Question 1
The diagram shows two cells.
(a)
State two pieces of evidence from the diagram that show that cell B is a plant cell.
[2]
Answer
(b)
[1]
Answer
(c)
[4]
Answer
OCR GCSE Combined Science B (21st Century) Paper 1 June 2022 question paper
OCR J260 · Paper 1
11 questions
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Question 2
Milk contains a carbohydrate called lactose. Humans have an enzyme that breaks down this carbohydrate into sugars such as glucose.
The diagram shows a model of the enzyme and four carbohydrates, A, B, C and D.
(a)
Which carbohydrate, A, B, C or D, will be broken down by the enzyme?
Explain your answer.
[3]
Answer
(b)
Organ systems in the body have different roles in what happens to the sugar from the milk we drink.
Draw lines to connect the correct three organ system to their roles.
Organ system
Role
[3]
Answer
(c)
Describe how glucose and oxygen are used by body cells.
[2]
Answer
Question 3
The diagram shows a reflex arc.
(a)
The reflex arc carries a nerve impulse.
Which statement shows the correct order of the neurons that the impulse travels through?
Tick (✓) one box.
[1]
Answer
(b)
Draw lines to connect each neuron with its correct name.
[2]
Answer
(c)
Reflex actions have a survival advantage.
Suggest one advantage of the reflex arc in the diagram.
[1]
Answer
(d)
The body’s response to a stimulus can also be coordinated by hormones.
Complete the sentences to describe how hormones do this.
Use words from the list.
blood effectors glands neurons receptors
Hormones are secreted by........
Hormones are transported by........
Hormones are detected by........, which stimulates a response.
[3]
Answer
Question 4
This question is about influenza (flu).
(a)
What kind of pathogen causes flu?
Bacteria Fungus Protist Virus
[1]
Answer
(b)
The flu vaccine contains a dead or inactive flu pathogen.
Explain why it is important that the flu pathogen in the vaccine is dead or inactive.
[1]
Answer
(c)
The statements explain how vaccination can help to protect against flu.
The statements are not in the correct order.
A Antibodies stick to the flu antigens, labelling them for attack by white blood cells.
B Some white blood cells develop into memory cells.
C The immune system makes antibodies against the flu antigens.
D White blood cells recognise the flu antigens.
E The vaccine is injected.
Write the letters in the boxes to show the correct order of the statements.
[4]
Answer
Question 5
The image shows a type of ecosystem called a peatland.
Peatlands have high biodiversity. Many different species live there.
(a)
(a)(i)
Complete the table by writing in the masses rounded to the nearest 10 kg.
[1]
Answer
(a)(ii)
Calculate how many times more carbon is contained in peatland soil than in woodland soil.
Number of times more carbon =........ times more
[2]
Answer
(b)
Some companies remove large amounts of soil from peatlands to sell in garden centres.
Describe two ways in which this could reduce the biodiversity of the peatlands.
[2]
Answer
(c)
The graph shows the amount of soil removed from peatlands in England over 10 years.
Which conclusion is supported by the data in the graph?
Tick (✓) one box.
[1]
Answer
Question 6
The diagram shows an incomplete model of the water cycle.
(a)
* The diagram does not show the roles of plants and animals in the water cycle.
Explain the roles of plants and animals in the water cycle, and why water is needed by plants and animals.
[6]
Answer
(b)
[4]
Answer
(c)
The UK has a target to plant new trees in 300 km2 of land each year to help manage the (c) water cycle. New trees were planted in 150 km2 of land in 2020.
Calculate the simplest ratio of planted area: target area in 2020.
Simplest ratio =........:........
[2]
Answer
(d)
Water and carbon are both cycled through ecosystems.
Complete the table to show which parts of an ecosystem each substance is cycled through.
Tick (✓) one box in each row.
[2]
Answer
Question 7
Duckweed is a plant that grows in pondwater.
Each duckweed plant is made of one leaf and one root, as shown in Fig. 7.1.
(a)
[2]
Answer
(b)
After seven days the students count the number of living duckweed plants in each beaker.
The table shows their results.
| pH | Number of living duckweed plants |
| 2 | 0 |
| 4 | 110 |
| 8 | 120 |
| 12 | 0 |
The students conclude that duckweed photosynthesises and reproduces best at pH 8.
They could investigate whether their conclusion is based on an accurate result by growing duckweed in two more beakers of water.
What should the pH of the water in these two beakers be?
Tick (✓) two boxes.
[2]
Answer
Question 8
(a)
The cell cycle has two phases, interphase and mitosis.
The table describes events in the cell cycle.
Complete the table to show if each event occurs in interphase or mitosis.
Tick (✓) one box in each row.
[4]
Answer
(b)
(b)(i)
After meiosis, the number of chromosomes in the cordgrass sex cells is half the number in the adult cells.
Why is this important?
[1]
Answer
(b)(ii)
How many chromosomes will be in the Townsend’s cordgrass zygote?
28 35 56 63 70
[1]
Answer
(b)(iii)
The zygote will enter the cell cycle to form an adult Townsend’s cordgrass plant.
How many chromosomes will each adult cell have?
28 35 56 63 70
[1]
Answer
(c)
Plant roots contain unspecialised cells, and specialised cells such as root hair cells.
Which statement explains how the unspecialised cells in a root become specialised?
Tick (✓) one box.
[1]
Answer
(d)
Explain why it is important for plants to have specialised root hair cells rather than only unspecialised cells.
[1]
Answer
Question 9
Diseases such as cardiovascular disease (CVD) are non-communicable.
(a)
Define non-communicable.
[1]
Answer
(b)
Give two causes of non-communicable diseases.
[2]
Answer
(c)(i)
Scientists wanted to investigate the effects of two medicines on the risk of developing CVD. They did a study for 6 years which involved 12 000 people. All the people were over the age of 55 and did not have CVD.
Suggest why only people who did not have CVD were involved in the study.
[1]
Answer
(c)(ii)
Give two reasons why we can have confidence in conclusions drawn from this study.
[2]
Answer
(c)(iii)
Suggest one more piece of information that would be useful to know about the people in the study.
[1]
Answer
(c)(iv)
Why do the conclusions of this study not apply to the whole population?
[1]
Answer
(d)
The people in the study were divided into four groups. Each group received a different treatment.
The table shows the results of the study.
| Group | Treatment received | Percentage of people in group who developed CVD (%) |
| A | Placebo | 5.0 |
| B | Medicine 1 only | 3.8 |
| C | Medicine 2 only | 4.6 |
| D | Both medicines | 3.6 |
(d)(i)
Describe what a placebo is.
[1]
Answer
(d)(ii)
Suggest why a placebo was used.
[1]
Answer
(d)(iii)
Which statement best explains why it was ethical to use a placebo in this study?
Tick (✓) one box.
[1]
Answer
(d)(iv)
Suggest two conclusions that can be made from the results.
[2]
Answer
(d)(v)
Group C and group D each had 3000 people in them.
Calculate how many more people would have developed CVD in group D than in group C.
[2]
Answer
Question 10
Transpiration takes place in plants.
(a)
Complete the sentences to describe transpiration.
Water is absorbed / lost / translocated through the stomata in a plant’s leaves.
This causes sugars / water / water and sugars to move up the
meristem / phloem / xylem tissue in the plant’s stem.
[3]
Answer
(b)
Fig. 10.1 shows one of the stomata from a leaf.
Add two labels to Fig. 10.1.
Label 1 The pore through which water diffuses.
Label 2 A guard cell.
[1]
Answer
(c)
Complete the sentences to describe how to set up a light microscope to look at a slide of stomata from a leaf.
First, turn to the ×4 / ×10 / ×20 objective lens.
Use the coarse focus knob to move the objective lens to its lowest / middle / highest position.
Then clip the slide onto the eyepiece / objective lens / stage.
[2]
Answer
(d)
Amir sets up a leafy twig in a bubble potometer as shown in Fig. 10.2.
Amir wants to use the bubble potometer to investigate the rate of transpiration in the leafy twig.
(d)(i)
Describe the two measurements Amir would need to make.
[2]
Answer
(d)(ii)
Suggest the purpose of the reservoir and tap.
[2]
Answer
(e)
Amir investigated the rate of transpiration in the leafy twig in four different experiments.
The table shows Amir’s results.
| Experiment | Temperature (°C) | Wind speed (m / s) | Light level | Calculated mean rate (mm / s) |
| A | 22 | 0.1 | Dull | 1.27 |
| B | 22 | 0.1 | No light | 0.61 |
| C | 20 | 4.8 | Bright | 1.54 |
| D | 28 | 0.3 | Dull |
Amir has not yet calculated the mean rate for experiment D. The results from his three repeats of experiment D were 4.55, 4.17 and 0.75 mm / s.
(e)(i)
Discuss arguments for and against ignoring the result of 0.75 mm / s for experiment D
[2]
Answer
(e)(ii)
Amir decides to keep all three results for experiment D.
Calculate the mean rate for experiment D.
Give your answer to two decimal places.
Mean rate =........ mm / s
[3]
Answer
(f)
Amir wants to make a conclusion about the effect of light level on the rate of transpiration.
Explain why he can only do this by comparing experiments A and B.
[1]
Answer
Question 11
Plants need to absorb nitrate ions to stay alive.
Complete the sentences to explain why a plant needs oxygen to absorb nitrate ions.
Use words from the list.
active transport aerobic anaerobic ATP diffusion
DNA light osmosis oxygen photosynthesis
The plant uses the process of........ to absorb nitrate ions.
This process requires energy from molecules of........
Oxygen is needed to make these molecules during........ cellular respiration.
[3]
Answer
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