A-LEVEL BIOLOGY PAPER 1 ACTUAL
EXAM SCRIPT 2026 COMPLETE QUESTIONS
AND SOLUTIONS
⩥ activation energy. Answer: the energy required to initiate a reaction.
⩥ active site. Answer: area of an enzyme with a shape complementary to
a specific substrate, allowing the enzyme to bind a substrate with
specificity.
⩥ active transport. Answer: movement of particles across a plasma
membrane against a concentration gradient. Energy is required. (ATP)
⩥ adenosine diphosphate (ADP). Answer: a nucleotide composed of a
nitrogenous base (adenine), a
pentose sugar and two phosphate groups. Formed by the hydrolysis of
ATP, releasing a phosphate ion and energy.
⩥ adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Answer: a nucleotide composed of a
nitrogenous base (adenine), a
pentose sugar and three phosphate groups. The universal energy
currency for cells.
,⩥ agglutinins. Answer: chemicals (antibodies) that cause pathogens to
clump together so they are easier for phagocytes to engulf and
digest.(caused by cross linking by antibodies that have a number of
binding sites)
⩥ alleles. Answer: different versions of the same gene.
⩥ amino acids. Answer: monomer used to build polypeptides and thus
proteins
⩥ anabolism (anabolic). Answer: reactions of metabolism that construct
molecules from smaller units. These reactions require energy from the
hydrolysis of ATP.
⩥ analogous structures. Answer: structures that have adapted to perform
the same function but have a different origin.
⩥ anaphase. Answer: third stage of mitosis when chromatids are
separated to opposite poles of the cell.
⩥ antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Answer: bacteria that undergo mutation to
become resistant to an antibiotic and then survive to increase in number.
⩥ antibiotics. Answer: a chemical or compound that kills or inhibits the
growth of bacteria
,⩥ antibodies. Answer: Y-shaped glycoproteins made by B cells of the
immune system in response to the
presence of an antigen.
⩥ antigen. Answer: identifying chemical on the surface of a cell that
triggers an immune response
⩥ antigen−antibody complex. Answer: the complex formed when an
antibody binds to an antigen.
⩥ antigen-presenting cell (APC). Answer: a cell that displays foreign
antigens complexed with major histocompatibility complexes on their
surface plasma membranes, so it can be recognised by other cells
⩥ antisense strand 'lagging strand'. Answer: the strand of DNA that runs
3' to 5' and is complementary to the sense strand. It acts as a template
strand during transcription.
⩥ anti-toxins. Answer: chemicals (antibodies) that bind to toxins
produced by pathogens so they no longer have an effect.
⩥ apoplast. Answer: the cell walls and intercellular spaces of plant cells.
, ⩥ apoplast route. Answer: movement of substances through the cell
walls and cell spaces by diffusion and into cytoplasm by active
transport.
⩥ arrhythmia. Answer: an abnormal rhythm of the heart.
⩥ artefacts. Answer: objects or structures seen through a microscope that
have been created during the processing of the specimen.
⩥ artificial active immunity. Answer: immunity which results from
exposure to a safe form of a pathogen, for example, by vaccination.
⩥ artificial passive immunity. Answer: immunity which results from the
administration of antibodies from
another animal against a dangerous pathogen.
⩥ asexual reproduction. Answer: the production of genetically identical
offspring from a single parent.
⩥ assimilates. Answer: the products of photosynthesis that are
transported around a plant, e.g., sucrose
⩥ atrial fibrillation. Answer: an abnormal rhythm of the heart when the
atria beat very fast and incompletely.
EXAM SCRIPT 2026 COMPLETE QUESTIONS
AND SOLUTIONS
⩥ activation energy. Answer: the energy required to initiate a reaction.
⩥ active site. Answer: area of an enzyme with a shape complementary to
a specific substrate, allowing the enzyme to bind a substrate with
specificity.
⩥ active transport. Answer: movement of particles across a plasma
membrane against a concentration gradient. Energy is required. (ATP)
⩥ adenosine diphosphate (ADP). Answer: a nucleotide composed of a
nitrogenous base (adenine), a
pentose sugar and two phosphate groups. Formed by the hydrolysis of
ATP, releasing a phosphate ion and energy.
⩥ adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Answer: a nucleotide composed of a
nitrogenous base (adenine), a
pentose sugar and three phosphate groups. The universal energy
currency for cells.
,⩥ agglutinins. Answer: chemicals (antibodies) that cause pathogens to
clump together so they are easier for phagocytes to engulf and
digest.(caused by cross linking by antibodies that have a number of
binding sites)
⩥ alleles. Answer: different versions of the same gene.
⩥ amino acids. Answer: monomer used to build polypeptides and thus
proteins
⩥ anabolism (anabolic). Answer: reactions of metabolism that construct
molecules from smaller units. These reactions require energy from the
hydrolysis of ATP.
⩥ analogous structures. Answer: structures that have adapted to perform
the same function but have a different origin.
⩥ anaphase. Answer: third stage of mitosis when chromatids are
separated to opposite poles of the cell.
⩥ antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Answer: bacteria that undergo mutation to
become resistant to an antibiotic and then survive to increase in number.
⩥ antibiotics. Answer: a chemical or compound that kills or inhibits the
growth of bacteria
,⩥ antibodies. Answer: Y-shaped glycoproteins made by B cells of the
immune system in response to the
presence of an antigen.
⩥ antigen. Answer: identifying chemical on the surface of a cell that
triggers an immune response
⩥ antigen−antibody complex. Answer: the complex formed when an
antibody binds to an antigen.
⩥ antigen-presenting cell (APC). Answer: a cell that displays foreign
antigens complexed with major histocompatibility complexes on their
surface plasma membranes, so it can be recognised by other cells
⩥ antisense strand 'lagging strand'. Answer: the strand of DNA that runs
3' to 5' and is complementary to the sense strand. It acts as a template
strand during transcription.
⩥ anti-toxins. Answer: chemicals (antibodies) that bind to toxins
produced by pathogens so they no longer have an effect.
⩥ apoplast. Answer: the cell walls and intercellular spaces of plant cells.
, ⩥ apoplast route. Answer: movement of substances through the cell
walls and cell spaces by diffusion and into cytoplasm by active
transport.
⩥ arrhythmia. Answer: an abnormal rhythm of the heart.
⩥ artefacts. Answer: objects or structures seen through a microscope that
have been created during the processing of the specimen.
⩥ artificial active immunity. Answer: immunity which results from
exposure to a safe form of a pathogen, for example, by vaccination.
⩥ artificial passive immunity. Answer: immunity which results from the
administration of antibodies from
another animal against a dangerous pathogen.
⩥ asexual reproduction. Answer: the production of genetically identical
offspring from a single parent.
⩥ assimilates. Answer: the products of photosynthesis that are
transported around a plant, e.g., sucrose
⩥ atrial fibrillation. Answer: an abnormal rhythm of the heart when the
atria beat very fast and incompletely.
