AQA GCSE BIOLOGY 8461/1H PAPER 1
HIGHER TIER PAPER & MARK SCHEME
ACTUAL EXAM PAPER 2026 QUESTIONS
WITH ANSWERS GRADED A+
◍ How do vaccinations work?.
Answer: Dead/weakened form of pathogen injected into the
bodyLymphocytes make a large amount of antibodies against that pathogen
- cannot get ill
◍ How does Carbon Dioxide effect photosynthesis?.
Answer: The more CO2, the more photosynthesisWithout CO2, no
photosynthesis
◍ What are bacteria responsible for?.
Answer: Diseases such as tuberculosis, cholera.
◍ What is a stent?.
Answer: - Balloon placed into blocked coronary artery- Balloon artery
widens
◍ Amino acids are...
Answer: Small absorbable molecules
◍ What is the issue with using mice cells as monoclonal antibodies?.
Answer: Our cells will detect mice cells as foreign so our immune system
may try to attack them and they are rejected
◍ What does the head of the sperm contain?.
Answer: It contains the nucleus, which contains all genetic information.
◍ What does a bacterial cell contain?.
, Answer: PilliPlasmidRibosomesCytoplasmPlasma membraneCell
wallCapsuleBacterial FlagellumNucleoid - circular DNA
◍ What do antibiotics work on.
Answer: BACTERIA ONLY
◍ What is the role of white blood cells?.
Answer: Protection from pathogens and micro-organisms- Ingest pathogens-
Produce antibodies which recognise antigens on pathogens and destroy them
◍ How do muscles store glucose?.
Answer: In the form of glycogen
◍ What does mitosis produce?.
Answer: Clones/ genetically identical daughter cells
◍ What is the content focus of the 'AQA GCSE Biology Paper 1 Infectious
Diseases' playlist?.
Answer: It focuses on infectious diseases relevant to Biology Paper 1.
◍ Rose Black Spot.
Answer: - Fungal disease- Causes black spots on leaves- Less cholorophyll
and less photosynthesis- Less glucose made- Less amino acids produced-
Less cellulose- Less respiration
◍ Cancer cells.
Answer: Uncontrolled body cells which divide rapidly
◍ How may plant diseases be prevented?.
Answer: - pesticides which are used to kill insects which feed on plants-
anti-fungal treatments- cut away diseased areas
◍ Good drugs are....
Answer: - effective- safe- stable- easy to take- easily removed from body
◍ What is the view count for the 'GCSE Biology Paper 1 Revision Raps
2024'?.
Answer: 33K views.
, ◍ Describe the structure of the veins.
Answer: - Thin muscle and elastic fibre walls- Large lumen- Lower blood
pressure- Valves prevent the back flow of blood
◍ What do the pancreas and small intestine release?.
Answer: Amylase, protease and lipase
◍ Which side of the heart contains oxygenated blood?.
Answer: Left - red vessels
◍ What does photosynthesis produce?.
Answer: Oxygen and Glucose
◍ What does lipase break down?.
Answer: Fats into fatty acids and glycerol
◍ What's a placebo?.
Answer: A tablet containing no drug and made out of sugar
◍ How many videos are included in the AQA GCSE Biology Paper 1
Organisation playlist?.
Answer: 17 videos.
◍ What do plant cells have which is better than animal cells?.
Answer: Stem cells - constantly differentiate throughout its lifeThis is good
because it can become any type of plant cell that the plant requires
◍ What is a control variable?.
Answer: Wha you need to control to keep it a fair test (e.g. same length of
pond weed, temp, pH)
◍ What is the function of a whiplash tail on sperm cells?.
Answer: It allows the sperm to swim
◍ What does aerobic respiration mean?.
Answer: It requires oxygen
◍ What happens if you place a plant cell in pure water?.
Answer: There is a high water potential and a high water concentration.
HIGHER TIER PAPER & MARK SCHEME
ACTUAL EXAM PAPER 2026 QUESTIONS
WITH ANSWERS GRADED A+
◍ How do vaccinations work?.
Answer: Dead/weakened form of pathogen injected into the
bodyLymphocytes make a large amount of antibodies against that pathogen
- cannot get ill
◍ How does Carbon Dioxide effect photosynthesis?.
Answer: The more CO2, the more photosynthesisWithout CO2, no
photosynthesis
◍ What are bacteria responsible for?.
Answer: Diseases such as tuberculosis, cholera.
◍ What is a stent?.
Answer: - Balloon placed into blocked coronary artery- Balloon artery
widens
◍ Amino acids are...
Answer: Small absorbable molecules
◍ What is the issue with using mice cells as monoclonal antibodies?.
Answer: Our cells will detect mice cells as foreign so our immune system
may try to attack them and they are rejected
◍ What does the head of the sperm contain?.
Answer: It contains the nucleus, which contains all genetic information.
◍ What does a bacterial cell contain?.
, Answer: PilliPlasmidRibosomesCytoplasmPlasma membraneCell
wallCapsuleBacterial FlagellumNucleoid - circular DNA
◍ What do antibiotics work on.
Answer: BACTERIA ONLY
◍ What is the role of white blood cells?.
Answer: Protection from pathogens and micro-organisms- Ingest pathogens-
Produce antibodies which recognise antigens on pathogens and destroy them
◍ How do muscles store glucose?.
Answer: In the form of glycogen
◍ What does mitosis produce?.
Answer: Clones/ genetically identical daughter cells
◍ What is the content focus of the 'AQA GCSE Biology Paper 1 Infectious
Diseases' playlist?.
Answer: It focuses on infectious diseases relevant to Biology Paper 1.
◍ Rose Black Spot.
Answer: - Fungal disease- Causes black spots on leaves- Less cholorophyll
and less photosynthesis- Less glucose made- Less amino acids produced-
Less cellulose- Less respiration
◍ Cancer cells.
Answer: Uncontrolled body cells which divide rapidly
◍ How may plant diseases be prevented?.
Answer: - pesticides which are used to kill insects which feed on plants-
anti-fungal treatments- cut away diseased areas
◍ Good drugs are....
Answer: - effective- safe- stable- easy to take- easily removed from body
◍ What is the view count for the 'GCSE Biology Paper 1 Revision Raps
2024'?.
Answer: 33K views.
, ◍ Describe the structure of the veins.
Answer: - Thin muscle and elastic fibre walls- Large lumen- Lower blood
pressure- Valves prevent the back flow of blood
◍ What do the pancreas and small intestine release?.
Answer: Amylase, protease and lipase
◍ Which side of the heart contains oxygenated blood?.
Answer: Left - red vessels
◍ What does photosynthesis produce?.
Answer: Oxygen and Glucose
◍ What does lipase break down?.
Answer: Fats into fatty acids and glycerol
◍ What's a placebo?.
Answer: A tablet containing no drug and made out of sugar
◍ How many videos are included in the AQA GCSE Biology Paper 1
Organisation playlist?.
Answer: 17 videos.
◍ What do plant cells have which is better than animal cells?.
Answer: Stem cells - constantly differentiate throughout its lifeThis is good
because it can become any type of plant cell that the plant requires
◍ What is a control variable?.
Answer: Wha you need to control to keep it a fair test (e.g. same length of
pond weed, temp, pH)
◍ What is the function of a whiplash tail on sperm cells?.
Answer: It allows the sperm to swim
◍ What does aerobic respiration mean?.
Answer: It requires oxygen
◍ What happens if you place a plant cell in pure water?.
Answer: There is a high water potential and a high water concentration.
