IGCSE Edexcel Biology 2 hours 15 questions

Exam Questions

Co-ordination &
Response
Response to Changes in the Environment / Homeostasis / Co-ordinating Response
/ Response to Stimuli: Plants / Nervous & Hormonal Control / Human Nervous
System / Role of Neurotransmitters at Synapses / Simple Reflex Arc / The Human
Eye: Structure / The Human Eye: Function / The Role of Skin in Temperature
Regulation / The Role of Hormones: Basic / The Role of Hormones: Advanced

Easy (5 questions) /33 Scan here to return to the course

Hard (5 questions) /55

Total Marks /130

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Easy Questions
1 (a) Which of these is an example of positive phototropism?

☐ A A plant root growing away from light

☐ B A plant root growing downwards due to gravity

☐ C A plant stem growing towards light

☐ D A plant stem growing upwards due to gravity

(1 mark)

(b) The table lists the roles of some substances found in living organisms.

Complete the table by naming each substance.

The first one has been done for you.

Role of substance Name of substance

Positive phototropism Auxin

Digests fat

Diffuses across a synapse

Prevents scurvy

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 (3 marks)

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2 (a) Name the organs of the central nervous system (CNS).

(2 marks)

(b) Complete the sentences below using words from the box provided.

The nervous system detects a change in the environment known as a .................. using
specialised cells called ...................... . Signals known as ..................... are then sent along
neurones to the ...................... which co-ordinates a response.

CNS Sensors Impulses Electricity Receptors

Stimulus Sensory Neurones Bright light

(4 marks)

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(c) The diagram below shows the structure of two neurones.

What type of neurone is Neurone A?

☐ A Relay neurone

☐ B Sensory neurone

☐ C Motor neurone

☐ D Reflex neurone

(1 mark)

(d) Nerve impulses eventually reach an organ known as the effector.

Give one example of an effector organ.

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 (1 mark)

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3 (a) The diagram shows part of the nervous system involved in a reflex action when a person
steps on a sharp pin.

Name structure X in the diagram.

(1 mark)

(b) Describe the journey taken by the nerve impulse between the sharp pin and the relay
neurone within structure X shown in part (a).

(3 marks)

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(c) Explain the importance of the reflex arc for living organisms.

(2 marks)

(d) The average speed of a nerve impulse in the human body is 100 metres per second.

A man, who is 2 metres tall, accidentally stubs his toe in the dark.

Use the equation below to calculate the time it takes the nerve impulse to travel to his
brain

Distance
Time =
Speed

(2 marks)

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4 (a) The table below contains statements relating to the nervous and endocrine systems of
the body.

Complete the table by putting a tick (✓) beside each statement to indicate whether it
applies to the nervous system or the endocrine system. The first has been done for you.

Statement Nerves Hormones

Very fast action ✓

Acts for a long time

Makes use of chemical messenger molecules

Acts on target cells in certain tissues

Act for a short time

Contains neurones

(2 marks)

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(b) The diagram below shows the male endocrine system.

The gland labelled Y is the pancreas.

Name one hormone released by the pancreas.

(1 mark)

(c) Describe how the pancreas, identified in part (b), regulates blood glucose when levels
rise above normal limits.

(2 marks)

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(d) The diagram in part (b) identifies the testes.

(i) Name a hormone produced by the testes.

(1)

(ii) State one role of the hormone identified in part (i).

(1)

(2 marks)

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5 (a) Name the chemical produced by plants that are responsible for both phototropism and
geotropism.

(1 mark)

(b) Which of the following statements correctly describes the effect that the chemical named
in (a) has on plant growth?

☐ A Promotes growth in both the shoot and the root.

☐ B Inhibits growth in both the shoot and the root.

☐ C Promotes growth in the shoot but inhibits growth in the root.

☐ D Inhibits growth in the shoot and promotes growth in the root.

(1 mark)

(c) Explain the importance of the phototropism response for plant survival.

(3 marks)

(d) State the term used to describe tropism responses that occur towards a stimulus.

(1 mark)

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Medium Questions
1 (a) The diagram shows three types of neurone.

(i) Give the names of these neurones.

(3)

(ii) Explain the role of these neurones in the withdrawal reflex of a finger from a hot
object.

(3)

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 (6 marks)

(b) A teacher uses this method to estimate the speed of a nerve impulse.

Students stand in a circle and hold hands

Student A in the circle starts a timer and at the same time squeezes the hand of
student B on his left

When student B feels his hand being squeezed, he immediately squeezes the hand
of the student on his left

This process continues around the circle of students until student A feels his hand
being squeezed and he stops the timer

(i) Explain what other measurements the teacher would need to make in order to
calculate the speed of a nerve impulse.

(2)

(ii) Describe whether the teacher’s method is likely to give an accurate estimate of the
speed of a nerve impulse.

(2)

(4 marks)

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2 (a) Humans can control their internal environment.

State the term used to describe the control of an organism’s internal environment.

(1 mark)

(b) Coordination uses hormones and nerves.

Some responses are simple reflex arcs.

Describe the structure and functioning of the withdrawal reflex of a finger from a hot
object.

(4 marks)

(c) Humans use their skin to regulate their body temperature. The diagram shows a section

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through the skin with two structures labelled A and B.

Changes take place in the skin when a person moves from a warm environment to a cold
environment.

(i) Explain the changes that take place in structure A as a person enters a cold
environment.

(2)

(ii) Explain the changes that take place in structure B as the person enters a cold
environment.

(3)

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 (5 marks)

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3 (a) The diagram shows the position of some hormone producing glands in the female body.

Which of these structures is the adrenal gland?

☐ A W

☐ B X

☐ C Y

☐ D Z

(1 mark)

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(b) The adrenal gland is an organ that secretes adrenaline.

State what is meant by the term organ.

(1 mark)

(c) Adrenaline is released into the blood when there is danger.

The list gives the effects of adrenaline on different parts of the body.

dilates the pupil in the eye

increases heart rate

narrows small arteries in the intestine

converts glycogen into glucose in the liver

Explain the advantages of these effects to a person in danger.

(5 marks)

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4 (a) Neurones transmit nerve impulses. The diagram shows a neurone.

(i) This neurone is involved in the withdrawal reflex of a finger from a hot object.

The neurone transmits electrical impulses from the central nervous system to the
effector.

Draw a circle on the diagram to show the part of the neurone where the impulses are
transferred to the effector.

(1)

(ii) What is the name of this type of neurone?

(1)

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 ☐ A Association

☐ B Motor

☐ C Relay

☐ D Sensory

(iii) Explain the advantage of a withdrawal reflex when a finger touches a hot object.

(2)

(4 marks)

(b) Some neurones do not have a myelin sheath.

A scientist investigates the impulse speed for neurones with different diameters. She
does this for neurones with a myelin sheath and neurones without a myelin sheath.

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The graph shows the scientist’s results.

(i) Which conclusion is supported by the graph?

(1)

☐ A Impulses are always faster in neurones with a myelin sheath

☐ B Neurones always have a myelin sheath

☐ C Wider neurones have a myelin sheath

☐ D Wider neurones have faster impulses

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 (ii) A neurone with a myelin sheath has a diameter of 1.0 μm.

Use the graph to determine the speed of an impulse in this neurone in m per s.

(1)

(iii) The neurone is 90 cm long.

Calculate the time taken (in seconds) for an impulse to travel along this neurone.

Give your answer in standard form.

(3)

(5 marks)

5 The photograph shows a small animal called a woodlouse.

JMK, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia

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Woodlice often live under pieces of dead wood in dark, humid conditions.

Design an investigation to find out if light intensity affects the speed at which woodlice
move.

Include experimental details in your answer and write in full sentences.

(6 marks)

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Hard Questions
1 (a) The diagram shows the structure of a human eye.

(i) Which of these is the structure labelled X?

(1)

☐ A conjunctiva

☐ B cornea

☐ C lens

☐ D retina

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 (ii) When looking at a close object, which row of the table shows the state of the ciliary
muscles and suspensory ligaments?

Ciliary muscles Suspensory ligaments

☐ A contracted loose

☐ B contracted tight

☐ C relaxed loose

☐ D relaxed tight

(1)

(iii) Explain how structure Y in the diagram controls the light entering the eye when
someone walks into a dark room.

(2)

(4 marks)

(b) Multiple sclerosis is a condition that can slow down the speed at which electrical
impulses travel along neurones.

The time taken for the blink reflex to occur can be used to help diagnose if someone has
multiple sclerosis.

The blink reflex causes the eyelid to close.

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Air is blown on to the eye and the time taken for the eyelid to close is recorded.

The diagram shows the reflex pathway.

The speed the impulse moves along the reflex arc consisting of all three neurones in a
person without multiple sclerosis is 77 metres per second.

The time taken for the blink reflex to occur in a person with multiple sclerosis is 0.0050 s.

The total length of the neurones in the reflex arc for the person with multiple sclerosis is
25 cm.

(i) Calculate the difference between the speed of impulse for the person with multiple
sclerosis and for the person without multiple sclerosis.

Give your answer in metres per second.

(3)

(ii) The speed of an impulse along the axon of the motor neurone for someone without
multiple sclerosis is 120 metres per second.

Suggest why the speed of the impulse calculated along all three neurones is less than the
speed of the impulse along only the motor neurone.

(2)

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 (5 marks)

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2 (a) The diagram shows a section through the human eye.

(i) Describe the role of structures A, C and D in focusing light from a near object onto the
retina.

(4)

(ii) Bright light can damage the retina.

Explain how a reflex involving structure B protects the retina from this damage.

(3)

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 (7 marks)

(b) There are tear glands that release liquid into the eye.

This liquid contains an enzyme called lysozyme that breaks down cell walls.

(i) Suggest why the liquid contains lysozyme.

(2)

(ii) Suggest why the liquid is maintained at pH 7

(2)

(4 marks)

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3 (a) Nerve tissues that communicate with muscles contain a receptor called the nicotinic
acetylcholine receptor.

The diagram below shows how a nerve impulse passing along neurone X is passed to a
motor neurone.

The motor neurone in the diagram is connected to the diaphragm, a muscle involved in
breathing.

Identify the type of neuron represented by neurone X?

(1 mark)

(b) Describe the series of events that would need to occur within the structures covered in
part (a) in order for the diaphragm to contract.

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 (4 marks)

(c) Anatoxin is a neurotoxin that is also known as ‘Very Fast Death Factor’ because when it is
injected into mice it induces paralysis and death within a few minutes.

Anatoxin is similar in shape to the neurotransmitter that usually binds to the nicotinic
acetylcholine receptor.

Suggest how anatoxin can lead to death.

(3 marks)

(d) Separate: Biology Only

One such hormone is known as ADH.

(i) Name the part of the body from which ADH is released.

(1)

(ii) Explain how ADH helps to prevent dehydration in the body.

(3)

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 (4 marks)

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4 (a) A group of scientists wanted to investigate the control of blood glucose in mice.

They fed one group of mice with a normal diet and another group with a ‘high fat’ diet
containing a high level of both fat and sugar for three weeks beforehand. They then
measured the blood glucose levels of the mice over a period of 2 hours directly after a
meal. Their results are shown below.

Explain the change in blood glucose levels for the normal diet mice during the first 90
minutes after the meal.

(4 marks)

(b) After the first 90 minutes the normal diet mice show an increase in blood glucose despite
no more food being eaten.

Suggest why blood glucose increases despite no more food being consumed.

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 (2 marks)

(c) Suggest an explanation for the results shown in part (a) for the mice on a high-fat diet.

(2 marks)

(d) After carrying out the investigation detailed in part (a) the scientists gave the high fat diet
mice supplements of a drug called a DDP-4 inhibitor in their drinking water. Inhibitors
reduce or prevent the activity of specific enzymes; the enzyme inhibited by the DDP-4
inhibitor is known as DDP-4.

The functional DDP-4 enzyme works by inactivating another enzyme known as GLP-1.
The results of this in the body are shown below.

Suggest and explain how the administration of DDP-4 inhibitors might affect the blood-
glucose levels of the high fat diet mice.

(2 marks)

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5 (a) A group of students wanted to investigate geotropism in bean seedling roots.

The set-up of their experiment is shown in the diagram below.

The students used the following method:

Measure the starting length of the roots of 5 bean seedlings

Pin the 5 bean seedlings to a cork mat as shown in Apparatus A

Place Apparatus A in a dark cupboard for 3 days

After 3 days, measure the length of the root in each seedling and make a drawing of
each seedling

The students' teacher told them that their method was incomplete and that they needed
to set up a control experiment (which will be referred to as Apparatus B) for
comparison.

Describe how Apparatus B could be set up so to provide the students with a control
experiment.

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 (3 marks)

(b) Explain why the seedlings in the experiment in part (a) were placed into a dark room?

(2 marks)

(c) The students carried out their experiment using 10 bean seedlings split across two sets
of apparatus; Apparatus A and Apparatus B (the control).

The results of the student’s investigation are shown in the table below.

Apparatus A Apparatus B

Seedling number 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5

Length of seedling on day 0 / mm 33 34 36 40 42 29 30 34 31 32

Length of seedling on day 2 / mm 45 35 48 53 56 41 43 44 44 43

Change in length / mm

Mean change in length / mm

Complete the table to calculate the mean change in length for the bean seedlings in
Apparatus A and Apparatus B.

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 (4 marks)

(d) The diagram below shows the appearance of the seedlings at the end of the 3 days.

Explain the appearance of the seedlings in the diagram.

(4 marks)

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