AQA GCSE BIOLOGY 8464 1H PAPER ONE
HIGHER LEVEL FULL MARK SCHEME 2026
◉ Cell. Answer: The building blocks of all living organisms. Cells can
be prokaryotic or eukaryotic
◉ Eukaryote. Answer: Plant and Animal cells are eukaryotic cells as
they have a cell membrane, cytoplasm and a nucleus
◉ Prokaryote. Answer: Bacterial cells are prokaryotic cells as they are
very very small have a cell wall around their cell membrane and they do
not have a nucleus
◉ Cell Membrane. Answer: An envelope that surrounds the cell and lets
substances in and out
◉ Nucleus. Answer: Contains DNA and controls the cells activity
◉ Cytoplasm. Answer: The jelly centre of the cell which holds the sub-
cellular structures and is where all the chemical reactions happen
◉ Cell Wall. Answer: Only found in plant cells and bacterial cells. In
plant cells the cell wall is made of cellulose
,◉ Single DNA Loop. Answer: In prokaryotic cells (bacteria) the DNA is
found as a single loop
◉ Plasmid. Answer: A small ring of DNA found in prokaryotic cells
(bacteria)
◉ Mitochondria. Answer: This is where respiration happens in cells
which gives the cells energy
◉ Chloroplasts. Answer: Only found in plant cells, these contain
chlorophyll and are the sites of photosynthesis and are green
◉ Ribosomes. Answer: Where proteins are made
◉ Vacuole. Answer: Found in plant cells, these contain cell sap which is
sugar and water
◉ Specialisation. Answer: When a cell becomes specialised for a
specific job. E.g. liver cells, heart cells, sperm cells.
◉ Organ. Answer: An organ is made up of different tissues and has a
specific job. E.g. the heart's job is to pump blood around the body.
,◉ Organ System. Answer: An organ system contains more than one
organ working together. E.g. the cardiovascular system consists of the
heart, lungs and blood.
◉ Sperm Cells. Answer: A sex cell produced in the testes which carries
genetic information from the male to the female egg. They have a tail to
swim, lots of mitochondria for energy, and an acrosome which contains
enzymes to digest through the egg membrane.
◉ Nerve Cells. Answer: These are special cells which carry electrical
impulses along a long structure called an axon. The brain is made of
nerve cells. They are also known as neurones.
◉ Muscle Cells. Answer: These make up muscle tissue and contract and
relax to create movement. There are three types - smooth muscle,
cardiac muscle and skeletal muscle. Muscle cells contain a lot of
mitochondria as they need lots of energy
◉ Root Hair Cell. Answer: A cell found in the roots of a plant which has
a long part sticking out to increase the surface area for absorbing water
and minerals. They also have NO chloroplasts as they do not
photosynthesise
◉ Xylem Cell. Answer: A cell that makes up xylem tissue in a plant.
Xylem tissue is like a long tube that carries water from the roots of a
plant to the leaves
, ◉ Phloem Cell. Answer: A cell that makes up phloem tissue in a plant.
Phloem tubes allow food like sugars to be moved around a plant.
◉ Differentiation. Answer: The process that cells go through to become
specialised.
◉ Light Microscope. Answer: A microscope that uses light and a series
of lenses to magnify things.
◉ Electron Microscope. Answer: A microscope that fires electrons at
objects and then creates a very detailed image.
◉ What 3 organelles do plant cells have that animal cells don't? what do
they do? (3). Answer: - Chloroplast - absorb light for photosynthesis
- vacuole - stores cell sap - structure and support (keeps cell rigid)
- Cell wall - made of cellulose - structure and support
◉ What are 4 key features of bacterial cells? (4). Answer: - Small size
- Cell wall
- Cell membrane
- loop of DNA (no nucleus)
HIGHER LEVEL FULL MARK SCHEME 2026
◉ Cell. Answer: The building blocks of all living organisms. Cells can
be prokaryotic or eukaryotic
◉ Eukaryote. Answer: Plant and Animal cells are eukaryotic cells as
they have a cell membrane, cytoplasm and a nucleus
◉ Prokaryote. Answer: Bacterial cells are prokaryotic cells as they are
very very small have a cell wall around their cell membrane and they do
not have a nucleus
◉ Cell Membrane. Answer: An envelope that surrounds the cell and lets
substances in and out
◉ Nucleus. Answer: Contains DNA and controls the cells activity
◉ Cytoplasm. Answer: The jelly centre of the cell which holds the sub-
cellular structures and is where all the chemical reactions happen
◉ Cell Wall. Answer: Only found in plant cells and bacterial cells. In
plant cells the cell wall is made of cellulose
,◉ Single DNA Loop. Answer: In prokaryotic cells (bacteria) the DNA is
found as a single loop
◉ Plasmid. Answer: A small ring of DNA found in prokaryotic cells
(bacteria)
◉ Mitochondria. Answer: This is where respiration happens in cells
which gives the cells energy
◉ Chloroplasts. Answer: Only found in plant cells, these contain
chlorophyll and are the sites of photosynthesis and are green
◉ Ribosomes. Answer: Where proteins are made
◉ Vacuole. Answer: Found in plant cells, these contain cell sap which is
sugar and water
◉ Specialisation. Answer: When a cell becomes specialised for a
specific job. E.g. liver cells, heart cells, sperm cells.
◉ Organ. Answer: An organ is made up of different tissues and has a
specific job. E.g. the heart's job is to pump blood around the body.
,◉ Organ System. Answer: An organ system contains more than one
organ working together. E.g. the cardiovascular system consists of the
heart, lungs and blood.
◉ Sperm Cells. Answer: A sex cell produced in the testes which carries
genetic information from the male to the female egg. They have a tail to
swim, lots of mitochondria for energy, and an acrosome which contains
enzymes to digest through the egg membrane.
◉ Nerve Cells. Answer: These are special cells which carry electrical
impulses along a long structure called an axon. The brain is made of
nerve cells. They are also known as neurones.
◉ Muscle Cells. Answer: These make up muscle tissue and contract and
relax to create movement. There are three types - smooth muscle,
cardiac muscle and skeletal muscle. Muscle cells contain a lot of
mitochondria as they need lots of energy
◉ Root Hair Cell. Answer: A cell found in the roots of a plant which has
a long part sticking out to increase the surface area for absorbing water
and minerals. They also have NO chloroplasts as they do not
photosynthesise
◉ Xylem Cell. Answer: A cell that makes up xylem tissue in a plant.
Xylem tissue is like a long tube that carries water from the roots of a
plant to the leaves
, ◉ Phloem Cell. Answer: A cell that makes up phloem tissue in a plant.
Phloem tubes allow food like sugars to be moved around a plant.
◉ Differentiation. Answer: The process that cells go through to become
specialised.
◉ Light Microscope. Answer: A microscope that uses light and a series
of lenses to magnify things.
◉ Electron Microscope. Answer: A microscope that fires electrons at
objects and then creates a very detailed image.
◉ What 3 organelles do plant cells have that animal cells don't? what do
they do? (3). Answer: - Chloroplast - absorb light for photosynthesis
- vacuole - stores cell sap - structure and support (keeps cell rigid)
- Cell wall - made of cellulose - structure and support
◉ What are 4 key features of bacterial cells? (4). Answer: - Small size
- Cell wall
- Cell membrane
- loop of DNA (no nucleus)
