Q1 · Difficulty 1/3
The physical barrier that helps stop pathogens entering the body is the:
- liver
- kidney
- pancreas
- skin
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: D — skin
The skin acts as a physical barrier against pathogens.
OCR · GCSE · Biology
Free OCR GCSE Biology
Practice Paper
8 mixed-difficulty practice questions in the style of real OCR GCSE papers — answers, mark-scheme-style explanations, and the official exam structure all on one page.
Take a Mini Mock →What the real OCR 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.
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.
Q2 · Difficulty 1/3
Which blood vessels carry blood away from the heart?
- Arteries
- Veins
- Capillaries
- Venules
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: A — Arteries
Arteries carry blood away from the heart at high pressure.
Q3 · Difficulty 1/3
The variety of different species in an ecosystem is called:
- biomass
- biodiversity
- abundance
- distribution
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: B — biodiversity
Biodiversity is the range of species present.
Q4 · Difficulty 2/3
Antibiotics are used to treat infections caused by:
- bacteria
- viruses
- protists only
- fungi only
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: A — bacteria
Antibiotics kill bacteria; they do not work on viruses.
Q5 · Difficulty 2/3
Root hair cells are adapted for absorbing water because they have a:
- lack of a membrane
- chloroplast-packed tip
- large surface area
- thick waxy cuticle
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: C — large surface area
The long projection increases surface area for absorption.
Q6 · Difficulty 2/3
Which structure controls the opening and closing of stomata?
- Guard cells
- Root hairs
- Xylem vessels
- Palisade cells
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: A — Guard cells
Guard cells open and close the stomata.
Q7 · Difficulty 1/3
Differences between individuals of the same species are called:
- selection
- variation
- adaptation
- mutation only
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: B — variation
Variation is differences within a species.
Q8 · Difficulty 1/3
Enzymes are biological catalysts made of:
- carbohydrate
- lipid
- DNA
- protein
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: D — protein
Enzymes are proteins that speed up reactions.
Build a 30-question timed mock →
Free · No signup · Instant marking
OCR GCSE Biology FAQ
What does the OCR GCSE Biology exam look like?
The OCR 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 OCR GCSE Biology past paper?
Real OCR past papers are published directly by OCR 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 OCR 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.