Cambridge Past Paper Questions
Browse 23,045questions from 25 years of O-Level & A-Level exams. Click any question to practice.
An enzyme hydrolyses the two heavy polypeptide chains of an antibody molecule. The hydrolysis occurs at the hinge region and breaks the antibody in...
The diagram shows the ultrastructure of a typical animal cell. Which structure synthesises and transports lipids? [Figure 1.1]
A light microscope is used to observe two structures that are 200 nm apart. How far apart are the structures when the magnification is changed from...
The diagram shows a stage micrometer scale viewed through an eyepiece containing a graticule. The small divisions of the stage micrometer scale are...
Some features of cells are listed. 1 cytoplasm 2 cell surface membrane 3 ribosomes Which features are found in both animal and prokaryotic cells?
Which size of ribosomes is found in chloroplasts?
In which of these organelles is ATP synthesised? [Figure 6.1]
A sample of milk is tested with Benedict's solution. After boiling, a yellow colour is observed. Which conclusion is correct?
The table shows some information about carbohydrate polymers. Which row describes amylose? [Table 8.1]
Which row about α-glucose and β-glucose molecules is correct? [Table 9.1]
Some of the molecules found in animal tissues are grouped into three lists. 1 glucose, cholesterol, triglycerides, water 2 glycogen, antibodies, ad...
Haemoglobin consists of two α chains and two β chains. Approximately 5% of all humans have one amino acid in the β chain that has been changed, aff...
Which row gives the correct description of both a collagen molecule and a collagen fibre? [Table 12.1]
The diagrams show the structures of two amino acids, each of which has two amine (–NH2) groups. A peptide bond is formed between the two amino acid...
An enzyme was added to a small excess of its substrate. All variables were kept constant. A student was asked to sketch a graph to show how the con...
The table contains results recorded by a student from an investigation into the effect of temperature on an enzyme-catalysed reaction. All other va...
What is the correct range of measurements for the width of the cell surface membrane?
The cells in the roots of beetroot plants contain a red pigment. When pieces of root tissue are soaked in cold water, some of the red pigment leaks...
The cell surface membrane structure is described as a 'fluid mosaic'. Which statement describes the 'mosaic' part of the cell surface membrane?
The diagram shows two pathways, X and Y, through which molecules can diffuse across a cell surface membrane. Which row correctly shows possible pat...
Some stem cells divide and give rise to phagocytes. Where in the human body do these stem cells divide? 1 blood 2 bone marrow 3 lymph nodes
What is the correct sequence of stages in the mitotic cell cycle?
The enzyme telomerase repairs telomeres. It stops the telomeres from getting shorter each time a chromosome is replicated. Telomerase is not normal...
The statements describe events during the mitotic cell cycle. 1 Chromosomes migrate to opposite poles of the spindle. 2 Chromosomes arrange themsel...
Which statement about nitrogenous bases is correct?
Rifampicin is an antibiotic used to treat tuberculosis. It works by inhibiting RNA polymerase in bacteria. Which of these processes will be directl...
Meselson and Stahl investigated DNA in bacteria. They grew bacteria in a medium with only heavy nitrogen, 15N, until all of the bacterial DNA conta...
The diagram shows the stages in the production of part of a polypeptide. Which feature of the triplet code is illustrated by the information given?...
Which combination of features is characteristic of a phloem sieve tube element as it unloads into a sink? [Table 28.1]
Which statements correctly describe transport pathways in dicotyledonous plants? 1 In the symplast pathway, water may move through intercellular sp...
The diagrams show transverse sections of parts of a plant. Which labelled structures transport mineral ions? [Figure 30.1]
Which feature of transport in plants is correct for both xylem and phloem?
What is the main function of a companion cell in phloem tissue?
The contraction of the heart is coordinated through electrical impulses passing through the cardiac muscle. What is the correct order of part of th...
As blood flows from an artery to a vein, the thickness of the walls of the vessels changes. Which bar chart shows these changes correctly? [Figure ...
The graph shows the oxygen dissociation curves of haemoglobin from two species of mammal, S and T. Which statements could explain the difference in...
Which tissues may be found in bronchioles?
Which of these statements could describe the effect of carbon monoxide in cigarette smoke? 1 It binds irreversibly to haemoglobin. 2 It causes mucu...
The global mortality figures for some diseases in 2002 are shown in the table. How many millions of people died from viral diseases listed in the t...
Which of the statements could describe both B-lymphocytes and T-lymphocytes? 1 They contain specific protein receptors in their cell surface membra...
Two people, G and H, were each given an injection to protect them against a particular pathogen. One person was injected with antibodies. The other...
A diagram of a chromosome from a dividing cell is shown in Fig. 1.1. [Figure 1.1]
The infectious disease cholera is caused by a bacterium. (a) Fig. 2.1 shows a transmission electron micrograph of this bacterium. ×30 000 [Figure 2.1]
Catalase is an enzyme that catalyses the breakdown of hydrogen peroxide, a toxic waste product of metabolism. 2H2O2 catalase 2H2O + O2 Fig. 3.1 sho...
The transport systems of plants and mammals both function to transport substances to and from cells. (a) Table 4.1 contains descriptions concerning...
(a) Smooth muscle and cartilage are two of the tissues found in the walls of structures of the gas exchange system of mammals. Complete Fig. 5.1 to...
(a) A student investigated the effect of changing the surface area to volume ratio on diffusion. • Two different-sized blocks of agar, X and Y, wer...
Enzyme E hydrolyses (breaks down) starch to reducing sugar. You are required to investigate the effect of temperature (independent variable) on the...
P1 is a slide of a stained transverse section through a plant root. You are not expected to be familiar with this specimen. Use a sharp pencil for ...
Section A Answer all the questions. (a) Fig. 1.1 shows diagrams of nephrons from the kidneys of three different mammals, P, Q and R. These are all ...