EXAM QUESTIONS

AQA TRILOGY

BIOENERGETICS

Q1-6 FOUNDATON

Q3-9 HIGHER

MARK SCHEME AT THE END OF

ALL THE QUESTIONS

Page 1 of 28
Q1.
This question is about photosynthesis.

(a)  What are the two products of photosynthesis?

Tick two boxes.

Carbon dioxide

Chlorophyll

Glucose

Oxygen

Water

(2)

A student investigated the effect of light intensity on the rate of photosynthesis.

Figure 1 shows the apparatus.

Figure 1

This is the method used.

1.   Place the pondweed at 5 cm from the light source.

2.   Measure the rate of photosynthesis by counting the number of bubbles produced in
30 seconds.
3.   Repeat the investigation with the pondweed at different distances from the light
source.

(b)  How could the student measure the rate of photosynthesis more accurately?

Page 2 of 28
 Tick two boxes.

Count the number of bubbles produced in 1 minute

Measure the change in mass of the pondweed in 30

seconds

Measure the volume of gas produced in 30 seconds

Place the pondweed further from the light source

Use water instead of sodium hydrogencarbonate solution

(2)

(c)  The LED light source does not get hot.

Why is this important?

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(1)

The table below shows the student’s results.

Distance of light source Number of bubbles

from pondweed in cm produced in 30 seconds

5 40

10 13

15 5

20 2

25 1

30 0

(d)  Calculate the number of bubbles produced in 2 minutes when the light source was
10 cm from the pondweed.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

Number of bubbles produced in 2 minutes = ______________

(1)

Page 3 of 28
 (e)  Plot the data from the table above on Figure 2

Draw a line of best fit.

Figure 2

(3)

(f)  Give one conclusion that can be made from these results.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(1)
(Total 10 marks)

Q2.
Respiration can happen aerobically or anaerobically.

Respiration transfers energy from glucose.

(a) Draw one line from each type of respiration in human cells to the correct
information.

Type of respiration
Information
in human cells

Produces ethanol

Page 4 of 28
 Aerobic respiration Uses oxygen

Anaerobic
Uses carbon dioxide
respiration

Produces lactic acid

(2)

(b) The table below shows the amount of energy released by aerobic and anaerobic
respiration.

Energy in kJ transferred
from 1 g of glucose

Aerobic respiration 16.1

Anaerobic
1.2
respiration

Suggest why human cells might respire anaerobically, even though only a small
amount of energy is transferred.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(1)

(c) Yeast is used in the brewing and baking industries.

Why is yeast used in these industries?

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(4)
(Total 7 marks)

Q3.

Page 5 of 28
 The diagram below shows an alveolus from a healthy lung and an alveolus from a
damaged lung.

(a) Which one of the following is a difference between the alveolus from the damaged
lung and the alveolus from the healthy lung?

Tick (✔) one box.

The damaged alveolus has a smaller surface

area.

The damaged alveolus has a shorter diffusion

pathway.

The damaged alveolus has a better blood

supply.
(1)

(b) A person with damaged alveoli finds exercising difficult.

Which one of the following is the reason why the damaged alveoli will make
exercising difficult?

Tick (✔) one box.

Less carbon dioxide is taken in.

Less energy is needed for exercise.

Less oxygen is taken in.

(1)
(Total 2 marks)

Q4.

Page 6 of 28
A student investigates the rate of respiration in maggots.

Figure 1 shows the equipment he uses.

Figure 1

(a) Why does the student put the maggots on gauze?

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(1)

(b) When maggots respire they take in a gas from the air and release a different gas.

Solution A absorbs the gas released.

At the start of the investigation the student records the distance of the water droplet
from the bend in the capillary tube.

Explain what happens to the water droplet as the maggots respire.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(4)

Page 7 of 28
(c) The table below shows the results the student calculated.

Rate of
Temperature in
respiration in
°C
units

5 2.2

10 3.5

20 7.5

30 8.4

40 14.0

The student uses his results to plot the graph in Figure 2.

Label the x and y axis.

Figure 2

(1)

(d) How could the student find out if the result at 30 °C is anomalous?

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(1)

(e) Suggest what the value at 30 °C should be to fit the pattern of the graph.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(1)
(Total 8 marks)

Page 8 of 28
Q5.
(a) Complete the equation for photosynthesis. Draw a ring around each correct answer.

hydrogen alcohol

light energy
Carbon dioxide + nitrogen glucose + oxygen

water methane
(2)

Some students investigated the effect of light intensity on the rate of photosynthesis
in pondweed.

The diagram shows the apparatus the students used.

The closer the lamp is to the pondweed, the more light the pondweed receives.

The students placed the lamp at different distances, d, from the pondweed.

They counted the number of bubbles of gas released from the pondweed in 1
minute for each distance.

(b) A thermometer was placed in the glass beaker.

Why was it important to use a thermometer in this investigation?

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(3)

Page 9 of 28
(c) The students counted the bubbles four times at each distance and calculated the
correct mean value of their results.

The table shows the students’ results.

Number of bubbles per minute

Distance
d in cm
1 2 3 4 Mean

10 52 52 54 54 53

20 49 51 48 52 50

30 32 30 27 31 30

40 30 10 9 11

(i) Calculate the mean number of bubbles released per minute when the lamp
was 40 cm from the pondweed.

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

Mean number of bubbles at 40 cm = ______________________

(2)

(ii) On the graph paper below, draw a graph to show the students’ results:

• add a label to the vertical axis

• plot the mean values of the number of bubbles
• draw a line of best fit.

Page 10 of 28
 Distance d in cm
(4)

(iii) One student concluded that the rate of photosynthesis was inversely
proportional to the distance of the lamp from the plant.

Does the data support this conclusion?

Explain your answer.

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________
(2)

(d) Light intensity, temperature and concentration of carbon dioxide are factors that
affect the rate of photosynthesis.

Scientists investigated the effects of these three factors on the rate of

photosynthesis in tomato plants growing in a greenhouse.

The graph below shows the scientists’ results.

Page 11 of 28
 Light intensity in lux

A farmer in the UK wants to grow tomatoes commercially in a greenhouse.

The farmer read about the scientists’ investigation.

During the growing season for tomatoes in the UK, natural daylight has an intensity
higher than 30 000 lux.

The farmer therefore decided to use the following conditions in his greenhouse
during the day:

• 20°C

• 0.1% CO2

• no extra lighting.

Suggest why the farmer decided to use these conditions for growing the tomatoes.

You should use information from the scientists’ graph in your answer.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

Page 12 of 28
 ___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(4)
(Total 17 marks)

Q6.
Figure 1 shows an athlete running on a treadmill.

Figure 1

© Starush/istock/Thinkstock

After running for several minutes, the athlete’s leg muscles began to ache.
This ache was caused by a high concentration of lactic acid in the muscles.

(a) The equation shows how lactic acid is made.

glucose lactic acid (+ energy)

Name the process that makes lactic acid in the athlete’s muscles.

___________________________________________________________________
(1)

(b) Scientists investigated the production of lactic acid by an athlete running at different
speeds.

In the investigation:

• the athlete ran on the treadmill at 4 km per hour

• the scientists measured the concentration of lactic acid in the athlete’s blood
after 2 minutes of running.

The investigation was repeated for different running speeds.

Figure 2 shows the scientists’ results.

Figure 2

Page 13 of 28
 Treadmill speed in km per hour

(i) How much more lactic acid was there in the athlete’s blood when he ran at 14
km per hour than when he ran at 8 km per hour?

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

Answer = _____________ mmol per dm3

(2)

(ii) Why is more lactic acid made in the muscles when running at 14 km per hour
than when running at 8 km per hour?

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________
(3)
(Total 6 marks)

Q7.
A student‘s breathing was monitored before and after vigorous exercise. The student
breathed in and out through a special apparatus. The graphs show the changes in the
volume of air inside the apparatus. Each time the student breathed in, the line on the
graph dropped. Each time the student breathed out, the line went up.

Page 14 of 28
(a) How many times did the student breathe in per minute:

before exercise; _____________________________________________________

after exercise? ______________________________________________________

Page 15 of 28
 (1)

(b) On each graph, the line A – B shows how much oxygen was used. The rate of
oxygen use before exercise was 0.5 dm3 per minute. Calculate the rate of oxygen
use after exercise.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

Rate of oxygen use after exercise = ________________________ dm3 per minute

(2)

(c) The breathing rate and the amount of oxygen used were still higher after exercise,
even though the student sat down to rest. Why were they still higher?

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(4)
(Total 7 marks)

Q8.
(a) Complete the equation for photosynthesis.

light
energy
____________ + ____________ ____________ + oxygen
(2)

(b) Scientists investigated how temperature affects the rate of photosynthesis.

The scientists grew some orange trees in a greenhouse.
They used discs cut from the leaves of the young orange trees.

The scientists used the rate of oxygen production by the leaf discs to show the rate
of photosynthesis.

(i) The leaf discs did not produce any oxygen in the dark.

Why?

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

Page 16 of 28
 (1)

(ii) The leaf discs took in oxygen in the dark.

Explain why.

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________
(2)

(c) In their investigation, the scientists measured the rate of oxygen release by the leaf
discs in the light. The scientists then measured the rate of oxygen uptake by the leaf
discs in the dark.

The graph shows the effect of temperature on

• oxygen production in the light

• oxygen production in the light added to oxygen uptake in the dark.

Use the information from the graph to answer each of the following questions.

(i) Describe the effect of temperature on oxygen production in the light.

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

Page 17 of 28
 ______________________________________________________________
(2)

(ii) Explain the effect of temperature on oxygen production in the light when the
temperature is increased:

from 25 °C to 35 °C

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

from 40 °C to 50 °C.

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________
(2)

(d) A farmer in the UK wants to grow orange trees in a greenhouse. He wants to sell the
oranges he produces at a local market.
He decides to heat the greenhouse to 35 °C.

Explain why he should not heat the greenhouse to a temperature higher than 35 °C.
Use information from the graph in your answer.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(3)
(Total 12 marks)

Q9.
During exercise, the heart beats faster and with greater force.

The ‘heart rate’ is the number of times the heart beats each minute.The volume of blood

Page 18 of 28
that travels out of the heart each time the heart beats is called the ‘stroke volume’.

In an investigation, Person 1 and Person 2 ran as fast as they could for 1 minute.
Scientists measured the heart rates and stroke volumes of Person 1 and Person 2 at
rest, during the exercise and after the exercise.

The graph below shows the scientists’ results.

(a) The ‘cardiac output’ is the volume of blood sent from the heart to the muscles each
minute.

Cardiac output = Heart rate × Stroke volume

At the end of the exercise, Person 1’s cardiac output = 160 × 77 = 12 320 cm3 per
minute.

Use information from the figure above to complete the following calculation of
Person 2’s cardiac output at the end of the exercise.

At the end of the exercise:

Person 2’s heart rate = _______________ beats per minute

Person 2’s stroke volume = _______________ cm3

Person 2’s cardiac output = _______________ cm3 per minute

(3)

(b) Person 2 had a much lower cardiac output than Person 1.

Page 19 of 28
(i) Use information from the figure above to suggest the main reason for the
lower cardiac output of Person 2.

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________
(1)

(ii) Person 1 was able to run much faster than Person 2.

Use information from the figure above and your own knowledge to explain
why.

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________
(5)
(Total 9 marks)

Page 20 of 28
Mark schemes

Q1.
(a)  glucose
1

oxygen
1
extra ticks negates marks

(b)  count the number of bubbles produced in 1 minute

1

measure the volume of gas produced in 30 seconds

1
extra ticks negates marks

(c)  any one from:

•   to control the temperature
allow so pondweed / solution did not warm up

•   temperature affects the rate of photosynthesis

allow correct description of effect of temperature
on rate
allow high temperatures denature enzymes
ignore references to limiting factors
1
ignore reference to ‘it’

(d)  52
1

(e)  all points plotted correctly

allow ± ½ a square
allow 1 mark for three points correctly plotted
2

smooth curve drawn through all points

ignore extensions of line / curve unless
inconsistent with line / curve drawn
1
(where a bar chart has been plotted)
allow 1 mark for all bars plotted correctly
if points are plotted as well as bars, ignore bars

(f)  any one from:

•   the nearer the light source to the pondweed the faster the rate of
photosynthesis
allow the nearer the light source to the
pondweed the faster the bubbles produced

•   the greater the light intensity the faster the rate of photosynthesis
allow the greater the light intensity the faster the
bubbles produced

Page 21 of 28
 allow the closer the light source the more the
plant photosynthesises
ignore more bubbles are produced with no
reference to rate
allow oxygen for bubbles
do not accept carbon dioxide
1
allow converse statements for all marking points
[10]

Q2.
(a)

an extra line from a LH box negates that mark

2

(b) any one from:

• not enough oxygen present (for aerobic respiration)

• more energy required for exercise (than can be transferred by aerobic
respiration)
1
allow named example for exercise

(c) produces carbon dioxide

1

produces ethanol
1

plus any two from:

• (carbon dioxide) makes bread rise

• (carbon dioxide) makes beer / cider / (some) wines fizzy
allow for alcoholic drinks / named drink
• (ethanol) is the alcohol in beer / cider / wine / spirits
2
[7]

Page 22 of 28
Q3.
(a) The damaged alveolus has a smaller surface area.
1

(b) Less oxygen is taken in.

1
[2]

Q4.
(a) (to) stop them falling in the solution

or

to stop them drowning (in the solution)

1

(b) Level 2 (3–4 marks):

A detailed and coherent explanation is given of how the droplet moves, clearly and
logically linked to the process of respiration.

Level 1 (1–2 marks):

Simple statements are made about movement of the water droplet, but any attempts
at explaining the reason or linking the movement to the process of respiration are
unclear
and poorly structured.

0 marks:
No relevant content

Indicative content
• water droplet moves towards the maggots / boiling tube

Explanation:
• the oxygen in the boiling tube is used up in respiration
• (and) the carbon dioxide released from respiration is absorbed by
solution A
• which causes a pressure difference
• so air is drawn into the tube
• bringing the water droplet with it.
4

(c) x axis: Temperature in °C

both needed for the mark

y axis: Rate of respiration in units

1

(d) repeat the experiment at 30 °C

1

(e) 10.5
allow range 10.4–10.8
1
[8]

Q5.

Page 23 of 28
(a) LHS = water
1

RHS = glucose
1

(b) any three from:

• (measure) temperature
ignore reference to fair test
• to check that the temperature isn’t changing
• rate of reaction changes with temperature
• temperature is a variable that needs to be controlled
allow lamp gives out heat
3

(c) (i) 10
correct answer = 2 marks

allow 1 mark for:

allow 1 mark for correct calculation without removal of

anomalous result ie 15
2

(ii) graph:
allow ecf from (c)(i)

label on y-axis as ‘number of bubbles per minute’

1

three points correct = 1 mark

allow ± 1 mm

four points correct = 2 marks

2

line of best fit = smooth curve

1

(iii) as distance increases, rate decreases – pro

allow yes between 20 – 40
1

but should be a straight line / but line curves – con / not quite pro
allow not between 10 – 20
if line of best fit is straight line, allow idea of poor fit
1

(d) any four from:

• make more profit / cost effective

• raising temp. to 25 °C makes very little difference at 0.03% CO2
• (at 20 °C) with CO2 at 0.1%, raises rate
• (at 20 °C with CO2 at 0.1%) → >3x rate / rises from 5 to 17
• although 25 °C → higher rate, cost of heating not economical
• extra light does not increase rate / already max. rate with daylight

Page 24 of 28
 accept ref to profits c.f. costs must be favourable
4
[17]

Q6.
(a) anaerobic respiration
allow phonetic spelling
1

(b) (i) 4.4

4.2, 4.3, 4.5 or 4.6 with figures in tolerance (6.7 to 6.9 and
2.3 to 2.5) and correct working gains 2 marks
4.2, 4.3, 4.5 or 4.6 with no working shown or correct working
with one reading out of tolerance gains 1 mark
correct readings from graph in the ranges of 6.7 to 6.9 and
2.3 to 2.5 but no answer / wrong answer gains 1 mark
2

(ii) more energy is needed / used / released

do not allow energy production

(at 14 km per hour)

ignore work
1

not enough oxygen (can be taken in / can be supplied to muscles)

allow reference to oxygen debt
do not allow less / no oxygen
1

so more anaerobic respiration (to supply the extra energy) or more

glucose changed to lactic acid
allow not enough aerobic respiration
1
[6]

Q7.
(a) (before exercise) – 9 to 11 and (after exercise) – 12 or 13
both correct
1

(b) 0.75 to 0.90

ignore working or lack of working

eg. 2.35 – 1.55 or or other suitable figures

for 1 mark
2

(c) any four from:

still need to remove extra carbon dioxide

still need to remove heat / to cool

Page 25 of 28
 (some) anaerobic respiration (in exercise)

lactic acid made (in exercise)

oxygen needed to break down lactic acid or suitable reference to oxygen debt

lactic acid broken down to CO2 and water or lactic acid changed into glucose
4
[7]

Q8.
(a) LHS: carbon dioxide AND water
in either order
accept CO2 and H2O
allow CO2 and H2O
if names given ignore symbols
do not accept CO2 / H2O / Co / CO
ignore balancing
1

RHS: sugar(s) / glucose / starch / carbohydrate(s)

accept C6H12O6
allow C6H12O6
do not accept C6H12O6
1

(b) (i) light is needed for photosynthesis

or

no photosynthesis occurred (so no oxygen produced)

1

(ii) oxygen is needed / used for (aerobic) respiration

full statement
respiration occurs or oxygen is needed for anaerobic
respiration gains 1 mark
2

(c) (i) (with increasing temperature) rise then fall in rate

1

use of figures, ie

max. production at 40 °C
or maximum rate of 37.5 to 38
1

(ii) 25 – 35 °C

either faster movement of particles / molecules / more collisions

or particles have more energy / enzymes have more energy
1

or temperature is a limiting factor over this range

Page 26 of 28
 40 – 50 °C

denaturation of proteins / enzymes

ignore denaturation of cells
ignore stomata
1

(d) above 35 °C (to 40 °C) – little increase in rate

or > 40 °C – causes decrease in rate
1

so waste of money or less profit / expensive

1

because respiration rate is higher at > 35 °C

or
respiration reduces the effect of photosynthesis
1
[12]

Q9.
(a) 5624
allow 2 marks for:
• correct HR = 148 and correct SV = 38 plus wrong
answer / no answer
or
• only one value correct and ecf for answer
allow 1 mark for:
• incorrect values and ecf for answer
or
• only one value correct
3

(b) (i) Person 2 has low(er) stroke volume / SV / described

eg Person 2 pumps out smaller volume each beat
do not allow Person 2 has lower heart rate
1

(ii) Person 1 sends more blood (to muscles / body / lungs)

1

(which) supplies (more) oxygen

1

(and) supplies (more) glucose

1

(faster rate of) respiration or transfers (more) energy for use

ignore aerobic / anaerobic
allow (more) energy release
allow aerobic respiration transfers / releases more energy
(than anaerobic)
do not allow makes (more) energy
1

Page 27 of 28
removes (more) CO2 / lactic acid / heat
allow less oxygen debt

or less lactic acid made

or (more) muscle contraction / less muscle fatigue
if no other mark awarded,
allow person 1 is fitter (than person 2) for max 1 mark
1
[9]

Page 28 of 28