2 Answers to end-of-chapter questions

1 B [1]
2 A [1]
3 B [1]
4 B [1]
5 A [1]
6 C [1]
7 B [1]
8 A [1]
9 C [1]
10 C [1]
Structured questions
11 a A – epidermis [1]
B – parenchyma [1]
C – phloem/vascular [1]
D – xylem/vascular [1]

Good representation with all the tissues [2]

Actual size [1]
Correct proportions of tissue layers [1]

c Actual size = size of specimen / magnification

Actual size = 65 mm / 120
= 0.5417 mm or 541.7 μm Correct calculation with working [2]

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d Tissues of root: epidermal, cortex, vascular [1]
• Epidermal – some epidermal cells form root hairs in order to
increase the surface area of the root for absorption [1]
• Cortex – made up mainly parenchyma tissue which is used to
store starch as an energy reserve. Water can move through
cortex without entering cells on its way to the xylem [1]
• Vascular tissues – made up of phloem tissue and xylem tissue
Phloem: Transports organic nutrients / sucrose by mass flow [1]
Xylem: Transports water and minerals from roots to leaves;
provides mechanical support to the plant [1]

12 a i A – cell wall
B – chloroplast
C – nucleus
D – nucleolus 7 correct [4]
E – cell membrane 5–6 correct [3]
F – mitochondrion 3–4 correct [2]
G – central vacuole 1–2 correct [1]

ii Cell wall, chloroplast, central vacuole 2 identified [1]

iii Presence of centrioles / microvilli / glycogen granules / cilia and

flagella / many small vacuoles / lysosomes
Absence of starch grains / cell wall / chloroplasts or Identification of presence or
plastids / central vacuole absence of two cell structures [2]

b Magnification = length of scale bar / actual length

= 37 mm × 1000
100
= × 370 [1]

c A – Holds cell firm / prevents cell from bursting / provides strength

to cell / allows the passage of substances e.g. water, gases / maintains
turgor pressure
B – Site of photosynthesis / traps light energy and produces
carbohydrates / contains chlorophyll which traps light energy to
produce ATP, oxygen and carbohydrates
C – Controls the activities of cell / contains DNA which codes for 1 correct function
proteins or enzymes which control cellular activities for each organelle [3]
D – Synthesis of ribosomal RNA / makes ribosomes / contains DNA 3 correct [2]
used to code for RNA 1–2 correct [1]

d Advantages of electron microscope

• high resolution (400 times better than light microscope)
• high magnification possible (× 300 000) 2 points [1]

Disadvantages of electron microscope

• black and white image produced
• coloured dyes cannot be used to identify different structures
• preparation of specimen may produce distortions 2 points [1]

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13 a Prokaryotes
• no true nucleus
• circular DNA without histones
• cell wall made of peptidoglycan
• no chloroplasts or mitochondria
• mainly unicellular
• small ribosomes (70S / 20 nm)
• simple flagella 2 points [2]

Prokaryotes and eukaryotes

• DNA
• ribosomes present
• cell membrane
• cytoplasm 2 points [2]

Eukaryotes
• true nucleus
• linear DNA with histones
• cell walls in plants made of cellulose
• chloroplasts
• mitochondria
• large ribosomes (80S / 30 nm)
• complex flagella
• ER present
• membranous organelles
• mainly multicellular 2 points [2]

b i
cell wall

circular DNA
cytoplasm

plasmid

ribosome

Drawing [2]
Drawing showing generalised structure of a bacterium 2 labels [1]
Total [3 marks]

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ii

Good drawing [2]

Drawing of a mitochondrion 2 labels [1]
Total [3 marks]

c Folds of the inner membrane or cristae protrude into the interior of the
mitochondrion. [1]

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Essay questions
14 a i Typical animal cell
cell membrane

mitochondrion

centriole

nucleus

nucleolus

cytoplasm

rough endoplasmic
reticulum

Golgi body

smooth endoplasmic
reticulum

lysosome

ribosome

• Surrounded by flexible cell membrane made up of phospholipids

and proteins
• Cytoplasm – gel-like, mostly water, metabolic reactions occur
here, cytoskeleton present
• Nucleus separated from cytoplasm by nuclear membrane; with
nucleolus
• Mitochondrion – double membrane, inner membrane convoluted;
for aerobic respiration
• RER – network of membranous flattened sacs with ribosomes
• Ribosomes – can be found free in the cytoplasm or on RER;
synthesis of proteins
• SER – tubular membranous sacs; lipid synthesis, detoxification
• Golgi body - membranous sacs which are continuously formed at
one end and bud off at other end; chemically modifies and
packages proteins
• Lysosomes – small membranous sacs with digestive enzymes
formed by budding Golgi body Diagram [1]
• Centrioles – pair of short microtubules, used for spindle 1 mark for each
formation during cell division point in detail [max 5]

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 ii Animal cell compared to plant cell
• no cell wall
• no chloroplasts / plastids
• no large permanent vacuole / tonoplast
• smaller (10–100 μm)
• has centrioles
• microvilli in some cells
• cilia / flagella in some cells
• lysosomes usually present
• contains glycogen as storage molecule instead of starch Any 3 points [3]

b
RER – has ribosomes which make
SER – synthesis of lipids proteins; proteins pass down the
and steroids; cisternae which isolate them from the
detoxification cytoplasm

secretory
vesicles –
contain
enzymes
which are
released by
exocytosis

lysosomes –
bud off the Golgi
body; contain
hydrolytic
enzymes which
degrade
bacteria, food,
old organelles ribosomes –
translate mRNA
into proteins
Golgi body –
chemically modifies Diagram [1]
proteins; add sugars to Annotations 1 mark each [max 6]
proteins

15 a Organ – collection of different tissues which performs a specialised function

Roots made up of three tissues: epidermis, cortex, vascular tissue. [1]

• Epidermal – some epidermal cells form root hairs in order to increase the surface
area of the root for absorption
• Cortex – made up mainly of parenchyma tissue which is used to store starch as an
energy reserve. Water can move through cortex without entering cells on its way to
the xylem
Cortex also contains the endodermis which contains cells with lignin and suberin /
Casparian strip; controls uptake of water
and pericycle which has lignin / mechanical support
• Vascular tissues – made up of phloem tissue and xylem tissue.
Phloem transports organic nutrients / sucrose by mass flow
Xylem transports water and minerals from roots to leaves; provides mechanical
support to the plant

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Functions of root:
• Absorbs water and minerals from the soil
• Acts as a site for food storage
• Supports the plant
All the tissues work together to bring about these functions 7 points well described [7]

b i Organism that is symbiotic within another organism [2]

ii Evidence
• Both are about the same size as bacterial cells / prokaryotes
• Both have circular DNA (as prokaryotes) which lies free in stroma or matrix
• Both contain 70S or 20 nm ribosomes as prokaryotes
• Both have a pair of membranes surrounding them. The inner membrane has
similarities to membranes of prokaryotes
• Both reproduce by binary fission before the whole eukaryote cells divides by
mitosis 5 points [5]

16 a Advantages of electron microscope

• better resolution (0.5 nm)
• higher magnification (×300 000)
• can use SEM to study the surface of structures to give a 3D
image 3 points well described [3]

b
Feature Prokaryotes Eukaryotes
cell wall always present, made up only in plants, made of
of peptidoglycan cellulose
size 0.5–10 μm 10–100 μm
packaging DNA circular, not DNA linear, coiled around
of DNA associated with histones histones
protein • on free ribosomes • on ribosomes which can be
synthesis free or attached on RER; Any 12 points
• 70S or 20 nm • 80S or 30 nm [12]

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