AQA Past Papers Practice

Label parts A on Figure 1.

The size of the stomata can be controlled.
What parts of the leaf control the size of the stomata?

Tardigrades can reproduce both sexually and asexually.
During asexual reproduction, the female produces offspring from eggs which have not
been fertilised.
Give one advantage to the female if she does not need to find a mate.

Yeast can also respire aerobically.
Complete the sentence to give one way in which aerobic respiration is different from anaerobic respiration

Choose the answer (carbon, energy, oxygen, glucose)

Aerobic respiration releases more ………………………than
anaerobic respiration.

Describe two possible effects that a faulty valve can have on the functioning of the heart.

Ebola viruses enter box the cells and reproduce rapidly. The cells then burst and release
many copies of the viruses.
When white blood cells burst they release proteins that block blood flow to the liver.
The liver fails because there is a lack of blood flow.
A failing liver cannot produce sufficient chemicals for blood clotting.
Suggest one symptom a person might have if the blood does not clot.

This question is about white blood cells and pathogens.
White blood cells have cell membranes.
Describe the function of the cell membrane.

Label parts B on Figure 1.

Name a technique which could be used to quickly produce large numbers of the
genetically engineered plants

People must be vaccinated with a new vaccine each year to prevent infection from
influenza.
Explain why a new vaccine is used each year.

Vaccination of a large proportion of the population will help to protect those who are
not vaccinated.
Give a reason why

Tardigrades can survive in extremely cold and dry conditions.
In extreme conditions, tardigrades have the following adaptations:
1. Produce a waxy layer to cover their body surface.
2. Curl up into a tiny ball.
3. Are light enough to be carried by the wind.
Describe how each adaptation helps the tardigrade to survive.
You should give a different reason for each adaptation.
Adaptation 1
Adaptation 2
Adaptation 3

A leaf is a plant organ.
Name two other plant organs.

In Mendel’s breeding experiment there were 297 purple flowers and 105 white flowers
in the second generation.
Calculate the actual ratio Mendel achieved.
Give your answer to 3 significant figures.

Ratio of purple flowers : white flowers =?

The brain monitors core body temperature.
Name the centre in the brain that monitors core body temperature.

Between which two groups is there the largest increase in death rate? box
Use Table 1.

Research shows that tobacco smoke increases the risk of a tumour forming.
Choose one other factor that increases the risk of a tumour forming

Ebola is a disease caused by a viral pathogen.
The Ebola virus attaches to the cell membranes of some body cells.
The Ebola virus can spread very quickly by direct contact with infected patients or
their body fluids.
In countries where there are outbreaks of Ebola, people are advised to wash their
hands regularly.
Suggest how regular hand washing reduces the spread of the Ebola virus

Digestive enzymes break down insoluble molecules into smaller, soluble molecules.
Name two insoluble molecules digested by enzymes.
Choose the answers (amino acid, fat, fatty acid, glucose, protein)

Skin cells contain many ribosomes.
Suggest why ribosomes are not visible in Figure 6.

Mendel published his results in 1866, but his ideas were ignored until the early 1900s.
Suggest one reason why people did not accept Mendel’s ideas in 1866.

Bacteria can enter the body during breathing.
Antibiotics are used to kill bacteria without affecting our body cells.
Many antibiotics work by destroying the outer layer of the bacterial cell.
Suggest why these antibiotics do not kill body cells.

Yeast cells can respire anaerobically.
0 1 . 3 Complete the word equation for anaerobic respiration in yeast.
Choose the answer (ethanol, glycerol, starch, urea.)

glucose → ………….. + carbon dioxide

Owls are large birds.
Owls eat mice and small birds.
Which food chain is the most efficient at transferring energy from plants to owls?

Uncontrolled cell division causes tumours to form.
A tumour can be malignant or benign.
select two features of malignant tumours that make them different from benign tumours.

What does heterozygous mean?