Q1.

(a) Describe how you would test a piece of food for the presence of lipid.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(2)

The figure below shows a phospholipid.

X Y

(b) The part of the phospholipid labelled A is formed from a particular molecule. Name
this molecule.

Page 1 of 19
 ___________________________________________________________________
(1)

(c) Name the type of bond between A and fatty acid X.

___________________________________________________________________
(1)

(d) Which of the fatty acids, X or Y, in the figure above is unsaturated? Explain your
answer.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(1)

Scientists investigated the percentages of different types of lipid in plasma membranes

from different types of cell. The table shows some of their results.

Type of lipid Percentage of lipid in plasma membrane by mass

Cell lining ileum of Red blood cell of The bacterium

mammal mammal Escherichia coli

Cholesterol 17 23 0

Glycolipid 7 3 0

Phospholipid 54 60 70

Others 22 14 30

(e) The scientists expressed their results as Percentage of lipid in plasma membrane
by mass. Explain how they would find these values.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(2)

Cholesterol increases the stability of plasma membranes. Cholesterol does this by making
membranes less flexible.

(f) Suggest one advantage of the different percentage of cholesterol in red blood cells
compared with cells lining the ileum.

___________________________________________________________________

Page 2 of 19
 ___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(1)

(g) E. coli has no cholesterol in its cell-surface membrane. Despite this, the cell
maintains a constant shape. Explain why.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(2)
(Total 10 marks)

Q2.
Bacteriophages are viruses that kill bacteria.

The diagram below shows drawings of a bacteriophage and a bacterium.

(a) Using the diagram and your own knowledge, put a tick (✔) in the box next to the
only correct statement about the structures of the bacteriophage and the bacterium

Both have ribosomes.

Both have a cell-surface membrane.

Page 3 of 19
 The bacteriophage has a capsid and
the bacterium has a cell-surface
membrane.

The bacteriophage has a cell wall and

the bacterium has a capsid.
(1)

(b) Using the scales in the diagram above, calculate how many times longer the
bacterium is than the bacteriophage.

Use the distance between the points labelled A and B on each drawing in your
calculations. Show your working.

The bacterium is ____________________ times longer

(2)

(c) Scientists investigated the use of bacteriophages to treat lung infections caused by
bacteria. They infected the lungs of mice with a pathogenic species of bacterium.
The mice were then divided into two groups, A and B.

• The mice in group A were not treated with bacteriophage.

• The mice in group B were treated by breathing in a spray containing
bacteriophage particles.

After 3 days, the scientists killed the mice and removed their lungs. They washed
out each set of lungs with a set volume of liquid. The scientists determined the
number of live bacteria in the liquid.

The graph below shows the scientists’ results. The graph shows the mean and the
range of the data about the mean for each group. Standard deviations of the means
are not shown.

Page 4 of 19
 What would the scientists’ null hypothesis be for this investigation?

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(1)

(d) With some samples, the scientists decided they needed to carry out a series of
dilutions of the sample before counting the bacteria.

Use evidence from the graph above to explain why dilutions were necessary for
some samples but not for others.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(2)

(e) Using only the graph above, what can you conclude from these data about the
effectiveness of the bacteriophage in treating this lung infection in mice?

Page 5 of 19
 Do not consider statistical analyses in your answer.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(3)
(Total 9 marks)

Q3.
(a) The table shows cell wall components in plants, algae, fungi and prokaryotes.
Complete the table by putting a tick (✓) where a cell wall component is present.

Cell wall
Plants Algae Fungi Prokaryotes
component

Cellulose

Murein

Chitin
(3)

Cell walls make up much of the fibre that people eat.

Scientists investigated the relationship between the mass of fibre people ate each day and
their risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD).

They gathered data from a large sample of people and used this to calculate a relative
risk.

• A relative risk of 1 means there is no difference in risk between the sample and the
whole population.
• A relative risk of < 1 means CVD is less likely to occur in the sample than in the
whole population.
• A relative risk of > 1 means CVD is more likely to occur in the sample than in the
whole population.

Their results are shown in the graph. A value of ± 2 standard deviations from the mean
includes over 95% of the data.

Page 6 of 19
(b) A student concluded from the graph above that eating an extra 10 g of fibre per day
would significantly lower his risk of cardiovascular disease.

Evaluate his conclusion.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(4)

(c) The scientists estimated the mean mass of fibre eaten per day using a food
frequency questionnaire (FFQ).

The FFQ asks each person how often they have eaten many types of food over the
past year.

An alternative method to calculate fibre eaten is for a nurse to ask each person
detailed questions about what they have eaten in the last 24 hours.

Suggest one advantage of using the FFQ method and one disadvantage of using
the FFQ method compared with the alternative method.

Page 7 of 19
 Advantage __________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

Disadvantage ______________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(2)
(Total 9 marks)

Q4.
(a) Sodium ions from salt (sodium chloride) are absorbed by cells lining the gut. Some
of these cells have membranes with a carrier protein called NHE3.

NHE3 actively transports one sodium ion into the cell in exchange for one proton
(hydrogen ion) out of the cell.

Use your knowledge of transport across cell membranes to suggest how NHE3 does
this.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(3)

(b) Scientists investigated the use of a drug called Tenapanor to reduce salt absorption
in the gut. Tenapanor inhibits the carrier protein, NHE3.

The scientists fed a diet containing a high concentration of salt to two groups
of rats, A and B.

• The rats in Group A were not given Tenapanor (0 mg kg−1).

Page 8 of 19
 • The rats in Group B were given 3 mg kg−1 Tenapanor.

One hour after treatment, the scientists removed the gut contents of the rats and
immediately weighed them.

Their results are shown in the table.

Concentration of Mean mass of contents

Tenapanor / mg kg−1 of the gut / g

0 2.0

3 4.1

The scientists carried out a statistical test to see whether the difference in the
means was significant. They calculated a P value of less than 0.05.

They concluded that Tenapanor did reduce salt absorption in the gut.

Use all the information provided and your knowledge of water potential to explain
how they reached this conclusion.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(4)

(c) High absorption of salt from the diet can result in a higher than normal concentration
of salt in the blood plasma entering capillaries. This can lead to a build-up of tissue
fluid.

Explain how.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

Page 9 of 19
 (2)
(Total 9 marks)

Q5.
(a) Give two similarities in the movement of substances by diffusion and by osmosis.

1. _________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

2. _________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(2)

A scientist measured the rate of uptake of a monoglyceride and a monosaccharide by

epithelial cells of the small intestine of mice. A monoglyceride is a molecule of glycerol
with one fatty acid attached. She did this for different concentrations of monoglyceride and
monosaccharide.

Her results are shown in the graph.

(b) Use your knowledge of transport across membranes to explain the shape of the
curve in the graph for uptake of monosaccharides between concentrations:

Page 10 of 19
 A and B ____________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

C and D ____________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(3)

(c) The graph is evidence for monoglycerides being lipid-soluble molecules.

Suggest how.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(2)
(Total 7 marks)

Q6.
(a) Describe the structure of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

Page 11 of 19
 ___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(4)

Some people infected with HIV do not develop AIDS. These people are called HIV
controllers.

Scientists measured the number of HIV particles (the viral load) and the number of one
type of T helper cell (CD4 cells) in the blood of a group of HIV controllers and also in a
group of HIV positive patients who had symptoms of AIDS.

The median values and the range of their results are shown in the table.

Median viral load / Median number

virus particles per of CD4 cells per
HIV status of people
cm3 of blood mm3 of blood
(range) (range)

212 693
HIV controllers
(<50 to 609) (529 to 887)

HIV positive people 66 274 248

with AIDS symptoms (30 206 to 306 163) (107 to 365)

(b) A test sample of 500 mm3 of blood is taken from an HIV controller to determine the
viral load.

Tick (✓) one box that shows the number of virus particles that would be present in a
test sample of blood taken from an HIV controller with the median viral load.

106 000

10 600

1060

Page 12 of 19
 106

(1)

(c) Use the data in the table above and your knowledge of the immune response to
suggest why HIV controllers do not develop symptoms of AIDS.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(3)
(Total 8 marks)

Page 13 of 19
Mark schemes

Q1.
(a) 1. Dissolve in alcohol, then add water;
2. White emulsion shows presence of lipid.
2

(b) Glycerol.
1

(c) Ester.
1

(d) Y (no mark)

Contains double bond between (adjacent) carbon atoms in hydrocarbon chain.
1

(e) 1. Divide mass of each lipid by total mass of all lipids (in that type of cell);
2. Multiply answer by 100.
2

(f) Red blood cells free in blood / not supported by other cells so cholesterol helps
to maintain shape;
Allow converse for cell from ileum – cell supported by others
in endothelium so cholesterol has less effect on maintaining
shape.
1

(g) 1. Cell unable to change shape;

2. (Because) cell has a cell wall;
3. (Wall is) rigid / made of peptidoglycan / murein.
2 max
[10]

Q2.
(a)
The bacteriophage has a capsid and the
bacterium has a cell-surface membrane;
Third box down
Reject if more than one box with tick. Ignore crossed-out ticks
Accept tick to right or left of correct box
1

(b) Correct number of times between

13.0 / 12.96 and 13.9 / 13.92 scores 2 marks;
One mark if correct sizes in ranges of
150.7nm to 154.4nm / 0.151μm to 0.154μm
and 1953.5nm to 2097.6nm / 1.954μm to 2.098μm;
Both lengths required for 1 mark credit
Accept refs to 150 / 0.15 and 2000 / 2
Ignore number of sig fig
2

Page 14 of 19
 (c) The bacteriophage makes no difference to the number of (living) bacteria /
there will be no difference in the number of (live) bacteria in treated and
untreated mice / there will be no difference in the number of (live) bacteria in A
and B;
Ignore no difference between mice
1

(d) 1. Log scale (on graph) shows big range in number of bacteria
OR
Use of suitable data from log scale to give the range in number of
bacteria;
2. Some samples too many to count (so dilute) but some
countable (so don’t dilute)
OR
Use of figures from graph relating to ease (or otherwise) of counting
Example. 631 000 000 bacteria would be too big to count (without serial
dilution), 100 000 bacteria is small enough to count;
1 and 2 Do not accept simple statements of log10 values
from graph
Look for answers in standard form
Group A
Mean between 79 million and 100 million
Range 4 million to 631 million
Group B
Mean between 100 thousand and 126 thousand
Range 3.98/4 up to 251 thousand
2

(e) 1. (Bacteriophage) reduces number of bacteria;

2. (In all cases / mice because) ranges don’t overlap;
3. But big range of effect/some mice a big reduction/a few
mice with big falls in number
OR
Doesn’t bring bacteria down to 0 in any / works for some (mice) but not
for all;
Do not accept just quotes of log10 figures direct from graph
Ignore refs to significance
Range 3.98/4 up to 251 thousand
2. Reject ref to SD / SE
3
[9]

Q3.
(a)
Cell wall Plants Algae Fungi Prokaryotes
component
Cellulose ✓ ✓
Murein ✓
Chitin ✓
1st 2 columns correct (Plants and Algae) = 1 mark
3rd column correct (Fungi) = 1 mark
4th column correct (Prokaryotes) = 1 mark

Page 15 of 19
 Accept alternative symbols that clearly indicate the box but are not
ticks eg X.
If answer clearly crossed out read box as blank.
3

(b) 1. Negative correlation (between fibre eaten per day and risk of
cardiovascular disease);
Accept positive correlation with reduced risk

2. Original/current fibre intake (of student) not known;

Accept ‘it depends on original/current fibre intake’.

3. (Idea of) significance linked to (2x) standard deviation

overlap (at 10 g day–1 change);
This is for the correct concept, ignore stated values.
Ignore reference to probability and chance.

4. If current intake between 5 and 30 (g day–1) then

(eating 10 g more results in a significant) decrease in
risk
OR
If current intake between 30 and 50 (g day–1) then (eating 10 g more
results in) no significant decrease in risk;
Accept stated values between 5 and 30 for (significant) decrease
in risk.
Accept stated values between 30 and 50 for no significant
decrease in risk.
Ignore stated values less than 5 or more than 50.

5. Correlation does not mean causation

OR
Another named factor may be involved;
Examples of named factors -smoking, exercise, age, sex, genes,
other aspects of diet.

6. Little evidence/data for higher mass of fibre per day;

7. Large (2x) standard deviation at high/low mass of fibre makes (mean)

less precise
OR
Large (2x) standard deviation at high/low amounts of fibre means there
is a greater uncertainty;
For ‘precise’ accept reliable or description of precise/reliable.

8. No statistical test (to show if differences are significant);

4 max

(c) (Advantage)

1. Over longer period so more representative

OR
Diet over 24 hr may not be representative
OR
Diet may vary during the year/from day to day
OR
Person more likely to be honest on questionnaire (rather than speaking

Page 16 of 19
 to nurse)
OR
More cost effective because fewer people/nurses required;
Only credit reference to ‘honesty’ once.

(Disadvantage)

2. Relies on (long term) memory so may not be accurate

OR
Recall of 24 hr diet likely to be more accurate
OR
Estimation (from FFQ) may be less accurate (than details of last 24hrs)
OR
Person may be more honest when being interviewed;
For ‘accurate’ accept only ‘valid’ or ‘close to true value’.
Accept examples of ‘estimation (from FFQ)’ eg frequency of eating
may not give mass of fibre, type of food may not give mass of
fibre, no information on portion size to give mass of fibre. These
must all be accompanied by idea of reduced accuracy.
2
[9]

Q4.
(a) 1. Co-transport;
2. Uses (hydrolysis of) ATP;
3. Sodium ion and proton bind to the protein;
4. Protein changes shape (to move sodium ion and / or proton across the
membrane);
3. Accept ‘Na + and H + bind to protein’ but do not allow
incorrect chemical symbols
3 max

(b) 1. Tenapanor / (Group)B / drug causes a significant increase;

OR
There is a significant difference with Tenapanor / drug / between A and
B;
2. There is a less than 0.05 probability that the difference is due to chance;
3. (More salt in gut) reduces water potential in gut (contents);
4. (so) less water absorbed out of gut (contents) by osmosis
OR
Less water absorbed into cells by osmosis
OR
Water moves into the gut (contents) by osmosis.
OR
(so) water moves out of cells by osmosis.
1. and 2. Reject references to ‘results’ being significant / due
to chance once only.
2. Do not credit suggestion that probability is 0.05% or 5.
2. Accept ‘There is a greater than 0.95 / 95% probability
that any difference between observed and expected is
not due to chance’
4

(c) 1. (Higher salt) results in lower water potential of tissue fluid;

2. (So) less water returns to capillary by osmosis (at venule end);

Page 17 of 19
 OR
3. (Higher salt) results in higher blood pressure / volume;
4. (So) more fluid pushed / forced out (at arteriole end) of capillary;
For ‘salt’ accept ‘sodium ions’.
Do not allow mix and match of points from different
alternative pairs
3. Accept higher hydrostatic pressure.
2
[9]

Q5.
(a) 1. (Movement) down a gradient / from high concentration to low concentration;
Ignore along / across gradient
Reject movement from gradient to gradient

2. Passive / not active processes;

OR
Do not use energy from respiration / from ATP / from metabolism;
OR
Use energy from the solution;
Reject do not use energy unqualified
2

(b) 1. Movement through carrier proteins;

OR
Facilitated diffusion;
Between A and B
Accept MP1 in either section
Ignore co-transport / active transport
Accept channel proteins

2. Rate of uptake proportional to (external) concentration;

Between C and D
Accept description of proportional

3. All channel / carrier proteins in use / saturated / limiting;

Accept used up
Accept transport proteins
3

(c) 1. Rate of uptake is proportional / does not level off (so diffusion occurring);
Accept as one increases the other increases

2. (Lipid-soluble molecules) diffuse through / are soluble in phospholipid (bilayer);

2
[7]

Q6.
(a)
Accept a labelled diagram.

1. RNA (as genetic material);

Page 18 of 19
 Reject nucleus/DNA/plasmids.

2. Reverse transcriptase;

3. (Protein) capsomeres/capsid;
Reject capsule.

4. (Phospho)lipid (viral) envelope

OR
Envelope made of membrane;
Reject if HIV has a cell membrane or a cell wall.

5. Attachment proteins;
Accept gp41 and/or gp 120.
Accept glycoprotein.
Accept description of attachment protein.
Ignore ‘receptor protein’.
Ignore cytoplasm.
4 max

(b) Automarked q – ☑ 106

1

(c) 1. (All) have more T helper/CD4 cells;

Accept higher proportion of T helper/CD4 to virus particles.
Statement must be comparative.

2. Lower viral load to infect/destroy helper T/CD4 cells;

For ‘infect’ accept ‘HIV does not reproduce in’.
Statement must be comparative.

3. (So more/continued) activation of B cells/cytotoxic T cells/phagocytes;

Accept ‘stimulation’ for ‘activation’.

4. (With B cells more/continued) production of plasma cells/antibodies

OR
(With cytotoxic T cells more/continued) ability to kill virus infected cells;
Ignore reference to B cells acting as phagocytes/antigen-
presenting cells.

5. (More able to) destroy other microbes/pathogens

OR
(More able to) destroy mutated/cancer cells;
3 max
[8]

Page 19 of 19