EDEXCEL BIOLOGY (WBI11)

UNIT 1
COMMON QUESTIONS
WITH MARK SCHEME
ANSWERS
TOPIC 1: Lifestyle, Health and Risk
1.1 Understand why many animals have a heart and circulation (mass
transport to overcome limitations of diffusion in meeting the
requirements of organisms).
Why do animals have a circulatory system? [6]
 To overcome the limitations of diffusion
 Because they have a small surface area to volume ratio
 Diffusion would be too slow
 For mass flow of oxygen to cells around the body
 For fast movement of blood to cells
How does the heart circulatory system transport oxygen and remove
carbon dioxide? [2]
 The heart pumps blood long distances
 At high pressures
 It has a double circulatory system
Explain why a mammalian heart is divided into a right and left side [3]
 To separate oxygenated and deoxygenated blood
 There are different pressures to be maintained. The left side is
under higher pressure than the right side since it carries blood to
the body cells
 It allows mass flow of oxygen to body cells
Describe the structure of the heart and relate it to it’s function [5]
 2 upper chambers called atria and 2 lower chambers called
ventricles
 The aorta is an artery that carries oxygenated blood away from
the left ventricle to the body cells
  The pulmonary artery located on the right side of the heart carries
deoxygenated blood to the lungs
 The vena cava located on the right returns deoxygenated blood
from the body
 The pulmonary vein returns oxygenated blood from the lungs

1.2 Understand the importance of water as a solvent in transport,

including its dipole nature
Explain how the dipole nature of water is essential for living organisms
[4]
 Water forms hydrogen bonds with other water molecules
 This makes it cohesive
 Therefore substances can dissolve in it
 It is used as a transport medium e.g xylem vessels, blood

1.3 Understand how the structures of blood vessels (capillaries,
arteries and veins) relate to their functions.
Explain how the structure of an artery is related to it’s function [4]
 It has elastic fibres in it’s wall
 To recoil
 Maintain a high blood pressure
 It has folded endothelium
 Which allows stretching to cope with high blood pressure
 It has smooth muscle
 To contract
 It has collagen
 To avoid damage
1.4 Relate the structure and operation of the mammalian heart,
including the major blood vessels, to its function.
Explain why there are pressure changes in the aorta [5]
 The aortic wall contains elastic fibres
 These stretch and recoil
 To maintain a high blood pressure
 To prevent damage
 They have semi lunar valves at their base which close

1.5 Understand the course of events that leads to atherosclerosis

(endothelial dysfunction, inflammatory response, plaque formation,
raised blood pressure)
Describe how atherosclerosis develops and it’s consequences[8]
 The endothelium of an artery is damaged
 This causes an inflammatory response
 Where white blood cells and cholesterol accumulate into the area
of damage
 An atheroma forms- plaque
 This raises blood pressure
 The elasticity of an artery is loss
 The process is self-perpetuating

1.6 Understand the blood-clotting process (thromboplastin release,

conversion of prothrombin to thrombin and fibrinogen to fibrin) and
its role in cardiovascular disease (CVD).
Explain what happens when a blood clot forms [5]
 Platelets stick together
 Platelets release thromboplastin
  This results in the blood clot cascade being triggered
 Prothombrin converts to thombrin
 Blood clot grows faster

Why do blood clots form only when required?

 The clotting factors are present in an inactive form in the blood
What is a platelet?
 A cell fragment that releases thromboplastin
 That tangles in a mesh with fibrin
What is fibrinogen?
 Soluble
 It is a globular protein
What is fibrin?
 Insoluble
 It is a fibrous protein
Explain why a blood clot in an artery leading to the brain can cause a
stroke [4]
 Blood flow to the brain is restricted
 Brain cells receive less oxygen
 They therefore cannot respire aerobically to release energy
 The brain needs energy to function properly
Describe the possible effects of a blood clot forming [3]
 Artery is blocked meaning blood flow to the heart muscle is
restricted
 Heart muscle receives less oxygen
 Cannot respire aerobically
 Heart attack if coronary artery is blocked

1.7 Know how factors such as genetics, diet, age, gender, high blood
pressure, smoking and inactivity increase the risk of cardiovascular
disease (CVD).
Define CVD
 Disease of the heart which can lead to reduced blood supply
Define relative risk
 The chance of developing a disease of one group compared to
another
Explain how high blood cholesterol can influence the onset of CHD [2]
 This can increase the build up of lipid in an artery, increasing
atheroma formation
 This restricts blood flow to the heart
Explain how high blood pressure can influence the onset of CHD [4]
 This can damage the endothelium of an artery
 Narrowing the artery
 Restricted blood supply to the heart
 Heart receives less oxygen
Explain how smoking can influence the onset of CHD [4]
 Nicotine in cigarettes makes platelets sticky
 This increases the chance of blood clot formation
 Restricting blood supply to the heart
 The heart receives less oxygen
Explain why people who are overweight are more likely to die from
heart disease [3]
 They are more likely to have high blood cholesterol
 This increases the formation of an atheroma
 Which can block an artery
Suggest and explain why a low cholesterol diet might not result in a
lower blood cholesterol level [2]
 The liver still produces cholesterol
 This diet only recues the ‘bad’ LDL

1.8 Be able to analyse and interpret quantitative data on illness and

mortality rates to determine health risks, including distinguishing
between correlation and causation and recognising conflicting
evidence.
What is meant by ‘correlation’?
 When there is a relationship between two variables
What is meant by ‘causation’?
 When a change in one variable results in a change in another
variable
Why might there be a difference in the number of deaths from CVD?
[5]
 Differences in risk factors
 e.g differences in saturated fat consumption
 Differences in level of exercise
 Differences in healthcare
 Differences in level of education

1.9 Be able to evaluate the design of studies used to determine health

risk factors, including sample selection and sample size used to
collect data that is both valid and reliable.
How do you know when an investigation on CVD is valid? [3]
 When researchers have selected people with a similar lifestyle,
activity and medical history
 So that they can collect information that is relevant to the aim
 If variables are kept constant
What design of studies are more accurate (how well can I understand
the data)? [3]
 Quantitative data such as BMI, waist to hip ratio
 The health professionals are trained
 Participants are less likely to underestimate
What indicated reliability in a study? [3]
 Repeats are used
 With a larger sample size
 For representative results
Why is it necessary to have a large sample size? [3]
 It makes the results more representative
  There are many potential risk factors of CVD
 The side effects are more likely to show up
Why might conclusions not be made in a study? [4]
 If the levels are given as a range
 If there is no indication of data analysis
 If there is no indication of sample numbers
 If there is no indication of other variables

1.10 Understand why people’s perceptions of risks are often different

from the actual risks, including underestimating and overestimating
the risks due to diet and other lifestyle factors in the development of
heart disease.
Why might people underestimate/ overestimate a risk? [4]
 They may not remember
 They didn’t measure
 They lost track
 They used averages

1.11 i) Be able to analyse data on energy budgets and diet. ii)

Understand the consequences of energy imbalance, including weight
loss, weight gain, and development of obesity.
Suggest the consequences of a low fat diet and an active life style [5]
 energy imbalance
 which can lead to weight loss
 which can reduce the metabolic rate
 a lack of protein which is required for making tissue
 the person will need to eat more for an energy balance
1.12 i) Know the difference between monosaccharides, disaccharides
and polysaccharides, including glycogen and starch (amylose and
amylopectin). ii) Be able to relate the structures of monosaccharides,
disaccharides and polysaccharides to their roles in providing and
storing energy (β-glucose and cellulose are not required in this
topic).
Describe the structure of glycogen and explain why it is a suitable
molecule for storing energy [8]
 it consists of alpha glucose
 it is joined by 1-4 and 1-6 glycosidic, meaning it is similar to
amylopectin
 but it has more side branches
 so it is easily hydrolysed
 so it can store more glucose in a smaller space
 it has no osmosis effect because it is insoluble in water
 the breakdown of glycogen provides energy
 for aerobic respiration

1.15 i) Be able to analyse and interpret data on the possible

significance for health of blood cholesterol levels and levels of high-
density lipoproteins (HDLs) and low-density lipoproteins (LDLs). ii)
Know the evidence for a causal relationship between blood cholesterol
levels (total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol) and cardiovascular disease
(CVD).
Explain the problems of not having a properly functioning LDL [7]
 cholesterol remains in the blood
 because the protein will have a different primary structure
 there will be fewer normal LDL
  this increases hard plaque formation
 leading to narrower arteries
 there will be less oxygen supply to muscle cells
 so there is a greater risk of heart disease

1.18 Know the benefits and risks of treatments for cardiovascular

disease (CVD)
Explain why statins reduce the risk of CVD [3]
 they inhibit cholesterol production in the liver
 which reduces total blood cholesterol levels
 they increase HDL levels

TOPIC 2: Genes and health

1 i) Know the properties of gas exchange surfaces in living organisms (large surface area to
volume ratio, thickness of surface, difference in concentration). ii) Understand how the rate
of diffusion is dependent on these properties and can be calculated using Fick’s Law of
Diffusion. iii) Understand how the structure of the mammalian lung is adapted for rapid
gaseous exchange.
Describe how the mammalian lung is adapted for gaseous exchange [5]
 A large number of alveoli provide a large surface area
 This increases the rate of diffusion
 The alveoli and the capillary have thin walls and are made out of a single layer of
flattened cells meaning they are one cell thick
 This creates a short diffusion distance
 They have an extensive capillary network that maintains the concentration gradient
 Red blood cells bring a constant supply of carbon dioxide
 Breathing maintains the concentration gradient

2.2 i) Know the structure and properties of cell membranes.

Why do phospholipids molecules form a (continuous) bilayer? [3]
  The phosphate heads are hydrophilic
 So they are attracted to water
 The 2 fatty acid tails are hydrophobic
 So they orientate away from water
How does cholesterol affect membrane fluidity? [3]
 The cholesterol combines with fatty acid tails
 Which restrict movement of the phospholipids
 Making the cell membrane more rigid

ii) Understand how models such as the fluid mosaic model of cell membranes are
interpretations of data used to develop scientific explanations of the structure and
properties of cell membranes.
How does fusing a cell explain the structure of a cell membrane? [3]
 Both types of protein would be found in the fused cell
 Proteins will have intermixed
 There would be the same original number of proteins
 Hence the fluidity in cell membranes
CORE PRACTICAL 3: Investigate membrane structure, including the effect of alcohol
concentration or temperature on membrane permeability.
Using my knowledge on the structure of cell membranes, explain the effect of temperature
[4]
 Increasing the temperature increases the kinetic energy of phospholipids
 The phospholipids move more
 High temperatures disrupt the membrane structure causing more red pigment to
escape
 The proteins will denature

Explain the effect of ethanol concentration on the permeability of cell membranes [4]
 It causes the membrane to be disrupted
 Because the phospholipids dissolve in ethanol
 The proteins will then denature
 Pigment will escape easily from a disrupted membrane hence the increase in
permeability
2.4 i) Understand what is meant by passive transport (diffusion, facilitated diffusion), active
transport (including the role of ATP as an immediate source of energy), endocytosis and
exocytosis.
Explain how newly made proteins end up as glycoproteins on the cell membrane [5]
 Proteins are released from the ribosomes
 They are packaged into rough ER vesicles
 The vesicles move towards the golgi apparatus and the fuse with it
 Proteins are modified here
 They are packaged into vesicles
 The vesicles move and fuse will the cell membrane
 Exocytosis uses ATP

ii) Understand the involvement of carrier and channel proteins in membrane transport.
What are the differences between active transport and diffusion? [3]
 Active transport requires energy in the form of ATP, diffusion is passive transport
 Active transport occurs against a concentration gradient
 Active transport uses carrier proteins found in cell membranes

Describe the role of proteins in active transport [4]

 A molecule binds to a carrier protein
 The carrier protein changes shape
 The carrier protein moves the molecule against a concentration gradient
 It uses ATP
Describe the role of proteins in facilitated diffusion
 To transport large/ charged/ polar molecules
 Using carrier and channel proteins
 Carrier proteins change shape, channel proteins open and close
 Molecules will move down a concentration gradient
How are channel proteins involved in passive transport? [3]
 They open and close
 They move molecules by diffusion down a concentration gradient
 They allow the transport of large/ charged/ polar molecules
2.6 i) Understand the process of protein synthesis (transcription) including the role of RNA
polymerase, translation, messenger RNA, transfer RNA, ribosomes and the role of start and
stop codons. ii) Understand the roles of the DNA template (antisense) strand in
transcription, codons on messenger RNA and anticodons on transfer RNA.
Describe how messenger RNA is made during transcription [5]
 RNA polymerase unwinds the DNA double helix
 RNA polymerase breaks the hydrogen bonds
 One strand is used as an anti- sense strand which contains the start codons to the
stop codon
 RNA nucleotides line up along the strand and complementary base pairing occurs
 The nucleotides join by condensation reactions
Describe how proteins are made in translation [5]
 tRNA carries amino acids and the anti codon to the mRNA in the ribosomes
 the anti codon is complementary to the start codon on the mRNA
 Complementary base pairing occurs
 A second tRNA molecule attaches itself to the next codon the same way
 tRNA provides specific amino acids
 Two amino acids join by peptide bonds by condensation reactions
 Once a stop codon is reached a polypeptide chain forms and moves away from the
ribosomes

Describe the structure of tRNA [4]

 Clover shaped
 Contains anti codons
 Has an amino acid binding site
 Has hydrogen bonds
Describe the structure of mRNA [3]
 It is straight
 The length depends on the size of the gene
 It contains codons
What is meant by a template for the synthesis of mRNA ?
 RNA nucleotides attach to it
2.7 Understand the nature of the genetic code (triplet code, non-overlapping and
degenerate).
Explain the nature of the genetic code [4]
 Triplet codons
 That code for an amino acid
 Non overlapping, meaning triplet codons do not share their bases
 Degenerate, meaning amino acids are coded by more than one triplet

2.9 iii) Understand the significance of a protein’s primary structure in determining its three-
dimensional structure and properties (globular and fibrous proteins and the types of bonds
involved in its three-dimensional structure).
How does a mutation result in the protein being non functional? [4]
 A mutation causes a change in the sequence of amino acids
 The R groups will be different
 The bonding will be different
 This will change the folding into it’s tertiary structure so the 3D shape will be
different

iv) Know the molecular structure of a globular protein and a fibrous protein and understand
how their structures relate to their functions (including haemoglobin and collagen).
Compare and contrast the molecular structures of globular and fibrous proteins [5]
 They are both chains of amino acids that are joined by peptide bonds
 They both contain hydrogen and ionic bonds and disulphide bridges
 In globular proteins they hydrophilic group is outside but in fibrous proteins they
have hydrophobic groups on their outside
 Globular proteins are folded into compact shapes where as fibrous proteins are long
chains
 globular have tertiary or quaternary structures whereas fibrous have little or no
tertiary structure
2.10 i) Understand the mechanism of action and the specificity of enzymes in terms of their
three-dimensional structure.
What are enzymes?
 Temperature dependant
 Biological catalyst
 Proteins
What is meant by the term ‘biological catalyst’? [4]
 Enzymes reduce activation energy
 Speed up the rate of reaction
 They do not get used up
 Produced by cells
What is meant by the term ‘activation energy’? [2]
 The energy needed for a reaction to occur
 By increasing the number of collisions between enzymes and substrate
Why is it necessary to measure the initial rate of reaction? [3]
 To ensure that substrate is not the limiting factor
 It is the highest at this point
 The substrate gets used up in the reaction

Explain how the primary structure of an enzyme determines it’s three dimensional
structure and properties [6]
 The primary structure is the sequence of amino acids which determine the type of
bonds
 E.g disulphide, ionic, hydrogen bonds and hydrophilic and hydrophobic properties
 Hydrophilic properties are on the outside and hydrophobic properties on the inside
 Which are determined by interactions between R groups
 These bonds determine the shape of the active site
 Which is specific
 Active sites are involved in chemical reactions between enzymes and substrates
 The shape of the active site has to be correct to allow substrate to bind to the active
site
 Enzymes are globular in their 3D structure
CORE PRACTICAL 4: Investigate the effect of enzyme and substrate concentrations on the
initial rates of reactions.
Describe the effect of enzyme concentration on the initial rate of reaction [4]
 Enzymes reduce the activation energy
 This causes increased collisions of enzymes with substrates
 Many active sites are occupied
 It levels off as substrate becomes the limiting factor

Explain the changes in the total volume of oxygen produced over the course of the reaction
[4]
 There is a faster initial rate of reaction due to the substrate not being a limiting factor
 There are enzyme substrate complexes
 Then the volume of oxygen produced slows down because there are fewer active
sites occupied
 It levels off because substrate becomes limiting

2.11 i) Understand the process of DNA replication, including the role of DNA polymerase.
Describe the process of DNA replication [6]
 DNA helicase unwinds the DNA double helix
 Breaking the hydrogen bonds
 Both strands act as template strands
 DNA polymerase brings free floating nucleotides, they line up along both exposed
strands
 Complementary base pairing occurs where adenine joins with thymine and cytosine
binds with guanine
 DNA ligase reforms the hydrogen bonds
 Mononucleotides are made in condensation reactions
 Both strands will contain an original strand and a newly synthesized strand

What is semi conservative replication?

 A new DNA is synthesized, it contains a new and original strand
2.12 i) Understand how errors in DNA replication can give rise to mutations.
How does deletion affect the primary structure of a protein? [3]
 Removing a base is called a frame shift mutation
 This means it will alter all the subsequent codons
 Therefore the order of amino acids will be different
How does substitution not affect the primary structure of a protein? [3]
 Substitution may not affect the sequence of amino acids
 Because of the degenerate code
 So the substitution may code for the same amino acid

2.13 i) Know the meaning of the terms: gene, allele, genotype, phenotype, recessive,
dominant, incomplete dominance, homozygote and heterozygote.
What is meant by the term ‘genotype’?
 A set of genes in our DNA that are responsible for a particular trait
What is meant by ‘incomplete dominance’?
 a form of intermediate inheritance in which one allele for a specific trait is not
completely expressed over its paired allele. This results in a third phenotype in which
the expressed physical trait is a combination of the phenotypes of both alleles
 A blend of the dominant and recessive phenotypes
What is meant by a recessive genetic disorder?
 A faulty allele that is only expressed if both alleles are present

2.14 Understand how the expression of a gene mutation in people with cystic fibrosis
impairs the functioning of the gaseous exchange, digestive and reproductive systems.
Describe the location of a CFTR protein [2]
 In the cell membranes
 Of mucus producing cells
Explain the effects of having smaller quantities of CFTR protein in cell membranes [5]
 Fewer chloride ions are transported across cell membranes
 So less water moves into the mucus by osmosis
  This makes mucus more sticky
 This blocks the airways, pancreatic duct, cervix and sperm duct
 Causing breathing, digestive and fertility problems
Explain how a gene mutation causes a build up of mucus in the respiratory system of a
person with cystic fibrosis [7]
 A mutation causes a change in the sequence of amino acids coding for the CFTR
protein
 This causes the shape of the CFTR protein to be different in its 3D structure
 As the CFTR protein transports chloride ions across cell membranes, a different shape
will cause it to be non functional
 Chloride ions will not be transported across cell membranes
 Water will not therefore move into the mucus by osmosis
 Mucus becomes stickier in the airways
 Cilia cannot move sticky mucus towards our noses and mouth
Why are people with cystic fibrosis more likely to suffer from lung infections ? [3]
 Mucus can trap bacteria
 Sticky mucus cannot be removed by the cilia towards our noses and mouth
 So this sticky mucus provides conditions for the bacteria to live and reproduce
Explain the treatments used to reduce the lung symptoms of people with cystic fibrosis [3]
 Antibiotics are used to kill bacteria
 Because people with cystic fibrosis are more prone to bacterial infection
 Physiotherapy are used to dislodge mucus
 This allows more efficient gas exchange
 Gene therapy can be used to produce the functioning CFTR channel protein
 So mucus will become less sticky

2.15 i) Understand the uses of genetic screening, including the identification of carriers,
pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) and prenatal testing, including amniocentesis and
chorionic villus sampling. ii) Understand the implications of prenatal genetic screening.
What are some of the similarities between amniocentesis and chorionic villus sampling? [2]
 They both require a needle to obtain foetal cells
 They both have a risk of miscarriage
What are some of the differences between amniocentesis and chorionic villus sampling? [5]
  Foetal cells are obtained from the amniotic fluid in amniocentesis and the placenta in
CVS
 In amniocentesis the needle is inserted into the abdomen and in CVS, a tube is
inserted into the vagina
 Amniocentesis is carried out 15-20 weeks and CVS is carried out 11-14 weeks
 Amniocentesis results are available later than CVS
 CVS has a greater risk of miscarriage of 1-2 %
2.16 Be able to identify and discuss the social and ethical issues related to genetic screening
from a range of ethical viewpoints.
What are some of the social issues relating to pre natal genetic screening? [3]
 The risk of miscarriage
 Causes stress
 If an abnormality is found
 It could cause future employment issues
 Other abnormalities may be found
What are some of the ethical issues relating to pre natal genetic screening? [3]
 Abortion is murder
 Everyone has a right to life
 If a false negative is found
 A healthy foetus may be aborted
What are some of the issues that need to be considered when deciding what pre natal test
to use? [2]
 As CVS can be performed earlier
 It allows decision to abort earlier which may be physically less traumatic
 Abortion and pre natal testing my go against the parents beliefs