Accept answer in the range of 4.7 to 4.9;

1

(c)  1.   (Trexall acts as a) competitive inhibitor

OR
(Trexall) competes (with folic acid/substrate) for/is able
to fit into/binds at active site (on dihydrofolate
reductase / enzyme);
Reject Trexall and folic acid have the same shape

2.   Less folic acid/substrate attaches

OR
Fewer enzyme-substrate complexes;
Accept folic acid/substrate is prevented from binding

3.   Fewer/not enough nucleotides available for DNA replication;

Accept fewer/not enough nucleotides available during
interphase/for semi-conservative replication/to add to (all) template
strands/for transcription
3

(d)  Percentage change

1.   To allow comparison as tumours may differ in volume/size (at the start
of the investigation);

Tumour volume

2.   (As) tumours may differ in length/width/shape

OR
(As) volume is (best) indication of the number of cells in tumour;
Accept ‘as tumours are three dimensional’
Ignore answers relating to density/thickness
2

(e)  Answer in the range 32 015.93682 to 32 045 = 2 marks

OR
3.20 × 104 = 2 marks;;

Page 29 of 33
 Allow 1 mark for correct calculation of volume after treatment in range of
24 011.95261 to 24 034/2.40 × 104

Allow 1 mark if student uses diameter throughout instead of radius, in range of

256 127 to 256 361/2.56 × 105
Accept any suitable rounding
2 max

(f)
Accept converse arguments for all mark points.

For (the use of 30 mg)

1.   There is a significantly greater reduction (in tumour size with 30 mg), as

SD (bars) do not overlap;
Accept ‘significant difference’ for ‘significantly greater reduction’

2.   In some cases (with 30 mg) there was a 100% reduction in size/tumours
would have been eradicated;

Against (the use of 30 mg)

3.   There is too much/a lot of variation in effectiveness with 30 mg (in

contrast with 20 mg);
Ignore 30 mg has a lot of deviation/large standard deviation’
unqualified

4.   (No idea of) extra cost of providing 30 mg per week;

5.   (Increased risk of) side effects with higher doses;

2 max

(h)  Accept any two suitable suggestions for one mark, eg;

Severity/duration of arthritis

Current/other medication

Type of arthritis

Weight/body mass

Ethnicity
Reject age/health as they are directly in the stem
Ignore gender/sex
Ignore general answers such as diet/activity/lifestyle
1 max

(g)
2 max for answer only giving reasons against

For

1.   Pain decreases more with Trexall/Group R compared with the control

group/Group S
OR

Page 30 of 33
 Pain decreases by 4.6 with Trexall/Group R and by 2 with the control
group/Group S;
Ignore numbers stated from the table, eg 9.7 to 5.1 and 9.8 to 7.8

Against

2.   Small sample size/only 12 people/only studied females / effects in males

could be different;

3.   (Mean score for severity of) pain in control group/Group S is (also)

lower;
Could be subsumed within MP1

4.   No statistical testing, so do not know if decrease/difference is significant;

Ignore ‘do not know if results are significant’

5.   Pain is (a) subjective (measurement);

Accept ‘patients might lie about pain’
3 max
[15]

Q8.
(a)     Correct answer for 2 marks = 14/14.02/14.024;;

Accept for 1 mark,

mean = 8.2

OR

uncertainty = 1.15
2

(b)     1.      Sucrose actively transported (into phloem);

2.      Lowering/reducing water potential

OR

More negative water potential;

3.      Water moves (into phloem) by osmosis (from xylem);

3

(c)     Phloem pressure falls as (rate of) water movement (in xylem) increases

OR

Inversely proportional;
Accept converse
1

(d)     1.      High (rate of) transpiration/evaporation;

2.      Water lost through stomata

OR

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 (High) tension in xylem;

3.      (Causes) less water movement from xylem to phloem

OR

Insufficient water potential in phloem to draw water from xylem;

3
[9]

Q9.
(a)     1.      Antigen / epitope on surface of N. meninigitidis / bacterium binds to surface
protein / surface receptor on a (specific / single) B cell.
If answered in context of T cell, allow Antigen binds to
(specific / single) T cell

2.      (Activated) B cell divides by mitosis / produces clone;

If answered in context of T cell, allow (Activated) T cell
releases cytokine.

3.      (Division) stimulated by cytokines / by T cells;

If answered in context of T cell, allow (Cytokine) stimulates
production of plasma cells;

4.      B cells / plasma cells release antibodies;

5.      (Some) B cells become memory cells;

6.      Memory cells produce plasma / antibodies faster

6

(b)     1.      Mutation
Allow horizontal gene transfer

2.      Results in Nm cell with allele for resistance to one antibiotic / to named

antibiotic

3.      (This) cell survives and passes the allele for resistance to offspring;
2. and 3. If gene for resistance, penalise once

4.      Process repeated with different genes conferring resistance to each of the

other (two) antibiotics
If reference made to ‘resistant gene’, 2 max for MP2, 3 and 4
4

(c)     Any five contrasting statements, e.g.

1.      Bacterial cell is much smaller than a human cell;

2.      Bacterial cell has a cell wall but human cell does not;

3.      Bacterial cell lacks a nucleus but human cell has a nucleus;

4.      Bacterial cell lacks membrane-bound organelles but human cell has

membrane-bound organelles;

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 Accept any named membrane-bound organelle

5.      Bacterial ribosomes smaller than human ribosomes / bacteria have 70S

ribosomes whereas humans have 80S ribosomes;

6.      Bacterial DNA is circular but human DNA is linear;

7.      Bacterial DNA is ‘naked’ whereas human DNA is bound to histones / proteins

Since contrast is required, both parts of each statement must
be present to gain the mark.
5 max
[15]

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