AS - Spring Break - 2013

1.

The photograph below shows a section through a mitochondrion as seen using an electron microscope.

(a)

Prof. R. Bellairs/Wellcome Photo Library

Name the parts labelled A, B and C.

A ................................................................................................................................
B ................................................................................................................................
C ................................................................................................................................(3)

(b)

Describe the role of mitochondria.

....................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................(2)
(Total 5 marks)

2.

The diagram below shows the structure of a chromosome as it might appear at the end of prophase of
mitosis.
A

(a)

Name the parts labelled A and B.

A .................................................................................................................................

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B .................................................................................................................................
(2)

(b)

During metaphase of mitosis, the chromosomes become attached to the equator of the spindle.
Name the stage of mitosis that follows metaphase and describe the events that occur in this stage.
Stage ...........................................................................................................................
Events occurring ........................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................(3)

(c)

Explain the significance of the stage you have named and described in (b).
....................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................(1)

(d)

Mitosis forms part of the cell cycle. Name one other stage of the cell cycle and state what occurs in
the stage that you have named.
....................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................(2)
(Total 8 marks)

3.

The diagram below shows the structure of a bacterium, a typical prokaryotic cell.

B
C

A
(a)

Name A, B and C as labelled on the diagram.

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A ...............................................................................................................................
B ...............................................................................................................................
C ...............................................................................................................................(3)

(b)

Complete the table below to show three differences between a prokaryotic cell and a
eukaryotic cell.
Prokaryotic cell
Eukaryotic cell
1
2
3
(3)
(Total 6 marks)

4.

The diagram below shows a germinating pollen grain as seen using a light microscope.

(a)

Name the parts labelled A and B.

A ...............................................................................................................................
B ...............................................................................................................................(2)

(b)

Describe the roles of the two male nuclei during fertilisation.

...
...
...
...
...

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...
...
...(4)
(c)

An investigation was carried out into the effect of sucrose concentration on the germination of
pollen grains from two species of plants, Bauhinia purpurea and Camellia japonica. The results
are shown in the graph below.
30
G e rm in a tio n
r a te ( % )
25
20

B . p u rp u re a

15

C . ja p o n ic a

10
5
0
0

10

20

30

40

S u c r o s e c o n c e n tr a tio n ( % )
Graph J. B. E. Summer 2001, p. 150

(i)

What is the optimum concentration of sucrose for the germination of pollen grains from both
species?
...(1)

(ii)

Compare the germination rate of these two species as the concentration of sucrose increases
from 20%.
...
...
...
...
...
...(3)
(Total 10 marks)

5.

Some bacteria were grown in a culture with radioactive amino acids. They used the labelled amino acids
to synthesise proteins which were incorporated into their cells.

AS - Spring Break - 2013

The bacteria were then washed thoroughly and mixed with some white blood cells. The amount of
radioactivity taken up by the white blood cells was measured at intervals of two hours for 24 hours.

The white blood cells were phagocytic and engulfed (took up) the bacteria by a process
called phagocytosis. Phagocytosis is a form of endocytosis. This process is illustrated in the diagram
below.
B a c te riu m

M e m b r a n e e x te n s io n s

P hag osom e
(p h a g o c y tic v a c u o le )

N u c le u s

W h ite b lo o d c e ll

Lysosomes then fuse with the phagosome and release their contents into it.
The table below shows the level of radioactivity found inside and outside the white blood cells during the
24 hour period.
Time after mixing cells
together/hours
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
20
22
24

(a)

(i)

Radioactivity inside white

blood cells/arbitrary units
0
16
48
61
70
72
72
71
43
21
10
8
5

Radioactivity outside white

blood cells/arbitrary units
80
64
32
19
10
8
8
9
37
59
70
72
75

Describe the structure of a lysosome.

..
..
..

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..(2)

(ii)

Describe the roles of lysosomes.

..
..
..
..(2)

(b)

Describe the changes in the level of radioactivity found inside the white blood cells during the
period of 24 hours.
.
.
.
.
.
.(3)

(c)

Suggest what is happening to the bacteria inside the phagosomes between 10 and
14 hours.
.
.

(d)

Explain why the amount of radioactivity increases outside the white blood cells after 14 hours.
.
.
.
.(2)

(e)

Suggest why the white blood cells did not take up all the radioactivity.
.
.(1)
(Total 11 marks)

6.

(a)

The diagram below shows a stage in the division of a cell taken from the testis of an animal. The

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diploid number of chromosomes of the animal is 4.

Identify the stage of meiosis shown in the diagram.

...............................................................................................................................................(2)
(b)

The life cycle of a human can be represented by the diagram below.

S p e rm

O vum
Z y g o te

A d u lt

E m b ry o
The diploid number of chromosomes in a human cell is 46.
State the number of chromosomes present in each of the following.
(i)

Sperm ...........................................................................................................

(ii)

Zygote ..............................................................................................................

(iii)

A cell in the embryo ........................................................................................(3)

c) Describe spermatogenesis in humans.

...............................................................................................................................................

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...............................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................
(5)
(Total 10 marks)

7.

The siting of a new sewage treatment works and the discharge of its effluent need careful consideration in
order to minimise ecological damage. Figure 1 shows two possible sites for a new sewage works near to
the coast in North Devon.
Figure 1 Plan of proposed sites for sewage treatment works, underground
pipelines and marine discharge pipelines

Site 2

p = field
q = field
r = field
s = cliff grassland

Site 1

a = field
b = conservation area

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t = rocky shore

This development would involve the permanent siting of the buildings for the main sewage treatment
plant, an underground pipeline and a marine discharge pipe. A strip of land 10 metres wide would need to
be removed during the laying of the underground pipeline. The land would be returned to its previous
condition after the work is completed.
An ecological assessment must be carried out before any development can go ahead. The assessment
compares the possible effects of the development on the terrestrial areas of the two sites. The first stage is
to assign each area to a particular ecological category, using the criteria in Figure 2.

Figure 2 Criteria for assigning ecological categories to an area

Criteria
Very high species diversity and
highest number of different
habitats or rare habitats

Very low species diversity and

lowest number of different
habitats or rare habitats

Ecological category

The second stage is to calculate the impact of the proposed development within each area using the
following formula:
2

area (m ) ecological category = units of damage

Finally, consideration is given to whether the damage is reversible or irreversible. Figure 3 shows the
results of this ecological assessment survey for Site 1 and Site 2.

Figure 3 A comparison of the results of the ecological assessment survey for Site 1 and Site 2
Site 1
Area

Type of
development

Area/m

Ecological
category

Units of
damage

Reversible
damage

Irreversible
damage

Building

10 500

21 000

21 000

b*

Pipeline

150 000

750 000

750 000

771 000

750 000

21 000

Totals

Site 2
2

Area

Type of
development

Building

21 000

q*

Pipeline

2 500

Area/m

Ecological
category

Units of
damage

Reversible
damage

Irreversible
damage

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r*

Pipeline

3 000

s*

Pipeline

500

t*

Pipeline

2 000

10 000

Totals
* involves laying of underground pipeline only.
Data adapted from JBE Vol 32 Number 2 Summer 1998

a)

Suggest why some damage is considered to be reversible and some damage is considered to be
irreversible.
............................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................(2)

(b)

Complete the data for Site 2 in Figure 3.

(3)

(c)

Using the data in Figure 3, compare the ecological effect that the development of the sewage
treatment works would have at Site 1 and Site 2.
............................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................3)

(d)

State what is meant by species diversity.

............................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................(1)

(e)

The ecological impact on the marine environment also needs to be considered. Using information
from Figure 1, suggest three factors affecting the marine environment that should be considered
when comparing Site 1 with Site 2.
1 ...
2 ...

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3 ...(3)

(f)

Suggest why an accidental discharge of raw sewage from the treatment works might lead to an
increase in the numbers of carnivorous fish around the discharge pipe.
............................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................
(4)
(Total 16 marks)

8.

Plant cells have a cell wall made of cellulose, whereas animal cells do not have a cell wall.
(a)

State three other structural features found in plant cells but not in animal cells.
1 ..................................................................................................................................
.....................................................................................................................................
2 ..................................................................................................................................
.....................................................................................................................................
3 ..................................................................................................................................
.....................................................................................................................................(3)

b)

The photograph below shows a transverse section through the stem of a stinging nettle
(Urtica dioica), as seen through a light microscope. Diagrams P and Q show some cells from
two regions of the section.

AS - Spring Break - 2013

Alfred Pasieka /Science Photo Library

(i)

Name the type of cell found at P and at Q.

P ........................................................................................................................
Q ........................................................................................................................(2)
(ii)

Explain how the structure of the cell walls found at P and Q provides the strength to
help support the whole plant.

...........................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................(3)

(c)

Stinging nettles can be grown on land unsuitable for crops.

(i)

Suggest one possible use of harvested nettle stems.

...........................................................................................................................(1)

(ii)

Explain how crops of nettles could be used as a sustainable resource.

AS - Spring Break - 2013

...........................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................(2)
(Total 11 marks)

9.

(a)

Describe how the structure of a xylem vessel helps it to carry out the function of water transport in
plants.
.....................................................................................................................................
.....................................................................................................................................
.....................................................................................................................................
.....................................................................................................................................(2)

(b)

Explain how water moves through xylem vessels in the transpiration stream.
.....................................................................................................................................
.....................................................................................................................................
.....................................................................................................................................
.....................................................................................................................................
.....................................................................................................................................
.....................................................................................................................................
.....................................................................................................................................
.....................................................................................................................................
.....................................................................................................................................(4)

(c)

Mineral ions are carried in the transpiration stream. State the importance of each of the following
ions for plant growth.
(i)

Calcium ions
...........................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................

(ii)

Magnesium ions
...........................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................

(iii)

Nitrate ions
...........................................................................................................................

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...........................................................................................................................
(3)
(Total 9 marks)