Answers to Biology for IGCSE Chapter 14

Chapter 14 Summary Questions page 180.

(Suggested marks are given in square brackets)

1 sepals, provide protection for flower in the bud

petals, landing site for pollinating insects
anthers, make pollen grains
stigmas, pollen grains land here
ovaries, contain ovules [5]

2 (a) stem grows underground; sucrose transported to stem from leaves; sucrose
converted to starch; stem swells [3]

(b) binary fission; bacteria, duplicate / copy their, DNA; DNA loops move to opposite
ends of the cell; new cell wall forms in the middle of the cell; cells separate [3]

(c) hypha grows upwards / vertical hypha; tip of hypha swells to form sporangium; nuclei
divide (by mitosis); spores form; each spore forms from nucleus and some
cytoplasm; protective case; sporangium opens and spores are released [4]

3 (a) asexual reproduction - the process resulting in the production of genetically identical
offspring from one parent [1]
(b) sexual reproduction - the process involving the fusion of haploid nuclei to form a
diploid zygote and the production of offspring that are genetically different
from one another [1]

(c) pollination - the transfer of pollen grains from the male part of the plant (anther of
stamen) to the female part of the plant (stigma) [1]

4 mark the whole question to a maximum of 4 marks

similarities to maximum of 2 marks
very small / microscopic; haploid; consist of protective case; cytoplasm and, nucleus
/ nuclei;
differences to maximum of 3 marks
feature pollen
wind-pollinated flowers insect-pollinated flowers
size smaller larger;
appearance smooth, light spiky, sticky;
quantity larger smaller;

[4]
5 insect-pollinated flowers

petals, colourful / with scent, to attract insects; nectaries, provide sugary nectar as
food for insects; anthers, firmly attached to filaments so pollen only dislodged when
insect rub against anthers; sticky, small stigmas usually inside the flower for insects
to rub against; sticky, spiky pollen grains that stick easily to insects bodies; small
quantities of pollen as less wastage compared with wind pollinated flowers

wind-pollinated flowers

petals, absent or very small, so do not interfere with pollen dispersal; long filaments,
so anthers hang outside flower so pollen is easily blown away; anthers, loosely
attached to filaments so move to disperse pollen when blown by the wind; stigmas,
large and feathery to catch pollen in the air [6]

6 (a) pollination is transfer of pollen from anthers to stigmas; fertilisation is, fusion of male
and female gametes / male gamete nucleus from pollen tube fuses with female
gamete in egg cell inside the ovule [2]
(b) pollen grains on stigma; pollen tube grows from pollen grain; grows down style;
grows into ovule though micropyle; tip of pollen tube breaks open; male gamete
enters ovule to fuse with female gamete [4]

7 (a) wither / fall off; [1]

(b) zygote embryo (after germination the embryo becomes the seedling);
ovule seed (containing the embryo);
ovary fruit (containing a seed or seeds depending on the species) [3]
8 (a) from pages 176-177
(i) poppy; spinning top cone bush [2]
(ii) any two from: mango, cocklebur, hazelnut, oak, chestnut, papaya, tomato [2]
(b) less competition, with parent plant / among seedlings; do not compete for same
resource(s) / named resource (e.g. light / water / nutrients / space); colonise new
areas [3]
9 (a) note that the question says advantage it should say advantages (plural)

asexual reproduction
advantages disadvantages
fast; high competition for resources;
plants spread colonising the area
where the parent plants grow well;
all individuals have same genotype little variation / plants are genetically
which is well suited to the area identical;
where plants grow well; all individuals may be killed by same
disease;

[4]
(b) advantages of sexual reproduction
variation; from meiosis; fertilisation; gives ability to evolve to changing environmental
conditions; less liable to wiped out by a disease; (seeds allow) dispersal to new
areas;
 disadvantages of sexual production
slow; wastage of pollen grains; waste of seeds; energy wasted in reproduction; plants
may not be as well adapted to area where parent grows thanks to variation
[4]

Chapter 14 Exam-Style Questions page 180-181.

Multiple Choice Questions (1 mark each)

1 A
2 C
3 C
4 A

Short Answer Questions

5 (a) A sepal;
B petal;
C anther;
D carpel; [4]

(b) A protect flower in the bud;

B landing site for insects;
C produce pollen;
D accept any of the following: (stigmas) receive pollen / (ovule) produce egg cells
with female gamete / ovary produces ovules; [4]

(c)(i) insect; [1]

(ii) large petals attract insects; large petals form landing site for insects; anthers firmly
attached so insects brush against them; stigmas for insects to deposit pollen (as
enter the flower avoids self-pollination with insect transferring pollen within the
flower) [4]

6 (a) A stigma;
B carpel / ovary;
C filament;
D anther; [4]

(b) feathery stigma (not compact); stigma with a large surface area; 3 stamens (not 8);
2 stigmas (not 5); no petals; long filaments / filaments longer with respect to anthers;
anthers hang outside the flower; [5]

accept small petals as details of flower structure of wind pollinated plants are not
expected
note that there are no scales for the drawings, so that students cannot include
answers about actual size, but accept smaller and not coloured as the question
does not say that the differences have to be visible in the drawings

this question could be used with examples of insect- and wind-pollinated flowers
 (c) feathery stigmas to catch pollen in the wind; large anthers to produce many pollen
grains; long filaments so anthers hang outside the flower / blow in the wind; anthers
loosely attached to filaments so blow in slightest breeze; large quantities of pollen to
increase chances of pollination; smooth / light, pollen so easily carried in the wind;
[4]

7 (a) A pollen (grain);

B pollen tube;
C male, gamete / nucleus;
D female, gamete / nucleus; [4]

(b) pollen tube opens; male gamete / nucleus, moves into ovule; male and female
gametes / nuclei, fuse; [3]

8 (a) insect pollinated flowers

sticky / firmly attached; for insect to rub against and transfer pollen grains;

wind pollinated flowers

feathery / large surface area; to catch pollen grains; [4]

(b) one mark for transfer of pollen from anthers to stigma;

two marks for distinguishing between self- and cross-pollination
self-pollination transfer of pollen from anthers to stigma of, same flower / another
flower on same plant;
cross-pollination transfer of pollen from anthers to stigma of a flower on a different
plant (of the same species); [3]

(c) advantages of self-pollination

ensures fertilisation; pollinating insects not required; may not be any insects; may not
be any plants of the same species nearby; plants may be colonisers;

disadvantages of self-pollination
little variation; susceptible to disease; [5]