Cambridge IGCSE™
BIOLOGY 0610/62
Paper 62 Alternative to Practical March 2025
MARK SCHEME
Maximum Mark: 40
Pre-standardisation
This document consists of 11 printed pages.
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0610/62 Cambridge IGCSE – Mark Scheme March 2025
PRE-STANDARDISATION
Cambridge Assessment International Education – Generic Marking Principles
These general marking principles must be applied by all examiners when marking candidate answers. They should be applied alongside the
specific content of the mark scheme or generic level descriptions for a question. Each question paper and mark scheme will also comply with these
marking principles.
GENERIC MARKING PRINCIPLE 1:
Marks must be awarded in line with:
● the specific content of the mark scheme or the generic level descriptions for the question
● the specific skills defined in the mark scheme or in the generic level descriptions for the question
● the standard of response required by a candidate as exemplified by the standardisation scripts.
GENERIC MARKING PRINCIPLE 2:
Marks awarded are always whole marks (not half marks, or other fractions).
GENERIC MARKING PRINCIPLE 3:
Marks must be awarded positively:
● marks are awarded for correct/valid answers, as defined in the mark scheme. However, credit is given for valid answers which go beyond the
scope of the syllabus and mark scheme, referring to your Team Leader as appropriate
● marks are awarded when candidates clearly demonstrate what they know and can do
● marks are not deducted for errors
● marks are not deducted for omissions
● answers should only be judged on the quality of spelling, punctuation and grammar when these features are specifically assessed by the
question as indicated by the mark scheme. The meaning, however, should be unambiguous.
GENERIC MARKING PRINCIPLE 4:
Rules must be applied consistently, e.g. in situations where candidates have not followed instructions or in the application of generic level
descriptions.
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GENERIC MARKING PRINCIPLE 5:
Marks should be awarded using the full range of marks defined in the mark scheme for the question (however; the use of the full mark range may
be limited according to the quality of the candidate responses seen).
GENERIC MARKING PRINCIPLE 6:
Marks awarded are based solely on the requirements as defined in the mark scheme. Marks should not be awarded with grade thresholds or
grade descriptions in mind.
Science-Specific Marking Principles
1 Examiners should consider the context and scientific use of any keywords when awarding marks. Although keywords may be present, marks
should not be awarded if the keywords are used incorrectly.
2 The examiner should not choose between contradictory statements given in the same question part, and credit should not be awarded for
any correct statement that is contradicted within the same question part. Wrong science that is irrelevant to the question should be ignored.
3 Although spellings do not have to be correct, spellings of syllabus terms must allow for clear and unambiguous separation from other
syllabus terms with which they may be confused (e.g. ethane/ethene, glucagon/glycogen, refraction/reflection).
4 The error carried forward (ecf) principle should be applied, where appropriate. If an incorrect answer is subsequently used in a scientifically
correct way, the candidate should be awarded these subsequent marking points. Further guidance will be included in the mark scheme
where necessary and any exceptions to this general principle will be noted.
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5 ‘List rule’ guidance (see examples below)
For questions that require n responses (e.g. State two reasons …):
● The response should be read as continuous prose, even when numbered answer spaces are provided.
● Any response marked ignore in the mark scheme should not count towards n.
● Incorrect responses should not be awarded credit but will still count towards n.
● Read the entire response to check for any responses that contradict those that would otherwise be credited. Credit should not be
awarded for any responses that are contradicted within the rest of the response. Where two responses contradict one another, this
should be treated as a single incorrect response.
● Non-contradictory responses after the first n responses may be ignored even if they include incorrect science.
6 Calculation specific guidance
Correct answers to calculations should be given full credit even if there is no working or incorrect working, unless the question states ‘show
your working’.
For questions in which the number of significant figures required is not stated, credit should be awarded for correct answers when rounded
by the examiner to the number of significant figures given in the mark scheme. This may not apply to measured values.
For answers given in standard form (e.g. a × 10n) in which the convention of restricting the value of the coefficient (a) to a value between 1
and 10 is not followed, credit may still be awarded if the answer can be converted to the answer given in the mark scheme.
Unless a separate mark is given for a unit, a missing or incorrect unit will normally mean that the final calculation mark is not awarded.
Exceptions to this general principle will be noted in the mark scheme.
7 Guidance for chemical equations
Multiples/fractions of coefficients used in chemical equations are acceptable unless stated otherwise in the mark scheme.
State symbols given in an equation should be ignored unless asked for in the question or stated otherwise in the mark scheme.
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Examples of how to apply the list rule
State three reasons … [3]
A 1. Correct ✔
2. Correct ✔ 2
3. Wrong
B 1. Correct, Correct ✔, ✔
(4 responses) 2. Correct ✔ 3
3. Wrong ignore
C 1. Correct ✔
(4 responses) 2. Correct, Wrong ✔, 2
3. Correct ignore
D 1. Correct ✔
(4 responses) 2. Correct, CON (of 2.) , (discount 2) 2
3. Correct ✔
E 1. Correct ✔
3
(4 responses) 2. Correct ✔
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3. Correct, Wrong ✔
F 1. Correct ✔
(4 responses) 2. Correct ✔
2
3. Correct
CON (of 3.) (discount 3)
G 1. Correct ✔
(5 responses) 2. Correct ✔
3
3. Correct ✔
Correct ignore
CON (of 4.) ignore
H 1. Correct ✔
(4 responses) 2. Correct
2
3. CON (of 2.) (discount 2)
Correct ✔
I 1. Correct ✔
(4 responses) 2. Correct
2
3. Correct ✔
CON (of 2.) (discount 2)
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Questio Guidance
Answer Marks
n
1(a)(i) 3 and 1 ; 1
1(a)(ii) table drawn with minimum 2 columns and a header line; 3
test-tube and colour
appropriate column / row headings ; A glucose concentration / %
recording 6 colours ; test-tube colour
1(a)(iii) number between 1.1 and 1.4 ; 1
1(a)(iv) any two from: 2 A temperature of water-bath
final volume of glucose solution in test-tube ;
volume of Benedict’s solution ;
time (tubes are left in the water-bath) ;
concentration of Benedict’s solution ;
1(a)(v) error: 2
using the same syringe (for 2% glucose and unknown) / idea of contamination
;
effect on the results:
the concentration of unknown U will be higher (than it should have been) ;
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Questio Guidance
Answer Marks
n
1(b) independent variable ; 6 Accept alternative correct methods ask TL
2 different pH values if unsure.
dependent variable ;
time taken for albumen to become clear
appearance of albumen after stated time
detail of method ;;;
add protease to albumen
use of buffer solutions
use of colorimeter
time for X held behind tube to become visible
constant variables ;;
concentration of albumen / volume of albumen / volume of protease / A amount of protease for 1 mark
concentration of protease / temperature / time (if appropriate) A amount of albumen for 1 mark
repeat at least 3 times and take an average (for each pH) ;
safety;
1(c) add ethanol and water ; 2
shake ;
2(a)(i) Outline - single clear line no shading ; 4
Size - size use at least half available space ;
Detail ;; 3/4 lobes on each side / number / position of veins
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Questio Guidance
Answer Marks
n
3
2(a)(ii) PQ = 58 ± 1 mm ; MP 1 measuring line
41 ;; MP2 correct calculation of actual size
MP3 correctly rounded to 2 sig.fig
ecf from previous step
any two from: 2
oak leaf has large indentations / AW in shape, holly hock does not ;
edge of oak leaf is smooth, hollyhock is serrated / AW ;
description of patterns of veins ;
2(a)(iii)
presence / absence of petiole ;
2(b)(i) surface area (of leaves) ;
to be able to identify anomalies / to avoid bias / to get a representative 1 A to increase reliability
2(b)(ii)
sample / to increase confidence in results
any two from: 2 Vetter’s comment: The current mark
draw round the leaf ; scheme doesn’t actually give the surface
count the number of squares on the graph paper (covered by the leaf) ; area. It misses the important point about
including squares that are more than half full / AW ; calculating area using the number of
2(b)(iii)
multiplying by 2 (to give top + bottom surface) ; squares e.g. each small square is 4mm2 /
each large square is 100 mm2 so multiply
by the number of squares counted.
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Questio Guidance
Answer Marks
n
4 x axis – bars labelled
A(xes) – labelled with units ; y axis – mean leaf (surface) area / cm3
Vetter comments: The graph is a little
S(cale) – suitable linear scale and data occupies at least half the grid in both unusual in that the x-axis doesn’t have one
directions ; variable so it can’t be labelled. The
variables are age and amount of light. The
2(c)(i) P(lot) – 4 bars plotted accurately + half a small square ; only thing that can be labelled is each bar
as full sun and young etc.
G(aps) – bars separated by at least one gap ; However, candidates will not have an
issue with it.
Needs a gap between either sun and
shade or old and young
3 mp1 correct selection of data from table –
34.5 (%) ;;; 78 and 58
mp2 correct calculation of percentage
2(c)(ii)
increase
mp3 correct rounding
ECF from previous mark point
any two from: 2
old leaves are larger than young leaves / ORA ;
(soybean) plants grown in full sun have larger leaves / AW / ORA ;
light intensity has a greater effect on the surface area of old leaves than
2(c)(iii)
young leaves / AW / ORA ;
there is a greater increase in leaf size between young and old leaves in the
sun / AW ;
2(d) purple ; 1
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