AQA GCSE Combined Science Trilogy : Biology
Paper 1 Study Guide Questions and Correct
Answers
1). Name the two types of cells
Ans: Prokaryotic and Eukaryotic
2). What is a prokaryotic cell?
Ans: A cell without a nucleus
3). Give an example of a prokaryote (prokaryotic cell)
Ans: Bacteria
4). What is a eukaryotic cell?
Ans: cell with a nucleus
5). Give two examples of eukaryotic cells
Ans: Plant & Animal cells
6). What three sub-cellular structures do plant cells have which animal cells do not?
Ans: Permanent vacuole, cell wall and chloroplasts
7). What is the function of the nucleus?
Ans: Contains genetic materials that controls the activities of the cell
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, 8). What is the function of the cytoplasm?
Ans: A gel-like substance where most of the chemical reactions happen. It contains
enzymes that control these reactions
9). What is the function of the cell membrane?
Ans: Holds the cell together and controls the passage of substances
10). What is the function of the mitochondria?
Ans: These are where most of the reactions for aerobic respiration take place.
Respiration transfers energy that the cell needs to work
11). What is the function of the ribosome?
Ans: These are were proteins are made in the cell through protein synthesis
12). What is the function of the cell wall?
Ans: To strengthen and support the cell
13). What is the function of the vacuole?
Ans: Contains cell sap (a weak solution of sugar and salts), it keeps the cell turgid
14). What is the function of the chloroplast?
Ans: This is where photosynthesis takes place, which makes food for the plant. They
contain a green substance called chlorophyll which absorbs the light required for
photosynthesis
15). What do bacterial cells have instead of a nucleus?
Ans: A single circular strand of DNA that floats freely in the cytoplasm, and some may
also contain one or more small rings of DNA called plasmids.
16). How many mm are in um?
Ans: 1000
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, 17). What do light microscopes use to work?
Ans: Light and lenses to form an image of a specimen. They let us see individual cells
and large sub cellular structures such as nuclei
18). What is the formula triangle for magnification?
Ans:
19). What do electron microscopes use to work?
Ans: Electrons instead of light to form an image. They have a much higher
magnification than light microscopes
20). How are electron microscopes better than light microscopes?
Ans: They allow us to see much smaller things in greater detail since they have a
higher magnification and resolutions. For example, using an electron microscope, we
can see the internal structure of mitochondria and chloroplast
21). Describe the steps to prepare a slide [required practical]
Ans: 1) Add a drop of water to the middle of a clean slide
2) Cut up an onion and separate it out into layers. Use tweezers to peel off some
epidermal tissue from the bottom of one the layers
3)Using the tweezers, place the epidermal tisse into the water on the slide
4) Add a drop of iodine solution. Iodine solution is a stain which is used to highlight
objects in the cell by adding colour to them
5) Place a cover slip on top. To do this, stand the cover slip upright on the slide, next to
the water droplet. Then carefully tilt and lower it so it covers the specimen. Try not to get
any air bubbles underneath it - they'll obstruct your view of the specimen
22). Describe the steps needed to use a light microscope to look at your slide [required
practical]
Ans: 1) Clip the slide you've prepared onto the stage
2) Select the lowest-powered objective lens
3) Use the coarse adjustment knob to move the stage up to just below the objective lens
4) Look down the eyepiece. Use the coarse adjustment knob to move the stage
downwards until the image is roughly in focus.
5) Adjust the focus with the fine adjustment knob, until you get a clear image of what's
on the slide
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, 6) If you need to see the slide with greater magnification, swap to a higher-powered
objective lens and refocus
23). What is cell differentiation?
Ans: Cell differentiation is the process by which a cell changes to become specialised
for its job.
24). What is cell specialisation?
Ans: The process of cells as they develop depending on their location in a tissue or
organ.
25). What is a stem cell?
Ans: A type of undifferentiated which are able to become any type of cell
26). How are sperm cells specialised?
Ans: For reproduction: they have a long tail and a streamlined head to help it swim to
the egg, there are lots of mitochondria in the cell to provide the energy needed and it also
carries enzymes in its head to digest through the egg cell membrane
27). How are nerve cells specialised?
Ans: For rapid signalling: these cells are long to cover more distances and have
branched connections at their ends to connect to other nerve cells and form a network
throughout the body
28). How are muscle cells specialised?
Ans: For contraction: these cells are long so that they have space to contract and
have lots of mitochondria to generate the energy needed for contraction
29). How are root hair cells specialised?
Ans: For absorbing water and minerals: they grow into long "hairs" that stick out into
the soil. This gives the plant a large surface area for absorbing water and mineral ions
from the soil
30). How are phloem and xylem cells specialised?
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Paper 1 Study Guide Questions and Correct
Answers
1). Name the two types of cells
Ans: Prokaryotic and Eukaryotic
2). What is a prokaryotic cell?
Ans: A cell without a nucleus
3). Give an example of a prokaryote (prokaryotic cell)
Ans: Bacteria
4). What is a eukaryotic cell?
Ans: cell with a nucleus
5). Give two examples of eukaryotic cells
Ans: Plant & Animal cells
6). What three sub-cellular structures do plant cells have which animal cells do not?
Ans: Permanent vacuole, cell wall and chloroplasts
7). What is the function of the nucleus?
Ans: Contains genetic materials that controls the activities of the cell
PaperStoc.com Page 1 of 41
, 8). What is the function of the cytoplasm?
Ans: A gel-like substance where most of the chemical reactions happen. It contains
enzymes that control these reactions
9). What is the function of the cell membrane?
Ans: Holds the cell together and controls the passage of substances
10). What is the function of the mitochondria?
Ans: These are where most of the reactions for aerobic respiration take place.
Respiration transfers energy that the cell needs to work
11). What is the function of the ribosome?
Ans: These are were proteins are made in the cell through protein synthesis
12). What is the function of the cell wall?
Ans: To strengthen and support the cell
13). What is the function of the vacuole?
Ans: Contains cell sap (a weak solution of sugar and salts), it keeps the cell turgid
14). What is the function of the chloroplast?
Ans: This is where photosynthesis takes place, which makes food for the plant. They
contain a green substance called chlorophyll which absorbs the light required for
photosynthesis
15). What do bacterial cells have instead of a nucleus?
Ans: A single circular strand of DNA that floats freely in the cytoplasm, and some may
also contain one or more small rings of DNA called plasmids.
16). How many mm are in um?
Ans: 1000
PaperStoc.com Page 2 of 41
, 17). What do light microscopes use to work?
Ans: Light and lenses to form an image of a specimen. They let us see individual cells
and large sub cellular structures such as nuclei
18). What is the formula triangle for magnification?
Ans:
19). What do electron microscopes use to work?
Ans: Electrons instead of light to form an image. They have a much higher
magnification than light microscopes
20). How are electron microscopes better than light microscopes?
Ans: They allow us to see much smaller things in greater detail since they have a
higher magnification and resolutions. For example, using an electron microscope, we
can see the internal structure of mitochondria and chloroplast
21). Describe the steps to prepare a slide [required practical]
Ans: 1) Add a drop of water to the middle of a clean slide
2) Cut up an onion and separate it out into layers. Use tweezers to peel off some
epidermal tissue from the bottom of one the layers
3)Using the tweezers, place the epidermal tisse into the water on the slide
4) Add a drop of iodine solution. Iodine solution is a stain which is used to highlight
objects in the cell by adding colour to them
5) Place a cover slip on top. To do this, stand the cover slip upright on the slide, next to
the water droplet. Then carefully tilt and lower it so it covers the specimen. Try not to get
any air bubbles underneath it - they'll obstruct your view of the specimen
22). Describe the steps needed to use a light microscope to look at your slide [required
practical]
Ans: 1) Clip the slide you've prepared onto the stage
2) Select the lowest-powered objective lens
3) Use the coarse adjustment knob to move the stage up to just below the objective lens
4) Look down the eyepiece. Use the coarse adjustment knob to move the stage
downwards until the image is roughly in focus.
5) Adjust the focus with the fine adjustment knob, until you get a clear image of what's
on the slide
PaperStoc.com Page 3 of 41
, 6) If you need to see the slide with greater magnification, swap to a higher-powered
objective lens and refocus
23). What is cell differentiation?
Ans: Cell differentiation is the process by which a cell changes to become specialised
for its job.
24). What is cell specialisation?
Ans: The process of cells as they develop depending on their location in a tissue or
organ.
25). What is a stem cell?
Ans: A type of undifferentiated which are able to become any type of cell
26). How are sperm cells specialised?
Ans: For reproduction: they have a long tail and a streamlined head to help it swim to
the egg, there are lots of mitochondria in the cell to provide the energy needed and it also
carries enzymes in its head to digest through the egg cell membrane
27). How are nerve cells specialised?
Ans: For rapid signalling: these cells are long to cover more distances and have
branched connections at their ends to connect to other nerve cells and form a network
throughout the body
28). How are muscle cells specialised?
Ans: For contraction: these cells are long so that they have space to contract and
have lots of mitochondria to generate the energy needed for contraction
29). How are root hair cells specialised?
Ans: For absorbing water and minerals: they grow into long "hairs" that stick out into
the soil. This gives the plant a large surface area for absorbing water and mineral ions
from the soil
30). How are phloem and xylem cells specialised?
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