OCR A Biology

18.1

Summary questions
1 Dehydrogenation – removal of hydrogen from triose phosphate molecules to form pyruvate and
reduction of NAD / formation of reduced NAD (1); phosphorylation – addition of phosphate group to a
glucose molecule forming hexose bisphosphate (1); (both) catalysed by enzymes (1).
2 NAD accepts hydrogen (atom) and is reduced (1) during the formation of pyruvate (1); supplies
hydrogen to enzyme involved in later stage of respiration (1).
3 Addition of phosphate group (1); to ADP (1); or formation of ATP (using phosphate) from another
molecule (1).
4 Dehydrogenation – hydrogen removed in breakdown of glucose (1); hydrogen required at a later
stage (1). Phosphorylation – addition of phosphate groups destabilises (large) molecules/glucose (1);
leads to breakdown of glucose (1); and synthesis of ATP (1).

18.2

Summary questions
1 Hydrogen is also removed (1); removal of hydrogen oxidises pyruvate (1).
2 Acetyl group (1); carbon dioxide (1)
3 Pyruvate (1); acetyl CoA (1); reduced NAD (1);
4 Enzymes required are in cytoplasm/ORA (1); glucose molecule too large to move into
mitochondrion (1); no transport proteins for pyruvate (1); mitochondria not originally present in
(eukaryotic) cells (1).

18.3

Summary questions
1 ATP – three phosphate groups (1); one ribose (1); one nitrogenous base (1); NAD – two phosphate
groups (1); two riboses (1); two nitrogenous bases (1) (max 3 comparisons)
2 Idea that it is used to link reactions (1); idea that energy is released as a result of the activity of one
enzyme and used by another enzyme (1).
3 Students answers may vary but must include: glucose to triose phosphate (1); triose phosphate to
pyruvate (1); addition of two ATP (1); production of four ATP and two reduced NAD (1) (2 max).
4 One per turn (1) two in total (1).
5 Hydrogen needs to be removed for cycle to continue (1); hydrogen removed using NAD/FAD and
reduced (1), then NAD/FAD are oxidised at electron transport chain (1); oxygen required for electron
transport (1).
6 Enzymes are specific (1); active site complementary to substrate (1); different steps have different
substrates (1); different steps require different enzymes (1); different enzymes (may) require different
coenzymes (1); only one step in cycle has enzyme which requires FAD coenzyme (1).

18.4

Summary questions
1 Actively pumped to increase concentration gradient (1); energy required as moving from low to high
concentration (1); membrane impermeable to ions so ions diffuse down concentration gradient (1);
ATP synthase provides hydrophilic channel (1).
2 Reduced NAD releases electrons to carriers at the start of the ETC (1); reduced FAD releases
electrons to carriers after the start of the ETC (1); with FAD electrons transported a shorter distance
(1); so fewer protons are actively transported (1).
3 Stops flow of electrons (1); stops active transport of protons (1); proton gradient not formed (1);
(less) ATP synthesised; so less energy available for (vital) metabolic processes (1).

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 OCR A Biology

4 ATP synthase is not actually part of the electron transport chain – agree (1); not an electron carrier
(1).
Oxygen is required for the transfer of electrons along the electron transport chain – agree (1); oxygen
is final electron acceptor, required for electron transport (1) Hydrogen ions return to the matrix by
facilitated diffusion – agree (1); diffuse through hydrophilic channels (of ATP synthase) (1).

18.5

Investigation into respiration rates in yeast

1 Vacuum flask to control the temperature (1); paraffin prevents oxygen entering the solution (1);
ensures respiration is anaerobic (1).
2 Tangent drawn a steepest part of curve (1); change in CO2 ppm (y axis) divided by change in time s
(x axis) (1); based on the following values (sensible answer but others accepted) 1500/250 = 6 ppm / s
(1).
3 Respiratory substrate used up (1); accumulation of metabolic waste/alcohol (1); toxic to yeast (1)
4 Layer of liquid paraffin removed (1); (then) investigation carried out as for anaerobic respiration (1)

Small-scale and large-scale adaptations to low oxygen environments

1 Flexible rib cage; idea that lungs can collapse under high pressure (1); air compressed (1);
maintaining concentration gradients (1); exhalation before inhalation (1); increase proportion of air
exchanged (1); larger lungs would increase buoyancy (1); more energy would be used during dives
(1).
2 Streamlined (1); heart rate slowed (1); reduced energy requirements (1); blowhole on top of the
head (1); large breath (when surface) (1); larger red blood cells (1); more haemoglobin (1); more
blood (1); faster oxygen transport (1); more myoglobin (1); increased oxygen storage (1).

Summary questions
1 Yeast cells normally respire aerobically (1); can respire anaerobically when required (1)
2 Electron transport chains present in some types of anaerobic respiration (1); aerobic respiration
always includes presence of electron transport chains (1); no electron transport chains present in
lactate fermentation (1).
3 Increase in lactic acid leads to decrease in pH (1), muscle contraction depends on protein (1) e.g.,
enzymes, contractile proteins (1); decreasing pH denatures protein (1); protein no longer functional
(1).
4 Red blood cells adapted to carry oxygen (1); lack of mitochondria means more space for
haemoglobin (1); increased oxygen transport (1); lactic acid not produced in cardiac muscle (1);
enzymes not denatured, no fatigue (1); blood flow to rest of organism not interrupted (1).

18.6

Calculating the respiratory quotient

1 At rest 10/10.5 = 0.95 (1); in flight 113.6/160 = 0.71 (1).
2 Respiratory substrate changes (1); (from) mainly carbohydrate to carbohydrate and lipid (1)

Low carbohydrate diets

1 Statement is accurate triglycerides are hydrolysed to fatty acids (and glycerol) (1); fatty acids,
broken down/oxidised, to acetyl groups / acetyl-coA (1); acetyl group transferred to, oxaloacetate /
Krebs cycle (1); carbohydrates / pyruvate, maintain oxaloacetate level / keep Krebs cycle going (1);
statement is inaccurate not all fats are triglycerides (1).
2 Benefits weight loss (1); (relatively) fast (1); diabetes risk reduced (1); drawbacks intake of, healthy
foods/fruit/vegetables, reduced (1); increased, gluconeogenesis / described (1); increased lipid
metabolism (1), risk of ketosis (1); increased protein metabolism (1); risk of, liver/kidney, damage (1);
muscle wastage/described (1).

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 OCR A Biology

Practical investigations into the factors affecting rate of respiration using respirometers
1
Temperature Respirometer Reading at Reading Difference Corrected Rate of
3 3
°C start (cm ) after 20 (cm ) difference oxygen
3
minutes (cm ) uptake
3 3 –1
(cm ) (cm min )
A 0.93 0.74 0.19 0.16 0.008
15 B 0.93 0.86 0.07 0.04 0.002
C 0.91 0.88 0.03
A 0.94 0.63 0.31 0.27 0.014
25 B 0.93 0.84 0.09 0.05 0.003
C 0.95 0.91 0.04
C rows are beads only, used to get the corrected differences.
2 To make the volume of, contents / peas, the same (1); volume of peas in A is greater than volume
of peas in B (1); peas in A have absorbed more water (1); without beads there would be more,
air/oxygen (1).
3 Find difference in volume between soaked peas and dry peas (1); difference represents the volume
of glass beads required (1); calculate volume of one bead to determine number of beads required (1).
4 Increased kinetic energy (1); of enzymes / named, involved (1).
5 Reactions, require aqueous medium, take place in water (1); so enzymes and substrates can collide
(1); soaked seeds need more energy (1); ORA for named process e.g., protein synthesis (1).

Summary questions
1 Triglyceride is broken down into fatty acids and glycerol (1); fatty acids undergo beta oxidation
forming acetyl groups (1); acetyl groups are taken into Krebs cycle by coenzyme A (1); glycerol is
converted to pyruvate, which undergoes oxidative phosphorylation (1).
2 Both measure oxygen uptake/carbon dioxide release (1); so rate of respiration (1); respirometer is
modified spirometer/(usually) used for smaller organisms (1).
3 A – carbohydrate/C6H12O6 = 12/24 = 50% (1)
B – amino acid/C2NO2H5 = 5/10 = 50% (1)
C – fatty acid/C18O2H36 = 36/56 = 64% (1)
Highest proportion of hydrogen in fatty acid because it has more C–H bonds (1); lipids have highest
energy value (1); equal proportion of hydrogen in carbohydrate and amino acid so carbohydrate and
protein energy values are (almost) the same (1).

© Oxford University Press 2016 This resource sheet may have been changed from the original.