AQA GCSE COMBINED SCIENCE: TRILOGY
8464/B/2F BIOLOGY PAPER 2F PAPER
& MARK SCHEME PRACTICE
EXAMINATION 2026 QUESTIONS WITH
ANSWERS GRADED A+
◍ What three things do organisms need energy for?.
Answer: Chemical reactions to build larger molecules, movement, keeping
warm
◍ variation.
Answer: different individuals of the same species having different
characteristics
◍ impacts of a rise in just a few °C on the climate.
Answer: changed global weather patters; drought; flooding; increased
rainfall; melting polar ice caps; increased sea levels; coastal erosion
◍ causes of land pollution.
Answer: landfill and toxic chemicals
◍ How do bacteria reproduce inside the body?.
Answer: Very quickly and by division
◍ What is a stem cell?.
Answer: An undifferentiated cell
◍ What is HIV?.
Answer: A viral disease spread by sexual contact or by exchange of bodily
fluids
,◍ What do white blood cells do?.
Answer: Defend against infection
◍ hormonal fertility control: oral contraceptives (the pill).
Answer: contains hormones that inhibit FSH production, stopping eggs from
maturing, 99% effective, can cause side effects, not effective against STDs,
must be taken every day
◍ non-hormonal fertility control: spermicides.
Answer: kill/disable sperm, only 70%-80% effective
◍ oestrogen.
Answer: produced by ovary
◍ pancreas.
Answer: monitors and controls blood glucose concentration
◍ What is salmonella?.
Answer: Food poisoning spread by bacteria ingested in food or on food
prepared in unhygienic conditions
◍ effects of pollution.
Answer: kills plants/animals; reduces biodiversity
◍ precipitation.
Answer: as water droplets in clouds get bigger and heavier, they begin to fall
as rain, snow and sleet
◍ inbreeding.
Answer: selectively bred plants/animals share similar genes, which could
make them more prone to disease and give an increased risk of inherited
defects
◍ What is 'nano' in standard form?.
Answer: 10 to the power of -9
◍ What is the role of xylem?.
Answer: To transport water and mineral ions from the roots to stems and
leaves
,◍ gene.
Answer: a section of DNA that codes for a specific protein
◍ example of antibiotic-resistant bacterium.
Answer: MRSA
◍ global warming.
Answer: the general increase in global average temperature follows a similar
trend to the CO₂% in the atmosphere
◍ What's the role of active transport in humans?.
Answer: Allows sugar molecules to move from the gut into the blood
◍ How do viruses reproduce inside the body?.
Answer: Inside cells using the cells machinery to replicates themselves and
then causing the cell to burst to release the new viruses
◍ How does water move across cell membranes?.
Answer: By osmosis
◍ What are the three things that new drugs should be tested for?.
Answer: Toxicity, efficacy, dose
◍ adrenalin.
Answer: a hormone produced by adrenal glands in stress or fear; increases
heart rate and O₂/glucose delivery to brain and muscles; prepares body for
'fight or flight'
◍ What is transpiration?.
Answer: The loss of water from a plant by evaporation and diffusion
◍ What is 'centi' in standard form?.
Answer: 10 to the power of -2
◍ What happens to fatty acids during metabolism?.
Answer: Are formed into lipid molecules from a molecule of glycerol and
three molecules of fatty acids
◍ how new molecules are synthesized.
, Answer: continual enzyme-controlled processes of metabolism
◍ representation of a recessive allele in a genetic cross.
Answer: lower-case letter
◍ What happens to proteins during metabolism?.
Answer: Broken down into urea for excretion
◍ biotic factors.
Answer: living conditions which can affect where plants or animals live
◍ area where large-scale deforestation occurs.
Answer: tropical areas
◍ white appearance for camouflage; thick layers of fat and fur for insulation;
small SA:V ratio to minimise heat loss; greasy coat to shed water.
Answer: cold climate adaptations of a polar bear
◍ ethical issues of embryo screening.
Answer: small risk of miscarriage; if a test comes back as positive for a
disorder, the parents have to decide whether to keep or abort the baby
◍ How does skin help protect the body?.
Answer: Acts as a barrier to pathogens
◍ What is respiration?.
Answer: An exothermic reaction which is continually occurring in living
cells that supplies all the energy needed for living processes
◍ gametes in animals.
Answer: sperm and egg cells
◍ What is an organ?.
Answer: An aggregation of tissues that perform a specific function
◍ What is the equation for anaerobic respiration?.
Answer: Glucose --> Lactic Acid
◍ IVF (in vitro fertilisation).
Answer: mother given FSH and lH to stimulate maturation of several eggs;
8464/B/2F BIOLOGY PAPER 2F PAPER
& MARK SCHEME PRACTICE
EXAMINATION 2026 QUESTIONS WITH
ANSWERS GRADED A+
◍ What three things do organisms need energy for?.
Answer: Chemical reactions to build larger molecules, movement, keeping
warm
◍ variation.
Answer: different individuals of the same species having different
characteristics
◍ impacts of a rise in just a few °C on the climate.
Answer: changed global weather patters; drought; flooding; increased
rainfall; melting polar ice caps; increased sea levels; coastal erosion
◍ causes of land pollution.
Answer: landfill and toxic chemicals
◍ How do bacteria reproduce inside the body?.
Answer: Very quickly and by division
◍ What is a stem cell?.
Answer: An undifferentiated cell
◍ What is HIV?.
Answer: A viral disease spread by sexual contact or by exchange of bodily
fluids
,◍ What do white blood cells do?.
Answer: Defend against infection
◍ hormonal fertility control: oral contraceptives (the pill).
Answer: contains hormones that inhibit FSH production, stopping eggs from
maturing, 99% effective, can cause side effects, not effective against STDs,
must be taken every day
◍ non-hormonal fertility control: spermicides.
Answer: kill/disable sperm, only 70%-80% effective
◍ oestrogen.
Answer: produced by ovary
◍ pancreas.
Answer: monitors and controls blood glucose concentration
◍ What is salmonella?.
Answer: Food poisoning spread by bacteria ingested in food or on food
prepared in unhygienic conditions
◍ effects of pollution.
Answer: kills plants/animals; reduces biodiversity
◍ precipitation.
Answer: as water droplets in clouds get bigger and heavier, they begin to fall
as rain, snow and sleet
◍ inbreeding.
Answer: selectively bred plants/animals share similar genes, which could
make them more prone to disease and give an increased risk of inherited
defects
◍ What is 'nano' in standard form?.
Answer: 10 to the power of -9
◍ What is the role of xylem?.
Answer: To transport water and mineral ions from the roots to stems and
leaves
,◍ gene.
Answer: a section of DNA that codes for a specific protein
◍ example of antibiotic-resistant bacterium.
Answer: MRSA
◍ global warming.
Answer: the general increase in global average temperature follows a similar
trend to the CO₂% in the atmosphere
◍ What's the role of active transport in humans?.
Answer: Allows sugar molecules to move from the gut into the blood
◍ How do viruses reproduce inside the body?.
Answer: Inside cells using the cells machinery to replicates themselves and
then causing the cell to burst to release the new viruses
◍ How does water move across cell membranes?.
Answer: By osmosis
◍ What are the three things that new drugs should be tested for?.
Answer: Toxicity, efficacy, dose
◍ adrenalin.
Answer: a hormone produced by adrenal glands in stress or fear; increases
heart rate and O₂/glucose delivery to brain and muscles; prepares body for
'fight or flight'
◍ What is transpiration?.
Answer: The loss of water from a plant by evaporation and diffusion
◍ What is 'centi' in standard form?.
Answer: 10 to the power of -2
◍ What happens to fatty acids during metabolism?.
Answer: Are formed into lipid molecules from a molecule of glycerol and
three molecules of fatty acids
◍ how new molecules are synthesized.
, Answer: continual enzyme-controlled processes of metabolism
◍ representation of a recessive allele in a genetic cross.
Answer: lower-case letter
◍ What happens to proteins during metabolism?.
Answer: Broken down into urea for excretion
◍ biotic factors.
Answer: living conditions which can affect where plants or animals live
◍ area where large-scale deforestation occurs.
Answer: tropical areas
◍ white appearance for camouflage; thick layers of fat and fur for insulation;
small SA:V ratio to minimise heat loss; greasy coat to shed water.
Answer: cold climate adaptations of a polar bear
◍ ethical issues of embryo screening.
Answer: small risk of miscarriage; if a test comes back as positive for a
disorder, the parents have to decide whether to keep or abort the baby
◍ How does skin help protect the body?.
Answer: Acts as a barrier to pathogens
◍ What is respiration?.
Answer: An exothermic reaction which is continually occurring in living
cells that supplies all the energy needed for living processes
◍ gametes in animals.
Answer: sperm and egg cells
◍ What is an organ?.
Answer: An aggregation of tissues that perform a specific function
◍ What is the equation for anaerobic respiration?.
Answer: Glucose --> Lactic Acid
◍ IVF (in vitro fertilisation).
Answer: mother given FSH and lH to stimulate maturation of several eggs;
