A-LEVEL BIOLOGY PAPER 1 EXAM STUDY
GUIDE 2026 TESTED QUESTIONS AND
SOLVED SOLUTIONS
⩥ What does it mean if a organism is eukaryotic? Answer: It is a multi-
cellular organism that is made up of eukaryotic cells.
⩥ What is an organelle? Answer: A part of a cell that plays a specific
role.
⩥ Name the organelles you might find in an animal cell. Answer:
1)Plasma cell surface membrane
2)Rough/smooth endoplasmic reticulum
3)nucleus (nucleolus)
4)lysosome
5)ribosome
6)Golgi apparatus
7)cytoplasm
8)mitochondrion
⩥ Name the organelles you might find in a plant cell. Answer: 1)Plasma
cell surface membrane
2)cellulose wall
,3)chloroplast
4)rough/smooth endoplasmic reticulum
5)mitochondrion
6)Golgi apparatus
7)vacuole
8)cytoplasm
9)nucleus
10) ribosome
⩥ How are algal cells similar to plant cells?. Answer: They have the
same organelles.
⩥ How are fungal cells different to plant cells?. Answer: Their cell walls
are made of chitin, not cellulose.
They don't have chloroplasts because they don't need to photosynthesise
⩥ Describe the cell surface plasma membrane.
Outline the functions.. Answer: It is found on the inside of cells that also
have a cell wall (plants), and is mainly made up of lipids and proteins.
It controls the movement of substances in and out of the cell. It also has
receptor molecules on it, to allow it to respond to chemicals like
hormones.
,⩥ Name the components of the nucleus. Answer: 1)nucleolus
2)nuclear envelope
3)nucleoplasm
4)nuclear pores
5)chromatin
⩥ Describe the nucleus.
Outline the functions.. Answer: A large organelle surrounded by a
nuclear envelope which contains many pores. The nucleus contains
chromosomes.
The nucleus controls the cell's activities by controlling the transcription
of DNA. The pores allow substances to move between the nucleus and
the cytoplasm. The nucleolus makes ribosomes.
⩥ Describe mitochondrion.
Outline the functions.. Answer: They are usually oval-shaped and have a
double membrane. The inner membrane is folded to form structures
called cristae. Inside is the matrix, which contains enzymes involved in
respiration.
The site of aerobic respiration, where ATP is produced. They are found
in large numbers in cells that are very active and require a lot of energy.
, ⩥ Describe the structure of chloroplasts.
Outline the functions.. Answer: A small, flattened structure found in
plant and algal cells. It is surrounded by a double membrane, and has
membrane inside called thylakoid membranes. They are stacked up in
some parts to form grana. Grana are linked together by lamellae.
The site where photosynthesis takes place. Some parts happen in the
grana, and other parts happen in the stroma. (thick fluid found in
chloroplasts)
⩥ Describe the structure of the Golgi apparatus.
Outline the functions.. Answer: A group of fluid-filled, membrane-
bound, flattened sacs. Vesicles are often seen at the edges of the sacs.
It processes and packages new lipids and proteins. It also makes
lysosomes.
⩥ Describe the structure of a Golgi vesicle.
Outline the functions.. Answer: A small fluid-filled sac in the cytoplasm,
surrounded by a membrane, and produced by the Golgi apparatus.
Stores lipids and proteins made by the Golgi apparatus and transports
them out of the cell via the cell surface membrane.
GUIDE 2026 TESTED QUESTIONS AND
SOLVED SOLUTIONS
⩥ What does it mean if a organism is eukaryotic? Answer: It is a multi-
cellular organism that is made up of eukaryotic cells.
⩥ What is an organelle? Answer: A part of a cell that plays a specific
role.
⩥ Name the organelles you might find in an animal cell. Answer:
1)Plasma cell surface membrane
2)Rough/smooth endoplasmic reticulum
3)nucleus (nucleolus)
4)lysosome
5)ribosome
6)Golgi apparatus
7)cytoplasm
8)mitochondrion
⩥ Name the organelles you might find in a plant cell. Answer: 1)Plasma
cell surface membrane
2)cellulose wall
,3)chloroplast
4)rough/smooth endoplasmic reticulum
5)mitochondrion
6)Golgi apparatus
7)vacuole
8)cytoplasm
9)nucleus
10) ribosome
⩥ How are algal cells similar to plant cells?. Answer: They have the
same organelles.
⩥ How are fungal cells different to plant cells?. Answer: Their cell walls
are made of chitin, not cellulose.
They don't have chloroplasts because they don't need to photosynthesise
⩥ Describe the cell surface plasma membrane.
Outline the functions.. Answer: It is found on the inside of cells that also
have a cell wall (plants), and is mainly made up of lipids and proteins.
It controls the movement of substances in and out of the cell. It also has
receptor molecules on it, to allow it to respond to chemicals like
hormones.
,⩥ Name the components of the nucleus. Answer: 1)nucleolus
2)nuclear envelope
3)nucleoplasm
4)nuclear pores
5)chromatin
⩥ Describe the nucleus.
Outline the functions.. Answer: A large organelle surrounded by a
nuclear envelope which contains many pores. The nucleus contains
chromosomes.
The nucleus controls the cell's activities by controlling the transcription
of DNA. The pores allow substances to move between the nucleus and
the cytoplasm. The nucleolus makes ribosomes.
⩥ Describe mitochondrion.
Outline the functions.. Answer: They are usually oval-shaped and have a
double membrane. The inner membrane is folded to form structures
called cristae. Inside is the matrix, which contains enzymes involved in
respiration.
The site of aerobic respiration, where ATP is produced. They are found
in large numbers in cells that are very active and require a lot of energy.
, ⩥ Describe the structure of chloroplasts.
Outline the functions.. Answer: A small, flattened structure found in
plant and algal cells. It is surrounded by a double membrane, and has
membrane inside called thylakoid membranes. They are stacked up in
some parts to form grana. Grana are linked together by lamellae.
The site where photosynthesis takes place. Some parts happen in the
grana, and other parts happen in the stroma. (thick fluid found in
chloroplasts)
⩥ Describe the structure of the Golgi apparatus.
Outline the functions.. Answer: A group of fluid-filled, membrane-
bound, flattened sacs. Vesicles are often seen at the edges of the sacs.
It processes and packages new lipids and proteins. It also makes
lysosomes.
⩥ Describe the structure of a Golgi vesicle.
Outline the functions.. Answer: A small fluid-filled sac in the cytoplasm,
surrounded by a membrane, and produced by the Golgi apparatus.
Stores lipids and proteins made by the Golgi apparatus and transports
them out of the cell via the cell surface membrane.
