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AQA · GCSE · Biology

Free AQA GCSE Biology
Practice Paper

8 mixed-difficulty practice questions in the style of real AQA GCSE papers — answers, mark-scheme-style explanations, and the official exam structure all on one page.

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What the real AQA GCSE Biology paper looks like

Paper 1
Approximately 1 hour 30 minutes, ~70-100 marks. Covers Topics 1-4 of the specification.
Paper 2
Approximately 1 hour 30 minutes, ~70-100 marks. Covers Topics 5-8 of the specification.
Paper 3
Where applicable — e.g. Combined Science, Languages. Includes synoptic and applied questions.
Total exam time: ~3 hours across two or three papers.
Grading: Grades: 9 (highest) to 1 (lowest), with U (ungraded). A grade of 4 is a standard pass; 5 is a strong pass.

Mini practice paper: 8 questions

Mixed-difficulty questions from across the Biology syllabus. Tap "Show answer" after each to check yourself.

Q1 · Difficulty 1/3

Which is a mechanical defence used by plants?

  1. A waxy cuticle covering the leaf
  2. Antibacterial chemicals in the sap
  3. Cellulose cell walls around every cell
  4. Leaves that droop or curl when they are touched
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: D — Leaves that droop or curl when they are touched
Mimicry, where a plant looks like something unpleasant or like another species, is also mechanical.
Q2 · Difficulty 1/3

What are the two main functions of a plant's roots?

  1. Support of the stem and production of seeds
  2. Anchoring the plant and absorbing water and mineral ions
  3. Photosynthesis and gas exchange
  4. Transport of sugars and storage of chlorophyll
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: B — Anchoring the plant and absorbing water and mineral ions
Many roots store food as starch as well.
Q3 · Difficulty 1/3

Which organ breaks excess amino acids down into urea?

  1. The pancreas
  2. The kidneys
  3. The liver
  4. The small intestine
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: C — The liver
The urea it makes is then carried in the blood to the kidneys, which remove it from the body.
Q4 · Difficulty 1/3

Which hormone is used as the basis of selective weedkillers?

  1. Gibberellin
  2. Ethene
  3. Auxin
  4. Progesterone
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: C — Auxin
A synthetic version is used, and it affects broad-leaved plants far more strongly than narrow-leaved ones.
Q5 · Difficulty 1/3

How is rose black spot usually treated?

  1. By adding extra nitrate to the soil
  2. With antibiotics sprayed on the leaves
  3. By keeping the plant in the dark
  4. With fungicides and by removing the affected leaves
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: D — With fungicides and by removing the affected leaves
Destroying fallen leaves matters because the fungus survives on them.
Q6 · Difficulty 1/3

Which hormone is used to end seed dormancy so seeds germinate when the grower wants?

  1. Auxin
  2. Adrenaline
  3. Gibberellin
  4. Ethene
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: C — Gibberellin
It lets growers plant and harvest at a time of their choosing rather than waiting for the season.
Q7 · Difficulty 1/3

Which is a chemical defence used by plants?

  1. Growing sharp thorns along the stem
  2. Producing poisons that deter herbivores
  3. Having leaves that curl up when touched
  4. Forming layers of dead cells around the stem
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: B — Producing poisons that deter herbivores
Plants also make antibacterial chemicals, and several human medicines originally came from them.
Q8 · Difficulty 1/3

Why does blood flow to the muscles increase during exercise?

  1. To reduce the energy the muscles need
  2. To cool the muscles down
  3. To deliver more glucose and oxygen and remove more carbon dioxide
  4. To carry lactic acid into the muscles
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: C — To deliver more glucose and oxygen and remove more carbon dioxide
Blood is diverted towards the working muscles and away from less active organs.
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AQA GCSE Biology FAQ

What does the AQA GCSE Biology exam look like?
The AQA GCSE Biology exam is structured across 3 components. Paper 1: Approximately 1 hour 30 minutes, ~70-100 marks. Covers Topics 1-4 of the specification. Paper 2: Approximately 1 hour 30 minutes, ~70-100 marks. Covers Topics 5-8 of the specification. Paper 3: Where applicable — e.g. Combined Science, Languages. Includes synoptic and applied questions. Total exam time: ~3 hours across two or three papers.
Can I download a free AQA GCSE Biology past paper?
Real AQA past papers are published directly by AQA on their official website. Kramizo doesn't redistribute copyrighted past papers, but we do generate free AI-written practice papers in the exact same style — same command words, same difficulty tier, same mark conventions. Use this practice paper as warm-up, then time yourself on official past papers before exam day.
How is AQA GCSE Biology graded?
Grades: 9 (highest) to 1 (lowest), with U (ungraded). A grade of 4 is a standard pass; 5 is a strong pass. Kramizo's practice questions are tagged with difficulty 1-3 mapping roughly to the lower, middle, and top grade boundaries you'll encounter in the real exam.