AQA GCSE BIOLOGY HIGHER TIER
PAPER 1H COMPREHENSIVE STUDY
GUIDE 2026 FULL QUESTIONS AND
SOLUTIONS GRADED A+
◍ amino acids.
Answer: What are proteins digested to?
◍ cell wall, vacuole, chloroplast.
Answer: Name 3 things found in plant cells but not animal cells
◍ Magnification equation.
Answer: Magnification= image size/actual object size
◍ ribosomes.
Answer: where are proteins synthesised in a cell?
◍ Light microscope- how many um in 1 mm.
Answer: 1000 um
◍ light microscope- how many nm in 1 um.
Answer: 1000 nm
◍ contains DNA / controls cell / has genetic material.
Answer: What is the function of a nucleus?
◍ Light microscope- why can we see the nucleus and cell wall but not the
mitochondria.
Answer: Too small and not stained
◍ What must you have for the GCSE Biology Higher Tier Paper 1H?.
Answer: A ruler and a scientific calculator.
,◍ light microscope- how can we see smaller parts of cells.
Answer: An electron microscope has much more resolution and
magnification
◍ What is osmosis?.
Answer: The movement of water from an area with high concentration of
water to an area of low concentration of water
◍ What should you use to write your answers in the exam?.
Answer: Black ink or black ball-point pen; pencil should only be used for
drawing.
◍ What is the maximum mark for the GCSE Biology Higher Tier Paper 1H?.
Answer: 100 marks.
◍ What's a solute.
Answer: Something that dissolves in water
◍ Investigating osmosis- what are the results.
Answer: High concentration of sugar in solution- water moves out of potato
cells into the solution.potato gets smaller, low concentration potato gets
bigger
◍ Control variables of investigating osmosis.
Answer: Amount of solution
◍ Investigating osmosis- why should you remove excess water with paper
towels before weighing.
Answer: to ensure that any change in the mass of the potato is due to a
change in the water content inside the potato cells
◍ What is a tissue in the context of plant biology?.
Answer: A group of cells that work together to perform a specific function.
◍ What type of tissue in plants contains stem cells?.
Answer: Meristematic tissue.
◍ From which plant does aspirin originate?.
Answer: Willow tree.
,◍ Why do scientists usually extract chemical A from the berries of the deadly
nightshade plant?.
Answer: Berries contain a higher concentration of chemical A compared to
leaves or roots.
◍ How do you test for starch.
Answer: Add iodine to substance. Turns black if starch present
◍ How to test for protein.
Answer: Add biuret. Turns purple
◍ How to test for reducing sugar.
Answer: Add benedicts and heat for 2 mins. Turns red
◍ How to test for lipid.
Answer: Add ethanol then add water. Turns cloudy
◍ What is the mass of chemical A found in the leaves of the deadly nightshade
plant if it is 60% of the mass shown in Table 1?.
Answer: 0.72 grams (since leaves contain 1.2 grams in 100g of plant tissue).
◍ How do you calculate the mass of chemical A in 200 g of leaves with
chlorosis?.
Answer: Calculate 60% of 1.2 grams (0.72 grams) and then find the amount
in 200 grams: (0.72g/100g) * 200g = 1.44 grams or 1440 mg.
◍ What is chlorosis in plants?.
Answer: A condition where leaves produce insufficient chlorophyll, leading
to yellowing.
◍ bacterial cells have no nucleus or mitochondria. They have a cell wall.
Answer: what are the differences between bacterial cells and animal cells?
◍ Stores cell sap.
Answer: what is the function of the vacuole?
◍ Investigating amylase enzyme- why do you need a water bath.
Answer: To maintain the correct temperature, because temperature affects
, reaction rate
◍ Why is it important for drugs to be tested in clinical trials before public
use?.
Answer: To ensure safety and efficacy.
◍ Investigating amylase enzyme- if you text at ph 3,4,5,6,7,8,9&10 why don't
we know the exact optimum ph.
Answer: Because all though two answers may both show quick reactions,
the actual optimum could be between those numbers so you need to test
different phs to find exact optimum
◍ Investigating amylase enzyme- sources of error and weaknesses.
Answer: Measuring, starting and stopping timers
◍ What is one reason a report about chemical A may be biased?.
Answer: It may be funded by a company with a vested interest in the drug.
◍ Light and photosynthesis results.
Answer: The closer the lamp, the quicker the bubbles are produced, so
higher rate of photosynthesis
◍ Light and photosynthesis- why might results be inaccurate.
Answer: Difficult to count very small bubbles each bubbles count as 1 no
matter how big it is
◍ How can scientists validate claims about new drugs?.
Answer: Through rigorous clinical trials and peer-reviewed studies.
◍ What should you do if you need extra space for your answers in the exam?.
Answer: Use the lined pages at the end of the exam book and write the
question number against your answers.
◍ What should you do with any rough work in the exam?.
Answer: Do all rough work in the exam book and cross through any work
you do not want marked.
◍ Light and photosynthesis- why should you leave the plant for a few minutes
before starting to count bubbles.
PAPER 1H COMPREHENSIVE STUDY
GUIDE 2026 FULL QUESTIONS AND
SOLUTIONS GRADED A+
◍ amino acids.
Answer: What are proteins digested to?
◍ cell wall, vacuole, chloroplast.
Answer: Name 3 things found in plant cells but not animal cells
◍ Magnification equation.
Answer: Magnification= image size/actual object size
◍ ribosomes.
Answer: where are proteins synthesised in a cell?
◍ Light microscope- how many um in 1 mm.
Answer: 1000 um
◍ light microscope- how many nm in 1 um.
Answer: 1000 nm
◍ contains DNA / controls cell / has genetic material.
Answer: What is the function of a nucleus?
◍ Light microscope- why can we see the nucleus and cell wall but not the
mitochondria.
Answer: Too small and not stained
◍ What must you have for the GCSE Biology Higher Tier Paper 1H?.
Answer: A ruler and a scientific calculator.
,◍ light microscope- how can we see smaller parts of cells.
Answer: An electron microscope has much more resolution and
magnification
◍ What is osmosis?.
Answer: The movement of water from an area with high concentration of
water to an area of low concentration of water
◍ What should you use to write your answers in the exam?.
Answer: Black ink or black ball-point pen; pencil should only be used for
drawing.
◍ What is the maximum mark for the GCSE Biology Higher Tier Paper 1H?.
Answer: 100 marks.
◍ What's a solute.
Answer: Something that dissolves in water
◍ Investigating osmosis- what are the results.
Answer: High concentration of sugar in solution- water moves out of potato
cells into the solution.potato gets smaller, low concentration potato gets
bigger
◍ Control variables of investigating osmosis.
Answer: Amount of solution
◍ Investigating osmosis- why should you remove excess water with paper
towels before weighing.
Answer: to ensure that any change in the mass of the potato is due to a
change in the water content inside the potato cells
◍ What is a tissue in the context of plant biology?.
Answer: A group of cells that work together to perform a specific function.
◍ What type of tissue in plants contains stem cells?.
Answer: Meristematic tissue.
◍ From which plant does aspirin originate?.
Answer: Willow tree.
,◍ Why do scientists usually extract chemical A from the berries of the deadly
nightshade plant?.
Answer: Berries contain a higher concentration of chemical A compared to
leaves or roots.
◍ How do you test for starch.
Answer: Add iodine to substance. Turns black if starch present
◍ How to test for protein.
Answer: Add biuret. Turns purple
◍ How to test for reducing sugar.
Answer: Add benedicts and heat for 2 mins. Turns red
◍ How to test for lipid.
Answer: Add ethanol then add water. Turns cloudy
◍ What is the mass of chemical A found in the leaves of the deadly nightshade
plant if it is 60% of the mass shown in Table 1?.
Answer: 0.72 grams (since leaves contain 1.2 grams in 100g of plant tissue).
◍ How do you calculate the mass of chemical A in 200 g of leaves with
chlorosis?.
Answer: Calculate 60% of 1.2 grams (0.72 grams) and then find the amount
in 200 grams: (0.72g/100g) * 200g = 1.44 grams or 1440 mg.
◍ What is chlorosis in plants?.
Answer: A condition where leaves produce insufficient chlorophyll, leading
to yellowing.
◍ bacterial cells have no nucleus or mitochondria. They have a cell wall.
Answer: what are the differences between bacterial cells and animal cells?
◍ Stores cell sap.
Answer: what is the function of the vacuole?
◍ Investigating amylase enzyme- why do you need a water bath.
Answer: To maintain the correct temperature, because temperature affects
, reaction rate
◍ Why is it important for drugs to be tested in clinical trials before public
use?.
Answer: To ensure safety and efficacy.
◍ Investigating amylase enzyme- if you text at ph 3,4,5,6,7,8,9&10 why don't
we know the exact optimum ph.
Answer: Because all though two answers may both show quick reactions,
the actual optimum could be between those numbers so you need to test
different phs to find exact optimum
◍ Investigating amylase enzyme- sources of error and weaknesses.
Answer: Measuring, starting and stopping timers
◍ What is one reason a report about chemical A may be biased?.
Answer: It may be funded by a company with a vested interest in the drug.
◍ Light and photosynthesis results.
Answer: The closer the lamp, the quicker the bubbles are produced, so
higher rate of photosynthesis
◍ Light and photosynthesis- why might results be inaccurate.
Answer: Difficult to count very small bubbles each bubbles count as 1 no
matter how big it is
◍ How can scientists validate claims about new drugs?.
Answer: Through rigorous clinical trials and peer-reviewed studies.
◍ What should you do if you need extra space for your answers in the exam?.
Answer: Use the lined pages at the end of the exam book and write the
question number against your answers.
◍ What should you do with any rough work in the exam?.
Answer: Do all rough work in the exam book and cross through any work
you do not want marked.
◍ Light and photosynthesis- why should you leave the plant for a few minutes
before starting to count bubbles.
