A1.

1 Water
■ Paper 1
1 Which diagram correctly indicates the polarity in a water molecule?
A δ– B δ+ C δ– D δ–
O O O H
H H H H H H O O
δ– δ+ δ– δ– δ+ δ+ δ+ δ+
Higher Level Paper 1, Time Zone 1, May 09, Q8

2 With regards to water molecules, where do hydrogen bonds form?

A Within a water molecule, between the negatively charged hydrogen atom and positively
charged oxygen atom
B Between different water molecules, between the negatively charged hydrogen atom and
positively charged oxygen atom
C Within a water molecule, between the positively charged hydrogen atom and negatively
charged oxygen atom
D Between different water molecules, between the positively charged hydrogen atom and
negatively charged oxygen atom
3 Four properties of water are listed below. Which of the properties explain why water makes
a good solvent?
I The polarity of water molecules
II The high specific heat capacity of water
III Hydrogen bonds
IV Water is less dense as a solid than as a liquid
A I and II only
B I and III only
C III and IV only
D I, II and IV
4 Which is the correct explanation of cohesion?
A The property of the surface of a liquid that allows it to resist an external force
B The force by which individual molecules of the same type are attracted
C The force by which individual molecules link to surrounding surfaces
D The force by which individual molecules of different types are attracted
5 To investigate the thermal properties of water, students placed hot water in two thin plastic
cups and measured their rate of cooling. The sides of one cup were covered with tissue paper
soaked in hot water; the other cup was left uncovered. The temperature was recorded with a
thermometer every 4 minutes for 20 minutes. The temperature in the laboratory was 18 °C.

thermometer

hot wet tissue hot water

water paper

Biology for the IB Diploma Programme A1.1 Water 1

 80

70 Key uncovered
covered with wet
60 tissue paper

temperature/°C
50

40

30

20

10

0
0 4 8 12 16 20
time/minutes

a Calculate the change in temperature in each cup after 20 minutes:

i uncovered
ii covered with wet tissue paper. [1]
b State two conditions that must be the same for each cup at the start of the experiment. [2]
c Predict the temperature of the water in the cups after 3 hours. [1]
Standard Level Paper 3, Time Zone 0, November 17, Q1a–c

(Questions 6–8 HL only)

6 The abundance of water over billions of years of Earth’s history has allowed life to evolve.
Which of the following is an explanation for the origin of water on Earth?
A It has always been found on the surface
B Volcanic activity
C It was formed by respiration when life evolved
D It was brought to Earth on asteroids
7 Why was water retained on the early Earth?
A Temperatures were low enough to condense water
B Seas were able to form
C The ozone layer prevented water from evaporating
D The water cycle had been established
8 What is a correct definition for ‘Goldilocks zone’?
A Zone in a planetary system where gold is found
B Specific distance from a star where the gravitational pull is not too great or too small
C Specific distance from a star where the temperature is suitable for liquid water and
therefore life
D Area of a planet where water is found

Biology for the IB Diploma Programme A1.1 Water 2

■ Paper 2 (Question 7 HL only)
1 With the use of a diagram, outline how hydrogen bonds 7 The Goldilocks zone is the area around a star where
form in water. [3] the temperature allows water to exist in liquid form.
2 a Draw three water molecules and show how bonds The closest and furthest distances from the star where
can form between water molecules. [2] liquid water can be found depend, partly, on the size and
b Annotate your diagram with the name of temperature of the star. Water is believed to be essential
the bond. [1] for the evolution of cellular organisms.
c Indicate the polarity in each water molecule. [1] Kepler-186 is a dwarf star in the constellation of
3 Water has important solvent properties. Explain these Cygnus. It has a mass of 0.37 suns and its luminosity
properties using examples to illustrate your answer. [3] is 0.01 suns. It is known to have five planets (see the
Standard Level Paper 2, Time Zone 0, November 17, Q3b table below). The smallest one, B, is only 8% larger than
Earth, while the largest one, D, is almost 40% larger.
4 Identify the properties of water molecules that permit
Planet Distance/AU Orbit/days
them to move upwards in plants. [2]
B 0.04 3.88
5 Describe the importance of water to living organisms. [5] C 0.06 7.26
Higher Level Paper 2, Time Zone 0, November 15, Q7c D 0.09 13.34
E 0.12 22.40
6 Explain the relationship between the properties of water
F 0.40 129.94
and its uses in living organisms as a coolant, a medium
for metabolic reactions and a transport medium. [8] An astronomical unit (AU) is the mean distance of the
Earth from the Sun; this distance varies as the Earth
orbits the Sun in an ellipse.
Luminosity is a measure of brightness or power of a
star, the amount of energy that a star emits from its
surface in one second. It is usually expressed in watts
and measured in terms of the luminosity of the Sun.
a Calculate the distance in AU of the Goldilocks
zone for Kepler-186 using the formula
√luminosity of the star × 0.7 for the inner edge of
the habitable zone and √luminosity × 1.5 for the
outer edge of the zone. [1]
b Deduce which, if any, of the five planets orbiting
Kepler-186 are in the Goldilocks zone. [1]
c State one other factor which determines whether
a planet is in the Goldilocks zone. [1]
d Outline the physical properties of water
which result from hydrogen bonding between
water molecules. [3]

Biology for the IB Diploma Programme A1.1 Water 3

 Biology for the IB Diploma – Answers

Paper 2
1 The oxygen nucleus draws electrons (negatively charged) away from the hydrogen nucleus (positively
charged); the water molecule carries an unequal distribution of electrical charge, even though it is
electrically neutral overall.

There is electrostatic attraction between the positively charged region of one water molecule and the
negatively charged region of a neighbouring one, giving rise to weak bonds or intermolecular forces
called hydrogen bonds.

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 Biology for the IB Diploma – Answers

3 Water molecule is polar OR water has weak positive and negative charges; water forms hydrogen bonds
with polar substances; positive/hydrogen side/pole of water attracted to negative ions OR
negative/oxygen side/pole attracted to positive ions; glucose/other example dissolves because it is polar
OR sodium chloride/other example dissolves because ions are attracted to water.
[Max 3 marks]
4 Water molecules are attracted to each other/stick together because of hydrogen bonding; these cohesive
forces allow water molecules to be drawn up xylem vessels in plants by the evaporative loss of water
from the leaves.
5 Water is cohesive so can be pulled up/moved under tension in xylem;
cohesion in water/water molecules stick together (due to hydrogen bonds);
cohesion helps transport under tension of water/sap in xylem/transpiration stream;
adhesion between water and cell walls/cellulose/polar molecules;
adhesion/capillary action helps water to rise in plants/stems/xylem/helps keep leaf walls moist;
water is an excellent/universal solvent/dissolves many different substances;
solvent properties (due to hydrogen bonds) with polar/hydrophilic molecules;
solvent properties exemplified by glucose/other example of a polar solute;
medium for transport in blood/xylem/phloem;
high latent heat of evaporation/(much) energy required for evaporation so water useful as coolant/for
sweating;
medium for metabolic reactions/(metabolic) reactions happen dissolved in water;
used in chemical reactions/photosynthesis/hydrolysis in organisms;
high (specific) heat capacity, so much energy required to change its temperature/water temperature
changes less;
high heat capacity so stable habitat/temperature of water changes slowly;
important for habitats because water is liquid due to high boiling point/due to water freezing on the
surface/ice floats so lakes/oceans do not freeze allowing life under the ice;
surface tension due to cohesion allows organisms to live on water surface.
[Max 5 marks]
6 Water is a polar molecule; oxygen has a partial negative charge/hydrogen has a partial positive charge;
hydrogen bonds form between adjacent water molecules; water remains liquid over wide range of
temperatures/0–100 °C; moderates temperature fluctuation/stable environment; accurate reference to
specific heat; sweating/evaporation cools organisms; polarity makes water a good/universal solvent for
polar/ionic substances; (all) metabolic reactions of cells take place in (aqueous) solutions;
blood/xylem/phloem transport solutes in water; cohesive properties allow capillary action/transpiration
stream/water column in xylem.
[Max 8 marks]
(Question 7 HL only)
7 a 0.1 × 0.7 = 0.07
0.1 × 1.5 = 0.15
b D and E
c The mass of the planet (and hence its gravitational field strength).
d Water has a high specific heat capacity because hydrogen bonding means more thermal energy is
required to increase the temperature; the surface of water has ‘surface tension’ as a result of

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 Biology for the IB Diploma – Answers

hydrogen bonds attracting water molecules strongly; water is an excellent solvent because hydrogen
bonding allows it to form bonds with ions (positive and negative) and small polar and non-polar
molecules; water has extremely strong cohesive properties because of hydrogen bonding.
[Max 3 marks]

A1.2 Nucleic acids

Paper 1
1 B
2 C
3 D
4 B
5 C
6 B
7 D
(Questions 8–10 HL only)
8 A
9 A
10 B

Paper 2
1

Diagram to include labels indicating a phosphate, a deoxyribose, a (nitrogenous) base/specific base, e.g.
adenine/thymine/guanine/cytosine, shown connected to carbon-1, a hydrogen bond, covalent
bond/phosphodiester bond; nucleotides to include phosphate, sugar and base by (shape or label); diagram
to show complementary base pairing or A bonded to T, C with G.
[Max 3 marks if nucleotides shown in a single strand. Max 4 marks if antiparallel structure not shown.]

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