Answers to Exam practice

Chapter 20 16. HKDSEE Biology 2013 Paper 1 Section B Q5

Ecosystems 17. Set up a transect by spreading the tape measure

across the woodland floor from a shady area into a
Multiple-choice questions (p.20-64)
lighter area. (1)
1. D At fixed intervals along the transect, sample a few
leaves. (1)
2. C
Measure the length or width of the leaves using a
3. D ruler. (1)
Predators are usually larger than their prey and are At each location, use a light meter to measure the
much fewer in number. light intensity. (1)

4. B Take several readings at each location and calculate

the mean. (1)
5. B
Plot a graph of mean leaf length or width against
Statement (1) is incorrect. S is a producer. light intensity. (1)
Statement (3) is incorrect. The total biomass
decreases from producers to consumers as less and Structured questions (p.20-68)
less energy is available to organisms at higher
18. HKDSEE Biology 2014 Paper 1 Section B Q5
trophic levels.
19. HKDSEE Biology 2017 Paper 1 Section B Q8
6. A
20. HKDSEE Biology 2015 Paper 1 Section B Q3
7. C
The energy is progressively lost to the environment 21. HKDSEE Biology 2016 Paper 1 Section B Q5
at each trophic level. Usually less than 10% of the
22. HKDSEE Biology 2013 Paper 1 Section B Q8
energy can be transferred from one trophic level to
the next.

8. D
Essay (p.20-72)

Phytoplankton can reproduce so rapidly that its 23. HKDSEE Biology 2018 Paper 1 Section B Q11
small biomass can support the larger biomass of the
primary consumers (zooplankton).
Chapter 21
9. C
Photosynthesis
During the decomposition of dead bodies by
decomposers, carbon inside the organic matter is Multiple-choice questions (p.21-44)
converted to carbon dioxide. 1. A

10. D The transpiration pull is created by evaporation of

water vapour from leaves.
11. C
2. C
12. D
3. C
13. A
4. C
14. D
5. D

Short questions (p.20-67) 6. D

15. HKDSEE Biology 2012 Paper 1 Section B Q6 7. A

T1
 8. D because there is no regeneration of the 5-C
Doubling the temperature of the carbon dioxide acceptor (1)
hydrogencarbonate solution to 60°C will cause the to combine with carbon dioxide / to fix carbon
enzymes involved in photosynthesis to denature. dioxide. (1)

9. A (d) Starch (1)

It is insoluble and so is good for storage. (1)
OR
Short questions (p.21-46)
Cellulose (1)
10. (a) In darkness, starch in the leaves is converted to
It has mechanical strength and so can provide
sugars, (1)
good support. / It has high tensile strength and
which are transported away from the leaves /
so can maintain the shape of cell. (1)
oxidized in respiration. (1)
(Any one set, 2)
(b) (i) Starch is present in part B which contains
chlorophyll, but is absent in part A which
Structured questions (p.21-49)
contains no chlorophyll. (1)
This shows that chlorophyll is required for 15. HKALE Biology 2012 Paper 1 Q6
photosynthesis. (1)
16. (a) ATP and NADPH are produced in grana /
(ii) Starch is present in Part B which receives thylakoids, thus are present in both tubes. (1)
light, but is absent in part D which receives
(b) 4000 (1)
no light. (1)
In the dark, the light-dependent reaction does
This shows that light is required for
not occur / ATP and NADPH are not produced.
photosynthesis. (1)
(1)
11. HKDSEE Biology 2018 Paper 1 Section B Q3
(c) Less triose phosphate is produced. (1)
12. (a) The leaves are arranged with a minimum of Less 5-C carbon dioxide acceptor is
overlap, which enables each leaf to receive the regenerated. (1)
maximum amount of light. (1)
(d) No / less ATP is produced (during electron
(b) (i) B (1) transport). (1)
(ii) The cells in B are closely packed. (1) No / less NADPH is produced. (1)
Chloroplast density is the highest in B. (1)
17. HKDSEE Biology 2017 Paper 1 Section B Q7
These features maximize the amount of
light absorbed for photosynthesis. (1) 18. (a) (i) With increasing leaf temperature, the rate
of photosynthesis increases then decreases.
(iii) Cells E control the opening and closing of a
(1) /
stoma to regulate the passage of gases and
water vapour into and out of the leaf. (1) With 0.04% CO2, the rate of
photosynthesis peaks between 20°C and
Cells E contain chlorophyll to absorb light
30°C / at 25°C. (1) /
for photosynthesis. (1)
With 0.19% CO2, the rate of
13. HKDSEE Biology 2016 Paper 1 Section B Q3 photosynthesis peaks between 30°C and
40°C / at 35°C. (1) /
14. (a) Stroma (1)
With 0.04% CO2, photosynthesis stops
(b) Mark on the arrow representing the conversion above 35°C / at 40°C. (1)
of 3-C compound to triose phosphate. (1)
(Any three, 3)
(c) The Calvin cycle will stop (1)

T2
 (ii) (34.7 – 14.3) ÷ 14.3 × 100% (1)
= 143% (1)
(iii) The optimum temperature for
photosynthesis is increased. /
Plants can photosynthesize at higher
temperatures. /
The maximum rate of photosynthesis is
higher. /
The rate of photosynthesis starts to
decrease at a higher temperature. /
The rate of photosynthesis increases at a
higher rate. (1)
(iv) The carbon dioxide concentration is
limiting / is too low to compensate for the
high temperature. (1)
The higher temperature has distorted the
active site of enzyme molecules / decreased
enzyme activity. (1)
Therefore, there is no photosynthesis / the
rate of photosynthesis is too low to be
recorded.
(b) More rubisco is being broken down than being
synthesized. (1)
Rubisco becomes the limiting factor. / There is
less rubisco available to fix carbon dioxide. (1)
Therefore, less (no) Calvin cycle takes place and
the rate of photosynthesis would decrease. (1)
19. (a) The one factor that is at the lowest value / in
the shortest supply (1)
so that it prevents increase in the rate of
photosynthesis. (1)
(b) To keep out unwanted carbon dioxide (1)
produced by the respiration of organisms in the
soil. (1)
(c) (i) At lower light intensity / light intensity up
to 7 arbitrary units, the rate of
photosynthesis increases as light intensity
increases / light intensity is the (main)
limiting factor for photosynthesis. (1)
At high intensity / light intensity above 7
arbitrary units, the rate of photosynthesis
levels off / reaches a plateau / remains
constant / is unaffected by light intensity.
(1)
Another factor / carbon dioxide
concentration / temperature becomes
limiting. (1)
(ii) More carbon dioxide is available to the
plants in set B. (1)
Carbon dioxide concentration becomes
limiting at a higher light intensity in set B.
(1)
Essay (p.21-52)
20. Photolysis of water:
• Some of the light energy absorbed by
chlorophyll is used to split water molecules into
hydrogen and oxygen. (1)
Hydrogen is accepted by NADP to form NADPH
(reduced NADP). (1)
• Oxygen is either used in respiration or released
as a by-product. (1)
Light-independent stage of photosynthesis:
• In the stroma, carbon dioxide combines with a
5-C compound to form two molecules of a 3-C
compound. (1)
• The 3-C compound is reduced to triose
phosphate using energy from ATP and
hydrogen from NADPH. (1)
• Two molecules of triose phosphate can
combine to form one molecule of glucose. (1)
• Most triose phosphate molecules are used to
regenerate the 5-C carbon dioxide acceptor
using the energy from ATP. (1)
Importance to humans:
• Triose phosphate and other intermediates of
photosynthesis are synthesized into
biomolecules of plants, which provide the basic
food source for humans. (1)
• Photosynthesis converts light energy into
chemical energy, which is transferred along
food chain. (1)
• Photosynthesis helps maintains the balance of
oxygen and carbon dioxide in the atmosphere
by releasing oxygen and consuming carbon
dioxide.
(1)
T3
 Chapter 22 10. D

Respiration
Short questions (p.22-42)
Multiple-choice questions (p.22-41)
11. (a) II, IV (1)
1. B
(b) Some energy is lost as heat. (1)
Diffusion is a passive process of transport that
depends on the kinetic energy of particles and a (c) ATP is a small, water-soluble molecule that can
concentration gradient. Active transport requires be easily transported around the cell to supply
energy in the form of ATP. Transmission of nerve energy where it is needed. (1)
impulses involves active transport of ions, and so It can be readily broken down / hydrolysed in a
requires energy from cells. Heat energy released one-step reaction into ADP to release energy.
during respiration is used to maintain a constant (1)
body temperature.
(Or other reasonable answers.)
2. A
12. (a) (i) A (1)
3. B (ii) C (1)
The first carbon dioxide molecule is released in the (iii) D (1)
conversion of pyruvate to acetyl-CoA.
(b) Pyruvate (1)
4. B ADP (1)
The woodlice carried out respiration. They took in Phosphate (1)
oxygen from the surroundings and released carbon NADH / reduced NAD (1)
dioxide which was then absorbed by the potassium
Oxygen (1)
hydroxide solution. The pressure inside the test
(Any two, 2)
tube decreased and become lower than the test
tube without woodlice. The change in liquid levels (c) The sections are obtained at different positions
in the U-tube indicates the difference in pressure on of the organelles. (1)
both sides (i.e. the amount of oxygen absorbed by
the woodlice). 13. (a) There is less lactic acid in the blood. (1)
There is a faster removal / breakdown of lactic
5. A acid. (1)
Lime water can be used to test for the presence of
(b) (i) 3:1 (1)
carbon dioxide. In the experiment, all the carbon
dioxide had been absorbed by the potassium (ii) Should show some of each but aerobic
hydroxide solution. The lime water therefore respiration constitutes more than 50% (1)
remained colourless. (c) Glucose is completely broken down (1)
to release more energy / produce more ATP. (1)
6. C
Yeast can carry out aerobic respiration on glucose 14. (a) (i) Carbon dioxide (1)
when oxygen is present. (ii) Ethanol (1)

7. B (b) (i) Triose phosphate (1)

The experimental setup and the control setup differ is oxidized to pyruvate / is dehydrogenated
only in the variable being tested (i.e. whether the to produce pyruvate / is converted to
yeast is living or dead). pyruvate. (1)
ATP is produced directly / by substrate level
8. B phosphorylation. (1)
9. D

T4
 (ii) DNA replication / RNA synthesis /
Transcription (1)

15. HKDSEE Biology 2014 Paper 1 Section B Q1

16. HKDSEE Practice Paper Biology Paper 1 Section B

Q2

Structured questions (p.22-45)

17. HKDSEE Biology 2018 Paper 1 Section B Q9(a)–(b)

18. HKDSEE Biology 2012 Paper 1 Section B Q9

19. HKALE Biology 2009 Paper 1 Q5

20. (a) (i)

Potassium
Coloured liquid Coloured liquid
Type of hydroxide Coloured liquid
Investigation moved to the moved to the
respiration solution absent did not move
left right
or present

1 Anaerobic Absent
2 Aerobic Absent
3 Aerobic Present
(1, 1)

(ii) Aerobic respiration of the animal tissue did

not consume oxygen (1)
and produced no carbon dioxide. (1)
Therefore, there was no change in volume /
pressure in the set-up. (1)
(iii) Reduced NAD produced in glycolysis enters
mitochondria / moves through the outer
membrane of mitochondria. (1)
and moves to the inner membrane of the
mitochondrion (the crista). (1)
Reduced NAD becomes oxidized to NAD (1)
as electrons pass through the electron
transport chain. (1)

(b) Use the same mass of the two different tissues to be

studied. (1)
Compare the time needed for the coloured liquid
to move a fixed distance. / Compare the distance
moved by the coloured liquid in a fixed period of
time. (1)

Essay (p.22-48)
21. HKALE Biology 2011 Paper 2 Q6(a)
T5