Biology 9700/13 October/November 2020: question paper and mark scheme
Cambridge AS & A Level Biology (9700), Paper 1 Multiple Choice, October/November 2020. Read both free below, or download them. Done the paper? Get it marked by AI against this mark scheme.
What are the appropriate units for measuring diameters of alveoli, diameters of white blood cells and the width of cell walls?
diameters of diameters of width of alveoli white blood cells cell walls
A mm mm nm
B mm μm μm
C μm mm μm
D μm μm nm
The actual diameter of a prokaryotic cell is 0.5 μm. An electron micrograph of the cell has a magnification of ×50 000.
What is the diameter of the cell in the image?
A 2.5 × 10–1 mm
B 2.5 × 100 mm
C 2.5 × 101 mm
D 2.5 × 102 mm
The electron micrograph shows some cell structures.
Some cell structures are listed.
1 nucleolus
2 chloroplast
3 microtubules
4 ribosomes
5 mitochondria
6 plasmodesmata
Which cell structures can be seen in the electron micrograph?
A 1, 2, 3 and 4 B 1, 4, 5 and 6 C 2, 3, 5 and 6 D 2, 4, 5 and 6
Which part of the cell is often continuous with the rough endoplasmic reticulum?
A cell surface membrane
B Golgi body
C mitochondrion
D nuclear envelope
Which statements about ATP are correct?
1 It is produced in chloroplasts.
2 It is used during protein synthesis.
3 It contains deoxyribose.
4 It is used in facilitated diffusion.
5 It is used to load sucrose into companion cells.
A 1, 2 and 5 B 1, 3 and 5 C 2, 3, 4 and 5 D 2 and 4 only
Four students were asked to match the function with the appearance of some cell structures in an animal cell.
The functions were listed by number.
1 mRNA passes through to the ribosome
2 organises microtubules to produce the spindle during cell division
3 synthesis of lipids
The appearances were listed by letter.
V membranes which surround an enclosed inner cavity
W non-membrane-bound, spherical structures
X a double membrane with pores
Y non-membrane-bound, cylindrical structures
Z membrane-bound sacs, arranged as a flattened stack
Which student correctly matched the numbered functions with the appearance of the cell structure?
1 2 3
A V W Z
B V Y W
C X W V
D X Y V
A student carried out tests for biological molecules on the same sample of milk.
The tests and their results were as follows.
● Heating to 80 °C with Benedict’s solution gave a red colour.
● Boiling with acid, followed by neutralisation, then heating to 80 °C with Benedict’s solution also gave a red colour.
● Adding Biuret solution gave a purple colour.
● Adding iodine solution gave a yellow colour.
Which biological molecules must be present in the milk?
1 non-reducing sugars
2 protein
3 reducing sugars
4 starch
A 1, 2 and 3 B 1 and 2 only C 2 and 3 only D 3 and 4
Which row is correct for carbohydrates?
monomer polymer macromolecule
A fructose amylose cellulose
B glucose deoxyribose amylopectin
C monosaccharide glycogen deoxyribose
D sucrose starch glycogen
Which row correctly shows the ratio of carbon atoms to hydrogen atoms for glucose, a saturated fatty acid and sucrose?
ratio of carbon atoms to hydrogen atoms saturated fatty glucose sucrose acid
A 1:2 1:2 1 : 1.8
B 1:2 4:1 1:2
C 2:1 1:4 2:1
D 2:1 2:1 1.8 : 1
Which row shows a correct comparison between a phospholipid molecule and a triglyceride molecule?
phospholipid molecule triglyceride molecule
A contains a hydrophobic phosphate group is a hydrophobic molecule
B contains one glycerol molecule contains three glycerol molecules
C fewer ester bonds more ester bonds
D more fatty acids fewer fatty acids
Adult human haemoglobin typically consists of two α chains and two β chains.
Approximately 5% of humans have one amino acid in the β chain that has been changed. This change affects the structure and stability of haemoglobin.
Which levels of protein structure could be affected in the haemoglobin of the humans with the changed amino acid?
A primary only
B primary and quaternary only
C secondary, tertiary and quaternary only
D primary, secondary, tertiary and quaternary
Lysozyme occurs in human tears, saliva, milk and mucus.
Lysozyme has a role in the immune system and hydrolyses peptidoglycan.
Which description of lysozyme is correct?
A It is an extracellular antibody.
B It is an intracellular antibody.
C It is an extracellular antibacterial protein.
D It is an intracellular antibacterial protein.
Which letter in the flow diagram shows the effect of adding a competitive inhibitor to an enzyme-catalysed reaction?
is a reversible reaction
yes no
affects the Vmax value affects the Km value of the enzyme of the enzyme
yes no yes no
A B C D
The cell surface membrane structure is described as a ‘fluid mosaic’.
Which statement describes the ‘mosaic’ part of the cell surface membrane?
A the different patterns that are obtained by the moving phospholipid molecules
B the random distribution of cholesterol molecules within the phospholipid bilayer
C the regular pattern produced by the phospholipid heads and membrane proteins
D the scattering of the different proteins within the phospholipid bilayer
Solute X is at a higher concentration outside a cell than in the cytoplasm.
Which processes may allow solute X to be moved through the cell surface membrane?
A active transport, diffusion and facilitated diffusion
B active transport, diffusion and osmosis
C diffusion, facilitated diffusion and osmosis
D exocytosis, facilitated diffusion and osmosis
Three molecules found in prokaryotes are listed.
1 phospholipid
2 protein
3 peptidoglycan
Which molecules are found in prokaryotic cell surface membranes?
A 1, 2 and 3 B 1 and 2 only C 1 and 3 only D 2 and 3 only
What happens to the surface area to volume ratio of a cube when the length of each side is doubled?
A The ratio decreases by a quarter.
B The ratio decreases by half.
C The ratio doubles.
D The ratio increases by four times.
Three parts of a chromosome and their functions are listed.
part function
p1 centromere f1 holds the coils of DNA together p2 histone proteins f2 holds two chromatids together p3 telomere f3 prevents loss of genes
Which part is matched with its correct function?
A p1 and f2 B p2 and f2 C p2 and f3 D p3 and f1
Which features of mitosis are important for a single-celled organism?
1 asexual reproduction
2 production of genetically identical cells
3 growth
A 1, 2 and 3 B 1 and 2 only C 1 and 3 only D 2 and 3 only
Some events in the cell cycle are listed.
Which events are part of mitosis?
1 interphase
2 metaphase
3 cytokinesis
A 1, 2 and 3 B 1 and 3 only C 1 only D 2 only
Which row represents the correct features of guanine?
joins its has a complementary pairs with single ring is a purine base via three thymine structure hydrogen bonds
A key
B = correct
C = not correct
D
Bacteria were grown in a medium containing 15N. After several generations, all of the DNA contained 15N.
Some of these bacteria were transferred to a medium containing the common isotope of nitrogen,
14
N. The bacteria were allowed to divide once. The DNA of some of these bacteria was extracted and analysed. This DNA was all hybrid DNA containing equal amounts of 14N and 15N (14N / 15N).
In another experiment, some bacteria from the medium with 15N were transferred into a medium of 14N. The bacteria were allowed to divide three times. The DNA of some of these bacteria was extracted and analysed.
What is the composition of this DNA?
A B
100 100
75 75 percentage percentage
50 50 of DNA of DNA
25 25
0 0
14 14
N N / 15N 14
N 14
N / 15N
C D
100 100
75 75 percentage percentage
50 50 of DNA of DNA
25 25
0 0
14 14
N N / 15N 14
N 14
N / 15N
A molecule of transfer RNA (tRNA) has the anticodon sequence UAC.
What will be the corresponding nucleotide sequence in the DNA?
A ATG B AUG C TAC D TUG
Some of the features present in transport tissues in plants are listed.
1 lignified walls
2 cytoplasm
3 many mitochondria
4 pits
5 plasmodesmata
6 sieve plates
Which of these features are present in xylem vessel elements?
A 1, 2, 4 and 5 B 1 and 4 only C 2, 3, 5 and 6 D 2, 3 and 5 only
The diameter of a tree trunk usually decreases slightly during the day and increases slightly at night.
Which three environmental factors, if increased, could cause the largest decrease in diameter?
A humidity, temperature, wind speed
B humidity, light intensity, temperature
C humidity, light intensity, wind speed
D light intensity, temperature, wind speed
Sucrose moves within a phloem sieve tube from a source to a sink by mass flow.
Which type of gradient within the phloem sieve tube between the source and sink causes the movement of sucrose?
A diffusion gradient
B hydrostatic gradient
C concentration gradient
D water potential gradient
Which row is correct for the location of a type of molecule or cell?
tissue type of molecule or cell blood lymph fluid
A antibodies key
B plasma proteins = present
C lymphocytes = not present
D phagocytes
What effect does decreasing carbon dioxide concentration have on haemoglobin?
A It is less efficient at taking up oxygen and less efficient at releasing oxygen.
B It is less efficient at taking up oxygen and more efficient at releasing oxygen.
C It is more efficient at taking up oxygen and less efficient at releasing oxygen.
D It is more efficient at taking up oxygen and more efficient at releasing oxygen.
Why does the red blood cell count increase in humans as they start living at high altitude?
A to allow more carbon dioxide to be excreted by the lungs, preventing a fall in blood pH
B to allow more oxygen to be taken up by the haemoglobin as the partial pressure of oxygen is lower
C to allow more oxygen to be taken up by the lungs as there is a lower percentage of oxygen in the air
D to allow more oxygen to be transported as the affinity of haemoglobin for oxygen is lowered
Which statements about all bronchioles are correct?
1 They have epithelium.
2 They have goblet cells.
3 They have muscle tissue.
A 1, 2 and 3 B 1 and 3 only C 2 only D 3 only
Which row shows the effects of emphysema?
number of alveoli elastin capillaries
A burst less decrease
B burst more increase
C shrink less increase
D shrink more decrease
Which row is correct?
infectious or disease transmission non-infectious
A HIV/AIDS genetic infectious
B lung cancer pathogen infectious
C sickle cell anemia genetic non-infectious
D TB pathogen non-infectious
The diagrams show the result of incubating two species of bacteria, P and R, on separate Petri dishes each containing nutrient agar.
Three filter paper discs have been added to each Petri dish.
bacteria N N key
N = no antibiotic
X = antibiotic X
X Y X Y Y = antibiotic Y
bacteria P bacteria R
Which statement is correct?
A Antibiotics X and Y are resistant to bacteria P.
B Bacteria P are resistant to both antibiotics.
C Bacteria R have a mutation that makes them resistant to antibiotic Y.
D N is a control disc showing bacteria R grow when antibiotic Y is not present.
The statements are about infectious diseases.
1 Disease may be spread between humans by contact.
2 Disease-causing organism has many antigenic variations.
3 Spread of disease may be influenced by climate.
4 A vaccination programme is available.
Which row matches the correct statement numbers with each disease?
cholera measles malaria
A 1 1 and 2 1 and 3
B 1 and 4 4 2
C 2 and 3 1 and 3 1 and 4
D 4 1 and 4 2 and 3
Muscle cells have cell surface receptors for the neurotransmitter, ACh. These receptors allow the muscle to respond to a nerve impulse.
In the condition myasthenia gravis, the helper T cells stimulate a clone of B cells to become plasma cells and secrete antibodies that bind to and block these ACh receptors. The muscles cannot be stimulated and begin to break down.
A short-term treatment for myasthenia gravis is to inject monoclonal antibodies into the blood.
What is the target of these monoclonal antibodies?
A antibodies that bind to ACh receptors
B muscle cell surface ACh receptors
C plasma cells secreting anti-ACh receptor antibodies
D the stimulating neurotransmitter ACh
The diagram shows the simplified structure of an antibody.
X U
V
W
Which statement is correct?
A U and X allow the antibody to bind to two different antigens.
B V allows the antibody to fit around the antigen.
C W can bind to one specific antigen.
D X can bind with a specific phagocyte receptor.
Why have vaccination programmes eradicated smallpox but not TB?
A Vaccination can provide immunity only for smallpox but not for TB.
B Only TB is associated with poor living conditions.
C The smallpox virus showed little variation of antigens.
D The TB pathogen is a bacterium and the smallpox pathogen is a virus.
Answer
C
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On this page, free: the mark scheme for AS & A Level Biology 9700/13, October/November 2020 (9700_w20_ms_13), and the question paper (9700_w20_qp_13), to read or download, with each question's marking points written out underneath.
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Biology 9700/13 for October/November 2020 is out of 40 marks, with 1 hour to answer it.
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Yes. Upload your answers to 9700/13/O/N/20 as a PDF or photos, and CIE Buddy marks every question against this paper's official mark scheme, using Cambridge's marking rules. You get your score, each lost mark explained on your own script, and the topics to revise. It's a guide, not an official Cambridge grade.