Cambridge IGCSE™

* 0 7 9 1 2 3 1 1 8 9 *

BIOLOGY 0610/33
Paper 3 Theory (Core) October/November 2023

1 hour 15 minutes

You must answer on the question paper.

No additional materials are needed.

INSTRUCTIONS
● Answer all questions.
● Use a black or dark blue pen. You may use an HB pencil for any diagrams or graphs.
● Write your name, centre number and candidate number in the boxes at the top of the page.
● Write your answer to each question in the space provided.
● Do not use an erasable pen or correction fluid.
● Do not write on any bar codes.
● You may use a calculator.
● You should show all your working and use appropriate units.

INFORMATION
● The total mark for this paper is 80.
● The number of marks for each question or part question is shown in brackets [ ].

This document has 20 pages. Any blank pages are indicated.

DC (EF/FC) 312797/2
© UCLES 2023 [Turn over
 2

1 (a) Arteries are a type of blood vessel.

State two structural features of arteries.

1 ................................................................................................................................................

2 ................................................................................................................................................
[2]

(b) Capillaries are another type of blood vessel.

State one function of capillaries.

...................................................................................................................................................

............................................................................................................................................. [1]

(c) State the name of the structures in veins that ensure the one‑way flow of blood.

............................................................................................................................................. [1]

(d) Fig. 1.1 is a diagram of part of the human circulatory system.

The arrows show the direction of blood flow.

lungs

Y
body

Fig. 1.1

(i) On Fig. 1.1, draw arrows to show the direction of blood flow to and from the lungs. [1]

(ii) State the names of blood vessel X and organ Y in Fig. 1.1.

blood vessel X ...................................................................................................................

organ Y ..............................................................................................................................
[2]

© UCLES 2023 0610/33/O/N/23

 3

(e) State the name of the blood vessel that transports oxygenated blood to the kidney.

............................................................................................................................................. [1]

[Total: 8]

© UCLES 2023 0610/33/O/N/23 [Turn over

 4

2 Water moves into and out of cells by osmosis.

(a) State two plant cell structures that water moves through to reach the cytoplasm.

1 ................................................................................................................................................

2 ................................................................................................................................................
[2]

(b) Potato plant tissue was used to investigate osmosis.

Potato cylinders were placed into different sucrose solutions for 30 minutes.

The masses of the potato cylinders were measured before and after being placed into the
solutions.

The difference in mass was calculated for each potato cylinder.

Table 2.1 shows the results of the investigation.

Table 2.1

concentration of starting mass of final mass of

difference in percentage
sucrose solution potato cylinder potato cylinder
mass / g change in mass
/ mol per dm3 /g /g
0.0 2.31 2.53 0.22 9.52
0.2 2.35 2.49 0.14 5.96
0.4 2.28 2.34 0.06 2.63
0.6 2.30 2.21 –0.09
0.8 2.34 2.19 –0.15 –6.41

(i) Using the information in Table 2.1, calculate the percentage change in mass for the
potato cylinder in the 0.6 mol per dm3 sucrose solution.

Give your answer to two decimal places.

Space for working.

............................................................ %
[3]

© UCLES 2023 0610/33/O/N/23

 5

(ii) Describe the expected appearance of the potato cylinder that was placed in the
0.8 mol per dm3 sucrose solution for 30 minutes.

...........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................................... [1]

(iii) Using the results in Table 2.1, describe how the concentration of sucrose solution affects
the percentage change in mass of the potato cylinders.

...........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................................... [2]

[Total: 8]

© UCLES 2023 0610/33/O/N/23 [Turn over

 6

3 (a) Fig. 3.1 is a drawing of a leaf from an oak tree.

Fig. 3.1

The oak leaf has a large surface area.

Explain why having a large surface area is an adaptation for photosynthesis.

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

............................................................................................................................................. [1]

(b) State the word equation for photosynthesis.

............................................................................................................................................. [2]

© UCLES 2023 0610/33/O/N/23

 7

(c) Fig. 3.2 is a diagram of a section of a leaf from a dicotyledonous plant.

W S

Fig. 3.2

(i) State the letter in Fig. 3.2 which identifies the tissue that contains the highest density of
chloroplasts.

................................................ [1]

(ii) In Fig. 3.2, the letter S labels a vascular bundle.

State the names of two tissues found in the vascular bundle.

1 ........................................................................................................................................

2 ........................................................................................................................................
[2]

(iii) State the letter in Fig. 3.2 which identifies the cells that control gas exchange in the leaf
and state their name.

letter ..............................................................

name .................................................................................................................................
[2]

(iv) State the name and one function of the layer labelled P in Fig. 3.2.

name .................................................................................................................................

function ..............................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................
[2]

[Total: 10]
© UCLES 2023 0610/33/O/N/23 [Turn over
 8

4 (a) During inspiration air is taken into the lungs.

Table 4.1 shows the structures that air passes through during inspiration.

The structures are not in the correct order.

Table 4.1

A alveoli

B bronchi

C bronchioles

D larynx

E nose

F trachea

Identify the order of structures that air travels through during inspiration.

Write the letters from Table 4.1 in the boxes provided to show the correct order.

One has been done for you.

[3]

(b) The composition of inspired air is different from the composition of expired air.

Describe the differences in composition between inspired and expired air.

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

............................................................................................................................................. [4]

© UCLES 2023 0610/33/O/N/23

 9

(c) A student investigated the composition of inspired and expired air.

Fig. 4.1 shows the apparatus that was used.

The student breathed in and out, through the mouthpiece, for 15 seconds.

mouthpiece

air in air out

test-tube A test-tube B

limewater

Fig. 4.1

(i) State the name of the gas that can be identified using limewater.

..................................................................................................................................... [1]

(ii) Using the information in Fig. 4.1, predict what happened to the limewater in test‑tube A
and in test‑tube B.

test‑tube A .........................................................................................................................

test‑tube B .........................................................................................................................
[2]

(d) The student exercised for five minutes.

Describe the effects of vigorous exercise on breathing.

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

............................................................................................................................................. [2]

[Total: 12]

© UCLES 2023 0610/33/O/N/23 [Turn over

 10

5 Bluebells are plants that can reproduce sexually and asexually.

(a) (i) Define the term asexual reproduction.

...........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................................... [2]

(ii) State one example of a structure that is involved in asexual reproduction in a plant.

..................................................................................................................................... [1]

(b) Fig. 5.1 is a drawing of a bluebell plant.

Fig. 5.1

On Fig. 5.1, label the structure that carries out sexual reproduction with a label line and the
letter S. [1]

© UCLES 2023 0610/33/O/N/23

 11

(c) Bluebells grow in ancient woodlands.

Fig. 5.2 is a graph showing the percentage of land that was covered with woodland in one
country from the years 1100 to 2000.

16

14

12

10
percentage of
land covered 8
with woodland
6

0
1100 1200 1300 1400 1500 1600 1700 1800 1900 2000
year

Fig. 5.2

(i) State the years when the percentage of land covered with woodland was 10% in Fig. 5.2.

........................................ and ........................................ [2]

(ii) State the percentage of land covered with woodland in 1600 in Fig. 5.2.

...................................................... % [1]

© UCLES 2023 0610/33/O/N/23 [Turn over

 12

(d) (i) In many countries the percentage of land covered with woodland has decreased because
of deforestation.

Suggest two reasons why deforestation occurs.

1 ........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

2 ........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................
[2]

(ii) Explain the undesirable effects of deforestation.

...........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................................... [3]

[Total: 12]

© UCLES 2023 0610/33/O/N/23

 13

BLANK PAGE

© UCLES 2023 0610/33/O/N/23 [Turn over

 14

6 (a) A student investigated variation in flower colour in pea plants.

The student counted the number of pea plants that had purple flowers and the number of pea
plants that had white flowers.

Fig. 6.1 shows the results.

100

90

80

70

60

number of
50
pea plants
40

30

20

10

0
purple white
flower colour

Fig. 6.1

© UCLES 2023 0610/33/O/N/23

 15

Use the information in Fig. 6.1 and your own knowledge to complete the sentences about
variation.

Variation is the ............................................... between individuals of the same species.

Flower colour in pea plants is an example of discontinuous variation. The other type of

variation is known as ............................................... variation.

Discontinuous variation results in a limited number of phenotypes with no

............................................... .

Discontinuous variation is usually caused by ............................................... only.

The difference between the number of pea plants that had purple flowers and the number of

pea plants that had white flowers is ............................................... .

The ratio of purple to white flowers in Fig. 6.1 is ............................................... .

[6]

© UCLES 2023 0610/33/O/N/23 [Turn over

 16

(b) Some features of organisms show discontinuous variation.

The term discontinuous variation is in the box on the left.

The boxes on the right show some features of organisms.

Draw two lines from ‘discontinuous variation’ to two features that show discontinuous
variation.

blood group in humans

body length in reptiles

discontinuous variation height in humans

mass of pea seeds

pea seed shape

[2]

(c) New alleles for flower colour can arise as a result of genetic change.

(i) State the term used to describe genetic change.

..................................................................................................................................... [1]

(ii) State one factor that can increase the rate at which genetic change occurs.

..................................................................................................................................... [1]

© UCLES 2023 0610/33/O/N/23

 17

(d) Scientists have experimented with genetically modifying pea plants to make them resistant to
pea weevils.

Pea weevils are an insect pest.

(i) Suggest why pea plants might be genetically modified to make them resistant to pests.

...........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................................... [1]

(ii) State two other examples of genetic modification in crop plants.

1 ........................................................................................................................................

2 ........................................................................................................................................
[2]

[Total: 13]

© UCLES 2023 0610/33/O/N/23 [Turn over

 18

7 Fig. 7.1 is a photograph of a lionfish (Pterois volitans).

Fig. 7.1

(a) State the genus of the lionfish.

............................................................................................................................................. [1]

(b) Lionfish are classified as fish.

Table 7.1 shows features of organisms.

Place ticks (✓) in the boxes to show the correct features of birds, fish and insects.

Table 7.1

features birds fish insects

compound eyes

feathers

internal skeleton

[3]

© UCLES 2023 0610/33/O/N/23

 19

(c) Lionfish are an example of a foreign species that has been accidentally introduced to many
marine habitats.

Describe the harmful consequences of introducing a foreign species to a habitat.

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

............................................................................................................................................. [3]

(d) Removing introduced species from habitats is one method of conserving endangered species.

Describe other methods of conserving endangered species.

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

............................................................................................................................................. [3]

[Total: 10]

© UCLES 2023 0610/33/O/N/23 [Turn over

 20

8 Fig. 8.1 is a diagram showing part of the carbon cycle.

carbon dioxide in the atmosphere

W
Z

herbivores plants
Y
X

dead organisms and waste products

fossil fuels

Fig. 8.1

(a) Identify the processes labelled W, X, Y and Z in Fig. 8.1.

W ..............................................................................................................................................

X ...............................................................................................................................................

Y ...............................................................................................................................................

Z ...............................................................................................................................................
[4]

(b) State the names of two biological molecules found in plants that contain carbon.

1 ................................................................................................................................................

2 ................................................................................................................................................
[2]

(c) An increase in the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is causing the enhanced
greenhouse effect.

State the name of one other greenhouse gas.

............................................................................................................................................. [1]

[Total: 7]

Permission to reproduce items where third‑party owned material protected by copyright is included has been sought and cleared where possible. Every
reasonable effort has been made by the publisher (UCLES) to trace copyright holders, but if any items requiring clearance have unwittingly been included, the
publisher will be pleased to make amends at the earliest possible opportunity.

To avoid the issue of disclosure of answer‑related information to candidates, all copyright acknowledgements are reproduced online in the Cambridge
Assessment International Education Copyright Acknowledgements Booklet. This is produced for each series of examinations and is freely available to download
at www.cambridgeinternational.org after the live examination series.

Cambridge Assessment International Education is part of Cambridge Assessment. Cambridge Assessment is the brand name of the University of Cambridge
Local Examinations Syndicate (UCLES), which is a department of the University of Cambridge.

© UCLES 2023 0610/33/O/N/23