OCR GCSE Combined Science A (Gateway) Biology Paper 1 Foundation November 2021 question paper J250/01

Which term describes a microscope with a higher resolution than a light microscope?

A Digital microscope

B Electron microscope

C Neutron microscope

D Proton microscope

The model represents a polymer found inside human cells.

What is the name of this polymer?

A ATP

B Carbohydrate

C DNA

D Protein

The diagram represents the digestion of lipids by an enzyme.

What names describe the X and Y molecules?

A Glucose and amino acids

B Glucose and fatty acids

C Glycerol and amino acids

D Glycerol and fatty acids

Which hormone is involved in sperm production?

A Insulin

B Oestrogen

C Progesterone

D Testosterone

The table shows information about five different contraceptive methods.

Which two non-hormonal contraceptive methods are the most effective?

A Male condom and IUD

B Male condom and sterilisation

C Patch and pill

D Sterilisation and IUD

Which process allows substances to enter cells against a concentration gradient?

A Active transport

B Diffusion

C Mitosis

D Osmosis

The diagram represents the cell cycle showing the hours spent in each part of the cycle.

The total time for the cell cycle is 21 hours.

What is the total time spent in cell division for this cell?

A 1

B 3

C 4

D 11

A student uses a light microscope to observe onion cells.

They magnify the cells 400×. The magnification of the eyepiece is 20×.

What is the magnification of the objective lens?

A 20×

B 200×

C 420×

D 8000×

Which row describes the correct direction of blood flow through the left side of the heart?

It is important that our body maintains a constant internal environment.

Complete these sentences about maintaining a constant internal environment.

You can use each word once, more than once or not at all.

carbon dioxide embryonic hydrogen insulin

metabolic oestrogen oxygen testosterone

The body needs a constant internal environment so that........ reactions take place at an appropriate rate.

The body needs to maintain........ levels so that aerobic respiration can take place.

Blood sugar levels are controlled by the hormone........

The nervous system helps the body maintain a constant internal environment. It also allows a person to respond to external stimuli.

A person touches a hot pan. Fig. 11.1 shows the reflex arc involved with a response when a person touches a hot pan.

Complete the three boxes in Fig. 11.1 to label the neurones involved in the response.

Draw two arrows on Fig. 11.1 to show the direction the nerve impulse travels along each

neurone in the arm.

Explain how the reflex arc prevents too much damage from the hot pan.

Caffeine is a chemical found in coffee and cola drinks.

A scientist investigates the effect of caffeine on reaction times.

They test two groups.

• Group A contains 5 boys aged 12 years; they are given 150 cm³ of a caffeine-free drink.

• Group B contains 8 boys aged 15 years; they are given 150 cm³ of a caffeine drink.

Both groups are tested before and after taking the drink.

Identify one variable that has been controlled in this investigation.

A student investigates the rate of photosynthesis.

The diagram shows the apparatus they use.

The bubbles of gas are made during photosynthesis.

Which is the main gas in the bubbles?

The student counts the number of bubbles made by the pondweed for 5 minutes.

They repeat this three more times.

The table shows their results.

Calculate the mean number of bubbles.

Give your answer to the nearest whole number.

Write your answer in the table.

There is one anomaly in the results.

Identify the anomaly and suggest one reason other than human error that may have caused it.

Anomaly........

Reason........

*(c) Describe how the student could develop their investigation to show how light intensity affects the number of bubbles made.

In your answer include ideas about variables, what the student should measure and the expected results.

Heart rate is the number of times the heart beats each minute to pump blood around the circulatory system.

Which structures inside the heart stop the blood flowing the wrong way?

The graph shows the average life expectancy of different animals compared to their heart

Which animal has the highest heart rate?

Describe the relationship between life expectancy and heart rate seen in the graph.

Humans do not fit the pattern.

How does the graph show this?

A student investigates the environmental factors that affect water uptake by plants.

The diagram shows the apparatus they use.

What is the name of the apparatus shown in the diagram?

gas syringe funnel potometer water bath

Describe how the student would use the air bubble to measure water uptake.

Write down two environmental factors that increase the rate of water uptake by plants.

When they set up the apparatus, the student cut the shoot under water.

Suggest why.

Most of the water taken in by the plant is lost in transpiration.

Complete the table to compare the processes of transpiration and translocation.

Water is transported in xylem vessels.

Write down one way xylem vessels are adapted to this function.

Catalase is an enzyme found in potato. Catalase breaks down hydrogen peroxide to form water and oxygen.

A student investigates the activity of catalase.

This is the method they follow: – Cut equal sized pieces of potato. – Put one piece of potato into a conical flask. – Add 50 cm³ of dilute hydrogen peroxide. – Collect the oxygen produced in 15 minutes using a measuring cylinder full of water.

Fig. 15.1 shows the set-up of their investigation.

The student then repeats the investigation, increasing the number of potato pieces each time.

Each time the student repeats the investigation they use 50 cm³ of new dilute hydrogen (a) (i) peroxide.

Explain why they need to replace the dilute hydrogen peroxide.

Explain why the student does not need to replace the potato pieces already in the flask when repeating the investigation.

Plot a graph of the results and draw a line of best fit.

Use the graph to find the expected volume of oxygen produced when 4 pieces of potato are used.

Use the data in the table to calculate the rate of reaction when the student used 6 pieces of potato.

Give your answer to 2 significant figures.

Rate of reaction =........ cm³ / min

The reaction is exothermic.

Suggest how the student could improve their investigation to control the temperature.