AQA GCSE BIOLOGY HIGHER TIER 1H FINAL
PAPER 2026 COMPLETE QUESTIONS AND
VERIFIED ANSWERS
◉ give 2 differences between electron microscopes and light
microscopes? Answer: electron microscopes have a much higher
magnification and a much higher resolution than light microscopes
◉ what formula is used to calculate magnification of an image?
Answer: magnification = imagine size /real size
◉ give a brief method for using a light microscope to look at a
prepared slide Answer: USING A LIGHT MICROSCOPE TO LOOK AT A
PREPARED SLIDE
1)put the slide on the stage
2)select the lowest power lens
3)use the coarse adjustment knob to roughly focus the slide
4)use the fine adjustment(FA)knob to clearly focus the slide
5)switch to a higher power lens to increase magnification and
refocus with the FA knob
◉ give 3 things to remember when drawing cells observed through a
light microscope ? Answer: -use a pencil
,-label the main structures
-include the magnification used
◉ what happens when cells differentiate? Answer: when cells
differentiate they develop different sub-cellular structures that make
them carry out certain functions
◉ how are animal cells different to plant cells in their ability to
differentiate? Answer: most animal cells differentiate early in
development and can't differentiate again
many plant cells can differentiate whenever they need to
◉ give 3 ways that a sperm cell is specialised to do its job Answer:
FUNCTION:to get DNA into egg cell
-tail for swimming
-lots of mitochondria to provide energy
-enzymes in head to digest egg cell membrane
◉ give 2 ways that a nerve cell is specialised to do its job Answer:
FUNCTION:carries messages around the body at high speed
-fatty sheath speeds up message transport
-long so it can carry messages over a distance
,◉ how is a plant root cell specialised to do its job? Answer:
FUNCTION:helps a plant absorb water and minerals from soil.
-a long and thin extension gives a larger surface area for absorption
◉ give 2 ways that muscle cells are specialised to do their jobs?
Answer: FUNCTION:creates movement by contracting and relaxing
-long protein strands that can slide over each other ti
shorten/lengthen the cell
-lots of mitochondria to generate energy
◉ How are xylem cells specialised? Answer: FUNCTION:Xylem cells
form tubes that transport ester and minerals through the plant.
*they're dead cells with holes at either end-water and minerals can
just flow right through them
◉ How are phloem cells specialised? Answer: FUNCTION:transport
dissolved sugars in a plant.
-few sub cellular structures so sugars flow through easily
-pores in end walls to let sugars through
◉ Where are chromosomes found? Answer: nucleus
, ◉ what are chromosomes made up of? Answer: long lengths of DNA
◉ how many chromosomes are there in the total human body?
Answer: there are 46 in a human body cell
◉ how many pairs of chromosomes are there in the human body
cell? Answer: there are 23 pairs of chromosomes in a human body
cell
◉ why is the cell cycle important? Answer: because it creates new
cells which allows organisms to grow and develop
◉ what are the three stages of the cell cycle? Answer: 1)growth
2)mitosis
3)Division
◉ what happens during the growth stage of the cell cycle? Answer: -
extra sub cellular structures are made
-the DNA of each chromosome is duplicated
◉ what happens during mitosis in the cell cycle? Answer: -
chromosomes are pulled apart to opposite ends of the cell
-nucleus from around each set of chromsomes
PAPER 2026 COMPLETE QUESTIONS AND
VERIFIED ANSWERS
◉ give 2 differences between electron microscopes and light
microscopes? Answer: electron microscopes have a much higher
magnification and a much higher resolution than light microscopes
◉ what formula is used to calculate magnification of an image?
Answer: magnification = imagine size /real size
◉ give a brief method for using a light microscope to look at a
prepared slide Answer: USING A LIGHT MICROSCOPE TO LOOK AT A
PREPARED SLIDE
1)put the slide on the stage
2)select the lowest power lens
3)use the coarse adjustment knob to roughly focus the slide
4)use the fine adjustment(FA)knob to clearly focus the slide
5)switch to a higher power lens to increase magnification and
refocus with the FA knob
◉ give 3 things to remember when drawing cells observed through a
light microscope ? Answer: -use a pencil
,-label the main structures
-include the magnification used
◉ what happens when cells differentiate? Answer: when cells
differentiate they develop different sub-cellular structures that make
them carry out certain functions
◉ how are animal cells different to plant cells in their ability to
differentiate? Answer: most animal cells differentiate early in
development and can't differentiate again
many plant cells can differentiate whenever they need to
◉ give 3 ways that a sperm cell is specialised to do its job Answer:
FUNCTION:to get DNA into egg cell
-tail for swimming
-lots of mitochondria to provide energy
-enzymes in head to digest egg cell membrane
◉ give 2 ways that a nerve cell is specialised to do its job Answer:
FUNCTION:carries messages around the body at high speed
-fatty sheath speeds up message transport
-long so it can carry messages over a distance
,◉ how is a plant root cell specialised to do its job? Answer:
FUNCTION:helps a plant absorb water and minerals from soil.
-a long and thin extension gives a larger surface area for absorption
◉ give 2 ways that muscle cells are specialised to do their jobs?
Answer: FUNCTION:creates movement by contracting and relaxing
-long protein strands that can slide over each other ti
shorten/lengthen the cell
-lots of mitochondria to generate energy
◉ How are xylem cells specialised? Answer: FUNCTION:Xylem cells
form tubes that transport ester and minerals through the plant.
*they're dead cells with holes at either end-water and minerals can
just flow right through them
◉ How are phloem cells specialised? Answer: FUNCTION:transport
dissolved sugars in a plant.
-few sub cellular structures so sugars flow through easily
-pores in end walls to let sugars through
◉ Where are chromosomes found? Answer: nucleus
, ◉ what are chromosomes made up of? Answer: long lengths of DNA
◉ how many chromosomes are there in the total human body?
Answer: there are 46 in a human body cell
◉ how many pairs of chromosomes are there in the human body
cell? Answer: there are 23 pairs of chromosomes in a human body
cell
◉ why is the cell cycle important? Answer: because it creates new
cells which allows organisms to grow and develop
◉ what are the three stages of the cell cycle? Answer: 1)growth
2)mitosis
3)Division
◉ what happens during the growth stage of the cell cycle? Answer: -
extra sub cellular structures are made
-the DNA of each chromosome is duplicated
◉ what happens during mitosis in the cell cycle? Answer: -
chromosomes are pulled apart to opposite ends of the cell
-nucleus from around each set of chromsomes
