Centre Number

71

Candidate Number

ADVANCED SUBSIDIARY (AS)

General Certificate of Education
January 2008

Biology
Assessment Unit AS 3A

ASB31
assessing
Module 3A: Practical Processes
[ASB31]

WEDNESDAY 23 JANUARY, MORNING

TIME
1 hour.

INSTRUCTIONS TO CANDIDATES
Write your Centre Number and Candidate Number in the spaces
provided at the top of this page.
Write your answers in the spaces provided in this question paper.
Answer all five questions.
You are provided with Photograph 3.2 for use with question 2 in this
paper. For Examiner’s
use only
Do not write your answers on this photograph.
Question
Marks
Number
1
INFORMATION FOR CANDIDATES
2
The total mark for this paper is 50.
Quality of written communication will be assessed in questions 1(b) 3
and 5(b), (denoted in the paper with an asterisk, *) and awarded a 4
maximum of 2 marks. 5
Figures in brackets printed down the right-hand side of pages indicate
the marks awarded to each question or part question. QWC
Total
Marks
ASB3AW8 3633
1 The creeping buttercup (Ranunculus repens) grows in clumps and is Examiner Only
Marks Remark
common in wet meadows.

(a) In an investigation of the distribution of creeping buttercup in a

meadow, quadrats were placed at particular sites. The drawing
below shows the areas in one quadrat in which creeping buttercup
was growing. Wires were used to divide the quadrat into 25 smaller
squares.

position of
creeping
buttercup

(i) Determine the percentage cover of creeping buttercup in the

quadrat. Explain how you arrived at your answer.

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

____________________________________________________ [2]

(ii) Explain why percentage cover is often used to determine the

abundance of a plant rather than its frequency.

______________________________________________________

____________________________________________________ [1]

ASB3AW8 3633 2 [Turn over

 *(b) The meadow in which the investigation took place sloped from a Examiner Only
Marks Remark
region of dry soil to a lower region of wet soil. Explain how you would
investigate whether creeping buttercup is more common in wet or dry
regions of the meadow.

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________ [4]

ASB3AW8 3633 3 [Turn over

2 Photograph 3.2 is a photomicrograph of part of a transverse section Examiner Only
Marks Remark
through the stem of a sunflower (Helianthus).

In the space below, draw a block diagram to show the tissue layers in the
stem as shown in the photograph. Label the drawing to identify at least five
structures.

[9]

ASB3AW8 3633 4 [Turn over

 BLANK PAGE

(Questions continue overleaf)

ASB3AW8 3633 5 [Turn over

3 The haemocytometer (shown below) was originally developed as
a sampling device for counting blood cells, but can also be used to
count any cells in a liquid medium. For example, students may use the
haemocytometer to count the number of yeast cells in a population and
monitor how this changes over time.

Surface of slide

type-B square (0.04 mm2)

Central part of slide
type-C square (0.0025 mm2)
type-A square (1 mm2)

Section of slide edge of field of view (low power)

showing coverslip in position
Source: Practical Biology for Advanced Level, M. Roberts, T. King, M. Reiss, Nelson, 1994
Examiner Only
Marks Remark
(a) When carrying out blood counts, the blood sample must be diluted
using an isotonic salt (saline) solution rather than water. Suggest why
use of an isotonic medium is not as important when working with
yeast cells which possess a cell wall.

__________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________ [1]

(b) Describe how you would produce an even distribution of yeast cells
across the counting grid to enable you to count them.

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________ [2]

(c) In the older populations of yeast there may be too many yeast cells to
allow you to clearly see the grid lines on the slide. Describe how you
could treat such populations to enable a count to be made.

__________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________ [1]
ASB3AW8 3633 6 [Turn over
 The diagram below represents four type-C squares from a haemocytometer Examiner Only
Marks Remark
slide. The distance between the surface of these type-C squares and the
overlying coverslip is 0.1 mm.

X
X

(d) (i) Describe how you would select the type-C squares to be counted.

______________________________________________________

____________________________________________________ [1]

(ii) When counting cells, outline the procedure for dealing with those
cells lying on or touching the grid lines.

______________________________________________________

____________________________________________________ [1]

(iii) Count the number of yeast cells in the type-C square marked X.

____________________________________________________ [1]

(iv) Use your answer from part (iii) to calculate the number of yeast
cells per mm3. (Show your working out.)

Answer _____________ [2]

(e) Describe one way in which the reliability of your yeast population
estimate could be improved.

__________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________ [1]

ASB3AW8 3633 7 [Turn over

4 Edible periwinkles (Littorina littorea) are common marine molluscs found Examiner Only
Marks Remark
on rocky shores. When the tide is out the periwinkles withdraw into their
shells to prevent drying out. When immersed in seawater the periwinkle
will partially emerge from its shell and move about grazing on algae. The
body fluids of the animal have the same water potential (ψ) as seawater.

In an experiment on the responses of periwinkles to different osmotic

situations, groups of 30 periwinkles were immersed in varying dilutions of
seawater. In each situation the number of periwinkles that had withdrawn
into their shells after 10 minutes was recorded. The results are shown in the
table below.

Percentage of seawater
in the immersing 100 90 80 70 65 60 50 40
solution/% [seawater]
Number of periwinkles
withdrawn into shells 1 0 0 4 8 13 23 30

(a) Plot the above results, using an appropriate graphical technique. (Use
the graph paper opposite.) [6]

(b) With reference to water potential, explain what happens osmotically

when periwinkles are placed in diluted seawater.

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________ [2]

(c) Describe the trend illustrated in the graph.

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________ [2]

(d) Suggest why the periwinkles have withdrawn into their shells when
immersed in 40% seawater.

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________ [2]

ASB3AW8 3633 8 [Turn over

ASB3AW8 3633 9 [Turn over
5 The breakdown of hydrogen peroxide to water and oxygen is catalysed Examiner Only
Marks Remark
by the enzyme catalase. This enzyme is present in all living tissues, as
hydrogen peroxide is a toxic by-product of metabolism. Catalase activity
can be detected in the laboratory by the amount of foam produced from the
production of oxygen, when it reacts with hydrogen peroxide. This can be
measured in a measuring cylinder as shown below.

foam (oxygen bubbles)

mixture of catalase and

hydrogen peroxide

You are asked to devise a plan to investigate

“the effect of concentration of hydrogen peroxide on

the activity of catalase in liver tissue.”

You are supplied with

● liver
● standard hydrogen peroxide solution
● distilled water
● measuring cylinders and general laboratory apparatus

(a) State the

● independent variable ______________________________________

● dependent variable ____________________________________ [2]

ASB3AW8 3633 10 [Turn over

 *(b) Describe your plan for carrying out the investigation. Examiner Only
Marks Remark

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________ [4]

(c) Suggest two possible limitations in your method.

1. _______________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

2. _______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________ [2]

(d) Using the axes below, show how you would present the results
graphically. Label the axes appropriately and, on the basis of your
understanding of enzyme action, draw a graph of the results that you
would expect.

[2]

Quality of written
communication

ASB3AW8 3633 11 [Turn over

Permission to reproduce all copyright material has been applied for.
In some cases, efforts to contact copyright holders may have been unsuccessful and CCEA
will be happy to rectify any omissions of acknowledgement in future if notified.

S – 3/07 – 302-029-1
ASB3AW8 3633 12 [Turn over
GCE Biology Advanced Subsidiary (AS)
Assessment Unit AS 3A
Module 3A: Practical Processes
January 2008
Photograph 3.2
(For use with Question 2)

ASB31IN1

Source: Chuck Brown/Science Photo Library

ASB3AW8 3633.02