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A-LevelBiologyCell membranes and transport9700/23 · Oct/Nov 2025 · Q17 Marks

Many substances can move through cell surface membranes between the cytoplasm of animal cells and the extracellular environment. (a) A student made a drawing to summarise the movement of substances across the cell surface membranes of mammalian red blood cells. Fig. 1.1 shows the drawing made by the student: Each arrow indicates the movement of a substance through the membrane. The number of each of the 4 shapes represents the relative concentrations of each substance in the cytoplasm and in the blood plasma. The student carried out research and made a list of some of the substances found in red blood cells as shown in Fig. 1.2. Table 1.1 shows information about the 4 types of movement of substances across the cell surface membranes of red blood cells as shown in Fig. 1.1. Complete Table 1.1 using the information in Fig. 1.1 and Fig. 1.2. Table 1.1 letter from Fig. 1.1 | type of movement | name of part of membrane involved | example of a substance that moves across the membrane (from Fig. 1.2) --- | --- | --- | --- A | simple diffusion | phospholipids | B | facilitated diffusion | | calcium ions C | facilitated diffusion | | D | | |

  1. (a)A student made a drawing to summarise the movement of substances across the cell surface membranes of mammalian red blood cells. Fig. 1.1 shows the drawing made by the student: Each arrow indicates the movement of a substance through the membrane. The number of each of the 4 shapes represents the relative concentrations of each substance in the cytoplasm and in the blood plasma. The student carried out research and made a list of some of the substances found in red blood cells as shown in Fig. 1.2. Table 1.1 shows information about the 4 types of movement of substances across the cell surface membranes of red blood cells as shown in Fig. 1.1. Complete Table 1.1 using the information in Fig. 1.1 and Fig. 1.2. Table 1.1 letter from Fig. 1.1 | type of movement | name of part of membrane involved | example of a substance that moves across the membrane (from Fig. 1.2) --- | --- | --- | --- A | simple diffusion | phospholipids | B | facilitated diffusion | | calcium ions C | facilitated diffusion | | D | | |[5]
  2. (b)Some viruses infect plants through the surfaces of damaged leaves. These plant viruses can travel from one leaf cell to another without having to pass through any cell surface membranes. Explain how some plant viruses can travel from one cell to another without passing through cell surface membranes.[2]

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Mark scheme

Marking points from the official mark scheme (Oct/Nov 2025). The mark or mark type is shown in brackets.

  1. [1] letter A: example of substance = carbon dioxide / oxygen ;
  2. [1] letter D: type of movement = active transport;
  3. [1] letter D: part of membrane involved = carrier / pump, protein R sodium-potassium pump A sodium pump (if sodium is example)
  4. [1] letter D: example of a substance = sodium ions ; A potassium ions / chloride / amino acids A glucose if not given for letter C
  5. [1] letter C:example of a substance = glucose ; A amino acids / chloride (ions) / potassium ions / sodium ions
  6. [1] part of membrane involved: for B = channel protein and for C = carrier protein ;
  7. [1] any two from
  8. [1] viruses travel through symplast pathway ; I apoplast pathway if described correctly R symplast and apoplast pathways if no further detail of apoplast given
  9. [1] plasmodesmata / cytoplasmic connections between cells ; A strands of cytoplasm
  10. [1] because viruses are small enough (to pass through plasmodesmata) ;
  11. [1] AVP; A any ref. to actual size (width of plasmodesmata ~ 50 nm, width of Tobacco Mosaic Virus 18 nm)

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About this question

Topic
Cell membranes and transport, A-Level Biology (syllabus 9700). Structured question, 7 marks.
Source
A-Level Biology, Oct/Nov 2025 Paper 2 Variant 3, question 1.

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