AQA GCSE Biology Paper 1 Foundation November 2021 question paper 8461/1F

This question is about cells.

Which diagram shows oxygen moving by diffusion? Tick (✓) one box.

Complete the sentences. Choose answers from the box.

Plant cells absorb substances from the soil.

Plant cells use active transport to absorb Active transport moves substances against the concentration gradient and

Figure 1 shows a specialised cell that absorbs substances from the soil.

Name the type of specialised cell in Figure 1.

Describe how the cell in Figure 1 is adapted to increase the absorption of substances from the soil.

A sperm cell is another specialised cell.

Figure 2 shows a sperm cell.

Draw one line from each feature to how the feature helps the sperm cell carry out its function. Feature of sperm cell How the feature helps

Figure 3 shows another specialised cell.

Name the type of cell in Figure 3. Describe one feature of the cell that helps it to carry out its function. Name of the cell Feature of the cell

Viruses cause disease.

What name is given to microorganisms that cause disease? Tick (✓) one box.

How do viruses cause the symptoms of disease? Tick (✓) one box.

Figure 4 shows a virus and an animal cell.

Suggest one reason why viruses are not classed as cells.

A vaccine can protect humans from a viral disease.

What does the vaccine contain? Tick (✓) one box.

In some cases, a first vaccination needs to be followed by a second vaccination some time later.

Which graph shows how the concentration of antibodies in a person’s blood changes after the first and second vaccinations? Tick (✓) one box.

Tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) causes disease in plants.

TMV affects the rate of photosynthesis in plants.

Which part of a plant shows discolouration caused by TMV? Tick (✓) one box.

Table 1 shows the rate of photosynthesis in four different tobacco plants.

Complete Figure 5. You should:

• label the y-axis

• add the correct scale to the y-axis

• plot the data from Table 1

• label each bar.

What conclusion can be made from the data in Table 1 ?

Explain why a high level of TMV infection reduces growth in a plant.

A cactus is a plant that lives in a dry environment. Figure 6 shows part of a cactus plant.

Give one adaptation shown in Figure 6 that helps to prevent the cactus from being eaten by animals.

A plant may produce poisons that make animals unwell. What is this type of defence mechanism?

Tick (✓) one box.

Some desert plants only grow leaves after it has rained. As soon as the soil dries out, the leaves fall off. How could the leaves falling off the plant be an advantage to a plant that lives in a dry environment? Tick (✓) one box.

The stem of a cactus is green.

What causes the green colour in the stem?

What is the advantage to the cactus of having a green stem?

The stem of a cactus contains many different tissues.

What name is given to a group of tissues working together? Tick (✓) one box.

Name one substance transported through the xylem in the stem of the cactus.

Name the tissue that transports dissolved sugars through the stem of the cactus.

Carbohydrates are needed as part of a balanced diet.

Which formula shows glucose? Tick (✓) one box.

Which type of enzyme breaks down starch? Tick (✓) one box.

A student investigated the effect of temperature on the activity of the

enzyme amylase. Figure 7 shows the apparatus used.

This is the method used.

1. Set up the apparatus as shown in Figure 7.

2. After 5 minutes, pour the starch solution into the amylase solution and mix.

3. Remove one drop of the amylase-starch solution mixture and place onto a spotting tile.

4. Immediately add two drops of iodine solution to the amylase-starch solution mixture on the spotting tile.

5. Record the colour of the iodine solution added to the amylase-starch solution mixture.

6. Repeat steps 3 to 5 every minute until the iodine solution is yellow-brown.

Name apparatus Q in Figure 7.

Why were the starch solution and the amylase solution left for five minutes before mixing them together? Tick (✓) one box.

Figure 8 shows the results.

How many minutes did it take until the iodine solution and amylase-starch solution mixture was yellow-brown? Use Figure 8.

How could a more accurate time be obtained? Tick (✓) one box.

The student repeated the investigation at five different temperatures.

Table 2 shows the results.

Which temperature did the enzyme work quickest at? Tick (✓) one box.

Explain why the iodine solution remained blue-black in the investigation at 80 ° C.

A high cholesterol concentration in the blood can lead to blockages inside arteries. The coronary arteries supply blood to the heart muscle. Figure 9 shows a coronary artery with a blockage.

Why could the blockage in Figure 9 cause cells in the heart to die?

Doctors can measure the concentration of cholesterol in the blood.

Table 3 shows four different blood cholesterol categories.

Figure 10 shows the blood cholesterol concentration of four people.

Which person is in the medium cholesterol category? Tick (✓) one box.

Which person is most at risk of having a heart attack? Tick (✓) one box.

Give a reason for your answer to Question 05.3.

The blood cholesterol concentration of person D is greater than the blood cholesterol concentration of person A. Calculate how many times greater. Use Figure 10.

Figure 11 shows how a stent can be used to treat a person with a blockage in a coronary artery.

Explain how a stent works as a treatment for a person with a blockage in a coronary artery.

Patients are given anti-clotting drugs after they have a stent fitted. The drugs help to prevent clots forming in the blood.

Which part of the blood starts the blood clotting process? Tick (✓) one box.

When a stent is fitted the doctor gives the patient an injection of anti-clotting drugs. The patient then takes one anti-clotting tablet every day. Anti-clotting drugs:

• are very effective

• can take a week to begin working fully

• have been used for over 60 years

• cost very little to make

• do not work effectively if the patient eats certain types of food.

The patient must have their blood tested every few weeks to check that the anti-clotting drugs are working. Evaluate the use of anti-clotting drugs in patients who have had a stent fitted.

Figure 12 shows a model used to demonstrate human breathing.

Which part of the breathing system is represented by the glass tube? Tick (✓) one box.

The model in Figure 12 represents the human breathing system.

A teacher said: “ The model does not represent the human breathing system very well.”

Give two reasons why the teacher is correct.

A scientist investigated the effect of exercise on breathing rate.

This is the method used.

1. Record the breathing rates of 10 male non-smokers at rest.

2. Tell each man to run on a treadmill at the same speed for 8 minutes.

3. Record the breathing rate of each man every 2 minutes.

4. Continue to record the breathing rate of each man for 4 minutes after he stops running.

Give two variables the scientist controlled in the investigation.

Figure 13 shows the data collected from one of the men.

Calculate the percentage increase in the man’s breathing rate between 0 minutes and 8 minutes. Use the equation:

Explain why the man’s breathing rate increased when he was running.

Give one measurement that could be taken to show a different effect of exercise on the body. Do not refer to breathing rate in your answer.

The men in the investigation were all non-smokers. Give one effect that smoking can have on the body.

A student prepared some animal cells to view using a microscope. Figure 14 shows the student preparing the cells.

Name two pieces of laboratory equipment the student could have used to prepare cells to view using a microscope.

Figure 15 shows the student’s light microscope.

Name part A.

What is the function of part B ?

The student tried to look at the cells using the microscope. Suggest one reason why the student could not see any cells when looking through part A.

Red blood cells are specialised animal cells. Compare the structure of a red blood cell with the structure of a plant cell.

When placed into a beaker of water:

• a red blood cell bursts

• a plant cell does not burst.

Explain why the red blood cell bursts but the plant cell does not burst.

A student investigated the effectiveness of three different antibiotics. Figure 16 shows how the student set up an agar plate.

The student used aseptic techniques to make sure that only one type of bacterium was growing on the agar.

Describe two aseptic techniques the student should have used.

The student placed the agar plate in an incubator at 25 °C for 48 hours. Figure 17 shows the agar plate after 48 hours.

Which antibiotic is the least effective? Give a reason for your answer.

Calculate the area where no bacteria were growing for antibiotic C.

Give the unit.

Suggest one way the student could improve the investigation.

Body Mass Index (BMI) is a way of finding out if a person’s body mass falls within a healthy range for their height. Table 4 shows information about two people.

Figure 18 shows five BMI categories for adults.

Which is the BMI category of person A in Table 4 ? Tick (✓) one box.

Calculate value X in Table 4. Use the equation:

Give your answer to 3 significant figures.

Scientists think there is a link between BMI and life expectancy. Table 5 shows information about predicted life expectancy of men after the age of 50.

Describe two patterns shown in Table 5 about the effects of BMI category.

The number of people who are obese in the UK is increasing.

Explain the financial impact on the UK economy of an increasing number of people who are obese.

A person who is obese is more at risk of arthritis. Arthritis is a condition that damages joints. Suggest how arthritis could affect a person’s lifestyle.

A person who eats a diet high in saturated fat might become obese. Name two health conditions that might develop if a person eats a diet high in saturated fat. Do not refer to arthritis in your answer.