Cell Structure (Edexcel IGCSE Biology: Double Science)

Exam Questions

1 hour11 questions
1a
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3 marks

The diagram below shows an image of a plant cell.

plant-cell

Name structures P, Q and R.

1b
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2 marks
(i)
Name one structure that is visible in the diagram that you did not identify in your answer to part (a). 

(1)

(ii)

State the function of the structure named in part (i)

(1)

1c
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1 mark

Which of the following structures is not found in a prokaryotic cell?

  A A cell membrane
  B Chloroplasts
  C Plasmids
  D Circular DNA

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2a
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2 marks

The diagram below shows a plant cell drawn to scale. 

plant-cell-2

Calculate how many times longer the cell length is than the chloroplast length.

2b
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2 marks

State two ways in which an animal cell would be different to the cell shown in part (a).

2c
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3 marks

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The diagram below shows a representation of a specialised plant cell.

Root hair cell structure SQ

Name the structures labelled XY and Z.

2d
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2 marks

Separate: Biology Only

Explain how the cell shown in part (c) is specialised to carry out its function.

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3a
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4 marks

Separate: Biology Only

The image below shows contains information about several types of specialised cell.

Specialised cells SQ

(i)

Name the types of specialised cell represented by cells QR and S.

(3)

(ii)

Draw lines between the images and the statements to match each cell with its function.

(1)

3b
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2 marks

Separate: Biology Only

Another example of a specialised cell is a red blood cell. One special feature of red blood cells is the absence of a nucleus.



Explain one other special feature of a red blood cell.

3c
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2 marks

Separate: Biology Only

(i)

Name the process by which cells become specialised.

(1)

(ii)

The process named in part (i) is controlled by the DNA.

Describe how the DNA controls the process named in part (i).

(1)

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4a
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2 marks

Separate: Biology Only

State the meaning of the term stem cell.

4b
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2 marks

Separate: Biology Only

Name two sources of stem cells.

4c
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3 marks

Separate: Biology Only

Describe how stem cells can be used in medicine. Include an example in your answer.

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5a
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2 marks

The image below shows a red blood cell viewed under a microscope using a magnification of x6000 

redbloodcellwithruler

Use the formula provided to calculate the actual diameter of the red blood cell. Give your answer in mm.

Actual space diameter space of space cell space in space mm space equals fraction numerator diameter space shown space in space the space image space in space mm over denominator magnification end fraction

5b
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3 marks

Separate: Biology Only

Red blood cells such as that shown in part (a) do not have a nucleus.

(i)

Describe the role of the nucleus in cells where it is present.

(1)

(ii)

Explain why it is useful for the red blood cell not to have a nucleus.

(2)

5c
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2 marks

Separate: Biology Only

Red blood cells are an example of a specialised animal cell. An example of a specialised plant cell is a palisade mesophyll cell, shown in the diagram below.

Palisade cell SQ

Explain how a palisade mesophyll cell is specialised to carry out its function.

5d
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2 marks

Separate: Biology Only

Other than the cell types named in parts (a)-(c), name two other examples of specialised cells.

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1a
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2 marks
(a)

Plant and animal cells have some features in common and some differences.

(i)

Which of these structures is not found in animal cells?

(1)

  A cell membrane
  B cell wall
  C mitochondrion
  D nucleus

(ii)

Which of these substances is a carbohydrate stored in plant cells? 

(1)

  A chlorophyll
  B glucose
  C glycogen
  D starch

1b
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4 marks
(b)

The diagram shows a leaf palisade mesophyll cell.

4bi1br-nov-2020-q1b-palisade-mesophyll-cell---sq

Describe the function of the parts labelled A, B, C and D.

(4)

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2a
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3 marks
(a)

The diagram below shows a representation of a plant cell.

plant-cell

Describe the functions of structures P Q, and R.

(3)

2b
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2 marks

(b)

(i)

Label the diagram in part (a) with an S to indicate the location of the cell wall.

(1)

(ii)

Describe the function of the cell wall.

(1)

2c
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2 marks
(c)

Plants are one of the five groups of eukaryotes.

(i)
Name another group of eukaryotes in which you might find structure P labelled in part (a).

(1)

(ii)

State one other feature of the group named in part (i).

(1)

2d
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2 marks
(d)

The cell shown below is found inside a salivary gland.

salivary-gland-cell_question

Suggest what can be concluded about the activities of the salivary gland cell from the image above.

(2)

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1a
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1 mark

A student uses a light microscope to look at a human cheek cell.

The student makes this drawing of the cell.

4bi11b-nov-2020-q3a-nucleus---sq

Name the organelle shown in the drawing.

1b
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2 marks

Mitochondria are organelles that are too small to be seen using a light microscope.

The drawing shows a mitochondrion that has been magnified.

4bi11b-nov-2020-q3b-mitochondrion---sq

The actual length of this mitochondrion is 6 μm.

[1 μm = 0.001 mm]

Calculate the magnification of this drawing.

1c
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4 marks

The table gives information about mitochondria in different human cells.

Cell Mean number of mitochondria per cell Mean volume of cell in µm3 Mean number of mitochondria per µm3
Heart muscle 5 000 15 000  
Sperm 75 30 2.50
Egg 600 000 4 000 000 0.15

(i)

What is the mean number of mitochondria per μm3 in a heart muscle cell?

(1)

  A 0.33
  B 3
  C 10 000
  D 75 000 000

(ii)

Comment on the differences in the data for the sperm and for the egg.

(3)

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2a
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2 marks

The image below is an electron microscope photograph of a cell.

4-2-q1b-plant-cell-electron-micrograph---sq

(i)

Name the group of organisms from which the cell shown in the image has been taken.

(1)

(ii)

Explain how you identified the group of organisms in part (i).

(1)

2b
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3 marks

Structure Y in part (a) is a starch granule.

Explain why structure Y is present inside structure X in the image in part (a).

2c
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3 marks

Name three structures that are not clearly identifiable in the image in part (a) that you would expect to find inside cells from this group of organisms.

2d
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2 marks

The cell in part (a) has been magnified 7.5 x 103 times, and the image of the nucleus has a diameter of 6.5 cm.

Use the formula below to calculate the actual diameter of the nucleus. Give your answer in μm.

Actual space diameter space equals fraction numerator image space diameter over denominator magnification end fraction

Note that 1 μm = 0.001 mm 

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3a
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2 marks

The diagram below shows three different cells.

cell-comparisoncell-comparison-2

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

3b
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3 marks

The electron microscope image below shows a section from the inside of a liver cell...

hepatocito-tem-1

Bochimoto H, Matsuno N, Ishihara Y, Shonaka T, Koga D, Hira Y, et al., CC BY 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

(i)

Name the organelles indicated by X.

(1)

(ii)

Use information in the image to suggest the possible cell activities that take place inside a liver cell.

(2)

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4a
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4 marks

A group of scientists carried out a study to investigate the starch content of roots in a species of grass at four points throughout the year. 

Their results can be seen in the graph below.

root-starch-2

(i)

Explain why the grass roots contain starch.

(2)

(ii)

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

(2)
4b
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5 marks
(i)

Calculate the percentage change in stored starch from January to October in the graph in part (b).

(2)

(ii)

Suggest an explanation for the change calculated in part (i).

(3)

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