AQA GCSE BIOLOGY 8464 1H PAPER ONE
HIGHER TIER FINAL MARK SCHEME EDITION
2026
◉ What does cytoplasm do? Answer: It's a gel-like substance where
most of the chemical reactions happen. It contains enzymes that control
these chemical reactions
◉ What does a cell membrane do? Answer: It holds the cell together and
controls what goes in and out
◉ What do mitochondria do? Answer: These are where most of the
reactions for aerobic respiration occur. Respiration transfers energy that
the cell needs to work
◉ What do ribosomes do? Answer: This is where protein synthesis takes
place - where proteins are made in the cell
◉ What do cell walls do? Answer: They are made of cellulose and they
support and strengthen the cell
◉ What does a vacuole do? Answer: It contains cell sap and helps
maintain the shape of the cell
,◉ What do chloroplasts do? Answer: This is where photosynthesis
occurs, which makes food for the plant. They contain chlorophyll - a
green pigment - which absorbs light needed for photosynthesis
◉ What do bacterial cells contain? Answer: Cytoplasm, cell membrane,
cell wall, flagella, ribosomes, mitochondria, slime capsule, plasmids
(small rings of DNA) and a single circular strand of DNA that floats
freely in the cytoplasm
◉ What do bacterial cells NOT contain? Answer: A nucleus
◉ What is the equation for magnification? Answer: Image size divided
by actual size
◉ What is differentiation? Answer: The process by which a cell changes
to become specialised for its job
◉ What are undifferentiated cells called? Answer: Stem cells
◉ What are sperm cells specialised for and how are they specialised?
Answer: Reproduction - they transport the male DNA to the female
DNA
-It has a flagella and a streamlined head to help it swim towards the egg
-There are lots of mitochondria in the cell to provide the energy needed
,-It carries enzymes in its head to help digest through the egg cell
membranes
◉ What are nerve cells specialised for and how are they specialised?
Answer: Rapid signalling - they carry electrical signals from one part of
the body to another
-They are long to cover more distance
-They have branched connections at their ends to connect to other nerve
cells and form a network throughout the body
◉ What are muscle cells specialised for and how are they specialised?
Answer: Contraction - they need to contract quickly
-They are long so they have space to contract
-They contain lots of mitochondria to generate the energy needed for
contraction
◉ What are root hair cells specialised for and how are they specialised?
Answer: Absorbing water and minerals
-They are cells on the surface of plant roots which grow into long hairs
that stick out into the soil
-They have a large surface area for absorbing water and mineral ions
from the soil
◉ What are chromosomes? Answer: Coiled up lengths of DNA
molecules that are found in the nuclei
, ◉ What do multicellular organisms use mitosis for? Answer: To grow or
replace cells that have been damaged
◉ What are stem cells? Answer: They are undifferentiated cells that
divide to produce lots more undifferentiated cells. They then
differentiate into different types of cell
◉ Where are stem cells found? Answer: In early human embryos or the
bone marrow of adults
◉ What do embryonic stem cells do? Answer: 1) Used to replace faulty
cells in sick people - insulin-producing cells for diabetes and nerve cells
for paralysed spinal injuries
2) Used to replace faulty blood cells
◉ What is diffusion? Answer: Diffusion is the movement of particles
from an area of high concentration to an area of low concentration
◉ Name the substances that can diffuse through cell membranes
Answer: Glucose, water, oxygen and amino acids
◉ Name two substances that can't diffuse through cell membranes
Answer: Protein and starch
HIGHER TIER FINAL MARK SCHEME EDITION
2026
◉ What does cytoplasm do? Answer: It's a gel-like substance where
most of the chemical reactions happen. It contains enzymes that control
these chemical reactions
◉ What does a cell membrane do? Answer: It holds the cell together and
controls what goes in and out
◉ What do mitochondria do? Answer: These are where most of the
reactions for aerobic respiration occur. Respiration transfers energy that
the cell needs to work
◉ What do ribosomes do? Answer: This is where protein synthesis takes
place - where proteins are made in the cell
◉ What do cell walls do? Answer: They are made of cellulose and they
support and strengthen the cell
◉ What does a vacuole do? Answer: It contains cell sap and helps
maintain the shape of the cell
,◉ What do chloroplasts do? Answer: This is where photosynthesis
occurs, which makes food for the plant. They contain chlorophyll - a
green pigment - which absorbs light needed for photosynthesis
◉ What do bacterial cells contain? Answer: Cytoplasm, cell membrane,
cell wall, flagella, ribosomes, mitochondria, slime capsule, plasmids
(small rings of DNA) and a single circular strand of DNA that floats
freely in the cytoplasm
◉ What do bacterial cells NOT contain? Answer: A nucleus
◉ What is the equation for magnification? Answer: Image size divided
by actual size
◉ What is differentiation? Answer: The process by which a cell changes
to become specialised for its job
◉ What are undifferentiated cells called? Answer: Stem cells
◉ What are sperm cells specialised for and how are they specialised?
Answer: Reproduction - they transport the male DNA to the female
DNA
-It has a flagella and a streamlined head to help it swim towards the egg
-There are lots of mitochondria in the cell to provide the energy needed
,-It carries enzymes in its head to help digest through the egg cell
membranes
◉ What are nerve cells specialised for and how are they specialised?
Answer: Rapid signalling - they carry electrical signals from one part of
the body to another
-They are long to cover more distance
-They have branched connections at their ends to connect to other nerve
cells and form a network throughout the body
◉ What are muscle cells specialised for and how are they specialised?
Answer: Contraction - they need to contract quickly
-They are long so they have space to contract
-They contain lots of mitochondria to generate the energy needed for
contraction
◉ What are root hair cells specialised for and how are they specialised?
Answer: Absorbing water and minerals
-They are cells on the surface of plant roots which grow into long hairs
that stick out into the soil
-They have a large surface area for absorbing water and mineral ions
from the soil
◉ What are chromosomes? Answer: Coiled up lengths of DNA
molecules that are found in the nuclei
, ◉ What do multicellular organisms use mitosis for? Answer: To grow or
replace cells that have been damaged
◉ What are stem cells? Answer: They are undifferentiated cells that
divide to produce lots more undifferentiated cells. They then
differentiate into different types of cell
◉ Where are stem cells found? Answer: In early human embryos or the
bone marrow of adults
◉ What do embryonic stem cells do? Answer: 1) Used to replace faulty
cells in sick people - insulin-producing cells for diabetes and nerve cells
for paralysed spinal injuries
2) Used to replace faulty blood cells
◉ What is diffusion? Answer: Diffusion is the movement of particles
from an area of high concentration to an area of low concentration
◉ Name the substances that can diffuse through cell membranes
Answer: Glucose, water, oxygen and amino acids
◉ Name two substances that can't diffuse through cell membranes
Answer: Protein and starch
