BiologyPast paper questions

AQA A-level Biology papers 1 to 3: 213 questions from 24 papers. Each question opens with its mark scheme.

213 questions

Figure 1 shows the structure of a fatty acid molecule and the structure of a glycerol molecule. On Figure 1, draw a circle around the part of the fatty acid molecule and the part of the glycerol molecule that is removed to form a bond in a triglyceride molecule. Name the bond formed between a fatty acid and glycerol…2024 · Paper 1 · Question 1 · 8 marks
Describe the processes of facilitated diffusion and active transport. Facilitated diffusion Active transport What are microvilli? Vitamin A is a fat-soluble substance. Micelles are involved in the process of vitamin A absorption. Describe the process of vitamin A absorption into cells lining the ileum.2024 · Paper 1 · Question 2 · 7 marks
Describe how we breathe in. A scientist prepared alveolar tissue to view using an optical microscope. The scientist cut very thin slices of the alveolar tissue. Explain why the scientist used very thin slices of alveolar tissue with the optical microscope. Figure 2 is an image of the lung tissue observed using an…2024 · Paper 1 · Question 3 · 10 marks
Give the number of different types of monosaccharides present in molasses. A student used the biochemical test for reducing sugars on a clear sample of molasses. Describe the biochemical test for a reducing sugar. Explain the result expected from the test on the sample of molasses. Description of biochemical test…2024 · Paper 1 · Question 4 · 10 marks
Describe the appearance and behaviour of chromosomes during prophase and during anaphase of mitosis. Prophase Anaphase A scientist used an optical microscope to determine the mitotic index in cells at different distances from the tip of onion roots. Figure 4 shows the results. Complete the word equation used to…2024 · Paper 1 · Question 5 · 10 marks
Give three structural differences between an mRNA molecule and a tRNA molecule. mRNA ______________ tRNA Table 3 shows mRNA codons and the amino acid coded by each codon. Figure 5 shows the mRNA base sequence produced when part of a gene coding for an enzyme is transcribed. UUU CGG GCG Use Table 3 to give the amino…2024 · Paper 1 · Question 6 · 8 marks
In the box labelled Figure 8, design a suitable results table. • Enter the student's results into the table. • Calculate the mean results and include these in the table. • Use 1 decimal place for both mean results. Figure 8 Suggest and explain why the results for variety D are different from the results for variety E.…2024 · Paper 1 · Question 7 · 9 marks
Give two structural features of an aorta wall and explain how they are related to the function of an aorta. 1 2 Small tears may occur in the layers of tissue in an aorta wall. These tears weaken the wall without bursting the aorta. Scientists: • measured the aorta diameter (d) in a large population of people over 60…2024 · Paper 1 · Question 8 · 8 marks
There were 800 males in the control population. Each male made one type of call. Use this information and Table 6 to calculate the number of males making mating calls in the control population. Answer ______________ males Suggest one change the scientists could make to both frog populations to increase the number of…2024 · Paper 1 · Question 9 · 6 marks
Describe and explain how you would use cell fractionation and ultracentrifugation to obtain a sample of nuclei from muscle tissue. Describe the role of organelles in the production and release of enzymes by animal cells. Do not include details of transcription in your answer. Describe the structure of ATP. Outline how…2024 · Paper 1 · Question 10 · 15 marks
Name the parts labelled A to D. A B C D Following the release of acetylcholine into a neuromuscular junction, a muscle contraction occurs. Describe the sequence of events, following the release of acetylcholine, that leads to stimulation of this contraction. Do not include in your answer the events following the…2024 · Paper 2 · Question 1 · 8 marks
Use the information provided to calculate the length of the myofibril after contraction. Give your answer in mm and in standard form. Show your working. Answer ______________ mm Which statement correctly describes the changes in length in a sarcomere when a myofibril contracts? Tick (✓) one box. ☐ H-zone decreases,…2024 · Paper 2 · Question 2 · 7 marks
Using Figure 3, what can you conclude about the relationship between: the percentage of light absorbed and the rate of photosynthesis the colour of light and the rate of photosynthesis Give three environmental factors that should be controlled when measuring the rate of photosynthesis in this investigation. Do not…2024 · Paper 2 · Question 3 · 7 marks
Explain how you would determine if the genotype of a grey fly is homozygous or heterozygous for body colour. A cross between a grey-bodied male fly and a black-bodied female fly produced some black-bodied females. Explain how this shows that the gene for body colour is not sex-linked. A population of fruit flies…2024 · Paper 2 · Question 4 · 8 marks
Describe how you could estimate the number of fat hen plants in a field. Use the information provided to explain why. In your answer, name the type of competition occurring between fat hen plants and potato plants. Calculate the maximum mass, in kg, of viable fat hen seeds on this farm after a growing season. Show…2024 · Paper 2 · Question 5 · 10 marks
Describe the myogenic stimulation of the heart and how the regular contraction of the atria and ventricles is coordinated. Do not include the autonomic nervous system in your answer. Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a condition that causes an irregular heart rate. Scientists used a statistical test to investigate the…2024 · Paper 2 · Question 6 · 8 marks
Complete Figure 5 to show the relative positions of the bands following electrophoresis in experiments 1 and 2. Suggest how you could determine the size of the different DNA fragments produced in these experiments. How many DNA fragments would be produced in experiment 2 if the original DNA molecule was a plasmid?…2024 · Paper 2 · Question 7 · 7 marks
Use the information provided to explain the relationship between IAA concentration, cell wall plasticity and mean growth of the stem segments. Use Figure 6 to calculate the percentage increase in mean growth of the stem segments when the IAA concentration was increased from 10–8 mol dm–3 to 10–5 mol dm–3 Give your…2024 · Paper 2 · Question 8 · 10 marks
Give two reasons why a weight-loss programme could be used to treat type II diabetes but not type I diabetes. 1 2 The design of this investigation helps to support the validity of any conclusions obtained. Suggest and explain three features of this investigation that justify this statement. 1 2 3 Use the information…2024 · Paper 2 · Question 9 · 11 marks
The wall gecko shows phenotypic diversity (lines 1–2). Suggest two factors that have resulted in this phenotypic diversity. 1 2 The ability of diurnal geckos to change skin colour (lines 7–8) is advantageous. Explain why. The scientists concluded that it was probable that disruptive selection was leading to sympatric…2024 · Paper 2 · Question 10 · 15 marks

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Biology/Past paper questions

BiologyPast paper questions