AQA Biology Paper 2

1.1 a What is a reflex? (2 marks)

b Which is the correct neurone pathway in a reflex? Tick one box. (1 mark)

Sensory neurone → motor neurone → relay neurone

Sensory neurone → relay neurone → motor neurone
Motor neurone → sensory neurone → relay neurone

1.2 a What is the endocrine system? (2 marks)

b Where in the body is oestrogen produced? Tick one box. (1 mark)

Pituitary gland
Ovaries
Testes

c What is the role of oestrogen in the menstrual cycle? (2 marks)

d Contraceptives are used to prevent pregnancy. Which of the contraceptive methods

below uses hormones? Tick one box. (1 mark)

Intrauterine implant
Condoms
Diaphragm

1.3 Several types of contraceptive were studied to see which was the best at preventing
pregnancy. The results are shown in the table below.

Type of contraception Number of pregnancies Percentage of pregnancies

per 1000 prevented (%)
Condoms 30 97
Spermicides 40
Contraceptive pill 1
Intrauterine device 2
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 AQA Biology Paper 2

a Calculate the percentage of pregnancies prevented for each type of contraception and
complete the table. (3 marks)

b Which method of contraception is the most effective at preventing pregnancy? (1 mark)

H c Describe what happens during in vitro fertilisation (IVF). (3 marks)

H d Give one advantage and one disadvantage of IVF. (2 marks)

Advantage

Disadvantage

2.1 a Where in the cell is the DNA found? (1 mark)

b How many pairs of chromosomes are in the human genome? (1 marks)

2.2 The height of bean plants is controlled by a single gene. The allele for tall bean plants, T,
is dominant to the allele for short bean plants, t.

a What is meant by the terms recessive and dominant? (2 marks)

Recessive

Dominant
T t
b The Punnett square below shows the inheritance
of alleles from two tall bean plants with the T Tt Tt
alleles, Tt. t Tt tt

i How many offspring will be tall? (1 mark)

ii How many offspring will be short? (1 mark)

iii What percentage of the offspring have the alleles, tt? (1 mark)

c The offspring with the alleles, tt, breeds with another plant with the alleles, TT.

i What are the possible combinations of alleles? (1 mark)

ii What are the chances that the offspring will be tall? (1 mark)

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 AQA Biology Paper 2

2.3 a Name the two scientists that proposed the theory of evolution. (2 marks)

b Use the words in the box below to explain the process of natural selection. (3 marks)

variation adapted offspring

c Fossils are evidence of evolution. The evolution tree below shows the fossils of
arachnomorpha, a group of organisms that lived millions of years ago.

Trilobites Helmetiids Tegopeltids Naraoiids Xandarellids

Common
ancestor

i What evidence from the image shows that arachnomorpha had a common
ancestor? (2 marks)

ii Which two species are the most closely related? (2 marks)

2.4 a All species are classified into groups. Complete the table below to show the
classification of the common toad, Bufo bufo. (4 marks)

Phylum Class Family Genus Species

Animal Vertebrate Anura Bufonidae bufo

b Name another species in the same class as the common toad. (1 mark)

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 AQA Biology Paper 2

c Explain why the common toad has two names. (2 marks)

3.1 a Name two minerals that plants need for healthy growth. (2 marks)

b Dead leaves from a nearby tree fall onto the soil. The carbon from the leaves is
recycled through the carbon cycle. Explain how the carbon from the dead leaves is
used for the growth of the carrots. (6 marks)

3.2 In a woodland community, caterpillars (10 kg) feed on an oak tree (100 kg). The
caterpillars are eaten by blackbirds (2kg), which are eaten by a sparrowhawk (1kg).
a Define the term community. (1 mark)

b Draw a food chain to show the feeding behaviour of this community. (2 marks)

c Which of these organisms are primary consumers? (1 mark)

d Which of these organisms is a producer? (1 mark)

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 AQA Biology Paper 2

3.3 Some students decided to investigate the abundance of woodlice in two different
woodland habitats of the same size. The first habitat was dark and damp. The second
habitat was light and dry. The students used the ‘capture, mark, recapture’ method.
a How much time should the students allow before recapturing the woodlice? Justify
your answer. (4 marks)

b The students caught 80 woodlice in the dark, damp habitat and 10 woodlice in the
light, dry habitat. They marked the woodlice and let them go. The students caught
some woodlice on another occasion and counted how many of them were marked. The
results are shown in the table below.
Habitat Number of Number of woodlice Number of woodlice
woodlice caught caught the second caught the second
the first time time time that are marked
Dark and damp 80 88 40
Light and dry 10 7 2

i Estimate the number of woodlice in each habitat. (4 marks)

Number of woodlice in dark, damp habitat

Number of woodlice in light, dry habitat

ii Suggest why there were these number of woodlice in each area. (1 mark)

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 AQA Biology Paper 2

3.4 The graph below shows the number of people on Earth (in millions) and the number of
extinctions between 1800 and 2010.
Human population (millions) 7000
50000 Extinctions

6000
40000
5000
Extinctions

Population
30000
4000

20000
3000

10000 2000

1000

1800 1850 1900 1950 2000

Year

a Describe the pattern of the graph. (2 marks)

b The industrial revolution began in the 1800s. Suggest why extinctions began increasing
at the same time. (5 marks)

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