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Specimen Paper 2 Biology Edexcel, Exams of Molecular biology

Cardiff University Molecular biology

Specimen Paper 2 Biology Edexcel

Typology: Exams

2023/2024

Uploaded on 06/04/2025

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A Level

Biology A

(Salters-Nuffield)

SPECIMEN PAPERS - SET 2

Pearson Edexcel Level 3 Advanced GCE in Biology A

(Salters-Nuffield) (9BN0)

Partial preview of the text

Download Specimen Paper 2 Biology Edexcel and more Exams Molecular biology in PDF only on Docsity!

A Level

Biology A

(Salters-Nuffield)

SPECIMEN PAPERS - SET 2

Pearson Edexcel Level 3 Advanced GCE in Biology A

(Salters-Nuffield) (9BN0)

Pearson

Edexcel Level 3

Advanced Level

GCE in Biology A

(Salters-Nuffield) ( 9 BN0)

Specimen Papers

First certification 2016

Introduction

These specimen papers have been produced to complement the sample assessment materials for Pearson Edexcel Level 3 Advanced GCE in Biology A (Salters-Nuffield) and are designed to provide extra practice for your students. The specimen papers are part of a suite of support materials offered by Pearson.

The specimen papers do not form part of the accredited materials for this qualification.

Pearson Edexcel Level 3 Advanced Level GCE in Biology A (Salters-Nuffield) Specimen Papers - Issue 1 - October 2015 © Pearson Education Limited 2015

1

3

General marking guidance

● All candidates must receive the same treatment. Examiners must mark the last candidate in exactly the same way as they mark the first.

● Mark schemes should be applied positively. Candidates must be rewarded for what they have shown they can do rather than be penalised for omissions.

● Examiners should mark according to the mark scheme – not according to their perception of where the grade boundaries may lie.

● All the marks on the mark scheme are designed to be awarded. Examiners should always award full marks if deserved, i.e. if the answer matches the mark scheme. Examiners should also be prepared to award zero marks if the candidate’s response is not worthy of credit according to the mark scheme.

● Where some judgement is required, mark schemes will provide the principles by which marks will be awarded and exemplification/indicative content will not be exhaustive.

● When examiners are in doubt regarding the application of the mark scheme to a candidate’s response, a senior examiner must be consulted before a mark is given.

● Crossed-out work should be marked unless the candidate has replaced it with an alternative response.

● Brackets around parts of words / phrases in this mark scheme indicate the possible additional words / phrases candidates may write as their answer. They must not be awarded twice for an answer relating to one bullet point.

● Where a word is underlined, that word must be included in the answer to be awarded a mark for that point.

Pearson Edexcel Level 3 Advanced Level GCE in Biology A (Salters-Nuffield) Specimen Papers - Issue 1 - October 2015 © Pearson Education Limited 2015

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Answer ALL questions.

Write your answers in the spaces provided.

Some questions must be answered with a cross in a box. If you change your mind about an answer, put a line through the box and then mark your new answer with a cross.

1 An increase in carbon dioxide concentration in the Earth’s atmosphere has been linked to climate change.

(a) The graph shows the change in atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration for the past 500 000 years.

400,000 350,000 300,000 250,000 200,000 150,000 100,000 50,000 0

440 420 400 380 360 340 320 300 280 260 240 220 200 180 160

2014 level

1950 level

years before 2014 (0 = 1950)

carbon dioxide concentration

(parts per million)

For 650,000 years, atmospheric carbon dioxide had never been above this line

(i) What is the percentage increase in carbon dioxide concentration from 1950 to 2014? (1) A 8.5%

B 21%

C 27%

D 49%

(ii) There is a correlation between the carbon dioxide concentration in the atmosphere and the temperature of the Earth’s surface.

Which of the following statements best describes this correlation? (1) A an increase in carbon dioxide concentration causes an increase in the temperature of the Earth’s surface

B every increase in carbon dioxide concentration will be linked to a decrease in the temperature of the Earth’s surface

C in general as carbon dioxide concentration increases the temperature of the Earth’s surface increases

D there is no link between carbon dioxide concentration and the temperature of the Earth’s surface

e

xemplar

DRAFT D

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(iii) Which of the following is a reason for uncertainty in climate change predictions? (1)

A an absence of information on current greenhouse gas concentration

B an absence of information on historic greenhouse gas concentration

C future greenhouse gas concentrations are obtained by extrapolating from current and past data

D knowledge that increased greenhouse gas concentrations are linked to increased surface temperatures

(b) The distribution of polar bears in Alaska and Canada has been affected by climate change.

Explain why climate change might affect the distribution of organisms in a particular geographical region. (3)

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

(Total for Question 1 = 6 marks)

e

xemplar

DRAFT

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3 The use of sucrose as a sweetener in drinks has been linked to obesity in several studies. Obesity is linked to cardiovascular disease.

(a) In one study the effect of replacing sucrose with an artificial sweetener was investigated.

One group of individuals was provided with food and drinks sweetened with sucrose. A second group was provided with food and drinks sweetened with an artificial sweetener.

(i) Describe the structure of sucrose. (2)

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

(ii) Calculate the rate of increase in body mass for the first six weeks for the group consuming sucrose sweetened drinks. (2)

Answer ..................................................... kg day–

Mean body mass / kg

Time / weeks

Artificial sweetener Sucrose

Key

e

xemplar

DRAFT

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(iii) Deduce the effect of replacing sucrose with this artificial sweetener on mean body mass. (3)

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

(b) Overweight and obese individuals are at increased risk of raised blood pressure. This can increase the risk of developing atherosclerosis.

Explain how replacing sucrose with artificial sweeteners can reduce the risk of atherosclerosis. (4)

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

(Total for Question 3 = 11 marks)

e

xemplar

DRAFT D

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(b) Data have been collected on the time spent grazing by the same group of female bighorn sheep when they had lambs and when they did not have lambs.

Sheep

Time spent grazing (%)

Without lamb, (y 1 )

With lamb, (y 2 )

Difference D(y 1 – y 2 )

Difference

- mean difference D – D

(D – D) 2

A 72.00 55.50 16.50 23.35 545.

B 62.35 43.80 18.55 25.40 645.

C 55.77 66.80 –11.03 –4.18 17.

D 59.98 68.00 –8.02 – 1.17 1.

E 51.60 57.88 –6.28 0.57 0.

F 61.48 61.90 –0.42 6.43 41.

G 52.57 45.40 7.17 14.02 196.

H 52.50 56.67 –4.17 2.68 7.

I 56.43 73.30 –16.87 –10.02 100.

J 48.60 63.53 –14.93 –8.08 65.

K 42.90 54.50 –11.60 –4.75 22.

L 53.50 55.80 –2.30 4.55 20.

M 70.43 91.00 –20.57 –13.72 188.

N 47.10 64.05 –16.95 –10.1 102

O 50.08 71.40 –21.32 –14.47 209.

P 60.13 77.50 –17.37 –10.52 110.

Mean (D) (^) –6.

Sample size (n)

∑ D –109.61 ∑(D – D)^2 2273.

e

xemplar

DRAFT D

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(i) Calculate the t value for the paired samples using the formula: (2)

( )^2

D n t D D n

×

t = .................................................................

(ii) The null hypothesis for this study was:

There will be no difference between the time spent grazing by the sheep with or without lambs.

The table shows some of the critical values for the t-test.

df

Significance level

p = 0.1 p = 0.05 p = 0.

15 1.75 2.13 2.

16 1.75 2.12 2.

20 1.72 2.09 2.

25 1.71 2.06 2.

30 1.70 2.04 2.

32 1.69 2.04 2.

35 1.69 2.03 2.

Determine the conclusion that can be drawn from these data using the t value you have calculated. (2)

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

e

xemplar

DRAFT

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5 Enterobacteria are a type of Gram negative bacteria responsible for many infections of the digestive system in humans.

(a) Enterobacterial infections can be treated with antibiotics.

An antibiotic sensitivity test is carried out in hospital laboratories to determine the best antibiotic to use.

Devise a suitable procedure for the incubation of Enterobacteria in a hospital laboratory. (3)

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

(b) Antibiotic resistance is a significant problem in the treatment of bacterial infections.

Penicillin is an antibiotic with a beta-lactam structure.

Beta-lactams block the cross-linking of peptidoglycans involved in the formation of the bacterial cell wall.

Explain why penicillin acts as antibiotic. (3)

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

e

xemplar

DRAFT

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(c) Some Enterobacteria are resistant to penicillin.

In one type of antibiotic resistance the bacteria produce an enzyme, beta-lactamase, that breaks down beta-lactam.

(i) Explain how resistance to penicillin can develop within a population of Enterobacteria. (3)

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

(ii) Describe how the information required to make beta-lactamase can be carried by a plasmid. (3)

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

(Total for Question 5 = 12 marks)

e

xemplar

DRAFT D

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6 RUBISCO is an enzyme found in plants.

(a) Describe the role of RUBISCO in plants. (2)

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

(b) The plant Flaveria bidentis is frequently used in investigations of photosynthesis.

F. bidentis

e

xemplar

DRAFT D

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The graph shows data from an investigation of the initial rate of reaction of RUBISCO in F. bidentis.

Initial rate of reaction of RUBISCO / au

Temperature / °C

(i) Explain how the initial rate of reaction of RUBISCO could have been measured. (2)

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

(ii) Explain the effect of increasing temperature on the initial rate of reaction of RUBISCO. (3)

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

Specimen Paper 2 Biology Edexcel, Exams of Molecular biology

Related documents

Partial preview of the text

Download Specimen Paper 2 Biology Edexcel and more Exams Molecular biology in PDF only on Docsity!

A Level

Biology A

(Salters-Nuffield)

SPECIMEN PAPERS - SET 2

Pearson Edexcel Level 3 Advanced GCE in Biology A

(Salters-Nuffield) (9BN0)

First certification 2016

s51850A0232

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xemplar

DRAFT D

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xemplar

DRAFT

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xemplar

DRAFT

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xemplar

DRAFT D

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(D – D) 2

A 72.00 55.50 16.50 23.35 545.

B 62.35 43.80 18.55 25.40 645.

C 55.77 66.80 –11.03 –4.18 17.

D 59.98 68.00 –8.02 – 1.17 1.

E 51.60 57.88 –6.28 0.57 0.

F 61.48 61.90 –0.42 6.43 41.

G 52.57 45.40 7.17 14.02 196.

H 52.50 56.67 –4.17 2.68 7.

I 56.43 73.30 –16.87 –10.02 100.

J 48.60 63.53 –14.93 –8.08 65.

K 42.90 54.50 –11.60 –4.75 22.

L 53.50 55.80 –2.30 4.55 20.

M 70.43 91.00 –20.57 –13.72 188.

N 47.10 64.05 –16.95 –10.1 102

O 50.08 71.40 –21.32 –14.47 209.

P 60.13 77.50 –17.37 –10.52 110.

∑ D –109.61 ∑(D – D)^2 2273.

e

xemplar

DRAFT D

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