Syllabus Edition
First teaching 2023
First exams 2025
1 markWhich statement puts the blood vessels into increasing order of lumen diameter (interior diameter)?
capillary → artery → arteriole → aorta
arteriole → artery → capillary → aorta
aorta → artery → arteriole → capillary
capillary → arteriole → artery → aorta
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1 markWhich are chambers of the heart?
I. Atrium
II. Aorta
III. Ventricle
IV. Lumen
I and III
I, II and III
III and IV
I and II
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1 markWhich shows the correct links between tissues within blood vessels and their modes of action?
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1 markWhich statement about the human circulatory system is FALSE?
The double circulatory system is a closed loop.
In the double circulatory system, blood passes through the heart twice on each full circuit of the body.
Blood bathes the cells in each organ that it is supplied to.Â
The systemic circulation loop supplies blood to all the major body organs including the brain.Â
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1 markWhich describes the sequence of chambers and vessels through which blood flows after it has left the vena cava, on its way to the lungs?
right atrium → right ventricle → pulmonary artery → lungs
left atrium → left ventricle → pulmonary artery → lungs
right atrium → right ventricle → aorta → lungs
left atrium → left ventricle → pulmonary vein → lungs
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1 markIn plants, which two substances does the xylem carry primarily?
Water and sugars
Sugars and mineral ions
Water and mineral ions
Starch and mineral ions
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1 markWhich of the following is not a consequence of the transpiration stream in plants?
An increased rate of photosynthesis
Plants remaining upright
The plant retaining heat
Supply of mineral ions to plant tissues
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1 markWhich row of the table best summarises the interaction of water molecules during water uptake by a plant?
| Â | Water molecules pulling each other up | Water molecules sticking to the xylem walls | Capillary action |
| A. | cohesion | adhesion | adhesion |
| B. | cohesion | cohesion | adhesion |
| C. | adhesion | adhesion | cohesion |
| D. | cohesion | cohesion | cohesion |
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1 markWhich row of the table gives the best summary of the conditions in which mineral ions are taken up by plant roots?
| Â | Water potential in soil | Water potential in root hair cell cytoplasm | Transport mechanism |
| A. | High | Low | Water channels across membrane |
| B. | Low | High | Transporter proteins |
| C. | Low | Low | Via membrane bilayer |
| D. | High | Low | Transporter proteins |
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1 markThe movement of phloem sap is an active process.
Which of the following is the most suitable explanation for this?
Phloem sap flows from the source to the sink.
ATP is required to load organic compounds into the phloem at the source.
Water leaves the phloem sieve tube at the sink.
Water moves into the phloem at the source by osmosis.
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1 markWhich of the following is not a structural feature of phloem tissue?
Lignified cell walls to withstand the hydrostatic pressure.
Columns of sieve tube cells.
Companion cells containing cell components that facilitate the loading and unloading of organic compounds.
Sieve plates with pores allows for the continuous movement of organic compounds.
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1 markThe micrograph below shows part of a cross section of a plant stem.
Which of the structures A-D represents the xylem tissue?
Image courtesy of Doc. RNDr. Josef Reischig, CSc. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license. Reused and distributed under conditions found at: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
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1 markWhich row correctly identifies a structure and its related function in a companion cell?
| Â | Structure | Function |
| A. | Many mitochondria present | Translation of polypeptides that will form cell surface membrane proteins |
| B. | Nucleus and cell organelles | Carrying out the cell processes of the sieve tube cells |
| C. | Plasmodesmata | Linking adjacent companion cells with each other |
| D. | Small amount of cytoplasm present | Facilitating the movement of assimilates |
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1 markThe image below shows two structures commonly found in mammals. A light microscope was used to view the sample.
Identify the structures labelled X and Y along with one correct feature of these structures.
|
 |
X | Y | Feature |
| A | Vein | Artery | Y contains deoxygenated blood |
| B | Trachea | Artery | the lumen of X allows air to pass through |
| C | Artery | Vein | Y contains many cells filled with oxyhaemoglobin |
| D | Artery | Vein | X contains many cells filled with oxyhaemoglobin |
Â
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1 markThe table gives the features of three blood vessels in the mammalian circulatory system.
| Vessel 1 | Vessel 2 | Vessel 3 |
| Thin layer of smooth muscle with few elastic fibres | Thick layer of elastic fibres and smooth muscle | No elastic fibres or smooth muscle |
Â
What are vessels 1, 2 and 3?
| Â | Vein | Capillary | Artery |
| A | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| B | 1 | 3 | 2 |
| C | 2 | 3 | 1 |
| D | 1 | 2 | 3 |
Â
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1 markThe graph below shows the pressure in different parts of the heart during one cardiac cycle.
At which point does the semilunar valve of the aorta close?
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1 markThe diagram below shows the heart and associated blood vessels.
Which of the following would be correct for the flow of blood through the heart?
4 → 3 → 2 → 1
3 → 4 → 2 → 1
2 → 1 → 4 → 3
1 → 2 → 3 → 4
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1 markThe graph below shows the pressure in different parts of the left side of the heart during one cardiac cycle.
At the end of which section in the graph (A, B, C or D) would the ventricle be full of blood?
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1 markThe diagram below shows two cardiac cycles of a patient. The events of the cycle are placed next to a timescale.
What is the patient’s heart rate in beats per minute?
80
60
120
65
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1 markThe diagram shows a fault in the wall of the atria.
Which of the following would describe the effect of this fault?
Irregular heartbeat.
Ventricular systole is delayed.Â
Increased pressure in the pulmonary artery.
Reduced oxygen saturation of haemoglobin.
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1 markWhich of the following is not a contributing factor of atherosclerosis formation?
Damage to the endothelium of the arteries.
The circulation of unsaturated fats in the bloodstream.
High blood pressure in the arteries.
Build-up of atheromas under the endothelium.
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1 markWhen a very narrow glass tube known as a capillary tube is dipped into water, water can flow up the tube despite the opposing force of gravity.
What is this model demonstrating?
Translocation
A hydrostatic pressure gradient
Cohesion between water molecules
Adhesion between water molecules
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1 markThe following steps describe the process of transpiration.
What is the correct order of the steps?
III → II → IV → I
III → I → IV → II
I → III → IV → II
I → IV → III → II
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1 markWhich of the following relates to xylem vessels?
I only
II and III only
I, II and III
III and IV only
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1 markA student drew a diagrammatic representation of a transverse section of a plant stem based on what they saw using a light microscope.
Identify the correct labels required for the drawing above.
| Â |
I |
II |
III |
IV |
V |
| A |
Vascular bundle |
Pith |
Phloem |
Cambium |
Xylem |
| B |
Phloem |
Xylem |
Vascular bundle |
Cambium |
Pith |
| C |
Vascular bundle |
Xylem |
Pith |
Cambium |
Phloem |
| D |
Vascular bundle |
Cambium |
Pith |
 Xylem |
Phloem |
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1 markWhen water is taken up by roots, what process is responsible for this and what is the cause behind this process?
| Â |
Process |
Cause |
| A |
Cohesion |
The concentration of solutes in the soil is higher than in the roots |
| B |
Cohesion |
The concentration of solutes in the soil is lower than in the roots |
| C |
Osmosis |
The concentration of solutes in the soil is higher than in the roots |
| D |
Osmosis |
The concentration of solutes in the soil is lower than in the roots |
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1 markIdentify the process by which mineral ions in soil move towards the root cell membrane.
Translocation
Transport through proteins known as protein pumps
Osmosis
Mass flow of water
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1 markWhich of the following correctly identifies a source and a sink in a plant?
| Â |
Source |
Sink |
| A |
Sprouting potato tubers |
Growing apples |
| B |
Growing apples |
Sprouting potato tubers |
| C |
Young, growing potato tubers |
Mature leaves |
| D |
Growing apples |
Young, growing potato tubers |
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1 markThe following steps describe the process of translocation.
What is the correct order of the steps?
III → II → IV → I
III → I → IV → II
I → III → IV → II
I → IV → III → II
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1 markWhich of the following statements apply to phloem sieve tubes?
I only
II and III only
I, II and IV
III and IV only
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1 markWhich of the following does not contribute to generating a high hydrostatic pressure at the source?
A high solute concentration in phloem sieve tubes due to the loading of sucrose
The incompressibility of water molecules
The rate at which sucrose is converted to starch in storage tissue
Rigid plant cell walls made of cellulose
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1 markGirdling, or ring-barking, involves the removal of a strip of bark around the entire circumference of a tree trunk. This removes the outer part of the vascular bundles which results in the death of the entire tree over time.
What could be a possible explanation for this?
Xylem is removed from the vascular bundles, so water and mineral salts cannot be transported to the leaves
Phloem is removed from the vascular bundles, so sugars cannot be transported to the roots
Xylem is removed from the vascular bundles, so sugars cannot be transported to the roots
Phloem is removed from the vascular bundles, so water and mineral salts cannot be transported to the leaves
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1 markThe following photomicrograph shows the vascular bundle in a root.
Which letter identifies the phloem?
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1 markAphid stylets can be used to measure phloem transport rates in plants. It was found that the transport rate in stylets located close to a source was much higher compared to those located close to a sink.
What could be a possible explanation for this?
The hydrostatic pressure at a sink is low due to the buildup of sucrose in the phloem sieve elements
The hydrostatic pressure at a sink is high due to water moving into phloem sieve elements by osmosis
There is a high hydrostatic pressure at the source due to the incompressibility of water
There is a low hydrostatic pressure at the source due to a low solute concentration in the sieve tube elements
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1 markA student studied the structure of a blood vessel and found:
Which vessel was the student studying?Â
Vein
Capillary
Venule
Artery
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1 markThe aquatic crustacean the water flea (Daphnia magna, pictured below) has a heart that pumps blood-like liquid called hemolymph around its body cavity, once for every complete circuit. 
Which statement about Daphnia magna's circulatory system is correct?
single closed
single open
double closed
double open
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1 markThe graph shows changes in pressure at various stages of the cardiac cycle.
Which statement describes the events at point Y of the graph?
Ventricular systole
The ventricle contracts
↓
Pressure in the left ventricle goes higher than in the aorta
↓
Aortic valve opens and blood is forced into the aorta
Early diastole
Left ventricle is empty
↓
Muscles in the walls of the left ventricle relax and pressure drops below the pressure in the aorta
↓
Aortic valve closes
Diastole
The relaxed left atrium fills with blood, causing the pressure in the atrium to exceed that in the empty ventricle
↓
The AV valve opens
Late diastole
There is a short period of time during which the left ventricle expands due to relaxing muscles
↓
This increases the internal volume of the left ventricle and decreases the ventricular pressure
↓
At the same time, blood is flowing slowly through the newly opened AV valve into the left ventricle, causing a brief decrease in pressure in the left atrium
↓
The pressure in both the atrium and ventricle then increases slowly as they continue to fill with blood
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1 markWhich is not a feature of the sinoatrial node (SAN)?
It acts as a natural pacemaker
It is formed from a group of highly specialised muscle cells
It occupies the area between the right atrium and the right ventricle
It sends out a wave of electrical activity, causing contraction, across both atria and both ventricles
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1 markWhich of these is not a function of plasmodesmata in plant cells?
To allow movement of water via the symplast pathway
To enable cell recognition
To allow communication between cells
To allow movement of nutrients between cells
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1 markWhich of the following best describes the factor that determines the direction of mass flow of phloem sap between leaves and fruit?
The active loading of sucrose into phloem sieve tubes near the fruit will create a hydrostatic pressure gradient that will facilitate mass flow between the leaves and fruit.
The movement of water molecules in the phloem sieve tubes from the leaves to the fruit will contribute to the hydrostatic pressure gradient between them.
The movement of organic compounds into the phloem sieve tubes near leaves will increase the hydrostatic pressure in the sieve tubes and create a pressure gradient between leaves and fruit.
The unloading of organic compounds from the phloem sieve tubes at the fruit will increase the osmolarity of the sieve tubes and create a hydrostatic pressure gradient between the leaves and fruit.
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