Form 6 Biology Final Examination 2015-2016(SECTION B)

St. Stephen’s Girls’ College

Final Examination 2015-2016

Biology Paper 1 (SECTION B) SYF, KFL

Form 6 __ Class No.: _____ Name: ____________________________________

SECTION B (Question-Answer Paper B)

INSTRUCTIONS FOR SECTION B

Section Marks
1. Write your class, class number and name in the space
provided on this page.
A
2. The questions in this Question-Answer Paper carry 84
B
marks. Answer ALL questions.
Total
3. Write your answers to Section B in the spaces provided
in this Question-Answer Paper. Percentage
(%)
4. Supplementary answer sheets will be provided on
request. Write your class, class number and name on
each sheet. Tie them loosely but securely with a string
INSIDE this Question-Answer Paper.

5. Present your answers in paragraphs wherever

appropriate.

6. The diagrams in this section are NOT necessarily

drawn to scale.

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Form 6 Biology Final Examination 2015-2016(SECTION B)

SECTION B

Answer ALL questions. Put your answers in the spaces provided.

1. For each cell structure listed in column 1, select from column 2 one phrase that correctly
describes its property or function. Put the appropriate letter in the space provided. (3 marks)

Column 1 Column 2

Vitamin C ________ A A component of the pigment in red blood cells

B Lipid-soluble

Vitamin D ________ C Easily destroyed when exposed to oxygen

D Needed to prevent night blindness

Iron ________ E A component of bone; important for keeping bones strong

F Its deficiency may lead to sickle-cell anaemia

2. Phenylketonuria (PKU) is a disease caused by mutations of the gene coding for the enzyme
PAH. The table shows part of the DNA base sequence coding for PAH. It also shows a
mutation of this sequence which leads to the production of non-functioning PAH.

DNA base sequence coding for PAH C A G T T C G C T A C G

DNA base sequence coding for non- C A G T T C C C T A C G
functioning PAH

(a) (i) What is the maximum number of amino acids for which this base sequence could code?
(1 mark)

(ii) Explain how this mutation leads to the formation of non-functioning PAH. (3 marks)

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Form 6 Biology Final Examination 2015-2016(SECTION B)

(b) PAH catalyses a reaction at the start of two

enzyme-controlled pathways. The diagram
shows these pathways.

Use the information in the diagram to give two symptoms you might expect to be visible in a
person who produces non-functioning PAH. (2 marks)

(c) The following pedigree shows the inheritance of PKU in one family.

(i) Give one piece of evidence from the above pedigree that PKU is caused by a recessive allele.
(1 mark)

(ii)Individual 1 and 2 give birth to individual 5. Two years later, they give birth to individual 6.
Explain why individual 5 and 6 do not show identical body characteristics. (3 marks)

(Total: 10 marks)
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 Form 6 Biology Final Examination 2015-2016(SECTION B)

3. The diagram below shows the female reproductive system and three different stages of embryonic
development:

(a) Explain why the identical cells in stage B can later develop into different cells that make up the
foetus in stage C. (3 marks)

(b) Describe how the foetus obtains nutrients for growth. (3 marks)

(c) Suggest an appropriate method of birth control that can be applied to structure Y. State how
contraception can be achieved. (2 marks)

(Total: 8 marks)
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Form 6 Biology Final Examination 2015-2016(SECTION B)

4. The uptake of potassium ions by plant tissue immersed in different initial concentrations of
potassium chloride solution and at two different temperatures was investigated. The results of
the experiment are shown in the table below.
Initial concentration of Uptake of potassium ions/
potassium chloride arbitrary units hour-1
solution/mM at 4oC at 18oC
0 0 0
5 14 30
10 18 38
20 22 53
40 23 55

(a) Plot the above data in graphical form. (4 marks)

(b) The plant tissue has an internal potassium ion concentration of 50 mM. Explain why the
potassium uptake must involve active transport. (1 mark)

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 Form 6 Biology Final Examination 2015-2016(SECTION B)

(c) Explain the effect of temperature on the rate of potassium ion uptake. (2 marks)

(d) Rubidium ions have similar properties to potassium ions and, when present in the external
solution, reduce the rate of potassium uptake. Suggest a reason for this observation. (1 mark)

(Total: 8 marks)

5. Dengue fever is a mosquito-borne viral disease.

(a) In the past, some investigators conducted a test to study whether the mosquito was the vector of
dengue fever. They allowed some mosquitoes to bite patients with dengue fever. After 7 days,
these mosquitoes were taken to dengue-free areas and were allowed to bite volunteers there.

(i) Why was it necessary for the latter part of the study to be conducted in dengue-free areas?
(1 mark)

(ii) Describe a non-specific defence response of the body when the dengue virus was
transmitted to the volunteer. (2 marks)

(iii) There are different subtypes of dengue virus. Explain why a person who has recovered
from dengue fever caused by a particular subtype of the dengue virus will develop
immunity to that subtype. (3 marks)

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Form 6 Biology Final Examination 2015-2016(SECTION B)

(b) Figure 5.1 shows the average annual number of dengue fever cases reported to the World
Health Organisation (WHO) and the average annual number of countries reporting dengue
fever from 1955 to 2007. Figure 5.2 shows the global average air temperature over the same
period.

Figure 5.1

Figure 5.2

(i) What relationship between the incidence of dengue fever and global average air
temperature can be observed from the trends shown in Figures 5.1 and 5.2? (1 mark)

(ii) With reference to the trends shown in the above figures, predict and explain how global
warming may affect the spread of dengue fever. (3 marks)

(Total: 10 marks)

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 Form 6 Biology Final Examination 2015-2016(SECTION B)

6. The diagram below shows the nervous pathway in the withdrawal reflex of the hand.

sensory neurone

interneurone

motor neurone Y

motor neurone X

(a) Explain why the reflex action shown is involuntary. (1 mark)

(b) Along which motor neurone, X or Y, do nerve impulses travel during the withdrawal reflex?
Explain your answer. (3 marks)

(c) The table below shows the time taken for nerve impulses to travel along the sensory neurone,
interneurone and motor neurone in the nervous pathway.
Neurone Time (ms)
Sensory neurone 0.5
Interneurone 0.01
Motor neurone 0.3

The time interval between the stimulus and the response is longer than the sum of the time
shown in the table. Suggest one reason for this. (2 marks)

(Total: 6 marks)

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 Form 6 Biology Final Examination 2015-2016(SECTION B)

7. The liver is an organ that is metabolically very active, carrying out over 500 different functions.
Some of its important functions include converting chemicals including toxins, into other
compounds.
Fig. 7.1 outlines some of the reaction pathways that take place in the liver cells.
The underlined words represent toxic compounds.

Fig. 7.1

(a) Name the toxic product substance A in Pathway P and the organ to which substance A is
transported for removal from the body. (2 marks)
Substance A:
Substance A is transported to :

(b) Insulin only remains in the bloodstream for a relatively short time. Pathway R breaks down
insulin in the liver.
Explain what might happen to a person if the liver did not break down insulin. (2 marks)

(c) Alcohol (ethanol) is oxidised in the liver by Pathway Q. If a person has a high alcohol intake, it
will result in the production of excess NADH.
State precisely where in the liver cell the excess NADH can be re-oxidised. (1 mark)

(d) State one function of the liver that is related to digestion. (2 marks)

(Total: 7 marks)

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 Form 6 Biology Final Examination 2015-2016(SECTION B)

8. In a field study, Alice collected three living specimens (A, B and C). The following table shows the
features observed in these specimens.

Features A B C
Place where they are on land in water on decaying wood
found
Colour green green grey
Roots present absent absent
Stems present absent absent
Leaves present absent absent
Flowers present absent absent
Number of cells multicellular unicellular multicellular
Hyphae absent absent present

(a) Name the substance that makes specimens A and B green in colour. (1 mark)

(b) Name the kingdom to which specimens A, B and C belong. (3 marks)

A:
B:
C:

(c) Specimen A releases oxygen in sunlight but releases carbon dioxide in darkness. Explain.
(4 marks)

(d) How can the activity of specimen C contribute to the growth of specimen A? (2 marks)

(Total: 10 marks)
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 Form 6 Biology Final Examination 2015-2016(SECTION B)

9. Milk contains a protein called casein. The enzyme protease can digest casein. Peter carried out an
experiment to study the effect of temperature on the activity of protease:

A test tube containing 10 cm3 of milk suspension was immersed in a water bath at 0 oC for
10 minutes.
10 cm3 of protease solution was added to the test tube and the time taken for the mixture to
become colourless was measured and recorded.
The experiment was repeated at different temperatures (20 oC, 40 oC, 60 oC, 80 oC, 100 oC).
The table below shows the result obtained.
Temperature (oC) Time (second)
0 112
20 65
40 31
60 16
80 60
100

(a) Point out the major mistake that Peter made when performing the above experiment. (1 mark)

(b) The pH of the reaction mixture should be kept constant during the experiment. Why? Suggest
how this can be done. (2 marks)

(c) State two other variables that should be kept constant during the experiment. (2 marks)

(d) Peter concluded that the optimum temperature for protease is 60oC. His teacher suggested Peter
should modify his experiment in order to obtain a more precise optimum temperature. Suggest
how he could do so. (1 marks)

(Total: 6 marks)

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 Form 6 Biology Final Examination 2015-2016(SECTION B)

10. A scientist investigated ATP production in a preparation of isolated mitochondria. He suspended the
mitochondria in an isotonic solution and added a suitable respiratory substrate together with ADP
and phosphate. He bubbled oxygen through the preparation.
(a) Why was the solution in which the mitochondria were suspended isotonic? (1 mark)

(b) Explain why the scientist did not use glucose as the respiratory substrate. (2 marks)

(c) Explain why the oxygen concentration would change during this investigation. (1 mark)

(Total: 4 marks)

11. Describe the structural features that enable the leaves to obtain raw materials for photolysis and
carbon fixation of photosynthesis. Discuss the significance of photolysis to carbon fixation, and the
importance of these two processes for the continued life of humans. (12 marks)

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Form 6 Biology Final Examination 2015-2016(SECTION B)

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Form 6 Biology Final Examination 2015-2016(SECTION B)

END OF SECTION B
***END OF PAPER ***

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