Cell Structure & Size of Specimens (Cambridge (CIE) IGCSE Biology)

Exam Questions

4 hours35 questions
1a
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6 marks

The boxes on the left contain the names of structures in the body.

The boxes on the right contain the names of processes carried out by the body.

Draw one straight line from each structure to the process in which it is involved.

Draw six lines.

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1b
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2 marks

State the functions of these two specialised cells.

Red blood cell ............................................................

Ciliated cell ................................................................

1c
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3 marks

Fig. 1 shows a specialised plant cell.

root-hair-cell-igcse-and-gcse-biology-revision-notes-1

Fig. 1

(i)

Identify the plant cell in Fig. 1.

[1]

(ii)

State and explain one adaptation that allows this cell to carry out its function.

[2]

1d
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3 marks

Identify with a tick (✓) the structures that are found in both plant and animal cells.

Structure

In animal cells?

In plant cells?

Nucleus

 

 

Permanent vacuole

 

 

Cell wall

 

 

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2a
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4 marks

Sperm and egg cells are specialised cells that are adapted for reproduction.

The boxes on the left show some specialised cells.

The boxes on the right show the functions of some specialised cells.

Draw four lines to link each specialised cell with its function.

One has been done for you.

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2b
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1 mark

State the name of the process by which existing cells give rise to new cells.

2c
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2 marks

Place these levels of organisation into a logical order from the largest to the smallest in size.

tissue

organism

cell

system

organ

2d
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3 marks

Table 1 shows some levels of organisation of a flowering plant.

Place a tick (✔) in the appropriate blank cells in Table 1.

The first row has been completed for you. 

Table 1

Structure

Tissue

Organ

System

 Leaf

 

 

 Vascular bundle

 

 

 

 Flower

 

 

 

 Phloem

 

 

 

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3a
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3 marks

Arrange the structures in the list in increasing order of organisation, starting with the smallest structure.

The first one has been done for you.

screenshot-2022-10-05-16-29-42
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3b
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4 marks

The boxes on the left show different parts of a flowering plant.

The boxes on the right are terms that describe different levels of organisation.

Draw one straight line from each part of a flowering plant to the correct level of organisation.

screenshot-2022-10-05-16-35-51
3c
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5 marks

The boxes on the left show different parts of an animal.

The boxes on the right are terms that describe different levels of organisation.

Draw one straight line from each part of the animal to the correct level of organisation.

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3d
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2 marks

Fig. 1 shows a red blood cell.

The cell contains no nucleus. 

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Fig.1

Explain why a red blood cell does not contain a nucleus.

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4a
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2 marks

A diagram of a cell is printed in a textbook and has a width of 62 000 µm on the page, but has a width of 80 µm in real life.

Calculate the magnification of the printed drawing.

4b
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2 marks

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Explain why units often need to be converted before attempting magnification calculations like the one in part (a).

4c
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1 mark

State the formula that links image size, magnification and actual size when examining specimens under a microscope.

4d
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1 mark

Explain why magnification has no units.

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5a
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2 marks

Fig. 1 shows liver cell which measures 60 mm.

liver-cell

Fig.1 

Calculate the magnification of the liver cell using the equation below:

 M a g n i f i c a t i o n space equals space fraction numerator I m a g e space s i z e over denominator A c t u a l space s i z e end fraction

5b
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1 mark

A light microscope could not be used to observe a cell as seen in Fig. 1.

Identify the evidence from Fig.1 that supports this statement.

5c
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1 mark

A student set up a light microscope to observe a specimen.

The magnification of the eyepiece lens was ×10 and the magnification of the objective lens was ×20.

Calculate the overall magnification of the light microscope.

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1a
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6 marks

Fig. 1 shows a diagram of a cell found in leaves.

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Fig. 1

(i)

State the names of structures F, G and H.

[3]

(ii)

On Fig. 1 draw:

  • a line labelled K to show where the chromosomes are found

  • a line labelled L to show the position of the cell membrane.

[2]

(iii)

State the name of this type of plant cell.

[1]

1b
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5 marks

The cell in Fig. 1 was placed in a concentrated glucose solution.

Fig. 2 shows the appearance of the cell after ten minutes in the glucose solution. 

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Fig. 2

(i)

State two ways in which the cell has changed.

[2]

(ii)

Water moves into and out of the cell by osmosis.

Osmosis is a form of diffusion.

Describe the ways in which diffusion is different to active transport.

[3]

1c
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4 marks

Table 1 shows some aspects of plant and animals.

Place a tick () in the appropriate cells of Table 1.

Table 1

Feature

Plants

Animals

 Multicellular

 

 

 Cells contain a nucleus

 

 

 Cells contain chloroplasts

 

 

 Cells connected by nervous coordination

 

 

 They can move from place to place

 

 

 Cells store glycogen

 

 

1d
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1 mark

Name one animal cell organelle that would be expected to occur in large numbers in a metabolically active cell.

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2a
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6 marks

The boxes on the left describe processes carried out by cells.

The boxes on the right contain the names of the cells that carry out these processes.

Draw one straight line from each box on the left to a box on the right to link the process to the cell type. 

Draw six lines.

An example has been done for you. 

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2b
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3 marks

Fig. 1 shows a section through part of a leaf.

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Fig. 1

(i)

On Fig. 1 draw: 

  • a label line to identify one guard cell and label it G

  • a label line to identify one of the stomata and label it S.

[2]

(ii)

State one function of stomata.

[1]

2c
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1 mark

The nucleus of an animal cell has a diameter of about 6 µm. 

Suggest a reason why bacteria do not have a nucleus.

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3a
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6 marks

Fig. 1 is a photomicrograph of part of the upper surface of a broad bean leaf, Vicia faba.

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Fig. 1

(i)

On Fig. 1, identify and label two structures that are visible in cell P

[2]

(ii)

State the name of the tissue shown in Fig. 1.

[1]

(iii)

The tissue shown in Fig. 1 is transparent.

Explain why it is important to the plant that the tissue shown in Fig. 1 is transparent.

3b
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6 marks

Sketch a bacterial cell, showing its main cellular components.

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4a
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3 marks

Fig. 1 shows some muscle cells.

muscle-cells

Fig. 1

Identify the function of a muscle cell and explain how they are adapted for this function.

4b
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3 marks

Fig. 2 shows some information about specialised cells.

specialised-cells-1

Fig. 2

Identify the type of specialised cell shown and match each one to the correct function.

4c
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1 mark

Describe how the xylem is adapted for carrying water and mineral ions around a plant.

4d
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1 mark

Name the process by which a cell changes to become specialised.

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5a
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2 marks

Animal and plant cells have some structural features in common.

Name two structures you would find in both an animal cell and a plant cell.

5b
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1 mark

Fig.1 shows a photomicrograph of the surface of a plant root.

Fig. 1

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Name structure X.

5c
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2 marks

Calculate the actual length of structure X in Fig. 1.

Show your working.

5d
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4 marks

Failure of structure X to develop properly in the cells of a plant root could be catastrophic to a plant. 

Suggest an explanation as to why.

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1a
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3 marks

Fig. 1 shows three different cells.

cell-comparisoncell-comparison-2

Fig. 1

Calculate the size ratio of the bacterial cell compared to the liver cell and mesophyll cell.

1b
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4 marks

Explain the role of differentiation in the development of root hair cells which allows them to carry out their specific function in plants.

1c
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3 marks

Some scientists completed a study to investigate the starch content of roots in a species of grass at four points throughout the year in a country in the northern hemisphere. 

Their results can be seen in Fig. 2

root-starch-2

Fig. 2

Explain how the starch found in the roots of grass species helps to support growth of the grass.

1d
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3 marks

Calculate the percentage change of stored starch from October to January and suggest a reason for this change.

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2a
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2 marks

Extended only

Place the following cellular measurements into order, starting with the smallest.

Measurement

Rank (1-4)

10 000µm

 

1mm

 

0.15cm

 

100µm

 

2b
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2 marks

Extended only

The palisade mesophyll cell in Fig. 1 is printed in a student's text book.

palisade-cell-sq

Magnification: 7800×

Fig. 1

The student measures the height of the printed image as 6.2 cm. 

Calculate the height of the palisade cell. 

2c
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2 marks

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An artery supplies blood from a man's shoulder to his wrist, before it splits to supply the various parts of his hand.

Identify the statement(s) about the artery in Table 1 that could be correct?

Place a tick (✓) in the box(es) that show(s) a plausible statement. 

Table 1

statement

plausible? (✓)

 1. The artery is 50 cm long

 

 2. The artery is 5 000 mm long

 

 3. The artery is 50 000 µm long

 

 4. The artery is 5 × 105 µm long

 

2d
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2 marks

A form of vascular tissue in plants, the xylem, consists of a large amount of dead tissue yet still performs its function.

Explain how dead tissue in certain parts of the xylem is an advantage over live tissue.

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3a
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6 marks

Compare the similarities and differences in the structure of animal and bacterial cells.

Include reference to the relative sizes of cellular structures in your answer.

3b
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1 mark

Fig. 1 shows a cell found in the glands responsible for producing saliva in the mouth.

saliva-1

Fig. 1

Identify the protein, produced by these cells, that is required for the digestion of carbohydrates.

3c
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4 marks

Suggest how the cell in Fig. 1 is adapted for its function.

3d
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2 marks

Describe how cell specialisation results in a zygote developing into a baby.

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4a
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4 marks

Fig. 1 shows some parts of the human body.

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Fig. 1

Identify each structure and which level of organisation each one belongs to.

Structure

Name of structure

Level of organisation

A

 

 

B

 

 

C

 

 

D

 

 

4b
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2 marks

Explain how two separate organs of the musculoskeletal system, muscles and bones, work together to perform the function of movement.

4c
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3 marks

Fig. 2 shows a human muscle cell from a person's leg muscle.

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Fig. 2

Identify the levels of organisation that this cell belongs to.

4d
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2 marks

A new-born baby is thought to have around 1 250 000 000 000 (1.25 × 1012) cells. That same baby, as an adult male, is estimated to have 37 000 000 000 000 (3.7 × 1013) cells. If the new-born baby had a mass of 3.1kg at birth, estimate the mass of the adult male. Give your answer in appropriate units to the nearest whole number. 

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5a
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3 marks

Extended only

Complete Table 1 to show the correct size conversions. Record your answers as ordinary numbers

Table 1

Measurement

Unit

Conversion

Unit

15.3

cm

 

µm

3 x 10-6

mm

 

µm

0.25

m

 

µm

5b
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2 marks

Extended only

The mass of bacterial cells was measured in femtograms (fg).

1 femtogram = 1 x 10-15g

bacterial-growth-2

Fig. 1

Calculate the mass of bacteria, in grams, immediately after binary fission when the cell growth rate was 0.1 fg s-1.Give your answer in standard form.

5c
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3 marks

Extended only

The electron micrograph in Fig. 2 shows some cellular structure in a leaf. A student uses a ruler to measure the scale bar, which is found to be 1.5 cm.

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Fig. 2

Calculate the magnification of the image.

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