AQA
General A level Biology
Practical P1 5-year Analysis
Questions
June 2020
Topic
3.1.2 Carbohydrates
3.1.3 Lipids
3.1.4.1 General properties of proteins
3.1.6 ATP
3.2.2 All cells arise from other cells
3.2.3 Transport across cell membranes
3.2.4 Cell recognition and the immune system
3.3.2 Gas exchange
3.3.3 Digestion and absorption
3.3.4.1 Mass transport in animals
3.4.2 DNA and protein synthesis
3.4.3 Genetic diversity can arise as a result of mutation or during meiosis
3.4.5 Species and taxonomy
5/6 markers
3.4.2 DNA and protein synthesis + 3.4.3 Genetic diversity can arise as a result of
mutation or during meiosis
General Practical Questions
June 2021
Topic
3.1.2 Carbohydrates
3.1.3 Lipids
3.1.4.1 General properties of proteins
3.1.4.2 Many proteins are enzymes
3.1.5.1 Structure of DNA and RNA
3.1.5.2 DNA replication
3.1.6 ATP
3.2.1.3 Methods of studying cells
3.2.2 All cells arise from other cells
3.2.4 Cell recognition and the immune system
3.3.2 Gas exchange
3.3.4.1 Mass transport in animals
3.4.1 DNA, genes and chromosomes
3.4.2 DNA and protein synthesis
3.4.5 Species and taxonomy
General Practical Questions
5/6 markers
3.1.5.1 Structure of DNA and RNA
3.2.1.1 Structure of eukaryotic cells
3.2.1.3 Methods of studying cells
3.2.3 Transport across cell membranes
June 2022
Topic
3.1.2 Carbohydrates
3.1.4.1 General properties of proteins
3.1.4.2 Many proteins are enzymes
3.2.1.1 Structure of eukaryotic cells
3.2.1.2 Structure of prokaryotic cells and of viruses
3.2.1.3 Methods of studying cells
3.2.2 All cells arise from other cells
3.2.3 Transport across cell membranes
3.3.1 Surface area to volume ratio
3.3.2 Gas exchange
3.3.4.1 Mass transport in animals
General Practical Questions
June 2022 continued
3.3.4.2 Mass transport in plants
3.4.2 DNA and protein synthesis
3.4.3 Genetic diversity can arise as a result of mutation or during meiosis
3.4.6 Biodiversity within a community
5/6 markers
3.1.2 Carbohydrates
3.3.3 Digestion and absorption
3.3.4.2 Mass transport in plants
June 2023
Topic
3.1.2 Carbohydrates
3.1.4.2 Many proteins are enzymes
3.2.1.1 Structure of eukaryotic cells
3.2.1.2 Structure of prokaryotic cells and of viruses
3.2.1.3 Methods of studying cells
3.2.4 Cell recognition and the immune system
3.3.2 Gas exchange
General Practical Questions
June 2023 continued
3.3.3 Digestion and absorption
3.3.4.1 Mass transport in animals
3.3.4.2 Mass transport in plants
3.4.2 DNA and protein synthesis
3.4.4 Genetic diversity and adaptation
3.4.5 Species and taxonomy
5/6 markers
3.1.4.1 General properties of proteins
3.4.1 DNA, genes and chromosomes
3.4.3 Genetic diversity can arise as a result of mutation or during meiosis
June 2024
Topic
3.1.2 Carbohydrates
3.1.3 Lipids
3.2.1.3 Methods of studying cells
3.2.2 All cells arise from other cells
General Practical Questions
June 2024 continued
3.2.3 Transport across cell membranes
3.2.4 Cell recognition and the immune system
3.3.2 Gas exchange
3.3.3 Digestion and absorption
3.3.4.1 Mass transport in animals
3.4.2 DNA and protein synthesis
3.4.3 Genetic diversity can arise as a result of mutation or during meiosis
5/6 markers
3.1.6 ATP
3.2.1.1 Structure of eukaryotic cells
3.2.1.3 Methods of studying cells
General Practical Questions
Entire content examination analysis
The following topics have been assessed (almost) every year so far:
3.1.2 Carbohydrates (2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024)
3.2.2 All cells arise from other cells (2020, 2021, 2022, 2024)
3.2.3 Transport across cell membranes (2020, 2021, 2022, 2024)
3.2.1.3 Methods of studying cells (2021, 2022, 2023, 2024)
3.3.2 Gas exchange (2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024)
3.3.4.1 Mass transport in animals (2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024)
3.4.2 DNA and protein synthesis (2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024)
3.4.3 Genetic diversity from mutation or meiosis (2020, 2022, 2023, 2024)
3.2.4 Cell recognition and immune system (2020, 2021, 2023, 2024)
Appeared in 2–3 exam years:
3.1.3 Lipids (2020, 2021, 2024)
3.1.4.1 General properties of proteins (2020, 2021, 2022)
3.1.4.2 Many proteins are enzymes (2021, 2022, 2023)
3.1.5.1 Structure of DNA and RNA (2021)
3.1.6 ATP (2020, 2021, 2024)
3.2.1.1 Structure of eukaryotic cells (2022, 2023)
3.2.1.2 Structure of prokaryotic cells & viruses (2022, 2023)
3.3.3 Digestion and absorption (2020, 2023, 2024)
3.3.4.2 Mass transport in plants (2022, 2023)
3.4.1 DNA, genes and chromosomes (2021, 2023)
3.4.4 Genetic diversity and adaptation (2023)
3.4.5 Species and taxonomy (2020, 2021, 2023)
Appeared once:
3.1.5.1 Structure of DNA and RNA (2021)
3.1.5.2 DNA replication (2021)
3.3.1 Surface area to volume ratio (2022)
3.4.4 Genetic diversity and adaptation (2023)
3.4.6 Biodiversity in a community (2022)
Never appeared:
3.1.7 Water
3.1.8 Inorganic ions
3.4.7 Investigating diversity
General Practical Questions
Overall insight
In terms of content, we recommend revising topics that appear every year, as well as
those that have only been assessed once in the past five years. There are three topics
that have not come up at all during this period, particularly 3.1.7 Water and 3.1.8
Inorganic ions. A table-style question on one of these is quite likely. We also expect a
question asking you to compare and contrast the structures of one of the organic
compounds from 3.1 Biological molecules, such as phospholipids and triglycerides.
Any topics that did not appear in the 2024 paper are also worth focusing on. Examples
include 3.4.1 DNA, genes and chromosomes, which last appeared in 2021 and 2023, and
3.3.4.2 Mass transport in plants, which featured in 2022 and 2023.
When it comes to 5- or 6-mark questions, it is not especially useful to base revision
solely on topic frequency. That said, there still has not been a longer question on 3.3.4.1
Mass transport in animals or 3.1.7 Water, despite both containing high-value content.
These questions are very difficult to predict, so we recommend focusing your larger
flashcards and revision time on high-yield topics that have not yet been tested in this
format.
