3 Answers to end-of-chapter questions

[1]

[1]

[1]

[1]

[1]

[1]

[1]

[1]

Structured questions
9

One point for each column correct:

Volume of
Volume of water
10% betalain
added/cm3
3
added/cm
10.0
0.0
8.0
2.0
5.0
5.0
4.0
6.0
2.0
8.0
1.0
9.0
0.0
10.0

Final concentration
of standard
solution/%
10.0
8.0
5.0
4.0
2.0
1.0
0.0

One point required:

To wash away the pigment that seeps out of the vacuole when the beetroot disc is
cut
If the discs were not rinsed, the final colour at end of the experiment would be
more intense than it should be; results would not be reliable or valid
i

ii

iii

One point required:

Stir contents of both sets of test tubes
Place test tubes in front of plain white paper
As temperature increased, the colour intensity increased
At 30 C, the colour corresponded to 2% betalain
At 50 C, the colour corresponded to 5% betalain
At 80 C, the colour corresponded to 10% betalain

[3]

[1]

[1]
[1]

[1]

Each cause and effect 1 mark:

Betalain diffused out of the vacuoles in to the water
Betalain passed from the vacuole across the tonoplast through the cytoplasm
and across the plasma membrane
As temperature increased, there was more kinetic energy, and so more rapid
diffusion of betalain
There were also more vibrations in the protein molecules in the membrane
which broke the hydrogen bonds of their tertiary structure
The proteins were denatured in both the tonoplast and plasma membrane
This allowed the membrane to become more permeable to the pigment

Biology for CAPE

Original material Cambridge University Press 2011

 The phospholipids also became more fluid

This allowed for the passage of more of the soluble pigment
iv

10 a
b

[max 4]

One point required:

Increasing temperature increases the permeability of the cell membrane
Increasing temperature denatures the proteins of the membrane making it more
permeable
Increasing temperature disrupts the components of the cell membrane making it
more permeable

[1]

Limitations (one point required):

Based on colour matching the colour standard and experiment tubes. This is
subjective
Intermediate results would have to be estimated
Any valid point

[1]

Sources of error (two points required):

Not all the discs would be the same thickness
Discs not rinsed until water was clear
Discs not dried after rinsing so could have pigment on surface before experiment
started
Depending on the apparatus used to measure the water for each tube, the volume of
water added to each tube may not be the same
Any valid point

[2]

The amount by which the dissolved solute lowers the water potential of a solution

[1]

So that the contents of the cell would be easily visible under the microscope

[1]

Well drawn [1]

3 labels [1]

Drawing showing a fully plasmolysed plant cell

d

Concentration of sucrose solution/M

Total number of cells observed
Number of cells plasmolysed
Percentage plasmolysis

0.2
50
8
16

0.4
50
18
36

0.6
50
38
76

0.8
50
48
96

2 correct [1]
4 correct [max 2]

Three points required:

Not all the cells in each sample had the same water potential
Hence not all the cells behaved exactly the same way in each sample

Biology for CAPE

Original material Cambridge University Press 2011

In 0.2 M sucrose solution, only 16% of the cells were plasmolysed.

This shows that the solution may have had the same water potential
(isotonic) as most of the cells or higher water potential (hypotonic)
than the cells
From 0.4 M to 0.8 M sucrose solution, there was increasing
plasmolysis. The solutions had a lower water potential than the cells
Water moved from a higher water potential inside of the vacuoles of
cells through the cell membrane to each of the solutions
0.8 M had the most negative solute potential and therefore the lowest
water potential

Axes labelled with appropriate units: concentration of sucrose on x-axis mark; %

plasmolysis on y-axis mark; points plotted accurately and clearly marked 1 mark;
Points joined to show cause and effect relationship / best fit 1 mark.

Percentageplasmolysis/%
plasmolysis/%
Percentage

[max 3]

Concentration of sucrose/M

Graph showing the effect of sucrose concentration on

plasmolysis of onion cells

[max 3]

0.45 M

[1]

From table: 1280 kPA

[1]

Biology for CAPE

Original material Cambridge University Press 2011

11 a

Discrepancy in counting cells same cells can be counted more than

once or some cells not counted at all.

Fluid refers to the fact that the molecules in the membrane are in
constant motion, moving around within their own phospholipid
monolayer
Mosaic refers to the way the membrane would look if viewed from
above protein icebergs in a lipid sea

I intrinsic glycoprotein / transmembrane protein

II cholesterol
III phospholipid bilayer
IV extrinsic protein
V extrinsic protein
VI glycoprotein
VII channel / intrinsic / integral protein

[1]
[1]

67 points [3]
45 points [2]
23 points [1]

[1]

ii

Because exterior surface (X) has the glycocalyx / carbohydrate

chains which act(s) as receptor site / mechanical support

[1]

Extrinsic do not interact with the hydrophobic fatty acid tails of the
phospholipid bilayer / they are usually bound to the membrane
indirectly by interactions with integral membrane proteins or directly by
interactions with lipid polar head groups
Intrinsic each arranged in an amphipathic structure; that is, with the
ionic and highly polar groups protruding from the membrane into the
aqueous environment, and the nonpolar groups largely buried in the
hydrophobic interior (fatty acid tails) of the membrane

transport proteins carrier and channel

enzymes
receptor sites for hormones, neurotransmitters
attachment for cells (e.g. form tight junctions etc.)
markers on cells for cell recognition

The hydroxyl groups of the amino acids and other R groups that have
small electrical charges are attracted to the charged poll
heads
of the phospholipids
The hydrophobic regions of the protein are attracted to the
hydrophobic lipid tails, by hydrophobic interactions

[1]

1 point [1]

1 point [1]

Any 2 points [2]

Phospholipid bilayer
Constituent of each phospholipid: phosphate, glycerol, two fatty acids
Condensation reaction to form an ester linkage
Made up of hydrophilic phosphate head oriented towards the aqueous
medium
With two nonpolar / hydrophobic fatty acid tails oriented away from
the aqueous medium

Biology for CAPE

Original material Cambridge University Press 2011

[1]
[1]

[2]

Essay questions
12 a i

phospholipid
bilayer made
up of
monecules
with
hydrophilic
phosphate
oriented
towards
the aqueous
medium and
two
hydrophobic
fatty acid tails
oriented away
from the
aqueous
medium

glycolipid made up of
carbohydrate chains attached to
phosphate head of
phospholipids, found on exterior

channel
proteins
transmembrane
protein with a
pore

glycoprotein made up
of carbohydrate chain
attached to a protein,
found on exterior of
membrane

Transmembrane / integral
protein spans entire
membrane, the polar
groups protruding from the
membrane into the
aqueous environment, and
the nonpolar groups
largely buried in the
hydrophobic interior (fatty
acid tails) of the
membrane

ii

extrinsic protein located

on surfaces of membrane;
do not interact with
hydrophobic part of
membrane

cholesterol
made up of polar
head, which is
aligned to polar
head of
phospholipid, and
a nonpolar tail
aligned with fatty
acid tails of
phospholipid

Functions
Phospholipid a barrier which separates cell contents from
exterior / allows for diffusion of lipid-soluble compounds /
prevents entry of hydrophilic substances
Cholesterol helps to maintain the fluidity of the membrane,
preventing it from becoming too stiff when temperatures are
low, or too fluid when temperatures are high / prevents entry
of polar substances / mechanical stability of membrane
Proteins as transport proteins / carrier proteins for active
transport / channel proteins for facilitated diffusion / as
enzymes / for cell adhesion / as markers for cell recognition
Glycolipids and glycoproteins as receptor sites / cell
signalling for hormones, neurotransmitters / as an antigen

Drawing neat
and clear [1]
Any 5
annotations [3]
34 annotations
[2]
12 annotations
[1]
Drawing with
no annotations
but 5 or more
labels [1]
[max 4]

Any 3 points [3]

Oxygen and carbon dioxide by diffusion: down a concentration

gradient without the use of ATP (passive)
Process well described [1]

ii

Sodium and potassium ions by active transport / use of Na+

K+ pump: direct active transport where the ions are moved
against a concentration gradient with the use of ATP and
carrier proteins
Sodium and potassium ions by facilitated diffusion:
uses channel proteins / down a concentration gradient / without use
of ATP
Processes well described [2]

iii

Water by osmosis: from an area of high water potential to an area of

lower water potential / down a water potential gradient / across a
partially permeable membrane
Process well described [1]

iv

Glucose by facilitated diffusion: uses channel protein / down

concentration gradient / no ATP

Biology for CAPE

Original material Cambridge University Press 2011

Glucose by indirect active transport: cotransported with Na+

ions / uses symport protein / ATP required / against a
concentration gradient
Processes well described [2]
v

13 a

Diffusion is the net movement of molecules or ions down their

concentration gradient (from a place where they are in high
concentration to a place where they are in lower concentration)
i

[1]

smaller molecules diffuse faster / can pass between the phospholipid molecules /
have more kinetic energy

[2]

ii

as temperature increases, more kinetic energy / more movement / faster diffusion

[2]

iii

more soluble in lipids, the rate of diffusion increases / can pass faster across
hydrophobic fatty acid tails

[2]

steeper the concentration gradient, faster the diffusion rate

[2]

iv
c

Enzymes by exocytosis: vesicle containing enzyme merges

with plasma membrane / membrane is fluid and easily breaks
and rejoins / enzyme released outside of cell / uses ATP. Processes well described [2]

Similarities
Both involve the use of transport proteins
Both are selective
Both become saturated
Both are inhibited by substances which denature proteins

2 similarities [2]

Differences
Active transport
uses ATP
substances move against a
concentration gradient
transport protein changes
shape / carrier proteins

3 differences [4]
2 differences [3]
1 difference [2]

Biology for CAPE

Facilitated diffusion
does not require ATP
substances move down a
concentration gradient
transport protein does not
change shape / channel protein

Original material Cambridge University Press 2011

14 a

Isotonic solution same water potential as cell: no net movement of water; no

change in size of cells

Red blood cell in isotonic solution

ii

Plant cell in isotonic solution

[3]

Hypotonic solution water potential outside cell is greater than inside cell

Red blood cell in hypotonic solution

[3]
Plant cell in hypotonic solution
iii Hypertonic solution water potential outside cell is less than inside cell
[insert diagram 1-4 on bottom of page 65 figure 3.11] [3]

Biology for CAPE

Original material Cambridge University Press 2011

Acetylcholine by exocytosis
Vitamin A diffusion through hydrophobic fatty acid tails
since it is fat-soluble
Vitamin C by facilitated diffusion through water-filled
channel proteins / cannot pass through hydrophobic
membrane since it is water soluble

Biology for CAPE

2 points each[6]

Original material Cambridge University Press 2011