Cambridge O Level

* 1 6 6 2 2 5 3 8 4 7 *

BIOLOGY 5090/22
Paper 2 Theory May/June 2024

1 hour 45 minutes

You must answer on the question paper.

No additional materials are needed.

INSTRUCTIONS
● Answer all questions.
● Use a black or dark blue pen. You may use an HB pencil for any diagrams or graphs.
● Write your name, centre number and candidate number in the boxes at the top of the page.
● Write your answer to each question in the space provided.
● Do not use an erasable pen or correction fluid.
● Do not write on any bar codes.
● You may use a calculator.
● You should show all your working and use appropriate units.

INFORMATION
● The total mark for this paper is 80.
● The number of marks for each question or part question is shown in brackets [ ].

This document has 16 pages. Any blank pages are indicated.

DC (JP/CB) 329297/3
© UCLES 2024 [Turn over
 2

1 Fig. 1.1 shows two cells from the leaf of a plant observed using a light microscope.

cell wall

cytoplasm

Fig. 1.1

(a) Complete Table 1.1 to identify the structures labelled A and B and to describe the function of
each structure.

Table 1.1

structure name of structure description of function

............................................................................
A .........................................................

............................................................................

............................................................................
B .........................................................

............................................................................

[4]

(b) State one structure that is not visible in Fig. 1.1 but would be visible in the cytoplasm in an
electron micrograph of the same two cells.

........................................................... [1]

[Total: 5]

© UCLES 2024 5090/22/M/J/24

 3

BLANK PAGE

© UCLES 2024 5090/22/M/J/24 [Turn over

 4

2 Organisms can be classified into groups using the features they share.

(a) Fish are one of the main groups of vertebrates.

(i) State three main features used to classify an organism as a fish.

1 ........................................................................................................................................

2 ........................................................................................................................................

3 ........................................................................................................................................
[3]

(ii) State two main groups of vertebrates other than fish.

1 ........................................................................................................................................

2 ........................................................................................................................................
[2]

(b) Swordfish are large fish that live in the ocean.

They have a long, bony extension to the skull, called a sword.

Fig. 2.1 is a diagram of a swordfish.

sword

Fig. 2.1

The binomial name of the swordfish is Xiphias gladius.

(i) Define the term species.

...........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................................... [2]

(ii) State the species name of the organism shown in Fig. 2.1.

........................................................... [1]

© UCLES 2024 5090/22/M/J/24

 5

(c) Swordfish swim near the surface of the ocean where the water temperature is low.
During evolution, swordfish developed a muscle behind each eye that warms the eyes and
the brain to a temperature above that of the ocean.
This feature gives swordfish improved vision.

(i) Name the process that led to the evolution of the muscle behind each eye of the
swordfish.

..................................................................................................................................... [1]

(ii) Suggest reasons why the evolution of this feature has adapted swordfish to survive in
the ocean.

...........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................................... [4]

[Total: 13]

© UCLES 2024 5090/22/M/J/24 [Turn over

 6

3 (a) Complete Table 3.1, using terms from the list below to match each description to a term.

phenotype dominant gene genotype

heterozygous homozygous allele recessive

Table 3.1

description term

a form of a gene that codes for one of a

pair of contrasting features ...............................................

a form of a gene that always has an effect

when it is present ...............................................

having two different forms of a gene for a

particular feature ...............................................

having two of the same form of a gene for a

particular feature ...............................................

the combination of alleles that an organism

has in its chromosomes ...............................................

[5]

© UCLES 2024 5090/22/M/J/24

 7

(b) Fig. 3.1 is a diagram of part of a molecule of DNA taken from a bacterial cell.

G C C
T A G A
A C G A G
T C T
T

Fig. 3.1

(i) State the term which describes the shape of the DNA molecule.

........................................................... [1]

(ii) Most of the DNA in bacterial cells is found in one large loop in the cytoplasm.

Name another structure in bacterial cells which contains DNA.

........................................................... [1]

(iii) State the name of the type of molecule that is represented by the letters A, T, G and C in
Fig. 3.1.

........................................................... [1]

(iv) Outline the importance of the sequence of A, T, G and C in DNA.

...........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................................... [2]

[Total: 10]

© UCLES 2024 5090/22/M/J/24 [Turn over

 8

4 Fig. 4.1 is a simplified diagram of a nephron.

structure P

blood in

structure R

glomerulus

blood out

direction of
blood flow

structure Q

fluid S

Fig. 4.1

(a) (i) Identify each of the structures labelled P, Q and R in Fig. 4.1.

P ...........................................................

Q ...........................................................

R ...........................................................
[3]

(ii) Name the organ which contains many nephrons.

........................................................... [1]

(iii) Name the organ that stores fluid S before it is released from the body.

........................................................... [1]

© UCLES 2024 5090/22/M/J/24

 9

(b) Table 4.1 shows the composition of a sample of fluid S from a healthy person.

The person that provided the sample of fluid S eats a balanced diet.

Table 4.1

component concentration / arbitrary units

glucose 0.00

protein 0.00

ions 1.50

urea 2.00

(i) State why it is important that urea is removed from the blood in fluid S.

..................................................................................................................................... [1]

(ii) Use your knowledge of the function of a nephron to explain the concentration of each of
the following components of fluid S.

glucose

...........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

protein

...........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................
[5]

(iii) Explain what would happen to the concentration of ions in fluid S if the person drank a
large volume of water several hours before the sample was collected.

...........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................................... [3]

[Total: 14]
© UCLES 2024 5090/22/M/J/24 [Turn over
 10

5 Fig. 5.1 is a diagram of a pineapple growing on a pineapple plant.

crown

pineapple

leaf

stem suckers

ground level
roots

Fig. 5.1

(a) Pineapple plants can be grown on farms by removing the suckers from a parent plant and
planting these in the ground to form new plants.

(i) State the type of reproduction used to grow pineapple plants in this way.

........................................................... [1]

(ii) State two advantages and two disadvantages of producing pineapple plants in this way.

advantages

1 ........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

2 ........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

disadvantages

1 ........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

2 ........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................
[4]

© UCLES 2024 5090/22/M/J/24

 11

(iii) Pineapples are an important crop in Hawaii, USA. They were introduced to Hawaii from
South America.

Birds called hummingbirds pollinate pineapple flowers. If pollinated, pineapple fruits

develop and they contain hard, inedible seeds. If not pollinated, pineapple fruits develop
without seeds.

Hummingbirds are not found in Hawaii.

Suggest why it is illegal to introduce hummingbirds into Hawaii.

...........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................................... [4]

(b) Pineapples contain a mixture of protease enzymes called bromelain.

(i) When bromelain is added to its substrate, a product is formed.

Complete the word equation to show the substrate and product.

.............................................. ..............................................
(substrate) (product)
[2]

© UCLES 2024 5090/22/M/J/24 [Turn over

 12

(ii) The effect of changing pH on the activity of the enzymes found in bromelain was
investigated. The results of this investigation are shown in Fig. 5.2.

100

80
percentage
60
of maximum
enzyme
activity 40

20

0
3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
pH

Fig. 5.2

To assist digestion, some people swallow bromelain in the form of a powder with their
food.

Use the information in Fig. 5.2 and your knowledge of the human digestive system to
discuss the effectiveness of using bromelain in this way.

...........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................................... [4]

[Total: 15]

© UCLES 2024 5090/22/M/J/24

 13

6 Flowering plants are sometimes grown in soil to provide cut flowers that can then be displayed.

(a) A gardener watered flowering plants with a fertiliser solution containing dissolved chemicals.

Table 6.1 shows the information printed on the label of the container of fertiliser powder used
to prepare this fertiliser solution.

Table 6.1

chemical component mass / g per 100 g fertiliser powder

nitrates 4.0

phosphates 4.0

sulfur 1.0

magnesium 0.5

(i) To prepare the fertiliser solution, the gardener dissolved 20 g of the fertiliser powder in
10 dm3 of water.

Calculate the total mass of sulfur in the fertiliser solution prepared by the gardener.

Space for working.

.......................................................... [2]

(ii) Explain which chemical component of the fertiliser solution is the most important to
plants for:

making the leaves of the plants green in colour

...........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

the production of enzymes by cells in the leaves of the plants.

...........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................
[4]

© UCLES 2024 5090/22/M/J/24 [Turn over

 14

(iii) The chemical components of the fertiliser solution are absorbed by the root hair cells of
the plants and are then transported to the leaves.

Complete the words below to name the three main tissues in the pathway taken by the
chemical components of the fertiliser solution from the root hair cells to the leaves.

The first letter of each word has been completed for you.

C .............................................

X .............................................

M ............................................. [3]

(b) When flowers from the plants are cut and used for display, the leaves are removed before
each stem is placed in water.

A solution containing sucrose is often added to this water.

Sucrose is not needed in fertiliser solution used to water plants growing in soil.

Explain the benefit of providing sucrose to cut flowers.

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

............................................................................................................................................. [3]

[Total: 12]

© UCLES 2024 5090/22/M/J/24

 15

7 Plastics are produced in very large amounts by industrial processes around the world.

These plastics can enter ecosystems as pollution.

(a) The total mass of plastics produced globally in the year 2020 was 367 million tonnes.

It is estimated that 3% of all plastics produced globally each year enters the ocean as plastic
pollution.

Calculate the total mass of plastic pollution that is estimated to have entered the ocean during
the year 2020.

Space for working.

.......................................................... [2]

(b) (i) Some packaging is made from biodegradable carbohydrates.

Microorganisms break down larger carbohydrate molecules into smaller molecules.

Identify this process and name one type of microorganism that is involved.

...........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................................... [2]

© UCLES 2024 5090/22/M/J/24 [Turn over

 16

(ii) Most plastics that enter ecosystems as pollution are non-biodegradable.

Describe the harmful effects of non-biodegradable plastics on both aquatic and terrestrial
ecosystems.

...........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................................... [7]

[Total: 11]

Permission to reproduce items where third-party owned material protected by copyright is included has been sought and cleared where possible. Every
reasonable effort has been made by the publisher (UCLES) to trace copyright holders, but if any items requiring clearance have unwittingly been included, the
publisher will be pleased to make amends at the earliest possible opportunity.

To avoid the issue of disclosure of answer-related information to candidates, all copyright acknowledgements are reproduced online in the Cambridge
Assessment International Education Copyright Acknowledgements Booklet. This is produced for each series of examinations and is freely available to download
at www.cambridgeinternational.org after the live examination series.

Cambridge Assessment International Education is part of Cambridge Assessment. Cambridge Assessment is the brand name of the University of Cambridge
Local Examinations Syndicate (UCLES), which is a department of the University of Cambridge.

© UCLES 2024 5090/22/M/J/24