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WJEC GCSE·🧬 Biology·higher

WJEC GCSE Biology — Paper 1 (Higher Tier)

⏱ 105 minutes📊 90 marks📄 Paper 1 (Higher Tier)
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ℹ️ About this paper: This is an exam-board-aligned practice paper written in the style of WJEC GCSE — not an official past paper. Use it for timed practice, then check against the mark scheme included below. For official past papers, see the exam board's website.
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WJEC GCSE Biology — Paper 1 (Higher Tier)

Total marks: 90 · Duration: 105 minutes · Tier: Higher

Instructions to candidates

  • Answer ALL questions in both Section A and Section B.
  • Write your answers in the spaces provided in the question paper.
  • You may use a calculator for this paper.
  • All working must be shown clearly when answering calculation questions.
  • Section A contains structured questions worth 54 marks. Section B contains extended response questions worth 36 marks.

Paper

Section A — Structured Questions (54 marks)

Question 1

A student investigated the effect of light intensity on the rate of photosynthesis in pondweed. Figure 1 shows the apparatus used.

[Figure 1 shows: A boiling tube containing pondweed submerged in water, positioned at varying distances from a bench lamp. Gas bubbles are collected in an inverted measuring cylinder placed over the pondweed.]

The student counted the number of bubbles produced in one minute at different distances from the lamp. Table 1 shows the results.

Table 1

Distance from lamp (cm) Number of bubbles per minute Light intensity (arbitrary units)
10 45 100
20 24 25
30 11 11
40 7 6
50 4 4

(a) State the independent variable in this investigation. (1 mark)

(b) Suggest one factor the student should control to make this a fair test. (1 mark)

(c) The student concluded that as light intensity increases, the rate of photosynthesis increases.

Explain why counting bubbles may not give an accurate measure of the rate of photosynthesis. (2 marks)

(d) Using data from Table 1, calculate the percentage decrease in the number of bubbles produced when the distance from the lamp increases from 10 cm to 40 cm.

Show your working. (2 marks)

(e) The student decided to investigate the effect of temperature on photosynthesis using the same apparatus.

Describe how the student could modify the investigation to test the effect of temperature. (3 marks)

Question 2

Figure 2 shows a section through the human heart.

[Figure 2 shows: A diagram of the heart with four chambers clearly visible. Structures labelled W, X, Y and Z are indicated. W points to the aorta, X to the left ventricle, Y to the pulmonary artery, and Z to the right atrium.]

(a) Name the structures labelled W and X. (2 marks)

(b) Explain why the wall of structure X is thicker than the wall of structure Z. (2 marks)

(c) During exercise, the heart rate increases.

Describe how the heart rate is controlled by the nervous system. (3 marks)

(d) A patient is fitted with an artificial pacemaker to regulate their heartbeat.

The pacemaker sends electrical impulses to the heart muscle at regular intervals.

Suggest why a patient might need an artificial pacemaker. (2 marks)

Question 3

Cystic fibrosis is a genetic disorder caused by a recessive allele. Figure 3 shows a family pedigree for cystic fibrosis.

[Figure 3 shows: A pedigree diagram with:

  • Generation 1: Male (unaffected) and Female (unaffected)
  • Generation 2: Three children - Male (affected with cystic fibrosis), Female (unaffected), Male (unaffected)
  • Generation 3: The unaffected female from Generation 2 has two children with an unaffected male - one Female (unaffected) and one Male (affected with cystic fibrosis)]

Use F to represent the dominant allele and f to represent the recessive allele.

(a) State the genotype of the affected male in Generation 2. (1 mark)

(b) Explain how the unaffected parents in Generation 1 can have a child with cystic fibrosis. (2 marks)

(c) The unaffected female in Generation 2 has two children. One child is affected with cystic fibrosis.

Use a genetic diagram to show how this is possible. (4 marks)

(d) The couple in Generation 2 are expecting another child.

Calculate the probability that this child will have cystic fibrosis.

Express your answer as a percentage. (2 marks)

Question 4

A student investigated osmosis in potato tissue. They cut five identical cylinders of potato, each 50 mm long. Each cylinder was placed in a different concentration of sugar solution for 24 hours. Table 2 shows the results.

Table 2

Concentration of sugar solution (mol/dm³) Initial length (mm) Final length (mm) Change in length (mm) Percentage change in length
0.0 50 54 +4 +8.0
0.2 50 52 +2 +4.0
0.4 50 50 0 0.0
0.6 50 48 -2 -4.0
0.8 50 46 -4 -8.0

(a) Define the term osmosis. (2 marks)

(b) Using the results in Table 2, identify the concentration of sugar solution inside the potato cells. (1 mark)

(c) Explain why the potato cylinder decreased in length in the 0.8 mol/dm³ sugar solution. (3 marks)

(d) The student repeated the investigation using boiled potato cylinders.

Suggest why boiled potato tissue would not show the same pattern of results. (2 marks)

Question 5

Enzymes are biological catalysts. A student investigated the effect of pH on the activity of the enzyme amylase. Amylase breaks down starch into maltose.

The student set up five test tubes, each containing:

  • 5 cm³ of starch solution
  • 2 cm³ of amylase solution
  • 2 cm³ of buffer solution at different pH values

The student tested for the presence of starch every 30 seconds using iodine solution. Table 3 shows the time taken for all the starch to be broken down at each pH.

Table 3

pH Time taken for starch to be broken down (seconds)
3 300
5 120
7 60
9 150
11 420

(a) Describe the colour change when iodine solution is added to:

(i) starch (1 mark)

(ii) maltose (1 mark)

(b) Using the data in Table 3, state the optimum pH for amylase. (1 mark)

(c) Explain why the rate of reaction decreases at pH values above and below the optimum. (3 marks)

(d) The student wanted to calculate the rate of reaction at pH 7.

Rate of reaction = 1 / time taken

Calculate the rate of reaction at pH 7. Show the correct unit in your answer. (2 marks)

(e) Suggest two variables the student should have controlled in this investigation. (2 marks)

Question 6

Figure 4 shows the carbon cycle.

[Figure 4 shows: A diagram with boxes and arrows showing:

  • "Carbon dioxide in the atmosphere" at the top
  • "Carbon compounds in plants" on the left
  • "Carbon compounds in animals" on the right
  • "Carbon compounds in decomposers and soil" at the bottom
  • Arrow A from atmosphere to plants
  • Arrow B from plants to animals
  • Arrow C from animals to atmosphere
  • Arrow D from decomposers to atmosphere]

(a) Name the process represented by arrow A. (1 mark)

(b) Describe the process represented by arrow B. (2 marks)

(c) Name the process represented by arrow C. (1 mark)

(d) Explain the role of decomposers in the carbon cycle. (3 marks)

(e) Human activities have increased the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

Describe two human activities that contribute to this increase. (2 marks)

Section B — Extended Response (36 marks)

Question 7

Hormones play important roles in controlling many processes in the human body, including the control of blood glucose concentration and the menstrual cycle.

Figure 5 shows how blood glucose concentration changes over a 6-hour period in a healthy person after eating a meal containing carbohydrates.

[Figure 5 shows: A line graph with "Blood glucose concentration (mg/100 cm³)" on the y-axis (ranging from 70 to 140) and "Time after eating (hours)" on the x-axis (0 to 6). The line shows glucose rising sharply from 80 to 130 in the first hour, then declining steadily back to 80 by hour 3, remaining stable at 80-85 thereafter.]

Table 4 shows information about the hormones insulin and glucagon.

Table 4

Hormone Produced by Effect on blood glucose
Insulin Pancreas Decreases blood glucose concentration
Glucagon Pancreas Increases blood glucose concentration

(a) With reference to Figure 5 and Table 4, explain how the hormones insulin and glucagon work together to control blood glucose concentration in a healthy person. (6 marks)

A person with Type 1 diabetes cannot produce sufficient insulin.

(b) Discuss the causes, symptoms and treatment of Type 1 diabetes. (9 marks)

Quality of extended response: 3 marks

Question 8

Plants and animals have evolved different adaptations to survive in their environments.

Figure 6 shows a camel, which is adapted to survive in hot desert conditions.

[Figure 6 shows: A diagram of a camel with labels pointing to: large body size, long eyelashes, wide feet, and hump containing fat stores]

Table 5 shows data about water loss in a camel and a cow on a hot day.

Table 5

Animal Body mass (kg) Water loss per day (litres) Water loss per kg body mass (litres/kg)
Camel 500 5 0.01
Cow 500 40 0.08

(a) Using data from Table 5, explain how the camel is better adapted than the cow to survive in desert conditions. (4 marks)

(b) With reference to Figure 6, explain two other adaptations that help the camel survive in hot desert conditions. (4 marks)

Desert plants, such as cacti, are also adapted to survive in hot, dry conditions.

(c) Evaluate the adaptations of desert plants and how these adaptations help them to survive. In your answer, you should refer to:

  • structural adaptations
  • how these adaptations reduce water loss
  • how these adaptations compare to plants living in wet conditions. (9 marks)

Quality of extended response: 3 marks

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