Osmosis is the movement of water through partially permeable cell membranes.

1.
A group of students investigated the effect of temperature on the rate of osmosis in potato cells.
The students used five potato chips all cut to the same size.

Figure 1 shows one chip.

Figure 1

This is the method used.

1.   Half fill a boiling tube with distilled water.

2.   Heat the water to 25 °C
3.   Place one potato chip in the boiling tube.
4.   Keep the boiling tube and potato chip at 25 °C for 30 minutes.
5.   Repeat steps 1−4 at four other temperatures.

(a)  All of the potato chips gained water by osmosis.

Explain how the students would find out the rate of water uptake by osmosis in each potato
chip.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

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(3)

(b)  One of the students used a knife to cut the potato chips.

Suggest how the student could improve the method of cutting the potato chips to make
sure they are all the same size.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(1)

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(c)  Another student cut their potato chips as shown in Figure 2.

Figure 2

Suggest how the rate of water uptake by osmosis in this investigation was different from
the investigation with the chips shown in Figure 2.

Give a reason for your answer.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(2)

(d)  The students carried out the experiment at 25 °C, 30 °C, 35 °C, 40 °C and 45 °C

Predict what you would expect the results to show as the temperature increases.

Give a reason for your answer.

Prediction __________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

Reason ____________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(2)
(Total 8 marks)

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 This question is about organisation in living organisms.
2.
(a)  Write the biological structures from the box in the correct size order.

cell nucleus organ tissue

(3)

(b)  Name one animal organ.

___________________________________________________________________
(1)

(c)  Which is a plant tissue?

✓) one box.
Tick (✓

Flower

Leaf

Phloem

Root

(1)

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Figure 1 shows part of a root viewed using a microscope.

Figure 1

(d)  Explain how a root hair cell is specialised for its function.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(2)

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Figure 2 shows a microscope.

Figure 2

(e)  It is easier to view the cells using the low power objective lens first.

Give one reason why.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(1)

(f)  To focus the image the objective lens should be moved away from the stage.

Give one reason why the objective lens should not be moved towards the stage.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(1)

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 (g)  The image of the prepared slide in Figure 2 is viewed with the ×10 objective lens.

The total magnification is ×50

What was the power of the eyepiece lens used?

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___________________________________________________________________

Power of eyepiece lens = × ______________________

(1)

(h)  Root hair cells do not contain chloroplasts.

Suggest one reason why.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(1)
(Total 11 marks)

A student investigated the effect of light intensity on the rate of photosynthesis.

3.
Figure 1 shows some of the apparatus used.

Figure 1

(a)  Name the gas produced by the pondweed in the light.

___________________________________________________________________
(1)

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(b)  Describe one way the student could change the intensity of light reaching the pondweed.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(2)

(c)  Describe how the student could use the apparatus in Figure 1 to measure the rate of
photosynthesis.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(2)

Figure 2 shows the student’s results.

Figure 2

(d)  What was the maximum rate of photosynthesis?

Maximum rate = ____________________ arbitrary units

(1)

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 (e)  At which light intensity was light a limiting factor?

✓) one box.
Tick (✓

200 lumens

600 lumens

1200 lumens

(1)

(f)  Light intensity can affect the rate of photosynthesis.

Give one other factor that can affect the rate of photosynthesis.

___________________________________________________________________
(1)
(Total 8 marks)

Some students wanted to estimate the number of plantain plants in a grassy field.
4.
The field measured 100 metres × 50 metres.

The students:
• chose areas where plantains were growing
• placed 10 quadrats in these areas
• counted the number of plantains in each of the 10 quadrats.

Each quadrat measured 25 cm × 25 cm.

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The table below shows the students’ results.

Quadrat Number of plantain

number plants

1 2

2 1

3 4

4 1

5 3

6 2

7 4

8 1

9 1

10 1

(a) Complete the following calculation to estimate the number of plantain plants in the field.

Use the students’ results from the table above.

Total number of plantains in 10 quadrats = ____________________________

Total area of 10 quadrats = _____________________________________ m2

Mean number of plantains per m2 = ________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

Area of field = _______________________________________________ m2

Therefore estimated number of plantains in field = _____________________

___________________________________________________________________
(3)

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 (b) The students’ method would not give a valid estimate of the number of plantain plants in
the field.

Describe three improvements you could make to the students’ method.

For each improvement, give the reason why your method would produce more valid results
than the students’ method.

Improvement 1 ______________________________________________________

Reason ____________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

Improvement 2 ______________________________________________________

Reason ____________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

Improvement 3 ______________________________________________________

Reason ____________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(3)
(Total 6 marks)

This question is about digestion.

5.
(a)  Name the enzyme that digests starch in the human digestive system.

___________________________________________________________________
(1)

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A student set up a model to represent the digestion and absorption of food molecules in the
digestive system.

The diagram shows the student’s model.

This is the method used.

1. Fill a test tube with water at 37 °C

2. Test the water for starch and for sugar.
3. Mix together starch and enzyme solution and immediately test it for starch and for sugar.
4. Fill some partially permeable tubing with the starch and enzyme mixture.
5. Seal the tubing and place it in the test tube of water.
6. Place the test tube in a water bath at 37 °C
7. After 30 minutes, test the mixture inside the partially permeable tubing and test the water in the
test tube for starch and for sugar.

(b)  Suggest which parts of the body the partially permeable tubing and the water in the test
tube represent.

Partially permeable tubing ____________________________________________

Water in the test tube ________________________________________________

(2)

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The table below shows the results.

Result of starch Result of sugar

Test Description of liquid
test test

1 Mixture inside tubing at start ✓ ✘

2 Water in the test tube at start ✘ ✘

Mixture inside tubing after 30

3 ✓ ✓
minutes

Water in the test tube after 30

4 ✘ ✓
minutes

Key
✓ = Present
✘ = Not present

(c)  Name the reagents used to test for starch and for sugar.

Starch _____________________________________________________________

Sugar _____________________________________________________________
(2)

(d)  Why was there no sugar present in test 1?

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(1)

(e)  Explain the results for test 3.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(2)

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 (f)  Explain the results for test 4.

___________________________________________________________________

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___________________________________________________________________

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___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(2)
(Total 10 marks)

A student investigated the effect of different concentrations of sugar solution on pieces of carrot.
6.
This is the method used.

1.   Weigh five pieces of carrot.

2.   Place each piece into a different tube.
3.   Into each tube add 20 cm3 of water or one of the sugar solutions as shown in Figure 1
4.   Leave the apparatus for 2 hours.
5.   Remove the carrot and dry each piece on paper towel.
6.   Reweigh each piece.
7.   Calculate the percentage (%) change in mass of each piece.

Figure 1 shows how the investigation was set up.

Figure 1

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The table below shows the results.

Concentration of sugar Percentage (%) change in

solution in mol/dm3 mass

0.0 +24

0.2 +12

0.4 +1

0.6 −8

0.8 −15

(a)  Suggest why the student calculated the percentage (%) change in mass of each piece of
carrot.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(1)

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(b)  Complete Figure 2 using the results in the table above

•   Choose a suitable scale and label for the y-axis.

•   Plot the results.
•   Draw a line of best fit.

Figure 2

(4)

(c)  Estimate the concentration of sugar solution inside the carrot cells.

Use your completed graph on Figure 2

Concentration = _______________________ mol/dm3

(1)
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 (d)  Explain why the mass of the carrot in the 0.6 mol/dm3 sugar solution changed.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(4)

(e)  The student repeated the investigation using boiled pieces of carrot.

The pieces of carrot did not change in mass.

Suggest why.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(1)
(Total 11 marks)

The gall bladder is part of the digestive system.

7.
The gall bladder produces bile.

Bile is not an enzyme, but bile is involved in the digestion of lipids.

(a)  Lipids are digested to form two products.

Write down the two products.

lipids → __________________ + __________________

(2)

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A student investigated the effect of human bile on the rate of digestion of full-fat cream.

This is the method used.

1. Mix 10 cm3 of cream and 10 cm3 of bile solution in a beaker and insert a pH probe.

2. Put 10 cm3 of lipase solution into a test tube.

3. Place the beaker and the test tube in a water bath at 37 °C

4. After 10 minutes add the lipase solution to the beaker and mix.

5. Leave for 5 minutes and then record the pH of the mixture.

6. Repeat steps 1–5 for different concentrations of bile solution.

The starting pH for all the mixtures was pH 10.0

(b)  Suggest why the student set the water bath at 37 °C

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(2)

The following table shows the student’s results

Concentration of bile solution pH after 5

in arbitrary units minutes

0 8.2

1 8.1

2 8.0

3 7.8

4 7.5

5 7.2

(c)  Why does the pH of the mixture decrease from pH 10.0?

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(1)

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(d)  Describe the pattern shown in the results in the table above.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(1)

(e)  Bile emulsifies lipids.

Emulsification means that large droplets of lipid are changed into many tiny droplets of
lipid.

Explain why emulsification changes the rate of digestion of lipids.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(2)
(Total 8 marks)

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Mark schemes
(a)  measure the mass / length of the chip at the start*
1. 1

measure the mass / length of the chip at the end*

1
*if neither mark awarded allow 1 mark for measure the
increase in length / mass

divide the change in mass / length by time taken

1
ignore references to blotting the potato chips

(b)  use cork borer

allow a description
allow a potato chip cutter
1

(c)  (rate) would be higher / faster

ignore more diffusion / osmosis
1

(as) surface area (for diffusion / osmosis) is greater

1

(d)  (as temperature increases the) rate (of osmosis) would increase
ignore more water taken in
1

as (water) molecules / particles have more energy to move (faster)

or
as (water) molecules / particles have more kinetic energy
allow (water) molecules / particles move faster
1
[8]

(a)  nucleus
2. cell
tissue
organ
all in correct order
allow 1 mark for each consecutive pair of structures
3

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(b)  any one from:
•   bladder
•   brain
•   heart
•   (small or large) intestine
•   kidney
•   liver
•   lung
•   pancreas
•   skin
•   stomach
allow any organ found in an animal
ignore blood
1

(c)  phloem
1

(d)  large surface area

allow long

(so) it can absorb (a lot of) water / minerals / (mineral) ions

allow long
1
allow 1 mark for (many) mitochondria
allow for 2 marks (many) mitochondria for active
transport
1

(e)  any one from:

•   biggest / widest field of view

•   easier to focus
1

(f)  to avoid damage to lens / slide

ignore references to focussing
1

(g)  (×)5
allow are underground
1

(h)  any one from:

(root hair cells)
•   are not exposed to light
•   do not photosynthesise
allow are underground
1
[11]

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 (a)  oxygen
3.
name takes precedence
allow O2
ignore O2 / O / O2
1

(b)  (use) a lamp / light (source)

1

(and) move away and / or towards pondweed

allow use different power ratings or use a dimmer
switch
allow change the opacity of the beaker for 2 marks
1

(c)  count the number of bubbles

allow measure the volume of gas collected
1

in a given time
allow for 2 marks measure time taken to collect a
specific number of bubbles
1

(d)  34 (arbitrary units)

allow a value in the range 33.5 – 34.5 (arbitrary units)
1

(e)  200 lumens

1

(f)  any one from:

•   temperature
•   carbon dioxide (concentration)
•   amount of chlorophyll
ignore light (intensity)
ignore heat
ignore oxygen

allow light colour / wavelength

allow water
ignore pH
1
[8]

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 (a) 160 000
4.
if incorrect answer / no answer:
allow max. 2 for method:
1 mark for mean = total number ÷ area of ten quadrats

eg or or or 32

1 mark for final answer = mean × field area

eg mean × 5000
3

(b) Improvement: place quadrats randomly

and
Reason: avoid bias / (more) representative / (more) reliable
allow 1 mark if 2 correct improvements but no reasons / only
incorrect reasons
1
Improvement: more quadrats
and
Reason: overcome random variation / (more) typical / (more) representative / (more)
reliable / repeatable
1
Improvement: larger quadrats or repeat when plants are bigger
and
Reason: less likely to miss plants
ignore accurate, valid, precise and fair
ignore anomalies
1
[6]

(a)  amylase
5.
allow phonetic spelling
allow carbohydrase
ignore references to source of enzyme e.g. salivary / pancreatic
do not accept amylose
1

(b)  (partially permeable tubing) small intestine

allow stomach
ignore intestine unqualified
do not accept large intestine
1

(water in test tube) blood

allow plasma
1

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 (c)  (Starch): Iodine (solution)
ignore iodide unqualified
1

(Sugar): Benedict’s (solution)

all allow phonetic spelling
1

(d)  enzyme had not started to work

or
none of the starch had been digested / broken down
1

(e)  (enzyme) digested / broke down starch to form sugar

1

(however) not all the starch was digested / broken down

1

(f)  sugar molecules formed are small enough to pass through tubing
1

(but) starch molecules too large (to pass through tubing)

1
[10]

(a)  to control for the starting mass (of the pieces of carrot)
6.
allow because the pieces of carrot were not all the same
mass at the start
do not accept were not all the same size
do not accept as a control variable
1

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(b)  suitable scale and label for y-axis
allow 5 or 6 per 2 cm
do not accept 5 per 1 cm
1

all points plotted correctly

allow ± ½ a square
allow 1 mark for 4 correct points
2

line of best fit

percentage
conc. …
(%) change…

0.0 +24

0.2 +12

0.4 +1

0.6 −8

0.8 −15
1

(c)  value from student’s line of best fit

allow ± ½ a square
1

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 (d)  mass decreased
1

(due to) loss of water by osmosis

ignore diffusion
1

through a partially / selectively / semi permeable membrane

1
a clear reference to concentration of water or
concentration of sugar is required for the fourth mark

(as) concentration of sugar solution is greater than concentration of sugar (solution)

inside cells / carrot
allow (as) concentration of sugar solution inside cells /
carrot is lower than the concentration of sugar solution
(in the tube or around the carrot)

or

(as) the concentration of water is less outside the cells / carrot than the concentration
inside the cells / carrot
allow answers in terms of dilute and concentrated
solutions
1

(e)  the (partially permeable / cell) membrane was damaged

allow idea that cell membrane is no longer intact
or is more permeable / leaky
allow the membrane is denatured
ignore cells are dead
1
[11]

(a)
7. in either order
allow phonetic spelling

fatty acids
1

glycerol
do not accept glucose / glycogen / glucagon
1

(b)  this is (human) body temperature

1

which is the optimum condition (for enzymes)

allow description
ignore bile
1

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(c)  fatty acid(s) are formed
1

(d)  the higher the concentration (of bile), the lower the pH
allow converse
allow higher concentration of bile, the less alkaline it
becomes
1

(e)
allow converse

(forms) a large surface area for the enzyme / lipase to act upon
1

(therefore) lipids are digested a lot faster

1
[8]

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