Many human actions are reflexes.

1.
(a) Which statement describes a reflex action?

✓) one box.
Tick (✓

A reflex action does not need a sense organ.

A reflex action is a slow action.

A reflex action is automatic.

Figure 1 shows the nerve pathway for a reflex action.

The arrows show the direction of the nerve impulse.

Figure 1

(1)

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(b) Draw one line from each part of the nerve pathway to the name of that part.

Use Figure 1.

Part of nerve pathway Name of part

Motor neurone

Receptor

Relay neurone

Spinal cord

(3)

(c) Which two human actions are reflexes?

✓) two boxes.
Tick (✓

Blinking when an insect flies into the eye

Catching a ball in a playground game

Playing a musical instrument

Removing the hand from a hot object

Writing a message to a friend

(2)

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Students investigated their reaction times using a computer program.

Figure 2 shows a sequence of two screens in the computer program.

Figure 2

This is the method used.

1. Open the reaction time program.

2. When the screen turns from red to green, touch the screen as quickly as possible.

3. Record the reaction time shown on the screen.

4. Re-set to the red screen.

5. Repeat steps 2 to 4 four more times.

6. Repeat steps 1 to 5 for each student.

The table below shows the results.

Reaction time in milliseconds

Test
Student P Student Q Student R Student S

1 317 310 367 320

2 309 293 352 304

3 290 312 350 315

4 333 307 359 308

5 328 312 635 313

Mean 315 307 357 X

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 (d) Calculate mean value X in above table.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

X = _______________ milliseconds
(2)

(e) There is an anomalous result for student R.

Draw a ring around the anomalous result in the table above.

(1)

(f) Give two factors that might affect a person’s reaction time.

1 _________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

2 _________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(2)
(Total 11 marks)

The nervous system allows a person to detect stimuli.

2.
(a) Draw one line from each stimulus to the sense organ that detects the stimulus.

(2)

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Moving a hand away from a hot object is an example of a reflex action.

(b) What is a reflex action?

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(2)

(c) A muscle in the arm moves the hand away from the hot object.

How does the arm muscle do this?

✓) one box.
Tick (✓

The muscle contracts.

The muscle expands.

The muscle relaxes.

The muscle shrinks.

(1)

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Two students investigated the effect of drinking coffee on reaction time.

This is the method used.

1. Student A holds a metre rule just above student B’s hand, as shown in Figure 1.

2. Student A lets go of the metre rule.

3. Student B catches the metre rule as quickly as possible.

4. Student A writes down the reading from the scale on the metre rule.

5. Students A and B repeat steps 1-4 another four times.

6. Student B then drinks a cup of coffee.

7. After 15 minutes, students A and B repeat steps 1-5.

Figure 1

The table below shows some of the results.

Reading from scale on metre rule in cm

Test
Before drinking coffee After drinking coffee
1 18 10
2 21 14
3 15
4 12
5 19

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Figure 2 shows the results after drinking the coffee for tests 3, 4 and 5

Figure 2

(d) Complete the table.

Use results from Figure 2.

(2)

The students made the following conclusion:

‘Drinking coffee speeds up reactions.’

(e) Give evidence from the table above to support the students’ conclusion.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(1)

(f) The students’ conclusion may not be valid.

Suggest two improvements the students could make to their method.

1 _________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

2 _________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(2)
(Total 10 marks)

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 Students investigated the response of plant shoots to one-sided light.
3.
Figure 1 shows how the students set up three experiments.

Figure 1

(a) Suggest two control variables the students should have used in their investigation.

1 _________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

2 _________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(2)

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(b) Describe how experiment B and experiment C acted as controls for the investigation.

Experiment B _______________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

Experiment C _______________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(2)

(c) Give two conclusions that the students could make from the ink marks on the shoot in
experiment A.

1 _________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

2 _________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(2)

(d) Name the type of response shown by the seedling in experiment A.

___________________________________________________________________
(1)

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Auxin is a plant hormone. Auxin is made in the shoot tip.

Scientists investigated the role of auxin in the response of shoot tips to light.

This is the method used.

1. Grow four seedlings in the dark for a few days.

2. Cut the tip off the shoot of each seedling.

3. Place each shoot tip on a small block of agar jelly.

4. Place the shoot tips and agar in different conditions as shown in Figure 2.

5. After 24 hours, measure the mass of auxin in the agar blocks.

Figure 2

The numbers under each block show the mass of auxin that diffused into the blocks from the
shoot tips.

The mass of auxin is given in arbitrary units.

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(e) A scientist made a hypothesis:

‘Light causes auxin to move from the side of the shoot nearest to the light to the side
furthest from the light.’

Describe the evidence from Figure 2 which supports the hypothesis.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(3)

(f) Another scientist made a different hypothesis:

‘Light causes the breakdown of auxin.’

Give the evidence from Figure 2 that shows that auxin is not broken down by light.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(1)
(Total 11 marks)

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 This question is about plant hormones.
4.
(a) Farmers can spray seeds with gibberellins to start germination.

What are two other uses of gibberellins?

✓) two boxes.
Tick (✓

To help in tissue culture

To help roots form

To increase fruit size

To kill weeds

To promote flower production

(2)

Students investigated the effect of light intensity on the height of seedlings.

Figure 1 shows the equipment.

Figure 1

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(b) Describe two improvements the students should make to their investigation.

1 _________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

2 _________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(2)

Figure 2 shows a seedling growing towards a lamp.

Figure 2

(c) Suggest how the students measured the length of the curved seedling in Figure 2.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(1)

(d) Explain what happened to the growth of the seedling on side Q compared with the growth
on side P.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(3)

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 (e) Bananas are often stored separately from other fruits because bananas release a plant
hormone.

Why does storing bananas with other fruits cause the other fruits to ripen faster?

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(1)
(Total 9 marks)

Phototropism is a growth response by part of a plant to light.

5.
(a) Name one other tropism.

Give the stimulus the plant responds to in the tropism you have named.

Tropism ____________________________________________________________

Stimulus ___________________________________________________________
(2)

(b) Plan an investigation to show the effect of light from one direction on the growth of plant
seedlings.

Include details of any controls needed.

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You may use some of the equipment shown in Figure 1 and any other laboratory
apparatus.

Figure 1

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(6)

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 (c) Explain how phototropism in a plant shoot helps the plant to survive.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(3)
(Total 11 marks)

A student estimated the percentage cover of buttercup plants in a field.

6.
The student used a quadrat.

The quadrat was divided into 25 equal squares.

Figure 1 shows the quadrat.

Figure 1

This is the method used.

1. Place the quadrat on the ground.
2. Record how many squares in the quadrat contain buttercup plants.
3. Place the quadrat in a new position in the field.
4. Record how many squares in the quadrat contain buttercup plants.
5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 another three times.

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(a) What method should the student have used for placing the quadrat?

✓) one box.
Tick (✓

Place the quadrat where there are many

buttercup plants.

Place the quadrat only where there are no trees.

Place the quadrat using random coordinates.

Use the same person to place all the quadrats.

(1)

The student calculated the percentage cover of buttercup plants for each quadrat.

The table below shows the student’s results.

Number of squares
Quadrat Percentage cover of
containing
number buttercup plants
buttercup plants

1 10 40

2 13 52

3 22 88

4 20 80

5 10 40

Mean X

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(b) Calculate mean value X in the table above.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

X = _______________ %
(2)

The table above shows that quadrat 1 and quadrat 5 each had 40% cover of buttercup plants.

Figure 2 shows the results for quadrat 1 and quadrat 5.

Figure 2

(c) The student’s method of estimating the percentage cover of buttercup plants is not
accurate.

How does Figure 2 show this?

✓) one box.
Tick (✓

Quadrat 1 has more groups of buttercup plants.

The area of buttercup plants in quadrat 5 is

much larger.

The buttercup plants are in ten squares in both

quadrats.

(1)

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 (d) The student wanted to get a more valid estimate of the percentage cover of buttercup
plants in the field.

Suggest two improvements to the method to make the results more valid.

1 ________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

2 ________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(2)

(e) Give three environmental factors that would affect the growth of buttercup plants in a field.

1 ________________________________________________________________

2 ________________________________________________________________

3 ________________________________________________________________
(3)
(Total 9 marks)

Ragwort is a weed that grows on farmland.

7.
Ragwort is poisonous to horses.

(a) Plan an investigation to estimate the size of a population of ragwort growing in a

rectangular field on a farm.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(4)

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The herbicide glyphosate will kill ragwort and other weeds.

Scientists use bacteria for the genetic engineering of crop plants to make the crops resistant to
glyphosate.

Figure 1 shows the growth of a culture of the bacteria in a solution of nutrients at 25 °C

Figure 1

(b) Why did the rate of reproduction increase between 2 hours and 7 hours?

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(1)

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(c) After 12 hours, the rate of reproduction decreased.

Suggest three ways the scientists could maintain a high rate of reproduction in the
bacterial culture.

1 _________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

2 _________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

3 _________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(3)

(d) The rate of reproduction of the bacteria is fastest at 7 hours.

How many times faster is the rate of reproduction at 7 hours than the rate at 12 hours?

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

Rate at 7 hours is ________________________________ times faster.

(4)

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 (e) Scientists transferred a gene for resistance to the herbicide glyphosate into the bacteria.

The genetically-modified (GM) bacteria can then transfer the glyphosate-resistance gene to
a crop plant.

Explain the advantage of making crop plants resistant to glyphosate.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(3)
(Total 15 marks)

Gardeners sometimes make compost heaps from dead plant material.

8.
The dead plants decay in the compost heap.

Figure 1 shows a compost heap.

Figure 1

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(a) The thin layers of soil contain organisms that cause decay.

Which two types of organism cause decay?

✓) two boxes.
Tick (✓

Bacteria

Fungi

Grass

Insects

Worms

(2)

The rate of decay in the compost heap depends on several environmental factors.

(b) Explain how the rate of decay would be affected by:

• an increase in oxygen concentration

• a temperature increase from 5 °C to 25 °C

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(3)

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(c) Give one environmental factor needed for decay.

Do not refer to oxygen or temperature in your answer.

___________________________________________________________________
(1)

Dead plant material can also be decayed in a biogas generator.

Figure 2 shows the percentages of the gases found in a sample of biogas.

Figure 2

(d) Gas X is the main fuel gas found in the biogas.

What is gas X?

✓) one box.
Tick (✓

Carbon monoxide

Hydrogen

Methane

Nitrogen

(1)

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 (e) What is the percentage of gas X in the biogas?

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

Percentage = _____________________________%
(1)

(f) The dead plant material in the compost heap and biogas generator does not decay
completely.

Explain why a farmer might spread the remaining dead plant material onto his fields.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(2)
(Total 10 marks)

This question is about the decay of milk.

9.
(a) Name two types of microorganism that cause decay.

1. ________________________________________________________________

2. ________________________________________________________________
(2)

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(b) Cows’ milk is pH 6.6.

As milk decays, lipids in the milk are broken down.

One of the products of the breakdown of lipids causes the pH of milk to decrease.

Name the product that causes the pH to decrease.

___________________________________________________________________
(1)

A student investigated the effect of temperature on the time taken for different types of milk to
decay.

This is the method used.

1. Put cows’ milk in six test tubes.
2. Keep each test tube at a different temperature.
3. Measure the pH of the milk in each tube every day for 12 days.
4. Record the number of days taken to reach pH 5.
5. Repeat steps 1 to 4 with goats’ milk and with almond milk.

(c) Give one way the pH can be measured.

___________________________________________________________________
(1)

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(d) Give two control variables the student should have used in this investigation.

1. ________________________________________________________________

2. ________________________________________________________________
(2)

The student improved the investigation to produce valid results.

The graph shows the results.

(e) Which type of milk stays fresh the longest at 10 °C?

___________________________________________________________________
(1)

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(f) Describe the effect of temperature on the time taken for goats’ milk to reach pH 5.

Use data from the graph above in your answer.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(2)

(g) The time taken for cows’ milk to reach pH 5 at 10 °C is less than the time taken for cows’
milk to reach pH 5 at 5 °C.

Suggest one reason why.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(1)

(h) Suggest two reasons why the different types of milk took different lengths of time to reach
pH 5.

1 _________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

2 _________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(2)

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 (i) The student said:

‘The temperature milk is stored at affects

how likely the milk is to cause food poisoning.’

How can the investigation be developed to find out if the student is correct?

✓) one box.
Tick (✓

Determine the types of bacteria present in the milk

Record the pH every 12 hours

Use more than three different types of milk

(1)
(Total 13 marks)

A student investigated the effect of temperature on the decay of milk.

10.
Figure 1 shows the apparatus the student used.

Figure 1

This is the method used.

1. Set up the apparatus as shown in the figure above with the milk at 20 °C.
2. Record the pH over 5 days using the computer.
3. Repeat with another batch of fresh milk at 25 °C.

(a) How could the student keep the milk at a constant temperature for 5 days?

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(1)

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(b) Give one variable the student should keep constant.

Do not refer to temperature in your answer.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(1)

The table below shows the student’s results for the milk at 20 °C.

Time in days 0 1 2 3 4 5

pH 6.7 6.7 6.3 5.3 4.6 4.4

(c) Complete Figure 2.

You should:
• label the x-axis
• use a suitable scale for the x-axis
• plot the data from the table above
• draw a line of best fit.

Figure 2

(4)

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(d) The data you plotted in part (c) were obtained at 20 °C.

Sketch a line on Figure 2 to show the results you would expect at 25 °C.

Label this line ‘25 °C’.

(2)
(Total 8 marks)

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 The growth of daisy plants on a lawn is affected by biotic factors and by abiotic factors.
11.
(a) The table below shows six factors.

✓) one box in each row to show whether the factor is biotic or abiotic.
Tick (✓

Factor Biotic Abiotic

Nitrates in the soil

Rabbits eating the plants

Shading by a building

Soil pH

Temperature

Trampling by people

(3)

The figure below shows a plan of a garden.

A student estimates the number of daisy plants growing on the lawn.

The student places a quadrat at 10 different positions on the lawn.

The quadrat measures 50 cm × 50 cm.

The student counts the number of daisy plants in each quadrat.

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(b) How should the student decide where to place the quadrat?

Give the reason for your answer.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(2)

(c) The mean number of daisy plants in each quadrat is 6.

Calculate the number of daisy plants on the lawn.

Give your answer to 3 significant figures.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

Number of daisy plants on the lawn = ______________________________

(6)

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(d) Using the mean from this investigation to calculate the number of daisy plants on the lawn
may not be accurate.

Give two reasons why.

1 ________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

2 ________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(2)
(Total 13 marks)

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