AQA GCSE Biology — Paper 2 (Foundation Tier)

Total marks: 100 · Duration: 105 minutes · Tier: Foundation

Instructions to candidates

Answer all questions in the spaces provided.
You are expected to use a calculator where appropriate.
This paper covers Topics 5–7: Homeostasis and Response, Inheritance, Variation and Evolution, and Ecology.
The maximum mark for this paper is 100. The marks for each question are shown in brackets.

Paper

Section A — Multiple Choice (10 marks)

For each question, choose the one correct answer.

1. Which part of the brain controls balance and coordination? (1 mark) A) Cerebral cortex B) Cerebellum C) Medulla D) Spinal cord

2. Which hormone is released when blood glucose is too low? (1 mark) A) Insulin B) Glucagon C) Oestrogen D) Adrenaline

3. A reflex action is fast because it does not involve… (1 mark) A) receptors B) the conscious brain C) the spinal cord D) effectors

4. What is the male gamete in a flowering plant? (1 mark) A) Ovule B) Pollen C) Stigma D) Root

5. Which molecule carries the genetic code? (1 mark) A) Protein B) Glucose C) DNA D) Starch

6. A dominant allele is shown with a… (1 mark) A) lower-case letter B) capital letter C) number D) symbol

7. What is a community of organisms plus the non-living environment called? (1 mark) A) Population B) Habitat C) Ecosystem D) Species

8. Which process returns carbon dioxide to the air from dead organisms? (1 mark) A) Photosynthesis B) Decay (decomposition) C) Filtration D) Osmosis

9. Which is an example of a non-communicable disease? (1 mark) A) Measles B) Malaria C) Type 2 diabetes D) Influenza

10. Which human activity reduces biodiversity? (1 mark) A) Recycling B) Deforestation C) Building nature reserves D) Replanting hedges

Section B — Structured Questions (90 marks)

11. The nervous system coordinates responses. (12 marks) (a) Name the parts of the central nervous system. (2 marks) (b) Put the parts of a reflex arc in order: receptor, effector, relay neurone, sensory neurone, motor neurone. (2 marks) (c) Describe how an impulse crosses a synapse. (3 marks) (d) Describe how the eye focuses light onto the retina. (3 marks) (e) A person moves their hand away from a hot plate without thinking. Explain why this reflex is useful. (2 marks)

12. Homeostasis keeps internal conditions stable. (12 marks) (a) Define homeostasis. (1 mark) (b) Describe how insulin controls a rise in blood glucose. (3 marks) (c) Compare Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. (4 marks) (d) Name the hormone that controls water levels and the organ it acts on. (2 marks) (e) Explain why controlling body temperature is important for enzymes. (2 marks)

13. Hormones control the menstrual cycle. (11 marks) (a) Name the hormone that causes the lining of the uterus to build up. (1 mark) (b) Describe the role of FSH and LH in the menstrual cycle. (4 marks) (c) Explain how the contraceptive pill prevents pregnancy. (3 marks) (d) Give one advantage and one disadvantage of hormonal contraception. (2 marks) (e) Name one method of barrier contraception. (1 mark)

14. Characteristics are inherited. (13 marks) (a) Name the type of cell division that produces gametes. (1 mark) (b) Define the terms dominant and recessive. (2 marks) (c) Cystic fibrosis is caused by a recessive allele f. Two carriers (Ff) have a child. Use a Punnett square to find the probability the child has cystic fibrosis. (4 marks) (d) Explain the difference between a person's genotype and phenotype. (2 marks) (e) Describe how the sex of a baby is determined. (4 marks)

15. Living things have evolved. (12 marks) (a) State Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection. (3 marks) (b) Explain how a population of rabbits could become better camouflaged over many generations. (4 marks) (c) Explain how fossils provide evidence for evolution. (2 marks) (d) Describe how selective breeding is carried out. (3 marks)

16. Organisms live in ecosystems. (14 marks) (a) Name two abiotic (non-living) factors that affect organisms. (2 marks) (b) Define interdependence. (1 mark) (c) A student used a quadrat to estimate the number of daisies in a field. Describe a method to get a reliable estimate. (4 marks) (d) Describe the carbon cycle: how carbon moves from the air into living things and back. (4 marks) (e) Explain why decomposers are important in an ecosystem. (3 marks)

17. Extended response. (6 marks) Humans are reducing biodiversity. Describe human activities that reduce biodiversity and explain ways that biodiversity can be maintained.

18. Plants respond to their environment. (10 marks) (a) Name the plant hormone responsible for phototropism. (1 mark) (b) Explain how a shoot grows towards light. (3 marks) (c) Define the term tropism. (1 mark) (d) Describe how auxin affects growth differently in shoots and roots. (2 marks) (e) Give one commercial use of plant hormones. (1 mark) (f) A student grew seedlings with light coming from one side only. Describe the result they would expect. (2 marks)

Mark Scheme

1. B 2. B 3. B 4. B 5. C 6. B 7. C 8. B 9. C 10. B [10]

11. (a) brain and spinal cord B1 B1 (b) receptor→sensory→relay→motor→effector B2 (B1 one error) (c) neurotransmitter released (1); diffuses across the synapse (1); triggers impulse in next neurone (1) B1 B1 B1 (d) light refracted by cornea/lens (1); lens changes shape (1); focuses image on retina (1) B1 B1 B1 (e) protects the body from harm/damage (1); fast/automatic (1) B1 B1 [12]

12. (a) keeping a constant internal environment B1 (b) insulin released by pancreas (1); glucose moves into cells (1); stored as glycogen in the liver (1) B1 B1 B1 (c) Type 1: no insulin made, treated with injections (2); Type 2: cells stop responding to insulin, linked to obesity, treated by diet (2) B1×4 (d) ADH (1); kidneys (1) B1 B1 (e) enzymes denature if too hot / work best at body temperature B1 B1 [12]

13. (a) oestrogen B1 (b) FSH causes an egg to mature (1) and stimulates oestrogen (1); LH causes ovulation/release of the egg (1) on day ~14 (1) B1×4 (c) contains hormones that stop FSH (1); so no egg matures (1); ovulation prevented (1) B1 B1 B1 (d) advantage e.g. very effective (1); disadvantage e.g. side effects / no STI protection (1) B1 B1 (e) condom (or diaphragm) B1 [11]

14. (a) meiosis B1 (b) dominant allele is expressed with one copy (1); recessive needs two copies (1) B1 B1 (c) Ff × Ff → FF, Ff, Ff, ff M1 A1; probability ff = 1/4 / 25% A1; identifies ff as affected B1 (d) genotype = the alleles present (1); phenotype = the physical characteristic shown (1) B1 B1 (e) females XX, males XY (1); mother gives X (1); father gives X or Y (1); 50:50 chance (1) B1×4 [13]

15. (a) variation exists (1); best-adapted survive and reproduce (1); pass on their genes (1) B1 B1 B1 (b) variation in fur colour (1); better-camouflaged survive predators (1); reproduce and pass on alleles (1); over generations the population changes (1) B1×4 (c) fossils show how organisms have changed over time / order in rock layers B1 B1 (d) choose parents with the desired characteristic (1); breed them (1); repeat over many generations (1) B1 B1 B1 [12]

16. (a) any two: temperature, light, water, pH, oxygen levels B1 B1 (b) species depend on each other for food/shelter/pollination etc. B1 (c) place quadrat randomly (1); count organisms (1); repeat many times (1); calculate a mean and scale up to the area (1) B1×4 (d) CO₂ removed by photosynthesis (1); passed along food chains (1); returned by respiration (1); and by decomposition/combustion (1) B1×4 (e) decomposers break down dead material (1); release/recycle mineral ions and CO₂ (1); for plants to reuse (1) B1 B1 B1 [14]

17. levels, 6: activities — deforestation, pollution, peat destruction, global warming; maintenance — breeding programmes, protected reserves, reforestation, reducing deforestation/CO₂. L3 (5–6) both sides developed; L2 (3–4) some of each; L1 (1–2) isolated points. [6]

18. (a) auxin B1 (b) auxin accumulates on the shaded side (1); cells there elongate more (1); so the shoot bends towards the light (1) B1 B1 B1 (c) a growth response of a plant towards or away from a stimulus B1 (d) auxin promotes growth in shoots (1) but inhibits growth in roots (1) B1 B1 (e) any one: rooting powder, weedkiller, ripening fruit, seedless fruit B1 (f) the seedlings bend/grow towards the light source (1); on the lit side (1) B1 B1 [10]

AQA GCSE Biology — Paper 2 (Foundation Tier)

AQA GCSE Biology — Paper 2 (Foundation Tier)

Instructions to candidates

Paper

Section A — Multiple Choice (10 marks)

Section B — Structured Questions (90 marks)

📋 Mark Scheme & Sample Answers

Mark Scheme

Examiner notes