Biology (AQA)

January 2008
Advanced Subsidiary Examination
BIOLOGY/HUMAN BIOLOGY (SPECIFICATION A) BYA1
Unit 1 Molecules, Cells and Systems
6) Catalase is an enzyme. It catalyses the following reaction.
Hydrogen peroxide

water + oxygen

Catalase can be obtained from the potato tissue. A student ground potato tissue with water and sand,
and then filtered the mixture. The liquid contained catalase.
In an investigation, the student mixed this liquid with hydrogen peroxide and measured the volume of
oxygen produced at 10- second intervals. The results are shown in the graph.

(a) (i) How much oxygen was produced between 120 and 130 seconds?
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(1 mark)

(ii) Less oxygen was produced between 80 and 90 seconds than between 10 and 20
seconds. Use your knowledge of the way enzymes work to explain why.
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(2 marks)

(b) Sketch a curve on the graph to show how the rate of reaction changed over the time
shown.
(2 marks)

(c) Describe how you could test the catalase preparation to show that it contained protein.
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(2 marks)

(d) When scientists measure the activity of an enzyme, they make sure that the enzyme is
at its optimum pH. Explain why.
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(2 marks)

9) The table below shows the mass of certain food components in 100 g of liquid milk and
in 100 g of dry powdered milk.

(a) (i) How much carbohydrate would be in 50 g of liquid milk?

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(1)

(ii) How much more fat is contained in 100 g of powdered milk than in 100 g liquid
milk?
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(1)

(iii) Which of the food components listed in the table contains all the elements carbon,
hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen and sulphur?
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(1)

(iv) The food components in the table are all needed in a balanced diet. Name two
other food components, not listed in the table, that are needed in a balanced
diet.
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2 .............................................................................................................................
(2)

(b) Describe a simple test you could carry out to test a food sample for fat (lipid).
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(2)

(c) Mothers feed their babies on milk. Describe what happens to the fat in milk in the
gut of a baby.
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(3)

Mark Scheme
AQA paper Jan 2008 q6
Question 6
(a) (i) 0; 1
(ii) Amount of substrate/hydrogen peroxide less;
Fewer collisions with active site (of enzyme)/ fewer E-S complexes
formed; 2 marks
(b) Allow 1 mark for a curve showing a decrease but no increase
Allow 2 marks for a curve showing a decrease with maximum at start and falling
to zero; 2 marks
(c) Add biuret;
Lilac/purple/mauve; 2 marks
Ignore references to precipitate; do not accept blue or pink although blue-purple
would be acceptable.
(d) Rate of reaction will be lower if pH not at optimum/ works best at optimum;
Shape/charge on active site changed/ enzymes denatured/
loses tertiary structure;
Substrate will not fit/bind/form E-S complexes; 2 marks
Total marks: 9