AQA GCSE Biology - Paper 1
1. What does a nucleus do?: It contains genetic material and controls the
activities of the cell
2. What does cytoplasm do?: It's a gel-like substance where most of the
chemical reactions happen. It contains enzymes that control these
chemical reactions
3. What does a cell membrane do?: It holds the cell together and
controls what goes in and out
4. What do mitochondria do?: These are where most of the reactions for
aerobic respiration occur. Respiration transfers energy that the cell
needs to work
5. What do ribosomes do?: This is where protein synthesis takes place -
where proteins are made in the cell
6. What do cell walls do?: They are made of cellulose and they
support and strengthen the cell
7. What does a vacuole do?: It contains cell sap and helps maintain the
shape of the cell
8. What do chloroplasts do?: This is where photosynthesis occurs, which
makes food for the plant. They contain chlorophyll - a green pigment -
,which absorbs light needed for photosynthesis
9. What do bacterial cells contain?: 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
10.What do bacterial cells NOT contain?: A nucleus
11.What is the equation for magnification?: Image size divided by actual
size
12.What is differentiation?: The process by which a cell changes to
become specialised for its job
13.What are undifferentiated cells called?: Stem cells
14.What are sperm cells specialised for and how are they specialised?:
Re- production - 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
15.What are nerve cells specialised for and how are they specialised?:
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
16.What are muscle cells specialised for and how are they specialised?:
Con- traction - 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
, 17.What are root hair cells specialised for and how are they specialised?:
Ab- sorbing 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
18.What are chromosomes?: Coiled up lengths of DNA molecules that are
found in the nuclei
19.What do multicellular organisms use mitosis for?: To grow or replace
cells that have been damaged
20.What are stem cells?: They are undifferentiated cells that divide to
produce lots more undifferentiated cells. They then differentiate into
different types of cell
21.Where are stem cells found?: In early human embryos or the bone
marrow of adults
22.What do embryonic stem cells do?: 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
1. What does a nucleus do?: It contains genetic material and controls the
activities of the cell
2. What does cytoplasm do?: It's a gel-like substance where most of the
chemical reactions happen. It contains enzymes that control these
chemical reactions
3. What does a cell membrane do?: It holds the cell together and
controls what goes in and out
4. What do mitochondria do?: These are where most of the reactions for
aerobic respiration occur. Respiration transfers energy that the cell
needs to work
5. What do ribosomes do?: This is where protein synthesis takes place -
where proteins are made in the cell
6. What do cell walls do?: They are made of cellulose and they
support and strengthen the cell
7. What does a vacuole do?: It contains cell sap and helps maintain the
shape of the cell
8. What do chloroplasts do?: This is where photosynthesis occurs, which
makes food for the plant. They contain chlorophyll - a green pigment -
,which absorbs light needed for photosynthesis
9. What do bacterial cells contain?: 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
10.What do bacterial cells NOT contain?: A nucleus
11.What is the equation for magnification?: Image size divided by actual
size
12.What is differentiation?: The process by which a cell changes to
become specialised for its job
13.What are undifferentiated cells called?: Stem cells
14.What are sperm cells specialised for and how are they specialised?:
Re- production - 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
15.What are nerve cells specialised for and how are they specialised?:
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
16.What are muscle cells specialised for and how are they specialised?:
Con- traction - 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
, 17.What are root hair cells specialised for and how are they specialised?:
Ab- sorbing 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
18.What are chromosomes?: Coiled up lengths of DNA molecules that are
found in the nuclei
19.What do multicellular organisms use mitosis for?: To grow or replace
cells that have been damaged
20.What are stem cells?: They are undifferentiated cells that divide to
produce lots more undifferentiated cells. They then differentiate into
different types of cell
21.Where are stem cells found?: In early human embryos or the bone
marrow of adults
22.What do embryonic stem cells do?: 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
