AQA Biology GCSE - Cell Structure PhysicsAndMathsTutor.

com

Questions are for both separate science and combined science

students unless indicated in the question Q1.
A student prepared some animal cells to view using a microscope.

Figure 1 shows the student preparing the cells.

Figure 1

(a) Name two pieces of laboratory equipment the student could have used to
prepare cells to view using a microscope.

1 Cover slip________________________________________________

2 Slide____________________________________________________
(2) Figure 2 shows the student’s light microscope.

Figure 2

(b) Name part A.

Eyepiece_______________________________________________
(1)

(c) What is the function of part B?

It is the focus knob, it focuses on the object._____________________

________________________________________________________

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(1) (d) The student tried to look at the cells using the microscope.

Suggest one reason why the student could not see any cells when looking
through part A.

The light was not on_______________________________________

________________________________________________________
(1)

(e) Red blood cells are specialised animal cells.

Compare the structure of a red blood cell with the structure of a plant cell.

An animal cell (red blood cell) compared to a plant cell, a plant cell has 3

more structures than an animal cell, such as the fact that they have a cell

wall, a permanent vacuole and chloroplasts, meanwhile a red blood cell

don’t have a nucleus because they need to have more space for carrying

oxygen__________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________
(6)

(f) When placed into a beaker of water:

• a red blood cell bursts
• a plant cell does not burst.

Explain why the red blood cell bursts but the plant cell does not burst.

The plant cell do not burst because it has a cell wall and the wall is fully
permeable, allowing all the molecules in, but it also gives support to the cell
when too much water comes in, it stops the cell from bursting. Meanwhile, a
red blood cell do not have this so when too much water comes in,
(hypotonic) the cell bursts. __________________________________

________________________________________________________
(2) Type equation here .

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(Total 13 marks)

Q2.
This question is about cells.

(a) Which diagram shows oxygen moving by diffusion?

Tick (✓) one box.

(1)

(b) Complete the sentences.

Choose answers from the box.

carbon dioxide chlorophyll energy
light mineral ions water
Plant cells absorb substances from the soil.

Plant cells use osmosis to absorb ___________________________.

Plant cells use active transport to absorb ___________________________.

Active transport moves substances against the concentration gradient and

needs

___________________________.
(3)

Figure 1 shows a specialised cell that absorbs substances from the soil.

Figure 1

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(c) Name the type of specialised cell in Figure 1.

________________________________________________________
(1)

(d) Describe how the cell in Figure 1 is adapted to increase the absorption of
substances from the soil.

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________
(1) A sperm cell is another specialised cell.

Figure 2 shows a sperm cell.

Figure 2

(e) Draw one line from each feature to how the feature helps the sperm cell
carry out its function.
Feature of sperm cell How the feature helps
To break the outer layer
of the egg

Contains a nucleus

To help the cell to swim

to the egg

To provide the
chromosomes for
fertilisation

Has a long tail

To release energy
(2) Figure 3 shows another specialised cell.

Figure 3

(f) Name the type of cell in Figure 3.

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Describe one feature of the cell that helps it to carry out its function.

Name of the
cell _____________________________________________________

Feature of the
cell ___________________________________________________

________________________________________________________
(2)
(Total 10 marks)

Q3. (separate only)

A student investigated the effectiveness of three different antibiotics.

Figure 1 shows how the student set up an agar plate.

Figure 1

The student used aseptic techniques to make sure that only one type of
bacterium was growing on the agar.

(a) Describe two aseptic techniques the student should have used. (separate only)

1 _________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

2 _________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

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________________________________________________________
(2)

The student placed the agar plate in an incubator at 25 °C for 48 hours.

Figure 2 shows the agar plate after 48 hours.

Figure 2

(b) Which antibiotic is the least effective? (separate only)

Give a reason for your answer.

Least effective antibiotic _______________

Reason ____________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________
(1)

(c) Calculate the area where no bacteria were growing for antibiotic C.

Use π = 3.14

Give the unit. (separate only)

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

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________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

Area = ____________________ Unit __________

(5)

(d) Suggest one way the student could improve the investigation. (separate only)

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________
(1)
(Total 9 marks)

Q4.
Figure 1 shows a cross section of a leaf.

Figure 1

(a) Which cell is most transparent?

Tick (✓) one box.

A B C D
(1)

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(b) Which cell structure in a leaf mesophyll cell is not found in a root hair cell?

________________________________________________________
(1) Plants lose water through their leaves.

(c) Name the cells in a leaf that control the rate of water loss.

________________________________________________________
(1)

(d) Water is taken in by the roots, transported up the plant and lost from the
leaves.

Which scientific term describes this movement of water?

________________________________________________________
(1)

(e) Which change would decrease the rate of water loss from a plant’s leaves?

Tick (✓) one box. Increased humidity

Increased light intensity

Increased density of stomata

Increased temperature

(1)

(f) Compare the structure and function of xylem tissue and phloem
tissue.

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

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________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________
(6) Figure 2 shows the total volume of water lost from a plant over 6 hours.

Figure 2

(g) Determine the rate of water loss at 12:00

Use the tangent on the graph above.

Give your answer:

• in cm3 per minute
• in standard form.

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

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________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

Rate of water loss = _______________ cm3 per minute

(4)

(h) The rate of water loss at midnight was much lower than at 12:00

Explain why.

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________
(2)
(Total 17 marks)

Q5.
This question is about cells.

(a) Figure 1 shows a cell.

Figure 1

What type of cell is shown in Figure 1?

Tick (✓) one box.

Animal

Bacterium

Plant

(1)

Figure 2 shows an algal cell.

Figure 2

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(b) What is the function of the cell wall?

Tick (✓) one box.

To contain the genetic material

To stop the chloroplasts leaking out

To strengthen the cell

(1)

(c) The algal cell is green.

Which part of the algal cell makes it green in colour?

Tick (✓) one box.

Cellulose

Chloroplast

Cytoplasm

Nucleus

(1)

(d) Cells contain sub-cellular structures.

Draw one line from each structure to its function.

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(3) A student prepared a microscope slide of cheek cells.

The student looked at one cell using a microscope.

Figure 3 shows the image the student saw. Figure

(e) What should the student do to get a clear image?

Tick (✓) one box. Adjust the focus

knob

Make the light dimmer

Put water on the slide

(1)

The student then obtained a clear image.

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Figure 4 shows the clear image.

Figure 4

(f) Measure the length of the nucleus (A) and the length of the cell (B) in
millimetres (mm).

A = _______________ mm

B = _______________ mm
(2)

(g) How many times longer is the cell (B) than the nucleus (A)?

________________________________________________________

Number of times longer = _______________

(1)

(h) The student looked at another cell.

The image width of the cell was 40 mm

The real width of the cell was 0.1 mm

Calculate the magnification of the cell.

Use the equation:

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

Magnification = × _______________
(2)
(Total 12 marks)

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Q6.
The diagram below shows three types of cell.

(a) Give two similarities between the prokaryotic cell and the eukaryotic cells in
the diagram above.

1 _________________________________________________________

2 _________________________________________________________
(2)

(b) Give three differences between the prokaryotic cell and the eukaryotic cells
in the diagram above.

1 _________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

2 _________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

3 _________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________
(3)

(c) Calculate the ratio of the size of the bacterial cell to the size of the mesophyll
cell.

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

Ratio = 1 : __________
(2)

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(d) Name the type of cell division that produces genetically identical body cells
for growth and repair.

________________________________________________________
(1)

The chart below shows a cell cycle.

(e) What percentage of the time for one cell cycle is represented by stage 2 and
stage 3 together?

Tick (✓) one box.

7% 35% 40% 65%

(1)

(f) Describe what happens during each stage of the cell cycle.

Stage 1

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

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Stage 2

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

Stage 3

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________
(4)
(Total 13 marks)

Q7.
Figure 1 shows an animal cell viewed using a microscope.

Figure 1

(a) The cell contains a nucleus.

What is the function of the nucleus?

________________________________________________________
(1)

(b) Name one type of cell that does not contain a nucleus.

________________________________________________________
(1)

(c) Draw a simple diagram of the cell in Figure 1.

Label two parts of the cell.

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(2)

(d) Name one structure found in a plant cell but not found in an animal cell.

________________________________________________________
(1) Figure 2 shows some different cells.

Figure 2

(e) The real length from point X to point Y is 0.06 mm

Calculate the magnification.

Use the equation:

________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

Magnification = × __________________________________
(3)

(f) The cells shown in Figure 2 were viewed using a light microscope.

Give two advantages of using an electron microscope instead of a light

microscope.

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1 _________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

2 _________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________
(2)
(Total 10 marks)

Q8.
Plants are made up of cells, tissues and organs.

(a) Draw one line from each level of organisation to the correct plant part.

Level of organisation Plant part

Leaf

Organ Root hair

Spongy mesophyll

Tissue Vacuole

Xylem cell
(2)

Figure 1 shows a plant cell drawn to scale.

(b) Where in a plant would the cell in Figure 1 be found?

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Tick one box.

Epidermis

Palisade mesophyll

Phloem

Xylem

(1) (c) Calculate the length of the chloroplast labelled in Figure 1.

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

Length = ____________________ micrometres

(2)

(d) Cells in plant roots do not photosynthesise.

Give one reason why.

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________
(1)

(e) As a plant grows, new root hair cells are formed from unspecialised cells.

How does an unspecialised cell become a new root hair cell?

Tick one box.

Differentiation

Metabolism

Transpiration

Transport

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(1)

(Total 7 marks)

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Q9.
Cells can be classified according to their structure.

(a) Complete Table 1 to show which features each cell type has.

Write a tick or a cross in each box.

Table 1
Nucleus Plasmids Cytoplasm

Prokaryotic cell

Eukaryotic cell

(2) Figure 1 shows a cell.

(b) What type of cell is shown in Figure 1.

Tick one box.

An animal cell

A bacterial cell

A plant cell
(1)

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(c) The cell in Figure 1 contains ribosomes.

What is the function of ribosomes?

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________
(1)

(d) There are 1000 micrometres (μm) in a millimetre (mm).

The length of the cell in Figure 1 is 1.5 micrometres (μm).

Give the length of the cell in millimetres (mm).

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

Length of cell = ____________________ mm

(1)

Figure 2 shows a mitochondrion viewed with a microscope.

(e) Give one reason why the cell in Figure 1 does not contain mitochondria.

Use information from Figure 1 and Figure 2.

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________
(1)

The cell in Figure 1 divides once every 30 minutes. (separate only) Table 2

shows how many cells are present after a given time.

Table 2
Time in Number of cells
minutes present

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0 1

30 2

60 4
(f) Calculate how many cells will be present after 2 hours. (separate only)

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

Number of cells = ____________________

(2) Cells like the one in Figure 1 are kept in a culture solution for 25 hours.

The graph below shows the number of live cells present.

(g) Describe the changes in the number of live cells shown in the graph above
in the first 20 hours. (separate only)

Use data from the graph in your answer.

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

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________________________________________________________
(3)

(h) Suggest one reason why the number of live cells decreases after 20 hours.
(separate only)

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________
(1)
(Total 12 marks)

Q10.
The image below shows part of a root from a cress plant.

(a) What type of microscope was used to create the image above?

________________________________________________________
(1)

(b) The magnification of the cress root in the image above is × 200. There are
1000 micrometres (μm) in a millimetre (mm).

Calculate the real length of the root hair, X.

Give your answer in micrometres (μm).

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

Real length X = ____________________ μm

(2)

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(c) Root hair cells take up water from the soil.

Explain one way in which the root hair cell is adapted to this function.

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________
(2) The table shows the water uptake by a plant’s roots on two different days.
Mean water uptake in cm3 per hour

Cold day 1.8

Hot day 3.4

(d) Explain why the mean rate of water uptake is higher on a hot day than on a
cold day.

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________
(3)

(e) The concentration of mineral ions in the soil is lower than in root hair cells.
Root hair cells take up mineral ions from the soil.
Root hair cells contain mitochondria.

Explain why root hair cells contain mitochondria.

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

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(4)
(Total 12 marks)

Q11.
Figure 1 shows a human cheek cell viewed under a light microscope.

Figure 1

© Ed Reschke/Photolibrary/Getty Images

(a) Label the nucleus and cell membrane on Figure 1.

(2)

(b) Cheek cells are a type of body cell.

Body cells grow through cell division.

What is the name of this type of cell division?

Tick one box.

Differentiation

Mitosis

Specialisation

(1)

(c) Ribosomes and mitochondria are not shown in Figure 1.

What type of microscope is needed to see ribosomes and mitochondria?

________________________________________________________
(1)

(d) What is the advantage of using the type of microscope you named in part
(c)?

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Tick one box.

Cheaper

Higher magnification

Lower resolution

(1)

(e) The cheek cell in Figure 2 is magnified 250 times.

The width of the cell is shown by the line D to E.

Figure 2

Calculate the width of the cheek cell in micrometres (µm).

Complete the following steps.

Measure the width of the cell using a ruler

_____________________ mm

Use the equation to work out the real width of the cell in mm:

real size = _____________________

mm

Convert mm to µm _____________________ µm
(3)

(f) A red blood cell is 8 µm in diameter.

A bacterial cell is 40 times smaller.

Calculate the diameter of the bacterial cell.

Tick one box.

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0.02 µm

0.2 µm

2.0 µm

20.0 µm
(1)
(Total 9 marks)

Q12.
Living organisms are made of cells.

(a) Animal and plant cells have several parts. Each part has a different
function.

Draw one line from each cell part to the correct function of that part.

(3)

(b) The diagram below shows a cell from a plant leaf.

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Which two parts in the diagram above are not found in an animal cell?

1. ________________________________________________________

2. ________________________________________________________
(2)
(Total 5 marks)

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