OCER CAMPION JESUIT COLLEGE

UGANDA ADVANCED CERTIFICATE OF EDUCATION

BIOLOGY INTERNAL SEMINAR

DATE: Thursday 25th/ July/ 2023 (From 8:00 am to 5:00 pm)

SECTION A QUESTIONS
1. In an experiment to investigate the effect of chilling on the mass
of phosphate in seeds, cherry seeds were exposed to different
temperatures and mean mass of the phosphate in their embryos
measured over a period of 16 weeks. The graph in figure below
shows results of the experiment. Study it carefully and answer the
questions that follow.

Compiled By Mr. Obong Stephen-Ocer Campion Jesuit College 1

 (a) (i) Describe the changes in the mean mass of phosphate in the
embryo at 5℃ over the experimental period.
(ii) Compare the changes in the mean mass of phosphate in the
embryo of cherry seeds at the two temperatures over the
experimental period.
(iii) Account for difference in mean mass of phosphate in the
embryo of cherry seeds at the two temperatures.
(b) Explain how chilling requirements of certain plant species is
important in countries with seasonal changes in environmental
conditions.
(c) Apart from chilling, describe other methods of breaking
named causes of dormancy in seeds.
(Akello II Fortunate and Okonya Daniel)
2. The common vampire bat, Desmodus rotundus, is found in
Trinidad and Central America. This bat feeds on the blood of
sleeping mammals ingesting about 60% of its body mass in
blood with each meal. This protein-rich food bas the same water
potential as the bat's blood plasma but has a high volume. The
stomachs of vampire bats concentrate the blood meals very
quickly by absorbing water.
The rate of urine production and concentration of urine
produced by a captive common vampire bat was determined
Compiled By Mr. Obong Stephen-Ocer Campion Jesuit College 2
 before and after one blood meal. The bat was provided with a
blood meal during the second hour of the investigation. The

results are shown in the graph.

(a) (i) Describe the immediate e f f e c t of feeding on the rate

of production o f urine and the concentration of urine.
(ii) Explain the benefits to the bat of the effects you have
described i n (a).
(iii) Explain why D. rotundus excretes large quantities of
urea.
(iv) Vampire bats are able to produce a much more
concentrated urine than that produced by humans. Suggest
how they are able to do this.

Compiled By Mr. Obong Stephen-Ocer Campion Jesuit College 3

 (b) The water potential of the blood of mammals is maintained
within narrow limits. The flow chart below shows how the
water potential of the blood is controlled when it decreases.

Name: -
i. the part of the brain shown by box X,
ii. the hormone shown by Y,
iii. the target organs.
(c) Describe the response carried out by the target organs to
increase the water potential of the blood.
(d) Use this example to explain how negative feedback is used to
maintain constant
(Nasasira Michael and Mercy Immaculate Sunday)

3. A study was carried out to determine the effect of red and far–red
light interruptions of long night on the intensity of flowering of a
short-day plant. The figure below shows the results obtained from
Compiled By Mr. Obong Stephen-Ocer Campion Jesuit College 4
 the study.

In another experiment, three species of the genus of a plant and a

hybrid between two of them were tested for their vernalisation
requirements.
The sample plants of each strain were subjected to different
0
periods of time at 4 C before being returned to their original
conditions.
The number of days which elapsed between the end of cold treatment
and the onset of flowering were recorded. The results obtained are
shown in the table below.

Compiled By Mr. Obong Stephen-Ocer Campion Jesuit College 5

 Number of days between end of cold
Weeks at 4oC
treatment and the onset of flowering
A B C AXB
0 * 40 25 (Hybrid)
75
1 160 38 25 65
2 110 36 25 50
4 90 34 25 40
8 35 32 25 32
16 24 28 25 24
KEY: *= did not flower
(a) Describe the effect of interruption of the night period on the
intensity of flowering of each of the following types of light:
(i) Red light
(ii) Far-light
(b) Give the explanation for the effects described in (a) above.
(c) Explain how red and far–red light interruptions would have
affected the intensity of flowering if they had used a long day
plant
(d) (i) What was the effect of subjecting the sample plants of each
strain to different periods of time at 4oC.
(ii) Explain the results shown in the table
(e) Predict and explain what would happen if the experiment in
the table had been carried out at 1oC.

Compiled By Mr. Obong Stephen-Ocer Campion Jesuit College 6

 (f) What is the significance of the two experiments to an
agriculturalist?
(Akena Augustine Yovan and Atimango Lucky)
4. A special calorimeter was developed into which a naked volunteer
human being was placed. After 28 minutes of being inside the
calorimeter, the human was made to ingest iced water and then the
changes in the temperature of the hypothalamus and the skin were
recorded. Figure 1 shows the results obtained during the
investigation. Points labelled (a), (b) and (c) on the figure, indicate
the number of times the human ingested iced water.

Compiled By Mr. Obong Stephen-Ocer Campion Jesuit College 7

 (a) Describe the effect of ingestion of iced water on the
temperature of the hypothalamus and the skin.
(b) Explain the relationship between the temperature of the
hypothalamus and that of the skin.
(c) Explain why the skin temperature rises immediately following
ingestion of iced water.
(d) Suggest how ingestion of iced water would have affected the
energy loss by evaporation from the skin.
(e) Explain why the human was made to ingest iced water;
i. 28 minutes later.
ii. Three times.
(f) Explain what would happen if a lizard was used instead of a
human being.
(Alunyu Arthur and Akello Eunice)
5. In an investigation of factors that influence urine production, a
person was made to drink one litre of water on the first day, and
later on the second day, another litre of salt solution. On each day,
the person’s urine was collected at half-hourly intervals for four
hours after drinking. The results are shown on the graphs A and B
respectively. Dilute solution has about the same water potential as
blood plasma.

Compiled By Mr. Obong Stephen-Ocer Campion Jesuit College 8

 (a) Calculate how much urine was produced in the two hours after
drinking a litre of,
i. water
ii. salt solution.
(b) Explain the difference in the results obtained in (a) above.
(c) Describe the role of hypothalamus in regulating blood water
content.

Compiled By Mr. Obong Stephen-Ocer Campion Jesuit College 9

 (d) Explain why urine production almost stops after serious
bleeding.
(Okettayot Moses and Kojo Viola Santino)
6. Below is a stage of a physiological process occurring in the cells
of living organisms. Study it carefully and answer the following
questions.

(a) Name the

i. stage of the physiological process.
ii. exact location in the cell where the stage of the
physiological process occurs in the cell.
(b) Identify processes occurring at
i. 1 and 3 iii. 5
ii. 2,4,6 and 7
(c) Name the compounds K and L
Compiled By Mr. Obong Stephen-Ocer Campion Jesuit College 10
 (d) Of what significance is the stage named in a(i) above to the
cells?
(e) Most of the hydrogen atoms released at 2,4,6 and 7 will take
part in oxidative phosphorylation in the cristae of the
mitochondria. Outline the process of oxidative
phosphorylation.
(f) How does the process described in (e) above different from
that in the chloroplast?
(Komakech Aron and Atimango Peace)
7. (a) Describe the cause of root pressure, and clearly state its role
in the ascent of water up a plant.
(b) A graph in the figure below shows the rate of water movement
over a 24-hour period in different parts of a tree. Study it and
answer the questions that follow.

Compiled By Mr. Obong Stephen-Ocer Campion Jesuit College 11

 i. Describe the changes in the rate of water flow in the upper
branches.
ii. Compare the changes in the rate of water flow in the upper
branches and the trunk
iii. Explain how the results of the investigation support the
cohesion-tension theory.
(c) How are plant tissues for water movement adapted to this
function?
(Byaruhanga Paul and Olanya Jerome Marcel)
8. Graph in the figure below shows the effects of a hedgerow on the
environmental conditions in a wheat field. Study it carefully and
answer the questions that follow.

Compiled By Mr. Obong Stephen-Ocer Campion Jesuit College 12

 a) Describe the effects of distance from the hedge on the
environmental conditions.
b) Explain the significance of the changes in the environmental
conditions on the rate of growth of the wheat.
c) Suggest reasons why removal of the hedgerow may be
detrimental to the environment.
d) How should the hedgerow be managed in order to maintain
good biodiversity?
(Olweny Innocent and Oyugi Joshua)
SECTION B QUESTIONS
9. When a male pig from a line of true-breeding (homozygous) black,
solid-hooved pigs was crossed to a female from a breed
(homozygous) of red, cloven-hooved pigs, their several progenies
all looked alike with regard to color and hooves. These progenies
were all mated to members of the same breed as their red, cloven-
hooved mother pig. The offspring from this final cross were:
11black, cloven-hooved; 8 black, solid-hooved; 14 red, cloven-
hooved; and 10 red, solid-hooved. For each of these two genes
(coat color and hoof type) determine which allele is the dominant
one. Explain your reasoning. What were the phenotypes of the
progeny produced by the first mating in this problem? (20 marks)
(Ocakacon Breskan and Akullu Moreen Faith)

Compiled By Mr. Obong Stephen-Ocer Campion Jesuit College 13

10. (a) Explain what is meant by “chemicals of life”? (02 marks)
(b) Explain the significance of the physical properties of water to
organisms (13 marks)
(c) Outline the importance of acids and bases to living organisms
(05 marks)
(Akello Linda and Mercy Immaculate Sunday)
11. (a) Why is Krebs cycle also called the final common pathway of
the breaking down of organic compounds? (02 marks)
(b) Explain the different cellular processes that depend on ATP.
(14 marks)
(d) Give an account of commercial application of fermentation.
(04 marks)
(Okello Daniel and Kojo Viola Santino)
12. (a) Why is transport across a membrane necessary (05 marks)
(b) With suitable examples in each case, give reasons why some
materials
i. Diffuse freely across the cell membrane (03 marks)
ii. Do not easily diffuse across the cell membrane (03 marks)
(c) Explain (09 marks)
i. How facilitated diffusion occurs across the membrane
ii. Why the membrane is able to carry out facilitated diffusion
(Oyugi Joshua and Anjo Emmanuel)

Compiled By Mr. Obong Stephen-Ocer Campion Jesuit College 14

13. (a) Discuss the functional characteristics of skeletal muscles
(08 marks)
(b) Explain the concept of echolocation in bats. (06 marks)
(c) State the structural adaptations of bats to enhance echolocation
(06 marks)
(Nasasira Michael and Akello Linda)
14. (a) Outline the main features of sexual reproduction in mammals
(06 marks)
(b) Describe how the method of fertilisation and other
reproductive strategies in mammals have contributed to their
evolutionary success (14 marks)
(Akena Augustine Yovan and Okettayot Moses)
15. (a) Describe the hormonal control of the post-fertilization changes
in the human female up to breast feeding (11 marks)
(b) Briefly describe the stages in the process of parturition (birth)
(04 marks)
(c) How is the viability of the sperms in humans maintained?
(05 marks)
(Akello II Fortunate and Olanya Jerome Marcel)

I take this moment to appreciate all the senior six Biology students for
their high level of commitment, but though you need to do a little more
for a better result. The end

Compiled By Mr. Obong Stephen-Ocer Campion Jesuit College 15