Cross-topic exercise VI (Ch 1-30, Bk E1)

Level 2

Gas exchange in humans, thermoregulation

1 The tables below show the daily intake and output of water of a man. The man remained at
rest on day 1 and ran a marathon on day 2.

Water intake (mL) Day 1 Day 2

From food 700 850
From drinks 1600 ?
From metabolism 200 200

Water output (mL) Day 1 Day 2

Sweat 200 4000
Faeces 200 100
Urine 1500 500
Exhaled air 300 650
From skin 300 300

a Calculate the minimum amount of water that the man would need to drink in order to
avoid a net loss of water from the body on day 2. (1 mark)

b 200 mL of water was gained from metabolism. Suggest one metabolic process that
contributes to this amount of water. (1 mark)

c i Describe the mechanism involved in bringing about the increased sweat

production on day 2. (3 marks)

ii Explain the significance of having the increased sweat production on day 2.

(2 marks)

d Explain how 300 mL of water was lost through the skin. (1 mark)

e Explain why the loss of water through exhaled air on day 2 is higher than that
on day 1. (3 marks)

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 Cross-topic exercise Exercise VI (Ch 1-30, Bk E1)

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 Cross-topic exercise Exercise VI (Ch 1-30, Bk E1)

Level 3

Human reproduction, hormonal control of menstrual cycle, infertility

2 Smart fertility tracker is a new kind of wearable digital medical device. The device is
shaped like a watch or bracelet and a woman needs to wear it for at least four hours while
they sleep every night. It continuously measures several physiological parameters of the
user (e.g. skin temperature) and then predicts the user’s five most fertile days in the
menstrual cycle using the data collected.

During the development phase of the tracker, researchers conducted a study on 190 women
and measured the changes in five physiological parameters throughout the menstrual cycle.
The graph below shows the results.
deviation from the average

days from
ovulation

Key: high fertility resting heart rate skin temperature

heart rate variability blood flow in skin
peak fertility breathing rate

a It can be observed from the graph that the increase in skin temperature is one of the
more reliable predictors of the fertile period.

i With reference to the hormonal control of the menstrual cycle, which hormone
may be responsible for causing the skin temperature to rise above average at the
time of ovulation and after ovulation? Explain your answer. (3 marks)

ii At the end of the menstrual cycle, the skin temperature drops as the hormone
mentioned in i drops from its high level. Suggest the cause of this change in
hormone level. (1 mark)

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 Cross-topic exercise Exercise VI (Ch 1-30, Bk E1)

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 Cross-topic exercise Exercise VI (Ch 1-30, Bk E1)

iii If you were the developer of the smart fertility tracker, which parameter would
you use along with skin temperature in order to yield a more reliable prediction of
the fertile period? Give evidence from the graph to support your answer. (2 marks)

b Amy and his husband have sexual intercourse without using any contraceptive
methods during the fertile period predicted by the smart fertility tracker. However,
Amy still failed to become pregnant after several months of trying. Suggest two
possible reasons for this. (2 marks)

c Amy’s doctor suggested that Amy and her husband can further increase the chance of
pregnancy by having sexual intercourse within 24 hours after ovulation. Give the
reason behind the suggestion. (1 mark)

d Another study showed that the smart fertility tracker has a 90% accuracy in predicting
the most fertile days in the menstrual cycle. Give two advantages of determining the
fertile period by using the tracker over the conventional way of measuring the body
temperature with a thermometer every morning. (2 marks)

Gas exchange in humans, regulation of gas content

3 The bar chart below shows the oxygen concentrations of different air samples and blood
samples collected from humans at sea level and at an altitude of 4000 m.

Key: At sea level At 4000 m

oxygen concentration
(arbitrary unit)

inhaled air air inside the blood in blood in blood in

air sacs arteries capillaries veins

a With reference to the bar chart, account for the lower oxygen concentration of the
blood in arteries at an altitude of 4000 m as compared to that at sea level. (4 marks)

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 Cross-topic exercise Exercise VI (Ch 1-30, Bk E1)

cont. 

A study was carried out to understand how populations native to the Andean and Tibetan
Plateaus adapt to living at high altitudes. Both populations live at an altitude of about 4000
m above sea level. The table below shows the results of the study.

Andean Plateau Tibetan Plateau

Male Female Male Female
Resting ventilation rate 14.0 12.0 18.5 18.0
(L/min)
Haemoglobin 19.0 17.0 15.5 14.0
concentration (gm/dL)
Blood oxygen saturation 93.0 92.0 89.0 89.5
level (%) *
Nitric oxide concentration 4.5 4.5 7.5 7.5
in exhaled air (nmHg)
* Note: Normal blood oxygen saturation levels are 95% to 100%. Saturation levels below 90% are often
considered abnormal.

b Account for the difference in the haemoglobin concentration between the males and
females in the Andean population. (2 marks)

c With reference to the data shown in the table, discuss whether a higher resting
ventilation rate is effective in helping the Tibetan population adapt to living at high
altitudes. (2 marks)

d Another possible adaptive mechanism of the Tibetan population is the increased

production of nitric oxide (NO) in the lining of the blood vessels. NO is a dilating
factor of blood vessels. Explain how a higher NO concentration may help deliver
oxygen to different parts of the body at high altitude. (2 marks)

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 Cross-topic exercise Exercise VI (Ch 1-30, Bk E1)

Homeostasis, regulation of gas content

4 High-intensity interval training (HIIT) is a training protocol which involves short bursts of
intense exercise alternated with brief periods of rest or low-intensity exercise. The workouts
are often short (can be as short as 15 minutes) and have been proven to have similar health
benefits as traditional exercise (e.g. moderate-intensity continuous training or MICT).

Scientists carried out an investigation to compare the physiological changes when people
are performing HIIT and MICT. 24 volunteers were randomly divided into two groups.
Group A was the HIIT group and group B was the MICT group. Both groups exercised on
stationary bikes set at different speeds. The HIIT protocol used and the results are shown
below.
85-95% maximum heart rate reached
intensity

5 min 4 min 3 4 min 3 4 min 3 4 min 3

warmu work min work min work min work min
p period rest period rest period rest period rest

Key:
group B
A
maximum heart rate

B
percentage of

time (min)
stroke volume (mL)

time (min)

cont. 

a The maximum heart rate of a person can be calculated by the formula:

Maximum heart rate = 220 – age

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 Cross-topic exercise Exercise VI (Ch 1-30, Bk E1)

Calculate the target range of heart rate of a 25-year-old man in group A that he should
try to reach during the work period. (1 mark)
b With reference to the data shown in the graph, deduce how the cardiac output of group
A would differ from that in group B during the investigation. Explain your deduction.
(5 marks)
c In another investigation, 15 young men participated in a HIIT program which lasted for
two weeks. Their blood glucose and insulin responses to the oral consumption of
75 cm3 glucose solution were measured before and after the two-week training. The
table below shows the results.

Before training After two-week training

Time
Blood glucose level Blood insulin level Blood glucose Blood insulin level
(min)
(mmol L-1) (arbitrary unit) level (mmol L-1) (arbitrary unit)
0 5.0 13.6 5.0 13.8
30 5.7 50.7 5.1 30.9
60 6.4 92.7 5.2 54.0
90 5.2 49.8 4.9 35.3
120 4.8 19.6 4.7 17.1

i With reference to the data given, discuss the overall effect that two weeks of HIIT
has on the blood glucose response. Explain your answer. (4 marks)
ii A reporter read the results and wrote the following conclusion in the newspaper:
‘To summarize, the investigation showed that HIIT could be a treatment for type 2
diabetes.’
Give two reasons why this conclusion might not be valid. (2 marks)

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 Cross-topic exercise Exercise VI (Ch 1-30, Bk E1)

s
Answer
1 a 4500 mL 1
b Respiration 1
c i During the marathon, a large amount of heat was generated by the body / skeletal muscles.
Body temperature / skin temperature increased. 1
When the thermoreceptors in the hypothalamus / the skin detected the rise in body
temperature / skin temperature, they sent nerve impulses to the heat loss centre in the
hypothalamus. 1
The heat loss centre then sent nerve impulses to sweat glands to increase sweating. 1
ii More sweat evaporates from the skin surface 1
to facilitate heat loss / help return the body temperature to normal. 1
d Water passes from the dermis through the epidermis and evaporates from the skin’s surface. 1
e The lining of the air sacs or respiratory tract is covered with a water film. 1
Water in the water film evaporates into the air inside the air sac and is lost through exhalation. 1
During exercise, both the rate and depth of breathing increase and the amount of air exhaled
increases, resulting in an increased water output via exhaled air. 1

2 a i Progesterone 1
as its secretion starts to increase only after ovulation 1
and it reaches a very high level / remains very high after ovulation. 1
ii The yellow body began to degenerate. 1
iii Resting heart rate 1
The resting heart rate rose significantly (+0.2) after entering the fertile period / five days
before ovulation. 1
OR
Heart rate variability / breathing rate 1
The trend of the parameter reversed when the woman entered the fertile period / five days
before ovulation. This may give a more accurate prediction of when the woman enters the
fertile period. 1
(any one set or other reasonable answers)
b The oviduct(s) of Amy may be blocked. /
The ova or sperms produced may not be viable / may be defective. /
The sperm count of her husband may be too low.
(any 2 or other correct answers) 1×2
c Once released, the ovum can survive for one or two days in the female reproductive tract. 1
d The smart fertility tracker is able to detect the fertile period before ovulation while the
conventional method fails to predict the fertile period before ovulation / before there is a rise in
body temperature. 1
The smart fertility tracker is more accurate as multiple / continuous measurements can be made
to even out the variation in body temperature caused by other factors (e.g. emotions) / reduce
measurement errors. 1
(or other correct answers)
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 Cross-topic exercise Exercise VI (Ch 1-30, Bk E1)

3 a The inhaled air at 4000 m has a much lower oxygen concentration than that at sea level. 1
This lowers the oxygen level of the air inside the air sacs. 1
As a result, the oxygen concentration gradient between the air inside the air sac and the artery at
4000 m becomes less deep. 1
With a smaller concentration gradient of oxygen, the oxygen in the air inside the air sac diffuses
slower into the blood. 1
Therefore, the oxygen concentration of the blood in arteries at an altitude of 4000 m is lower
than that at sea level.
b In the Andean population, the haemoglobin concentration of females was lower than that of
males. 1
A possible explanation is that females have a regular loss of blood due to menstruation. 1
c Despite the higher resting ventilation rate, the blood oxygen saturation level was 89% for men
and 89.5% for women living on the Tibetan Plateau, which were still below the normal level
(95%). 1
This shows that the higher resting ventilation rate does not play a significant role in helping the
Tibetan population adapt to living at high altitudes. 1
d With a higher concentration of NO, the arteries and arterioles dilate. 1
The increased flow of oxygenated blood to the organs / skeletal muscle allows these body parts
to obtain more oxygen. 1

4 a 166 to 185 beats / min 1

b The cardiac output of group A would be higher than group B 1
as the heart rate during the work period in group A was significantly higher than that in group B
(e.g. from 27.5 to 30 min, the heart rate of group A was 90% of the maximum heart rate or
higher while group B was only around 70%) 1
while the stroke volume of group A did not show a significant difference from that of group B. 1
The fluctuations in cardiac output would be larger in group A than in group B 1
as the difference in heart rate between the work period and rest period was large in group A (can
be as large as 25% of the maximum heart rate) 1
while the change in heart rate in group B was small (about 5% of the maximum heart rate). 1
(any 5 or other reasonable answers)
c i The blood glucose response after training (+0.2 mmol L-1 in the first 60 minutes) was much
smaller than that before training (+1.4 mmol L-1). 1
Nevertheless, the blood insulin response after training (+40.2 arbitrary unit in the first 60
minutes) was also smaller than that before training (+79.1 arbitrary unit). 1
A possible explanation is that HIIT increases the sensitivity of the body cells to insulin, 1
which in turn enables a more efficient uptake / utilization of glucose by the body cells. 1
ii The investigation did not have a control group to rule out the effects of other factors that
may influence the results (e.g. diet). /
The sample size was small. / All the subjects were young men; the effect of training might
be different in female subjects or subjects of a different age group. /
The subjects were not patients of type 2 diabetes. /
HIIT might not be effective in controlling the blood glucose level in the long term.
(any 2 or other reasonable answers) 1×2

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