1617 Biology o Level Top 60 Questions

1617-Biology O Level Top 60 Questions [Page 1 of 39]
O LEVEL SELECTED TOP 60 QUESTIONS
FIRST TOP TEN QUESTIONS

1. The table below shows the results of an investigation into the breathing rates of some students
before and immediately after jogging.
student Breathing rate before jogging Breathing rate immediately
/breaths per minute after jogging/ breaths per
minute
Girl 1 15 21
Girl 2 15 20
Girl 3 14 23
Boy 1 17 25
Boy 2 16 24
Boy 3 16 24
a) Describe how the breathing rate could be measured.

b) Identify the student with the smallest change in breathing rate from before to immediately after
jogging.
c) Describe the patterns shown by the above results.
d) Explain the cause for the change in breathing rate during exercise.
Refer to Chapter 3
2 Write a dichotomous key to help identify viruses, bacteria and fungi.

Refer to level L book 2, Chapter 23, Page 111, 119 and Chapter 24, Page 123-124
Please note the following:
Concept and use of a classification system

Core Supplement
State that organisms can be classified into Explain that classification systems aim to
groups by the features that they share reflect evolutionary relationships
Define species as a group of organisms that Explain that classification is traditionally
can reproduce to produce fertile offspring based on studies of morphology and
Define and describe the binomial system of anatomy
naming species as an internationally agreed Explain that sequences of bases in DNA and
system in which the scientific name of an of amino acids in proteins are used as a
organism is made up of two parts showing more accurate means of classification
the genus and species. Explain that organisms which share a more
recent ancestor (are more closely related)
have base sequences in DNA that are more
similar than those that share only a distant
ancestor
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3 In the apparatus shown below, the volume of gas collected at the top of the graduated tube after a
period of two hours in bright light is 10cm3.
i) Name the gas produced and explain how you would test for its presence.
ii) During which process does the plant produce this gas? Give the balanced equation of this
process in symbols.
iii) Calculate the rate of this gas production per hour?
iv) Suggest how you would use this apparatus to show the effect of changing light intensity on
the production of this gas.
v) Describe two other factors which influence the rate of photosynthesis.
vi) Explain why each is a limiting factor.
Refer to Level L book 1, Chapter 9, Page 112
4 A person suffering from skin burns may need the damaged skin replacing. The replaced skin is
called a skin graft. This involves taking healthy skin from another person and using it to replace
the damaged skin of the patient. However, the skin graft may be rejected unless powerful
immunosuppressive drugs are given to reduce the activity of the immune system.
a) Describe what happens during the process of tissue rejection.
b) Tissue rejection of the skin graft would appear to be a disadvantage to the patient.
Suggest why a system has evolved which causes tissue rejection.
c) Suggest a disadvantage to a transplant patient of being treated with immunosuppressive drugs.
Refer to Level M book 1, Chapter 3, Page 31
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5 A student wanted to find out if using pectinase allows more juice to be extracted from apples.
He cut an apple into cube-shaped small pieces of the same size.
He placed half of the apple pieces in a beaker labeled A, and the other half in beaker B.
He added 1 cm3 of pectinase to beaker A and 1 cm3 of water to beaker B and left both
beakers for 30 minutes.
Then he filtered the juice of both beakers and obtained a volume of 10 cm3 of juice from
beaker A and 5 cm3 from B.
a) Suggest a hypothesis that the student is testing in this investigation.
b) Suggest two ways to increase the yield of juice in both beakers.
c) Suggest two ways in which he could make the yield of juice in beaker A the same as in beaker B.
Refer to Level L book 1, Chapter 5, page 47-49
a) i) On the figure above, draw a capillary inside the villus, connect it with the appropriate
blood vessels and show the direction of blood flow in it.
ii) Name the first organ to which blood flows from the small intestine, and the blood
vessel responsible for that.
b) Name one substance that could be present in the blood:
i) at a higher concentration in the artery than in the vein;
ii) at a lower concentration in the artery than in the vein.
c) Give two ways by which the cells of the lining of the villus are adapted to absorption.
d) i) Name structure Y.
ii) Describe its role in the absorption of materials from the small intestine.
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e) Veins have different structures from arteries.

Compare, in a table, the structural and functional features of veins and arteries.
Refer to Level L book 2, Chapter 21, Page 81-83 and Level M, Chapter 3, page 43
7 a) Daniel was reading in his brightly lit room when suddenly the light went off.
Draw the appearance of the pupil and iris before and after the light went off.
b) Explain the change in the size of the pupil when the light went off.
c) Explain why Daniel was able to see shapes and not colours after the light went off.
Refer to Level M book 1, Chapter 5, page 79, 80
8. Red blood cells have antigens on their cell membranes that stimulate antibody production and
determine a persons blood group.
Because blood group antigens are present on the inner lining of blood vessels in the kidney, it is
important to carry out blood typing i.e. checking that the blood group of the donor matches the
blood group of the recipient.
a) Explain what would happen if a kidney from a person with blood group B was
transferred into the body of a person with blood group A.
b) Suggest why it is possible to carry out a cornea transplant successfully without blood
typing.
Refer to Chapter 2
9 Proteins are essential organic compounds made essentially of carbon, oxygen, hydrogen and
nitrogen.
Describe, with full details, how nitrogen in the air becomes part of a protein molecule in a
cell of a herbivorous mammal, and how it returns back to the air.
Refer to Level M book 2, Chapter 13, page 40-41
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10. Scientists have tested the effect of natural selection on wing length in one bird species known as
the marsh warblers. The wings of young marsh warblers reach their maximum length a few
days after leaving the nest.
At this age, scientists recorded the wing length in millimeters of each bird that was identified by
putting a small ring around one of its legs.
As adults, the birds were caught in net traps and the information on the rings was used to
identify specific birds and their ages.
They recorded the length of time between ringing and trapping for each bird that was identified
before it was released.
The mean age at trapping was calculated for birds with each wing length.
The table below shows the results they obtained.
Wing length at ringing/mm Number of birds trapped Mean age at trapping/days
64 or less 26 250
65 69 255
66 128 295
67 179 347
68 169 350
69 105 270
60 65 240
71 or more 24 188
Total= 771
A) What type of variation does wing length in marsh warblers show? Explain your answer.
B) Identify one other feature of warblers that shows the same type of variation as wing length.
C) i) Refer to the table above to identify the wing length that has a survival value. Describe the
evidence that supports your answer.
ii) What other piece of evidence may support your choice of wing length with survival
value?
D) Identify and describe the process responsible for maintaining the wing length which
increases the warblers chance of survival.
Refer to Chapter 20
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SECOND TOP TEN QUESTIONS

1. a) Describe how a human ovum differs from a human sperm.
b) List and describe two ways by which women who have difficulty becoming pregnant
can be helped.
Refer to Chapter 17
2 A remote control deep-sea probe collected mud from the seabed at a depth of 8000 m. The mud
was thought to contain living microorganisms. Suggest an investigation you might carry out
which would indicate whether respiring microorganisms are present in a sample of the mud.
Refer to level L book 1, Chapter 6, page 69-70
3. a) Identify processes A-D shown below.
A
Nitrogen gas in atmosphere ammonium ions in bacteria in root nodules of beans
B
Amino acids in legumes proteins in legumes
C
Nitrate ions in soil Nitrogen gas in atmosphere
D
Ammonium ions in soil nitrate ions in soil
b) Scientists in Africa have exposed seeds of two varieties of winged bean to ionizing
radiation in an attempt to improve legume crops.
They grew seeds that had been exposed to radiation (irradiated seeds) and seeds that had
not been irradiated under identical conditions.
After 40 days, they recorded the numbers of root nodules on the plants that grew from
these seeds and the dry mass of the root nodules on each plant.
The results of the investigation are shown in the table below.
Variety 1 Variety 1 Variety 2 Variety 2
Feature Non-irradiated irradiated Non-irradiated irradiated
Mean number of 13 23 6 22
nodules per plant
at 40 days
Mean dry mass 0.08 0.21 0.16 0.26
of nodules per
plant at 40 days/
g
(i) Describe the effect of radiation on the plants in varieties 1 and 2.

(ii) Suggest one effect ionizing radiation has on the bean seeds. Explain your
answer.
(iii) Selective breeding is a method that is used to improve varieties of winged beans.
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Is selective breeding an example of natural selection? Explain.

Suggest how selective breeding is carried out with plants.
c) A gene from the (Bt) bacterium has been transferred to the cowpea by researchers to
give the cowpea resistance against an insect pest that reduces its yield.
Explain how this method differs from the ionizing radiation method.
d) Intercropping is a method that involves growing more than one crop in the same field at
the same time.
Suggest the advantages of growing wheat and legumes together in the same field at the
same time to farmers.
Refer to Chapter 13 & 20
4 Over-consumption of alcohol is a problem in some countries.

a) (i) State two long term effects on the body of drinking too much alcohol.
Some alcohol producers have started to promote responsible drinking. The figure below
shows the label on a bottle of beer.
ii) Using information from this label, calculate the volume of beer which would provide
the recommended daily maximum alcohol intake for a responsible male drinker.
b) Unlike most food nutrients, alcohol does not need to be digested. Instead, it is readily
absorbed into the blood from, for example, the stomach.
(i) Explain why most food nutrients do need to be digested.
(ii) State the main site of absorption of most products of digestion.
(iii) Name one product of digestion which is not absorbed directly into the blood stream.
(iv) Adrenaline reduces the secretion of mucus in the body. Suggest why a person who suffers
from stress may also suffer from damage to the lining of their stomach wall.
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The graph below shows the relationship between blood alcohol content and the risk of having a road
accident.
c) (i) Use the graph to predict the increased risk of a road accident if a driver had a blood alcohol
content of 0.10 g per 100 cm3.
(ii) Describe the relationship shown by the graph between blood alcohol content and the risk of
having a road accident.
(iii) With reference to the nervous system, explain how drinking alcohol before driving increases the
risk of having an accident.
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5. A nocturnal mammal known as the red slender loris feeds at night on fruits, flowers and some
small animals.
a. Differentiate between the terms ecosystem and population.

b. List three ways in which the red slender loris differs from other groups of vertebrates.
c. What features other than large eyes make the slender loris well adapted to being active at night?
d. The red slender loris is an endangered animal found in a few places one of which is the Horton
National Park in south-east Asia.
Explain why the Horton National Park should be conserved.
e. Suggest how scientisits could prove that two populations of slender loris belong to the same
species.
Refer to
6 a) Artificial insemination is sometimes used as a treatment for female infertility.

Outline how artificial insemination is carried out in humans.
b) Explain how the cells of offspring have the same number of chromosomes as the cells of their
parents.
Refer to Level M book 2, Chapter15
7 The volume of blood pumped to the lungs per minute, the cardiac output, depends on the heart
rate and the volume of blood pumped at each beat, the stroke volume.
Table 2.1 shows data for untrained and trained persons at rest and after maximum exercise.
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i) Calculate the cardiac output for the untrained and trained persons at rest.
Record your answers in Table 2.1.
ii) Compare the data for the untrained and trained persons at rest.
State two effects that training has on the activity of the heart.
iii) Use the data to compare the effect of maximum exercise on trained and untrained
persons.
iv) Suggest how the heart itself benefits from training.
Refer to Level M book 2, Chapter 3, page 42
8 The figure below shows crop productivity for a range of plants but the bar graph is incomplete.
(a) Complete the figure above using the following data
(b) State which crop has

(i) the highest average productivity,
(ii) the greatest difference between the average yield and the highest yield.
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(c) Outline how modern technology could be used to increase the productivity of a crop from the
average yield to a high yield.
(d) When the yield is measured, dry mass is always used rather than fresh mass.
Suggest why dry mass is a more reliable measurement than fresh mass.
9 The graph, Fig. 5.1, shows how the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has
changed over a period of about 20 years.
Fig. 5.1
a) Describe the changes shown by this graph.
b) The atmosphere around the earth acts as a trap for energy from the Sun.
Carbon dioxide in the air traps heat energy.
i) Suggest the effect the overall change in the graph, Fig. 5.1, may be having on the
Earths climate. Explain your answer.
ii) Humans cause changes in ecosystems, including changing the amount of carbon
dioxide in the atmosphere.
Suggest two ways in which the overall change can be reversed.
c) Suggest and explain three ways in which human activities can bring about air pollution. In
each case, name the pollutant.
10 Two pea plants with red flowers were crossed and produced 177 seeds. 44 of these seeds grew
into white flowered pea plants and 133 seeds grew into red flowered pea plants.
a) i) Which flower colour is controlled by the recessive allele?
ii) Using the symbols R and r to represent the alleles, state the genotype of the parent pea
plants.
b) By means of a labelled genetic diagram explain the inheritance of flower colour in this
cross.
c) A red flowered pea plant, genetically identical to the original parent, was crossed with a
white flowered plant. Predict the ratio of red flowered to white flowered plants expected
from this cross.
Refer to level M book 2, Chapter 18
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THIRD TOP TEN QUESTIONS

1 Fig 4.1 shows a green plant, Nuphar lutea, which grows in lakes.
Fig 4.2 is a vertical section cut from one of the leaves to show its structure.
(a) (i) Many of the leaf cells in Fig. 4.2 have organelles, labelled X.
Name organelle X.
(ii) Outline the function of organelle X.
(b) (i) There are many large air spaces in this leaf.
Suggest how these air spaces help Nuphar lutea to survive in its habitat.
(ii) The stomata in this plant are all on the upper surface of the leaves.
Suggest why there are no stomata on the lower surface.
(c) The air spaces in the leaves of some water plants continue through the leaf stalks and the main
stems all the way to the roots. Gases diffuse through these spaces. The plant absorbs minerals from
the soil in the bottom of the lake through its roots.
Explain how the arrangement of air spaces helps the plant do this.
Refer to level L book 1, Chapter 11, Page 140-141
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2 The figure below shows a female lion in a game reserve.
(a) (i) State one feature, visible in the above figure, which identifies the lion as a mammal.
(ii) State one other feature, not visible in the figure, which distinguishes mammals from all other
vertebrate groups.
Refer to Level L book 2, Chapter 27, page 173-174
(b) Study the eyes of the lion in the figure above..
(i) Suggest and explain what the light conditions were when the photograph was taken.
(ii) Explain the importance of the eyes reacting to light in this way.
(c) Scientists say that lions are unable to see in colour.
Suggest how a study of a lions retina would provide evidence for this statement.
(d) The lion was observing tourists nearby. It turned its head to see zebras moving in the distance.
Describe how the eyes of the lion would adjust to focus on the zebras.
(e) The lion was photographed in a game reserve in Namibia.
Explain why the conservation of animals in game reserves is important.
3 The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) collects data on food supplies worldwide.
The FAO classifies the causes of severe food shortages as either by natural disasters or as
the result of human action.
Natural disasters are divided into those that occur suddenly and those that take a long time
to develop. Human actions are divided into those that are caused by economic factors and
those that are caused by wars and other conflicts.
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The graph below shows the changes in the number of severe food shortages between 1981 and
2007.
The figure below shows the causes of severe food shortages in the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s.
a) i) State two types of natural disaster that occur suddenly and may lead to severe food shortages.
ii) State one type of natural disaster that may take several years to develop.
b) Use the information in the graph and Fig. 6.2 to describe the changes in food shortages between
1981 and 2007
c) Explain how the increase in the human population may contribute to severe food shortages.
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4 Seeds of the mung bean, Phaseolus aureus, were germinated and grown in a dish for a few
days in the dark. The dish was then placed as shown in Fig. A.
Fig. B shows the seedlings after a further two days in the dark.
a) Name the response shown by the roots in the figure above.

b) Suggest why the seedlings were kept in the dark during this investigation.
c) Explain why it is important for their early growth that the roots and shoots of seedlings
respond in the way shown in Fig. B
d) The response shown by the shoots in Fig. B is coordinated by auxins.
Explain how auxins bring about this growth response in shoots.
e) Weed seedlings are sprayed with synthetic auxins to kill them.
Suggest how these weedkillers spread throughout the plant.
Refer to Level L, chapter 17, page 19, 21
Seeds begin to germinate when soaked in water. When the seeds germinate they respire
aerobically, releasing energy.
f) i) Suggest why seeds need water to germinate.
ii) Suggest why the seeds need energy during germination
Refer to Level L book 1, Chapter 16, page 1
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5 Fig. 2.1 shows an insect-pollinated flower which has been cut vertically.
Fig. 2.2 shows some of the features of a typical wind-pollinated flower.
(a) Label the visible floral parts of Fig. 2.2.

Explain how each floral part is adapted for this type of pollination.
(b) (i) State one similarity in the adaptations for pollination of the flowers shown in Fig. 2.1 & Fig. 2.2.
(ii) Complete the table below to show four differences in the adaptations for pollination of the
flowers shown in Fig. 2.1 and Fig. 2.2.
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Refer to level L book 2, Chapter 14, Page 192-193
6 a) Describe how the ribcage is moved during inspiration (breathing in) and explain how
this causes air to enter the lungs
b) Explain how the ribcage returns to its resting position during expiration (breathing out).
Some students carried out an investigation on a 16-year old athlete. Table 3.1 shows the
results of their investigation on the athletes breathing at rest and immediately after 20
minutes of running.
Ventilation rate is the volume of air taken into the lungs per minute.
c) i) Calculate the ventilation rate of the athlete immediately after 20 minutes of running.
Write your answer in Table 3.1.
ii) Explain why the athlete has a high ventilation rate after the exercise has finished.
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7 Mycoprotein is similar to single cell protein and is sold as an alternative to meat such as beef.
The table below shows the composition of mycoprotein and beef.
(a) (i) State two differences in composition between mycoprotein and beef.
(ii) Using data from the table, suggest two reasons why eating mycoprotein is better for health than
eating beef. Explain your answers.
(b) (i) Calculate the dry mass of mycoprotein not represented by protein, fat, fibre or carbohydrate.
Show your working.
(ii) Suggest one nutrient that this dry mass might contain.
(c) The antibiotic penicillin is produced by fungi that are grown in a fermenter, as shown in the fig.
below. The process is similar to the manufacture of enzymes.
(i) Name the two raw materials likely to be present in the feedstock.
(ii) State the function of X.
(iii) Suggest the name of the main gas present in the waste gases
d) During the fermenting process, the temperature in the container would rise unless steps are taken
to maintain a constant temperature.
(i) Suggest a suitable temperature for the feedstock.
(ii) Explain why the temperature rises.
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(iii) Explain why a constant temperature has to be maintained.

(iv) Using the information from the figure, suggest how a constant temperature is maintained.
Refer to Level L book 2, Chapter 24, Page128
8 Liver cells absorb glucose and amino acids from the blood and help to regulate the
concentrations of these substances in the blood.
(a) Explain how liver cells help to regulate the concentration of glucose in the blood in response
to hormones from the pancreas in each of the following situations.
1- Blood glucose concentration is higher than normal
2- Blood glucose concentration is lower than normal
(b) Draw a diagram to show the negative feedback loop that controls blood glucose concentration
(c) Describe what happens to amino acids inside liver cells.
Refer to level M book 1, Chapter 7, page 111 and Level L book 2, Chapter 21, page 85
9 Fig. 7.1 shows a food web from farmland in Europe.
a) i) Name an organism from the fourth trophic level of this food web.
ii)Using examples from this food web explain the difference between primary and
secondary consumers.
b) i) State the source of energy for this food web.
ii) In the food web the herbivorous insect population receives the same total amount of
energy as the rabbit population. The rabbits pass a smaller percentage of this total
energy to the next trophic level compared with the herbivorous insects. Suggest
reasons for this difference.
c) Myxomatosis is a disease of rabbits from which there is a high death rate.
Explain a likely effect on the population of kestrels if there was a serious outbreak of
myxomatosis in the rabbit population.
Refer to Level L book 1 & 2, chapter 9 and 11
10 a) A farmer tested the soil in a field and found that there was a high nitrate ion concentration.
The farmer then grew a crop in this field.
After the crop was removed, the soil was tested again. The nitrate ion concentration had
decreased.
i) Suggest two reasons why the nitrate ion concentration had decreased.
ii) Describe two methods the farmer could use to improve the nitrate ion concentration
in the soil.
b) Some species of plant grow well in soil that is always low in nitrate ions.
Explain how they can obtain a source of nitrogen compounds.
Refer to Level M book 2, Chapter 13
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FOURTH TOP TEN QUESTIONS

1 The figure below is a photograph of a root of radish covered in many root hairs.
(a) Using the term water potential, explain how water is absorbed into root hairs from the soil.
A potometer is a piece of apparatus that is used to measure water uptake by plants.

Most of the water taken up by plants replaces water lost in transpiration.
A student used a potometer to investigate the effect of wind speed on the rate of water uptake by a
leafy shoot. As the shoot absorbs water the air bubble moves upwards.
The students apparatus is shown in the figure below.
The student used a fan with five different settings and measured the wind speed. The
results are shown in the table below.
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(b) Calculate the rate of water uptake at the highest wind speed and write your answer in the table.
(c) Describe the effect of increasing wind speed on the rate of water uptake. You may use figures from
the table to support your answer.
(d) State two environmental factors, other than wind speed, that the student should keep constant
during the investigation.
(e) Some of the water absorbed by the plants is not lost in transpiration.
State two other ways in which water is used.
(f) Water moves through the xylem to the tops of very tall trees, such as giant redwoods of
North America. The movement of water in the xylem is caused by transpiration.
Explain how transpiration is responsible for the movement of water in the xylem.
(g) Plants that live in hot, dry environments show adaptations for survival.
State three structural adaptations of these plants.
Refer to level L book 1, chapter 13, page 172, 173
2 The figure below shows a population growth graph for a herbivorous insect that has just entered a
new habitat.
a) i) Which of the four phases, labelled A, B, C and D, represents the stationary phase and which
the lag phase?
ii) During which phases will some of this insect population die?
b) i) State two factors that could affect the rate of population growth during phase C.
ii) Suggest how these two factors might change. Explain how each change would affect the rate
of population growth.
c) Suggest two reasons for the change in the insect population during stage B.
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3 Transpiration and translocation are processes responsible for transporting materials around
a plant.
(i) Complete the table by stating the materials moved by these processes, their sources and
their sinks.
(ii) State two reasons why the source and sink for translocation in a plant may change at
different stages in the growth of a plant.
Refer to Level L book 1, chapter 13
4 Drinks cartons have proved difficult to recycle because they are made of plastic, aluminium and
paper. A factory in Brazil uses new technology to recycle all these components as raw materials for
the packaging industry.
a) Explain the importance for the environment of developing technologies for recycling materials,
such as those found in drinks cartons.
b) People are encouraged to recycle materials, such as paper and plastics.
Discuss the advantages of recycling materials, such as paper and plastics.
5 The quality and quantity of food available worldwide has been improved by artificial selection
(selective breeding) and genetic engineering.
Use a named example to outline how artificial selection is used to improve the quantity or quality
of food.
6 Antibiotics are used to treat bacterial infections. An investigation was carried out into the
effect of prescribing antibiotics on antibiotic resistance in 20 countries. The figure below shows the
results of this investigation. Each point represents the result for a country.
a) Describe the results shown in the figure below. Support your answer by using figures.
b) Many different antibiotics are used.
Suggest why some antibiotics are used less frequently than others.
c) Explain why antibiotics kill bacteria but not viruses.
d) Explain how a population of antibiotic-resistant bacteria can develop
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Refer to Level M book 2, Chapter 20, Page 156, 157
7 An alternative treatment to injecting insulin is being developed. The insulin is inhaled into the
lungs as a spray. It is then absorbed into the bloodstream.
i) Suggest the path the spray would take from the mouth to enter the alveoli.
ii) Suggest the process by which the insulin would pass from the alveoli into the bloodstream.
iii) State three features of the alveoli that might help the insulin to pass into the blood stream
efficiently.
Refer to level M book 1, Chapter 1, Page 2-3
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8 The figure below shows the apparatus used to find the energy in a groundnut.
Results of the experiment are shown in the table that follows.
(a) Describe how the apparatus could be used to obtain the data shown in the table.
(b) The energy released by a groundnut was calculated using the equation shown below.
energy = volume of water increase in temperature 4.2
Calculate the energy released by a groundnut of mass 0.4 g.
Show your working.
(c) The graph below shows the relationship between mass of groundnut and the energy it contains.
The graph is incomplete.
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(i) Complete the graph, by adding the missing energy value, calculated in (b), drawing a line
through the points and labelling the axes.
(ii) Describe the trend shown by the graph
(d) (i) The experimental results show that a groundnut of mass 0.5 g contains 3045 J energy.
Calculate the energy released from 100 g of these groundnuts.
(ii) Official figures state that 100 g of groundnuts contain 2 428 000 J energy.
With reference to the apparatus in Fig. 2.1, suggest two reasons why the experimental energy
value for 100 g of groundnuts is much lower than the official energy value.
9 Soya beans are harvested from plants. Corned beef is produced from cattle that have fed on grass.
Explain why it is more energy efficient for humans to eat soya products as a source of protein
than corned beef. Use the food chains involved to support your answer.
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10 The figure shows the changes in the concentrations of four hormones during one menstrual
cycle.
a) State what happens at X and at Y during the menstrual cycle.

b) Describe the roles of oestrogen in controlling the menstrual cycle.
c) Some women who cannot conceive may be treated with FSH.
i) Describe how FSH is used as a fertility drug and how it may allow a woman to conceive.
ii) Suggest one implication of using fertility drugs.
d) Explain why it is important that FSH is not secreted during pregnancy.
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FIFTH TOP 10 QUESTIONS

1 One variety of the moth, Biston betularia, has pale, speckled wings. A second variety of the
same species has black wings. There are no intermediate forms.
Equal numbers of both varieties were released into a wood made up of trees with pale bark.
Examples of these are shown in the figure below.
After two weeks as many of the moths were caught as possible.

The results are shown in the table below.
(a) (i) Suggest and explain one reason, related to the colour of the bark, for the difference in
numbers of the varieties of moth caught.
(ii) Suggest and explain how the results may have been different if the moths had been released
in a wood where the trees were blackened with carbon dust from air pollution.
Table 5.2 shows the appearance and genetic make-up of the different varieties of this species.
(b) (i) State the appropriate genetic terms for the table headings.
(ii) State and explain which wing colour is dominant
(c) State the type of genetic variation shown by these moths. Explain how this variation is inherited.
(d) Heterozygous moths were interbred. Use a genetic diagram to predict the proportion of black
winged moths present in the next generation.
(d) (i) Name the process that can give rise to different alleles for wing colour in a population of
moths.
(ii) Suggest one factor which might increase the rate of this process.
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2 a) Describe and explain what could happen when blood of different groups is mixed.
b) A factory that produces fertilisers is located next to a small river. At the end of each week its
machinery is washed out and the contaminated water is released into the river.
Suggest what effects this action could have on the plants and animals living in the river.
3 Describe the process of making human insulin by inserting the insulin gene into bacteria using
genetic engineering
Refer to level M book 2, chapter 19, Page 138
4 Ahmed entered a very dark room. His irises responded by changing the pupil size and
gradually he could see shapes of objects in the room. Dust in the air made him sneeze.
Suddenly the door slammed shut, causing his heart beat to speed up. He switched on the light to
find the door and he grabbed the door handle
a) Complete the table by stating two voluntary actions and two involuntary actions described
in the text above.
b) Actions are caused by the stimulation of effectors.

i) Name the two different types of effector in the body.
ii) State the type of neurone that stimulates effectors.
Refer to level M book 1, Chapter 6, page 99
5 West Nile virus was first discovered in the blood of a feverish woman in Ugandas West Nile
district in 1937. This virus is an arbovirus, one of a family of more than 500 known viruses
transmitted by arthropods such as mosquitoes, ticks and fleas.
West Nile virus is transmitted by mosquitoes while they are feeding on the blood of birds and
mammals. It is common in Africa, the Middle East and western Asia. The disease first
appeared in America in 1999. Scientists now expect it to affect the whole of America by 2006,
spread by the mosquito Culex pipiens.
Birds, as well as humans, are affected by the virus.
(a) Using information from the text, explain how arboviruses are transmitted.
(b) Suggest how blood provides suitable conditions for the reproduction of viruses
(c) When birds become infected, the virus may spread hundreds of kilometres very rapidly.
Suggest one reason for this rapid spread of the virus.
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(d) The pesticide, DDT, has been used to kill mosquitoes in an effort to reduce the spread of disease.
Explain why countries have banned the use of some pesticides, despite their ability to kill
mosquitoes.
(e) With reference to the mosquito, explain the binomial system of naming organisms
6 The figure below shows a family tree for a condition known as nail-patella syndrome (NPS).
a) i) State whether NPS is controlled by a dominant or a recessive allele.

ii) Explain which evidence from the family tree confirms your answer to (i).
b) Explain what the chances are for a third child of parents 6 and 7 having NPS.
You may use a genetic diagram to help your explanation
7 Fig. 4.1 shows a fetus developing in a uterus.
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a) i) Name the part labelled A.

ii) What is unusual about the blood in the artery in A compared with the blood in most of
the arteries in the mother?
iii) The structures labelled B are called placental villi.
Suggest one feature these might have that helps them to carry out their function
efficiently.
b) The placenta is often described as the lung and kidney of the fetus.
Explain why this is a good description.
c) Many scientists agree that breast-feeding of babies is better than bottle feeding using
formula milk.
Describe advantages and disadvantages of breast feeding compared with bottle feeding
using formula milk.
Refer to level M book 2, chapter 17, page 98, 101
8 Draw a large diagram of an egg. Annotate it to explain how its features adapt it to its function.
Then do the same for a sperm cell.
Refer to level M book 2, chapter 16, page 85
9 a) Describe the effect sickle cell anaemia has on red blood cells.
b) i) The allele for normal haemoglobin production is IN. The allele for sickle cell
haemoglobin production is Is. Two parents who are heterozygous have a child.
With the help of a genetic diagram, predict the probability that this child would be
heterozygous.
(ii) Explain why, under some circumstances, people who are heterozygous for this
condition have a greater chance of survival than homozygous people.
10 An article in a school science magazine stated, Many plants contain genes which enable them to
pump salts out of their roots. These genes can be made more active by genetic engineering,
enabling the plants to remove salts before the plants are damaged.
a) Explain whether you think that the process described in the article above is an example of genetic
engineering.
b) Some scientists believe that washing the salts out of the soil using even more water is a better
alternative to genetic engineering.
State two problems that could be caused by washing the soil with extra water.
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SIXTH TOP 10 QUESTIONS

1 A person cuts their hand on a piece of glass that they are picking up from the ground.
Describe how the bodys defense mechanisms protect the person from infection.
Refer to level M book 1, Chapter 2, page 25-26
2 Warm-blooded animals need to maintain a constant internal temperature.

In cold weather some of these animals crowd closely together in a group.
To investigate the advantages of crowding together in such a group a student followed the
drop in temperature of 10 cm3 of water in a test tube.
Test tube A was used to represent a single animal as shown below.
Test tubes B and C were used to represent part of a crowded group of animals using 7
tubes as shown below.
The temperature of the tubes labelled A, B and C in Fig. 1.1 and Fig. 1.2 was measured using a
thermometer, every 2 minutes for 10 minutes.
The results are shown in the table below.
(a) (i) Plot a graph of the results to show clearly the difference between the three sets of data.
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(ii) Describe the results for tube A.

(iii) Describe the differences between the results for tube A and those for tubes B and C.
(iv) Explain how the results shown in the graph show the effect of crowding together of
animals in cold conditions.
(b) Suggest two ways in which this investigation could have been improved to make the
results more reliable.
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3 Fig. 1.1 shows a young plant with its roots submerged in a container filled with a solution
containing mineral salts and a coloured dye.
Fig. 1.2 shows a section of a root and Fig. 1.3 shows a section of a stem.
a) i) Shade in the tissue to identify where the coloured solution may be found in the section
of the root, Fig. 1.2 and stem, Fig. 1.3.
ii) Name the tissue, in both Fig. 1.2 and Fig.1.3 that you have shaded.
b) i) Name the structures through which most of the solution will be absorbed into the
roots.
ii) Indicate by means of an arrow on Fig. 1.1, one place where these structures are shown.
c) Describe how the structure of the tissue in a) i) is adapted to its functions

Refer to level l book 1, Chapter 11, Page 144 and Chapter 12, Page 151
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4 Acid rain is a serious environmental problem in some areas of the world. Lakes in Canada,
Norway and Scotland are highly acidic as a result of acid rain.
The figure below shows a cause of acid rain.
a) i) State one cause of acid rain other than that shown in the figure.
ii) Describe two effects of acid rain on forest ecosystems.
b) Describe two different ways to reduce pollution so that there is less acid rain.
c) Suggest why some animals cannot tolerate living in water of pH as low as 4.0
5- The figure below shows five mammals.

Use the key to identify each of these mammals. Write the letter for each mammal in the table.
1 tail more than half that of body length go to 2

tail less than half that of body length go to 4
2 ears at top of head, with thick tail Sciurus caroliniensis
ears at side of head, with thin tail go to 3
3 nose pointed, nose length longer than its depth Sorex araneus
nose blunt, nose length shorter than its depth Clethrionomys glareolus
4 front legs as wide or wider than long Talpa europaea
front legs longer than wide Oryctolagus cuniculus
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6- Fig. 6.1 shows a lizard.
The lizard is observed over a period of two hours.

(a) State two observations, other than movement, you could make about the lizard to show that it is a
living organism.
Fig. 6.2 shows the relationship between external and internal temperatures for a lizard and a mammal,
such as a cat.
(b) Describe what happens to the body temperature of the lizard as the external temperature drops from
20 C to 10 C.
(c) Suggest why the movement of the lizard becomes slower when the external temperature drops from
20 C to 10 C.
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7- The yields of tomatoes grown in open fields in India are very low compared with yields of
tomatoes grown in glasshouses in Europe.
In a study, scientists in India grew tomato plants in glasshouses and in open fields nearby.
The growth of the plants and the yields of tomatoes were recorded.
The results are shown in Table 2.1.
a) i) The mean fresh mass of tomatoes grown in glasshouses was greater than the mean fresh
mass
of tomatoes grown in open fields.
Calculate the difference in mean fresh mass as a percentage of the mean fresh mass of
tomatoes grown in open fields.
Show your working.
ii) Suggest how an increase in the height of the plants and the number of leaves on each plant
affects the yield of tomatoes.
b) The scientists made sure that the only differences between the two groups of plants were the
result of the protection provided by the glasshouses.
Suggest the factors that the scientists should have kept the same for the two groups of plants in
this investigation.
c) The growth and final yields of crops grown in open fields are often limited by environmental
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factors.
Describe how these factors are controlled in commercial glasshouses to give high yields of
crops such as tomatoes.
8- Scientists are considering the use of a genetically engineered virus to kill a population of the cane
toad, Bufo marinus, which is growing out of control in Australia.
This virus will introduce a modified form of genetic material, responsible for hormone production.
The normal hormone causes the toads to mature in a similar way to hormones causing puberty in
mammals. The modified genetic material will prevent toads maturing, leading to their death.
The toad was introduced into Australia because it eats scarab beetles, a pest of sugar cane plants.
Sugar cane is an important crop plant.
Animals such as crocodiles and dingos are predators of the toad, but the toad can kill them by
squirting a powerful toxin.
(a) Define the term genetic engineering
(b) State which part of the virus would carry the modified genetic material
(c) (i) Name the hormone that causes puberty in male mammals.
(ii) State two characteristics that develop in a boy when this hormone is produced
The toad population is increasing out of control. In terms of a sigmoid growth curve, it is in the
exponential phase.
(d) (i) 1. Sketch a sigmoid growth curve using the axes below.
2. Label the axes (units are not needed).
3. Label the exponential phase of the curve.
(ii) Suggest one limiting factor, other than viruses or predators, that could stop the toad
population rising.
(e) Construct a food web for the organisms named in this question.
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9- Blackspot is a disease of rose leaves caused by a fungus. The spots are composed of dead tissue.
The disease appears in polluted and non-polluted areas.
The figure below shows the spots present on 25 leaflets from rose bushes sampled at random from a
polluted area and a non-polluted area. The black spots are visible in the drawings.
(a) Count the number of spots on each leaflet and record the information in the tally chart
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(b) Draw a column graph to show the range of numbers of spots per leaflet from the two areas, with
both sets of data on the same axes. Distinguish clearly between the two sets of data.
(c) Describe the effect of pollution on the black spot infections.
10- Fig. 2.2 shows a tube of White Teeth toothpaste.
a) State and explain two reasons why regular brushing with this toothpaste would help to protect teeth
from decay.
b) Brushing is not the only way of protecting teeth from decay.
State two other ways of maintaining healthy teeth
c) Explain arguments for and against the addition of fluoride to public water supplies.
Refer to level M book 1, chapter 8, Page 124
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1617 Biology o Level Top 60 Questions

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1617-Biology O Level Top 60 Questions [Page 1 of 39]

O LEVEL SELECTED TOP 60 QUESTIONS

FIRST TOP TEN QUESTIONS

a) Describe how the breathing rate could be measured.

2 Write a dichotomous key to help identify viruses, bacteria and fungi.

Please note the following:

Concept and use of a classification system

e) Veins have different structures from arteries.

SECOND TOP TEN QUESTIONS

3. a) Identify processes A-D shown below.

(i) Describe the effect of radiation on the plants in varieties 1 and 2.

Is selective breeding an example of natural selection? Explain.

4 Over-consumption of alcohol is a problem in some countries.

a. Differentiate between the terms ecosystem and population.

6 a) Artificial insemination is sometimes used as a treatment for female infertility.

(a) Complete the figure above using the following data

(b) State which crop has

THIRD TOP TEN QUESTIONS

2 The figure below shows a female lion in a game reserve.

a) Name the response shown by the roots in the figure above.

Fig. 2.2 shows some of the features of a typical wind-pollinated flower.

(a) Label the visible floral parts of Fig. 2.2.

Refer to level L book 2, Chapter 14, Page 192-193

(iii) Explain why a constant temperature has to be maintained.

9 Fig. 7.1 shows a food web from farmland in Europe.

FOURTH TOP TEN QUESTIONS

A potometer is a piece of apparatus that is used to measure water uptake by plants.

Refer to Level M book 2, Chapter 20, Page 156, 157

a) State what happens at X and at Y during the menstrual cycle.

FIFTH TOP 10 QUESTIONS

After two weeks as many of the moths were caught as possible.

b) Actions are caused by the stimulation of effectors.

a) i) State whether NPS is controlled by a dominant or a recessive allele.

7 Fig. 4.1 shows a fetus developing in a uterus.

a) i) Name the part labelled A.

SIXTH TOP 10 QUESTIONS

2 Warm-blooded animals need to maintain a constant internal temperature.

(ii) Describe the results for tube A.

c) Describe how the structure of the tissue in a) i) is adapted to its functions

5- The figure below shows five mammals.

1 tail more than half that of body length go to 2

6- Fig. 6.1 shows a lizard.

The lizard is observed over a period of two hours.

Refer to Level L book 2, Chapter 27, page 169

(c) Describe the effect of pollution on the black spot infections.

10- Fig. 2.2 shows a tube of White Teeth toothpaste.

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