Q1.

(a) (i) Give two ways in which the structure of starch is similar to cellulose.

1. ____________________________________________________________

2. ____________________________________________________________
(2)

(ii) Give two ways in which the structure of starch is different from cellulose.

1. ____________________________________________________________

2. ____________________________________________________________
(2)

(b) In plants, mass transport of sugars takes place through columns of sieve cells in the
phloem. Other cells, called companion cells, transport sugars into, and out of, the
sieve cells.

The diagram shows the structure of phloem.

Structures I and J allow the transport of sugars between cells.

(i) Using the diagram, suggest and explain one other way in which sieve cells are
adapted for mass transport.

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

Page 1 of 24
 ______________________________________________________________
(2)

(ii) Using the diagram, suggest and explain one other way in which companion
cells are adapted for the transport of sugars between cells.

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________
(2)
(Total 8 marks)

Q2.
Many sports drinks contain water, sodium chloride and carbohydrates. The manufacturers
of the sports drinks claim that carbohydrates provide an energy boost. The sodium
chloride is used to increase absorption of glucose in the small intestine.

Scientists investigated the effect of a sports drink on the performance of runners in 5 km

races.
They recruited 100 runners who had previously run a 5 km race in similar times. During
this race, Race 1, they had water they could drink.

The scientists divided the runners into two equal groups, P and Q. Both groups ran a
second 5 km race, Race 2. During this race:

• group P had water available

• group Q had the sports drink available.

The scientists recorded the mean time for each group to complete this race.

Figure 1 shows their results.

Figure 1

Page 2 of 24
The glycaemic index (GI) is a measure of the increase in blood glucose concentration
after eating a given mass of a food compared with eating the same mass of pure glucose.
The GI of pure glucose has a value of 100.

The GI of a food depends on several factors such as how much starch and sugars it
contains. High GI foods include those containing lots of simple sugars or white flour. The
carbohydrates in these foods are rapidly digested and absorbed. Low GI foods include
wholegrain bread and breakfast cereals that contain a lot of fibre. The carbohydrates in
these foods are digested and absorbed more slowly.

Figure 2 shows changes in blood glucose concentration after eating meals of high GI food
and meals of low GI food.

Figure 2

Explain how a sports drink could provide an energy boost when running.

Page 3 of 24
 _______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________
(Total 3 marks)

Q3.
The equation shows the breakdown of lactose by the enzyme lactase.

Lactose + water galactose + monosaccharide X

(a) (i) Name the type of reaction catalysed by the enzyme lactase.

______________________________________________________________
(1)

(ii) Name monosaccharide X.

______________________________________________________________
(1)

(b) (i) Describe how you would use a biochemical test to show that a reducing sugar
is present.

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________
(2)

(ii) Lactose, galactose and monosaccharide X are all reducing sugars.

After the lactose has been broken down there is a higher concentration of
reducing sugar. Explain why.

______________________________________________________________
(1)

(c) A high concentration of galactose slows down the breakdown of lactose by lactase.
Use your knowledge of competitive inhibition to suggest why.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

Page 4 of 24
 ___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(2)
(Total 7 marks)

Q4.
The electron micrograph shows part of a chloroplast.

(a) Name the parts labelled A and B and, for each, describe one role in the process of
photosynthesis.

A Name ___________________________________________________________

Role ______________________________________________________________

B Name ___________________________________________________________

Role ______________________________________________________________
(4)

(b) (i) Name the main substance present in the part labelled C.

______________________________________________________________
(1)

(ii) How is this substance formed?

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________
(1)
(Total 6 marks)

Page 5 of 24
Q5.
A student investigated the glucose concentration in five different drinks.
His results are shown below.

(a) Using the data, calculate how many grams of glucose would be in 220 cm3 of
drink F.

Answer = ____________________________ g
(1)

(b) Calculate how much more glucose is in drink C than in drink F. Show your answer
as a percentage.

Answer = ____________________________ %
(1)
(Total 2 marks)

Q6.
The diagram shows one end of a cellulose molecule.

Page 6 of 24
 (a) (i) Name the monomers that form a cellulose molecule.

______________________________________________________________
(1)

(ii) Name bond Y.

______________________________________________________________
(1)

(iii) What chemical group is at position Z?

______________________________________________________________
(1)

(b) (i) Complete the table to show two ways in which the structure of cellulose is
different from the structure of starch.

Starch Cellulose

(2)

(ii) Explain one way in which the structure of cellulose is linked to its function.

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________
(2)
(Total 7 marks)

Q7.
(a) The table shows some statements about three carbohydrates. Complete the table
with a tick in each box if the statement is true.

Statement Starch Cellulose Glycogen

Found in plant cells

Page 7 of 24
 Contains glycosidic bonds

Contains β-glucose
(3)

(b) Name the type of reaction that would break down these carbohydrates into their
monomers.

___________________________________________________________________
(1)

(c) Give one feature of starch and explain how this feature enables it to act as a
storage substance.

Feature ____________________________________________________________

Explanation _________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(2)

(d) The picture shows starch grains as seen with an optical microscope. The actual
length of starch grain A is 48 μm. Use this information and the arrow line to
calculate the magnification of the picture. Show your working.

© iStock/Thinkstock

Magnification ____________________ times

(2)
(Total 8 marks)

Q8.
Starch and cellulose are two important plant polysaccharides.

The following diagram shows part of a starch molecule and part of a cellulose molecule.

Page 8 of 24
 (a) Explain the difference in the structure of the starch molecule and the cellulose
molecule shown in the diagram above.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(2)

(b) Starch molecules and cellulose molecules have different functions in plant cells.
Each molecule is adapted for its function.

Explain one way in which starch molecules are adapted for their function in plant
cells.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(2)

(c) Explain how cellulose molecules are adapted for their function in plant cells.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(3)
(Total 7 marks)

Q9.
(a) Most blood glucose comes from starch and disaccharides in the diet.
Describe a test you could use to check if food in the diet contained starch.

Page 9 of 24
 ___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(2)

(b) Explain how digestion of starch in the gut (small intestine) leads to an increase in
the concentration of glucose in the blood. Details of co-transport are not required.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(3)

(c) Suggest a method you could use to estimate the concentration of glucose in several
different solutions that all turned brick red with Benedict’s reagent in 3 minutes.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(1)
(Total 6 marks)

Q10.
Glucose is a monosaccharide. Two glucose molecules join together to form a
disaccharide.

(i) Name the products of this reaction.

___________________________________________________________________
(2)

(ii) Name the type of reaction that joins the glucose molecules together.

___________________________________________________________________
(1)
(Total 3 marks)

Page 10 of 24
Q11.
The diagram shows the structure of two α-glucose molecules.

(a) On the diagram, draw a box around one chemical group in each glucose molecule
used to form a glycosidic bond.
(1)

(b) A precipitate is produced in a positive result for reducing sugar in a Benedict’s test.
A precipitate is solid matter suspended in solution.

A student carried out the Benedict’s test. Suggest a method, other than using a
colorimeter, that this student could use to measure the quantity of reducing sugar in
a solution.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(2)

In an investigation, a student wanted to identify the solutions in two beakers, A and B.

She knew one beaker contained maltose solution and the other beaker contained glucose
solution. Both solutions had the same concentration.

She did two separate biochemical tests on a sample from each beaker.

Test 1 – used Benedict’s solution to test for reducing sugar.

Test 2 – added the enzyme maltase, heated the mixture at 30 °C for 5 minutes, and then
used Benedict’s solution to test for reducing sugar.

Maltose is hydrolysed by maltase.

Page 11 of 24
The student’s results are shown in the table below.

Colour of solution after testing

with Benedict’s solution

Beaker Test 1 Test 2

A red red

B red dark red

(c) Explain the results for beakers A and B in the table.

Beaker A __________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

Beaker B __________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(2)

(d) Use of a colorimeter in this investigation would improve the repeatability of the
student’s results.

Give one reason why.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(1)

In Test 1, the student used a measuring cylinder to measure 15 cm3 of solution from a
beaker. The measuring cylinder gives a volume with an uncertainty of ±1 cm3. She used a
graduated syringe to measure 5.0 cm3 of Benedict’s solution. The graduated syringe gives
a volume with an uncertainty of ± 0.5 cm3. She mixed these volumes of liquid to do the
biochemical test.

(e) Calculate the percentage error for the measurements used to obtain a 20 cm3
mixture of the solution from the beaker and Benedict’s solution. Show your working.

Page 12 of 24
 (2)

Answer = _____________________________%
(Total 8 marks)

Q12.
(a) Describe how the structures of starch and cellulose molecules are related to their
functions.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(5)

(b) Describe the processes involved in the transport of sugars in plant stems.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(5)
(Total 10 marks)

Q13.

Page 13 of 24
(a) What is a monomer?

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(1)

(b) Lactulose is a disaccharide formed from one molecule of galactose and one
molecule of fructose.

Other than both being disaccharides, give one similarity and one difference between
the structures of lactulose and lactose.

Similarity ___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

Difference __________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(2)

(c) Following digestion and absorption of food, the undigested remains are processed
to form faeces in the parts of the intestine below the ileum.

The faeces of people with constipation are dry and hard. Constipation can be
treated by drinking lactulose. Lactulose is soluble, but is not digested or absorbed in
the human intestine.

Use your knowledge of water potential to suggest why lactulose can be used to help
people suffering from constipation.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

Page 14 of 24
 ___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(2)

(d) Lactulose can also be used to treat people who have too high a concentration of
hydrogen ions (H+) in their blood.

The normal range for blood H+ concentration is 3.55 × 10–8 to 4.47 × 10–8 mol dm–3

A patient was found to have a blood H+ concentration of 2.82 × 10–7 mol dm–3

Calculate the minimum percentage decrease required to bring the patient’s blood H+
concentration into the normal range.

Answer = ____________________
(2)
(Total 7 marks)

Page 15 of 24
Mark schemes

Q1.
(a) (i) (Both)
1. Are polymers / polysaccharides / are made of monomers / of
monosaccharides;
2. Contain glucose / carbon, hydrogen and oxygen;
3. Contain glycosidic bonds;
4. Have 1−4 links;
Neutral: references to ‘unbranched’, insoluble, formed by
condensation, flexible and rigid
Are made of the monomer glucose = MP 1 and 2 = 2 marks
5. Hydrogen bonding (within structure).
Ignore reference to H bonds between cellulose molecules
2 max

(ii) (Starch)
1. Contains α / alpha glucose;
Assume ‘it’ refers to starch
Accept: converse arguments only if linked directly to
cellulose
Accept: forms α glycosidic bonds
2. Helical / coiled / compact / branched / not straight;
3. 1,6 bonds / 1,6 branching;
4. Glucoses / monomers same way up;
5. No H-bonds between molecules;
6. No (micro / macro) fibres / fibrils.
2 max

(b) (i) 1. No / few organelles / very little cytoplasm / cytoplasm at

edge / more room / hollow / large vacuole / large space /
thick walls;
Accept strong walls for thick walls

2. (So) easier / more flow / (thick / strong walls) resist pressure.

Easier flow may be expressed in other ways e.g. lower
resistance to flow
2

(ii) 1. Mitochondria release energy / ATP / site of respiration;

Q Reject: ‘produce energy’
but accept produce energy in form of ATP

2. For active transport / uptake against concentration gradient.

Note: no mark is awarded for simply naming an organelle
OR:
3. Ribosomes / rough endoplasmic reticulum produce(s)
proteins;
Concept of making proteins needed

4. (Proteins) linked to transport e.g. carrier proteins / enzymes.

2
[8]

Page 16 of 24
Q2.
1. (Drink) contains carbohydrates / sugars so High GI / (drink) contains carbohydrates /
sugars so raises blood glucose concentration quickly;
Each alternative requires both aspects for credit
The second alternative requires a reference to speed eg
‘quickly’ or ‘immediately’

2. Contains salt so glucose more rapidly absorbed;

3. Increases glucose to muscles for respiration;

4. More / faster respiration so more / faster energy release;

Reject reference to energy production
Accept more ATP produced
[3]

Q3.
(a) (i) Hydrolysis;
Accept phonetic spelling.
Ignore reaction.
1

(ii) (Alpha) glucose;

Accept α glucose.
Reject β glucose / beta glucose
1

(b) (i) Add Benedict’s (reagent) and heat / warm;

Red / orange / yellow / green (colour);

Reject Add HCl
Accept brown, reject other colours
2

(ii) 2 products / 2 sugars produced;

Look for idea of two
Accept named monosaccharides produced.
“More” insufficient for mark
Neutral if incorrect products named
Neutral “lactose is a polysaccharide”
Neutral “lactose is not a reducing sugar”
Neutral: Reference to surface area.
1

(c) 1. Galactose is a similar shape / structure to lactose / both complementary;

Q Reject: Same shape / structure

2. (Inhibitor / Galactose) fits into / enters / binds with active site (of
enzyme);
Accept blocks active site

3. Prevents / less substrate fitting into / binding with (active site) / fewer or

Page 17 of 24
 no E-S complexes;
Look for principles:
1. Shape
2. Binding to active site
3. Consequence
2 max
[7]

Q4.
(a) A – granum / thylakoid;
chlorophyll molecules to trap light / light absorbing pigments /
light dependent reaction / part of light dependent reaction;
2

B – stroma;
(contains enzymes for) carbon dioxide fixation / light-independent reaction /
part of light-independent reaction;
(allow ribosome role of protein in photosynthesis)
2

(b) (i) C – starch;

1

(ii) from glucose in a condensation / polymerisation reaction / many

glucose molecules joined together;
1
[6]

Q5.
(a) 1.1 (g);
1

(b) 300(%);
1
[2]

Q6.
(a) (i) β / Beta glucose;
Accept b / B
Reject any reference to alpha / α
1

(ii) Glycosidic;
Reject references to α(1-4) glycosidic bond, but allow beta 1-
4, or unspecified reference to 1-4 (1,4)
1

(iii) OH / hydroxyl / HO;

Reject hydroxide
Reject OH / HO molecule
Ignore alcohol
1

Page 18 of 24
 (b) (i) Starch Cellulose

1. (1,4 and) 1,6 1. 1,4 bonds / no 1,6

bonds / contains 1,6 bonds /
bonds / branching unbranched /
straight;

2. All glucoses / 2. Alternate

monomers same glucoses /
way up monomers
upside down;

3. Helix / coiled / 3. Straight;

compact

4. Alpha glucose 4. Beta glucose;

5. No (micro / macro) 5. Micro / macro

fibrils / fibres fibrils / fibres;

1 mark per pair of contrasts, both starch and cellulose

required
Accept other comparable differences eg hydrogen bonds
within starch but between cellulose molecules
2 max

(ii) 1. H-bonds / micro / macro fibrils / fibres;

Reject strong hydrogen bonds

2. Strength / rigidity / inelasticity;

‘Strong hydrogen bonds’ = 0 but ‘Strong hydrogen bonds
give strength (to the molecule)’ = 1
2
[7]

Q7.
(a)
Statement Starch Cellulose Glycogen

Found in
plant cells

Contains
glycosidic
bonds

Contains β-
glucose

One mark for each correct row

3

(b) Hydrolysis;
Accept: if phonetically correct
Do not accept: ‘hydration’

Page 19 of 24
 1

(c) 1. Coiled / helical / spiral;

Feature = one mark
Explanation = one mark
Note: these are independent marking points
These must be related for both marks but can be in reverse
order

2. (So) compact / tightly packed / can fit (lots) into a small space;

3. Insoluble;

4. (So) no osmotic effect / does not leave cell / does not affect water
potential;
Accept: prevents osmosis

5. Large molecule / long chain;

6. (So) does not leave cell / contains large number of glucose units;
4. and 6. Accept: can’ t cross membranes

7. Branched chains;

8. (So) easy to remove glucose;

2 max

(d) Two marks for correct answer of 479 - 521;

Accept: measured and actual lengths in different but correct
units for 1 mark

One mark for incorrect answers in which candidate clearly divides measured
length by actual length;
The actual range is 23 - 25mm, If they just divide this by 48
they gain 1 mark
Just writing the formula is insufficient, numbers must be used
2
[8]

Q8.
(a) 1. Starch formed from α-glucose but cellulose formed from β-glucose;
2. Position of hydrogen and hydroxyl groups on carbon atom 1 inverted.
2

(b) 1. Insoluble;
2. Don’t affect water potential;
OR

3. Helical;
Accept form spirals
4. Compact;

OR
5. Large molecule;
6. Cannot leave cell.

Page 20 of 24
 2

(c) 1. Long and straight chains;

2. Become linked together by many hydrogen bonds to form fibrils;
3. Provide strength (to cell wall).
3
[7]

Q9.
(a) 1. Add iodine / potassium iodide solution;
Reject if heated

2. Blue-black colour (with starch);

Accept black
Ignore purple
2

(b) 1. Hydrolysed by enzymes / hydrolysed by amylase /

maltase;
If named enzyme given, it must relate to the correct
substrate

2. Produces glucose (in the gut);

3. Small enough to cross the gut wall (into the blood) / monomers /
monosaccharides (can) cross the gut wall (into the blood);
Accept cell membranes / epithelium / cells for ‘gut wall’
3

(c) 1. Time how long it takes to go brick red;

2. Weigh precipitate;

3. Dilute glucose samples / use smaller volume of glucose samples / use greater
volume of Benedict’s reagent;
Ignore references to colorimeter
1 max
[6]

Q10.
(i) 1. Maltose;
2. Water;
Accept H2O
2

(ii) Condensation;
1
[3]

Q11.
(a)

Page 21 of 24
 Accept a box drawn around any OH and H from another OH
OR
Accept one box around two OHs
1

(b) 1. Filter and dry (the precipitate);

Accept: correct reference to evaporation after filtration

2. Find mass/weight;
2

(c) 1. A = glucose and B = maltose;

2. Because more sugar/precipitate after hydrolysis/maltase action;

Accept ‘higher concentration of sugar’ for ‘more sugar’
Accept ‘break down’ for hydrolysis
2

(d) 1. Quantitative
OR
(Colour change is) subjective;
Accept: accurate/precise

2. Standardises (the) method;

1 max

(e) 16.67 − 17 = 2 marks;

(cumulative percentage error of both measuring vessels)

If incorrect final answer, accept for 1 mark:

0.167 − 0.17 (not a percentage)

OR
evidence of

(correct understanding, but not calculated)

Ignore: ± (plus or minus) in answer
2
[8]

Q12.
(a) Starch (max 3)
1. Helical/ spiral shape so compact;
2. Large (molecule)/insoluble so osmotically inactive;
Accept: does not affect water potential/ψ.

Page 22 of 24
 3. Branched so glucose is (easily) released for
respiration;
Ignore: unbranched.
4. Large (molecule) so cannot leave cell/cross cell-
surface membrane;

Cellulose (max 3)
5. Long, straight/unbranched chains of β glucose;
6. Joined by hydrogen bonding;
Note: references to ‘strong hydrogen bonds’ disqualifies this
mark point.
7. To form (micro/macro)fibrils;
8. Provides rigidity/strength;
5 max

(b) 1. (At source) sucrose is actively (transported) into the phloem/sieve

element/tube;
Accept: ‘sugar/s’ for sucrose but reject other named sugars
e.g. glucose.
Accept: co-transport (with H+ ions).
2. By companion/transfer cells;
3. Lowers water potential in phloem/sieve element/tube
and water enters by osmosis;
4. (Produces) high (hydrostatic) pressure;
Accept: pressure gradient.
5. Mass flow/transport towards sink/roots/storage tissue;
Accept: sieve element/tube.
6. At sink/roots sugars are removed/unloaded;
Accept: at sink/roots sugars are used in respiration/stored.
5 max
[10]

Q13.
(a) (a monomer is a smaller / repeating) unit / molecule from which larger molecules /
polymers are made;
Reject atoms / elements / ’building blocks’ for units /
molecules
Ignore examples
1

(b) Similarity
1. Both contain galactose / a glycosidic bond;
Ignore references to hydrolysis and / or condensation

Difference
2. Lactulose contains fructose, whereas lactose contains glucose;
Ignore alpha / beta prefix for glucose
Difference must be stated, not implied
2

(c) 1. (Lactulose) lowers the water potential of faeces / intestine / contents of the
intestine;
Accept Ψ for water potential

Page 23 of 24
 2. Water retained / enters (due to osmosis) and softens the faeces;
Accept descriptions of soft faeces, eg faeces is less dry /
less hard
2

(d) (-) 84.1(%);;

Accept (-) 84.15(%)
Allow 1 mark for
84
OR

OR

2
[7]

Page 24 of 24