OCR A Biology

8.1
Summary Questions
1 Transports requirements for metabolism, e.g., oxygen, food molecules, to cells (1); removes waste
products of metabolism from cells and carries them to excretory organs (1); transports materials made
in one place to another place where they are needed (1).
2 Unicellular organisms have large SA : V ratio so diffusion distances small and metabolic demands
low so diffusion can supply and remove substances quickly and efficiently enough (2). Multicellular
organisms have small SA : V ratio, so long diffusion distances. Metabolic demands are high – diffusion
alone can no longer supply all needs quickly and efficiently enough (2).
3 Similarities: liquid transport medium (1); vessels to transport the medium (1); pumping mechanism
to move transport fluid around system (1).
Differences: open has few vessels; closed has transport medium (blood) enclosed in vessels
(1). In open transport medium is pumped into body cavity (haemocoel) under low pressure; in closed
heart pumps blood around body under pressure (1). In open, transport medium is in direct contact
with body cells; in closed transport medium has no direct contact with body cells (1). In open transport
medium returns to heart through open ended vessel; in closed blood flows relatively fast and returns
to heart all within vessels (1) (max 6)
4 Land predators top land predators hunt so need ability to move in fast bursts (1); they grow large
and maintain own body temperature (1); need to support body against gravity (1); they may be
pregnant and so have to support needs of growing fetus as well as own body needs (1) (max 3
marks) high metabolic rate (1); they need a very efficient circulatory system supply. Double circulatory
system supplies blood to lungs to be oxygenated and then returns it to heart to be pumped around
body (1); so tissues receive a high level of oxygen and high levels of carbon dioxide
can be removed. (1).
Aquatic predators such as pike need to hunt so also need efficient circulatory system (1); their single
system less efficient than a double system (1); but bony fish have operculum so continuous flow of
water over gills to oxygenate blood (1); countercurrent flow allows efficient oxygen uptake (1); they do
not maintain their own body temperature and are supported by water (1); so demands of tissues much
lower than those of an animal like a fox (1); so single circulation is adequate to supply their needs.

8.2
Collagen, elastin, and aortic aneurysms
1 A higher proportion of collagen: elastin increases likelihood that blood vessels will develop an
aneurysm. (2); blood vessel less elastic (1); so less able to withstand surges of blood in aorta (1);
more likely to stretch and bulge permanently (1).
2 Reduce high blood pressure (1); regular screening of aorta for signs of aneurysm developing (2).

Summary Questions
1 Arterial blood under pressure from pumping of blood and elastic recoil of artery walls, so no
tendency for it to flow backwards (1). After passing through capillary beds blood in veins under much
lower pressure, there is no pumping from heart and little elastic recoil in veins so blood might flow
backwards (1); as it moves back towards heart against gravity. Valves prevent this happening – they
open as blood flows towards heart and close if it flows in opposite direction (1).
2 Arterioles have more smooth muscle and less elastin in walls than arteries, as they have little pulse
surge (1); smooth muscle means they can constrict or dilate to control flow of blood into individual
organs by preventing blood flowing into a capillary bed (vasoconstriction) or allowing it to flow
(vasodilation) (1).
3 a Diagrams are helpful in describing and comparing structures
Large veins have thin walls as don't have to withstand high pressures of arterial system (1); large
lumen as they contain large volume of blood (1); smooth muscle in veins contracts/ relaxes allowing
constriction/dilation to change amount and pressure of blood (1); walls contain collagen and relatively
little elastic fibre, so there is a limit to amount of blood that can flow through them (1); wide lumen and
smooth lining mean blood flows easily. (3 – for any three relevant points).
Medium sized veins have similar structures and function to large veins but also have valves, which
prevent backflow and move it through the venous system to largest veins and so back to heart (1).
Venules less structure in walls than veins; very thin walls with a little smooth muscle to allow blood to
flow onto into veins; venules do not have valves so cannot control blood flow. (max 2)
b In all other areas of adult body veins and venules carry deoxygenated blood back from body to
heart (1). In lungs they carry oxygenated blood from lungs back to heart (1).

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 OCR A Biology

8.3
Summary Questions
1 Transport of oxygen (1); and carbon dioxide (1); (to and from respiring cells, respectively); transport
of digested food from intestine to cells (1); transport of nitrogenous wastes from tissues to excretory
organs (1); transport of: hormones (1); platelets (for clotting) (1); and antibodies (1); immune response
(1); maintaining constant body temperature (1); and pH (1). (max 4)
2 a Platelets fragments of large cells called megakaryocytes (1); found in red bone marrow (1).
b Carried around in body in circulatory system (1); involved in blood clotting mechanism (1); which
prevents blood loss after injury.
c 250 000 (1)/5257000 (1) ×100= 4.76% (1).
3 Plasma: straw coloured liquid which contains water, dissolved glucose and amino acids, mineral
ions, hormones and large plasma proteins including albumin (important for maintaining osmotic
potential of blood), fibrinogen (important in blood clotting) and globulins (involved in transport and
immune system). (3 for any three points)
Tissue fluid: Liquid contains same constituents as plasma except the plasma proteins – so no
albumin, fibrinogen or globulins (1).
Lymph: Liquid similar to tissue fluid but with less oxygen and digested food and more carbon dioxide
and waste (it has been past the cells) and more fatty acids from small intestine. (2)
4 Hydrostatic pressure is the pressure from heart beat forcing liquid out through junctions of capillary,
which at arterial end of capillaries is 3.2kPa (1); oncotic pressure is result of water potential in
capillary from plasma proteins moving water into capillary which is −2kPa (1). At arterial end of
capillary hydrostatic pressure higher than oncotic pressure, water is forced out of capillary and forms
tissue fluid (1); as blood moves along capillary more fluid moves out and residual force from heart
beat is lost. By venous end of capillaries hydrostatic pressure has fallen to 0.5kPa (1); plasma
proteins don’t leave capillary as they can’t pass through loose junctions so oncotic pressure is still
−2kPa (1); as a result water now moves back into capillary by osmosis and by end of the capillary
network around 90% of tissue fluid is back in capillaries again (1).

8.4
Summary Questions
1 Biconcave shape gives large surface area for gaseous exchange (1); and makes it possible to move
through capillaries (1); erythrocytes contain oxygen carrying pigment haemoglobin (1); mature
erythrocytes have no nucleus so more room for maximum amount of haemoglobin (1); contains
enzyme carbonic anhydrase involved in carriage of carbon dioxide in blood (1). (max 3)

2a
(1 mark correct axes; 1 mark correct graph lines)
b Foetal haemoglobin has higher affinity for oxygen than maternal haemoglobin (1); so foetal blood
takes oxygen from maternal blood (1); enables foetus to survive and grow (1).

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 OCR A Biology

3a
(1 mark correct axes; 1 mark correct graph lines)
b Myoglobin in muscles has higher oxygen affinity than haemoglobin in blood (1); so muscles can
take oxygen from haemoglobin in blood, enabling muscles to get extra oxygen when they are
contracting during exercise (1).
4 Flow chart should clearly shows main stages of carbon dioxide transport. It should not include
plasma transport as specifically states red blood cells (6).

8.5
Dissecting a heart
Atria not very clearly displayed – either lost at butchers OR very small compared with ventricles so not
easy to see; lack of major blood vessels e.g.. pulmonary vessels, aorta – lost with removal of atria;
blood vessels not as clear as on Figure 1 and 2, valves not as clearly defined as in Figure 2, difficult
to pick up heart wall from ventricular lining; Figure 1 and 2 schematic designed to show the principles
of the structures and how they are related to each other and to their function – NOT an accurate
anatomical representation; any other sensible point. (max 4)

A hole in the heart

Small hole means blood flows past, and two sides of heart remain effectively separate (2)
Large hole means deoxygenated blood from right side of heart mixes with oxygenated blood from left
side of heart so blood does not carry enough oxygen to tissues (3).

Blood pressure
Weak heart does not beat strongly so blood leaves heart at a lower pressure than in a healthy person
– giving low blood pressure (3); damaged, closed or less elastic vessels – lumen is narrower so blood
flowing through is under higher pressure (same amount of blood flowing through a smaller space) (3).

Summary Questions
1 Heart cardiac muscles needs good supply of oxygen and glucose to contract with a regular rhythm
(1); coronary arteries supply blood carrying glucose and oxygen to heart (1); healthy coronary arteries
provide good supply of blood to heart muscle so it can continue to beat (1).
2 a First heart sound – blood hitting against atrioventricular valves (1). Second heart sound: sound of
semilunar valves as they close to prevent a backflow of blood (1).
b Pressure difference between atria and ventricles as atria empty and ventricles s start to contract
means blood is forced against the atrio-ventricular valves which close to prevent backflow of blood
into the atria (3); pressure difference between blood in artery and ventricles as they empty means
blood hits semilunar valves which are closed to prevent backflow of blood into heart (3).
3 a Bradycardia is the slowing of the heart (1); when animals dive they need to conserve their oxygen
and food to last for whole dive (1); they undergo bradycardia as part of slowing down metabolism to
enable them to stay under water as long as possible (1).
b Tachycardia is speeding up of the heart (1); at altitude there is less oxygen available in air – this
means there is less oxygen available in blood (1); heart speeds up to compensate and
carry more oxygen to tissues, even if it isn’t
effective because of low oxygen atmosphere (1).
4 a (i) Approx 63 bpm (2) (ii) Approx 48 bpm (2) (iii) Approx 107 bpm (2)
b Normal 0 (1); 23% decrease (1); 69% increase (1).

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