AQA GCSE BIOLOGY HIGHER TIER
PAPER 1H CERTIFICATION SCRIPT
2026 QUESTIONS WITH SOLUTIONS
GRADED A+
◍ Cell structure - animal, plant and bacterial cells.
Answer: The organization of cells into different types, including animal cells
with no cell wall, plant cells with a cell wall and chloroplasts, and bacterial
cells which are prokaryotic.
◍ Microscopy, magnification and scale.
Answer: The use of microscopes to observe small objects, calculating
magnification by dividing the size of the image by the actual size of the
object.
◍ Specialised cells and cell differentiation.
Answer: Cells that have adapted to perform specific functions, such as red
blood cells for oxygen transport and nerve cells for signal transmission.
◍ Stem cells and how they can be used.
Answer: Undifferentiated cells capable of developing into different cell
types, used in medical therapies for conditions like diabetes and spinal
injuries.
◍ Mitosis and the cell cycle.
Answer: The process of cell division that results in two identical daughter
cells, including stages such as interphase, prophase, metaphase, anaphase,
and telophase.
◍ What does a nucleus do?.
Answer: It contains genetic material and controls the activities of the cell
,◍ What does cytoplasm do?.
Answer: It's a gel-like substance where most of the chemical reactions
happen. It contains enzymes that control these chemical reactions
◍ Diffusion.
Answer: The movement of particles from an area of higher concentration to
an area of lower concentration until equilibrium is reached.
◍ Osmosis.
Answer: The diffusion of water molecules across a semipermeable
membrane from a region of lower solute concentration to a region of higher
solute concentration.
◍ What does a cell membrane do?.
Answer: It holds the cell together and controls what goes in and out
◍ What do mitochondria do?.
Answer: These are where most of the reactions for aerobic respiration occur.
Respiration transfers energy that the cell needs to work
◍ Active transport.
Answer: The movement of molecules across a cell membrane from a region
of lower concentration to a region of higher concentration, requiring energy.
◍ What do ribosomes do?.
Answer: This is where protein synthesis takes place - where proteins are
made in the cell
◍ Cells, tissues, organs and organ systems.
Answer: The hierarchical organization of life: cells form tissues, tissues
form organs, and organs work together in organ systems.
◍ Enzymes - lock and key, temperature and pH.
Answer: Biological catalysts that speed up reactions; the lock and key model
describes how substrates fit into enzymes, which are affected by temperature
and pH.
◍ Digestive system and digestive enzymes.
, Answer: The system responsible for breaking down food into nutrients,
aided by enzymes like amylase, protease, and lipase.
◍ Food tests.
Answer: Tests used to identify the presence of carbohydrates, proteins, and
lipids in food samples, such as the Benedict's test for sugars.
◍ What do cell walls do?.
Answer: They are made of cellulose and they support and strengthen the cell
◍ Heart structure and blood vessels.
Answer: The anatomy of the heart, including chambers (atria and ventricles)
and blood vessels (arteries, veins, and capillaries) that transport blood.
◍ What does a vacuole do?.
Answer: It contains cell sap and helps maintain the shape of the cell
◍ Blood and the function of each part.
Answer: Blood consists of red blood cells (oxygen transport), white blood
cells (immune response), platelets (clotting), and plasma (transport of
nutrients and waste).
◍ What do chloroplasts do?.
Answer: This is where photosynthesis occurs, which makes food for the
plant. They contain chlorophyll - a green pigment - which absorbs light
needed for photosynthesis
◍ What do bacterial cells contain?.
Answer: Cytoplasm, cell membrane, cell wall, flagella, ribosomes,
mitochondria, slime capsule, plasmids (small rings of DNA) and a single
circular strand of DNA that floats freely in the cytoplasm
◍ What do bacterial cells NOT contain?.
Answer: A nucleus
◍ Coronary heart disease and treatments.
Answer: A condition caused by the buildup of plaque in coronary arteries,
treated with lifestyle changes, medications, or surgical procedures.
, ◍ Health, disease and risk factors.
Answer: The relationship between health and diseases, including factors that
increase the risk of developing conditions, such as genetics and lifestyle
choices.
◍ Plant tissues - xylem, phloem, meristem.
Answer: Xylem transports water and minerals, phloem transports sugars,
and meristem is the tissue responsible for plant growth.
◍ What is the equation for magnification?.
Answer: Image size divided by actual size
◍ Transpiration and translocation.
Answer: Transpiration is the loss of water vapor from plants, while
translocation is the movement of nutrients through the plant's vascular
system.
◍ Types of pathogen - bacteria, viruses, fungi and protists.
Answer: Microorganisms that can cause disease, with bacteria being
single-celled, viruses being non-cellular, fungi being multi-cellular or
unicellular, and protists being diverse eukaryotic organisms.
◍ How diseases spread and how to reduce spread.
Answer: Diseases can spread through direct contact, air, water, and vectors;
prevention includes vaccination, hygiene, and isolation.
◍ Measles, HIV and TMV.
Answer: Measles is a viral infection preventable by vaccination; HIV attacks
the immune system; TMV (Tobacco Mosaic Virus) affects plants.
◍ Salmonella, gonorrhoea and rose black spot.
Answer: Salmonella is a bacterial infection from contaminated food;
gonorrhoea is a sexually transmitted infection; rose black spot is a fungal
disease affecting roses.
◍ What is differentiation?.
Answer: The process by which a cell changes to become specialised for its
PAPER 1H CERTIFICATION SCRIPT
2026 QUESTIONS WITH SOLUTIONS
GRADED A+
◍ Cell structure - animal, plant and bacterial cells.
Answer: The organization of cells into different types, including animal cells
with no cell wall, plant cells with a cell wall and chloroplasts, and bacterial
cells which are prokaryotic.
◍ Microscopy, magnification and scale.
Answer: The use of microscopes to observe small objects, calculating
magnification by dividing the size of the image by the actual size of the
object.
◍ Specialised cells and cell differentiation.
Answer: Cells that have adapted to perform specific functions, such as red
blood cells for oxygen transport and nerve cells for signal transmission.
◍ Stem cells and how they can be used.
Answer: Undifferentiated cells capable of developing into different cell
types, used in medical therapies for conditions like diabetes and spinal
injuries.
◍ Mitosis and the cell cycle.
Answer: The process of cell division that results in two identical daughter
cells, including stages such as interphase, prophase, metaphase, anaphase,
and telophase.
◍ What does a nucleus do?.
Answer: It contains genetic material and controls the activities of the cell
,◍ What does cytoplasm do?.
Answer: It's a gel-like substance where most of the chemical reactions
happen. It contains enzymes that control these chemical reactions
◍ Diffusion.
Answer: The movement of particles from an area of higher concentration to
an area of lower concentration until equilibrium is reached.
◍ Osmosis.
Answer: The diffusion of water molecules across a semipermeable
membrane from a region of lower solute concentration to a region of higher
solute concentration.
◍ What does a cell membrane do?.
Answer: It holds the cell together and controls what goes in and out
◍ What do mitochondria do?.
Answer: These are where most of the reactions for aerobic respiration occur.
Respiration transfers energy that the cell needs to work
◍ Active transport.
Answer: The movement of molecules across a cell membrane from a region
of lower concentration to a region of higher concentration, requiring energy.
◍ What do ribosomes do?.
Answer: This is where protein synthesis takes place - where proteins are
made in the cell
◍ Cells, tissues, organs and organ systems.
Answer: The hierarchical organization of life: cells form tissues, tissues
form organs, and organs work together in organ systems.
◍ Enzymes - lock and key, temperature and pH.
Answer: Biological catalysts that speed up reactions; the lock and key model
describes how substrates fit into enzymes, which are affected by temperature
and pH.
◍ Digestive system and digestive enzymes.
, Answer: The system responsible for breaking down food into nutrients,
aided by enzymes like amylase, protease, and lipase.
◍ Food tests.
Answer: Tests used to identify the presence of carbohydrates, proteins, and
lipids in food samples, such as the Benedict's test for sugars.
◍ What do cell walls do?.
Answer: They are made of cellulose and they support and strengthen the cell
◍ Heart structure and blood vessels.
Answer: The anatomy of the heart, including chambers (atria and ventricles)
and blood vessels (arteries, veins, and capillaries) that transport blood.
◍ What does a vacuole do?.
Answer: It contains cell sap and helps maintain the shape of the cell
◍ Blood and the function of each part.
Answer: Blood consists of red blood cells (oxygen transport), white blood
cells (immune response), platelets (clotting), and plasma (transport of
nutrients and waste).
◍ What do chloroplasts do?.
Answer: This is where photosynthesis occurs, which makes food for the
plant. They contain chlorophyll - a green pigment - which absorbs light
needed for photosynthesis
◍ What do bacterial cells contain?.
Answer: Cytoplasm, cell membrane, cell wall, flagella, ribosomes,
mitochondria, slime capsule, plasmids (small rings of DNA) and a single
circular strand of DNA that floats freely in the cytoplasm
◍ What do bacterial cells NOT contain?.
Answer: A nucleus
◍ Coronary heart disease and treatments.
Answer: A condition caused by the buildup of plaque in coronary arteries,
treated with lifestyle changes, medications, or surgical procedures.
, ◍ Health, disease and risk factors.
Answer: The relationship between health and diseases, including factors that
increase the risk of developing conditions, such as genetics and lifestyle
choices.
◍ Plant tissues - xylem, phloem, meristem.
Answer: Xylem transports water and minerals, phloem transports sugars,
and meristem is the tissue responsible for plant growth.
◍ What is the equation for magnification?.
Answer: Image size divided by actual size
◍ Transpiration and translocation.
Answer: Transpiration is the loss of water vapor from plants, while
translocation is the movement of nutrients through the plant's vascular
system.
◍ Types of pathogen - bacteria, viruses, fungi and protists.
Answer: Microorganisms that can cause disease, with bacteria being
single-celled, viruses being non-cellular, fungi being multi-cellular or
unicellular, and protists being diverse eukaryotic organisms.
◍ How diseases spread and how to reduce spread.
Answer: Diseases can spread through direct contact, air, water, and vectors;
prevention includes vaccination, hygiene, and isolation.
◍ Measles, HIV and TMV.
Answer: Measles is a viral infection preventable by vaccination; HIV attacks
the immune system; TMV (Tobacco Mosaic Virus) affects plants.
◍ Salmonella, gonorrhoea and rose black spot.
Answer: Salmonella is a bacterial infection from contaminated food;
gonorrhoea is a sexually transmitted infection; rose black spot is a fungal
disease affecting roses.
◍ What is differentiation?.
Answer: The process by which a cell changes to become specialised for its
