GCSE Biology Higher Tier Paper 1H Practice Flashcards

A comprehensive set of practice questions covering the GCSE Biology Higher Tier Paper 1H curriculum, including plant biology, human physiology, enzymes, and cell biology.

What type of pathogen causes the infectious disease measles?

A virus

What is one way that measles is typically spread from one person to another?

Through the inhalation of droplets from sneezes and coughs

From which plant did the painkiller drug aspirin originate?

Willow

Besides pain, what is another common symptom of measles?

Fever or a red skin rash

How does vaccinating a large proportion of a population reduce the spread of measles?

It creates herd immunity, meaning there are fewer susceptible individuals for the pathogen to spread to, protecting those who are not vaccinated.

Identify one disease for which obesity is a significant risk factor.

Type 2 diabetes

In an investigation of sugar intake across different countries, what relationship is typically shown between sugar intake and obesity?

A positive correlation

What is the purpose of using iodine solution in an investigation involving amylase and starch?

To test for the presence of starch; it turns from yellow-brown to blue-black if starch is present.

In an amylase investigation, why would the iodine solution remain yellow-brown at $30\,^{\circ}\text{C}$?

At $30\,^{\circ}\text{C}$, the amylase is active and breaks down the starch into sugars, so no starch remains to react with the iodine.

Why does the iodine solution turn blue-black when starch and amylase are mixed at $90\,^{\circ}\text{C}$?

The high temperature denatures the amylase enzyme, meaning it can no longer break down the starch.

Which organ in the digestive system is the protease enzyme Pepsin ($\text{optimum pH } 2$) active in?

The stomach

Which organ in the digestive system is the protease enzyme Trypsin ($\text{optimum pH } 8$) active in?

The small intestine

In an osmosis investigation, why does a potato cube increase in mass when placed in distilled water?

Water moves into the potato cells by osmosis because the solution inside the cells is more concentrated than the distilled water.

What is one way active transport differs from the process of osmosis?

Active transport requires energy (ATP) and moves substances against a concentration gradient, whereas osmosis is a passive process.

What is the independent variable in an experiment investigating the effect of temperature on the rate of photosynthesis in pondweed?

Temperature

Name two factors besides temperature that affect the rate of photosynthesis.

Light intensity and carbon dioxide concentration

What is the most likely disease for a plant displaying purple spots on its leaves that subsequently fall off?

Rose black spot

Why might a plant develop yellow leaves (chlorosis) without displaying spots?

A deficiency in magnesium ions, which are needed to make chlorophyll.

Give one function of blood plasma other than transporting blood cells.

Transporting dissolved substances such as carbon dioxide, urea, hormones, and glucose.

How do you calculate the real diameter of a cell from a magnified image?

Image size
Magnification

Describe the structure of an artery wall.

It has thick layers of muscle and elastic fibres to withstand and maintain high blood pressure.

Why is anaerobic respiration less efficient than aerobic respiration?

It involves the incomplete oxidation of glucose, which releases significantly less energy.

Why does an athlete's oxygen consumption remain high for a period after intensive exercise has stopped?

To provide the oxygen needed to react with and break down the accumulated lactic acid (addressing the oxygen debt).

Define 'diffusion'.

The net movement of particles from an area of higher concentration to an area of lower concentration.

How are fish gills adapted to maximise the exchange of oxygen?

They have a large surface area, a thin membrane for a short diffusion path, and an efficient blood supply to maintain a steep concentration gradient.

What property of embryonic stem cells makes them useful for treating conditions like liver disease?

They are undifferentiated and can develop into any type of specialized body cell.

In the production of monoclonal antibodies, which two cells are fused to create a hybridoma?

A mouse B-lymphocyte (which produces antibodies) and a tumour cell (which can divide indefinitely).

Where in the human body is bile stored?

The gall bladder

Why does a person with severe liver disease have difficulty digesting fats?

The liver produces less bile, which is required to emulsify fats into smaller droplets (increasing surface area for lipase) and to neutralise stomach acid.

What is the primary classification difference between bacterial cells and yeast cells?

Bacterial cells are prokaryotic, while yeast cells are eukaryotic.

Identify two features of a yeast cell that are not present in a bacterial cell.

A nucleus and mitochondria