GCSE BIOLOGY 8461 1H PAPER 1 HIGHER TIER
COMPREHENSIVE EXAMINATION TEST 2026
QUESTIONS WITH ANSWERS 100% CORRECT
◉ What is the cell cycle? Answer: The stages in a cell as it grows and
goes through mitosis
◉ What conditions may stem cells be able to help with? Answer:
Diabetes and paralysis
◉ How are most blood cells formed? Answer: From stem cells in
bone marrow
◉ What is therapeutic cloning? Answer: When an embryo is
produced with the patient's genes so that stem cells from the
embryo can be used
◉ Why are stem cells made by therapeutic cloning more useful for
medical treatments? Answer: They contain the same genes as the
patient, so are not rejected by the patient's body
,◉ Give two ways using stem cells to clone plants may be useful
Answer: For preventing the extinction of rare plant species, and for
producing large numbers of identical disease-resistant crops
◉ Define diffusion Answer: The movement of particles from a high
concentration to a low concentration down a concentration gradient
◉ What factors affect the rate of diffusion? Answer: Temperature,
surface area, difference in concentration
◉ How is the small intestine adapted for diffusion? Answer: There
are lots of villi to give a large surface area, villi contain lots of
capillaries close to the surface so there is a short diffusion distance
◉ How are the lungs adapted for diffusion? Answer: Lots of alveoli
give a large surface area, they have thin walls and capillaries are
close so there is a short diffusion distance
◉ How are fish gills adapted for diffusion? Answer: Gills have lots of
filaments to give a large surface area, there are lots of capillaries
with a short distance for diffusion
◉ How are plant roots adapted to absorb water? Answer: Roots have
lots of long root hair cells to give a large surface area for osmosis
, ◉ How are plant roots adapted to absorb mineral ions? Answer:
Root hair cells have mitochondria to release energy for active
transport of mineral ions
◉ How are leaves adapted for gas exchange? Answer: Leaves have
lots of stomata on the underside to allow carbon dioxide to diffuse in
◉ Define osmosis Answer: The movement of water from a high
water potential to a low water potential across a partially permeable
membrane
◉ How would you calculate % change in mass of a potato chip in
sucrose solution? Answer: (Change in mass ÷ Starting mass) x 100
◉ Why should you blot a potato chip dry before taking its mass?
Answer: To remove excess water, so it doesn't increase the mass
◉ Why do you calculate %change in mass of a potato chip rather
than just change in mass? Answer: So that you can compare different
chips, as the starting mass of each potato may not be the same
◉ Define active transport Answer: The movement of particles from a
low concentration to a high concentration against a concentration
gradient, using energy
COMPREHENSIVE EXAMINATION TEST 2026
QUESTIONS WITH ANSWERS 100% CORRECT
◉ What is the cell cycle? Answer: The stages in a cell as it grows and
goes through mitosis
◉ What conditions may stem cells be able to help with? Answer:
Diabetes and paralysis
◉ How are most blood cells formed? Answer: From stem cells in
bone marrow
◉ What is therapeutic cloning? Answer: When an embryo is
produced with the patient's genes so that stem cells from the
embryo can be used
◉ Why are stem cells made by therapeutic cloning more useful for
medical treatments? Answer: They contain the same genes as the
patient, so are not rejected by the patient's body
,◉ Give two ways using stem cells to clone plants may be useful
Answer: For preventing the extinction of rare plant species, and for
producing large numbers of identical disease-resistant crops
◉ Define diffusion Answer: The movement of particles from a high
concentration to a low concentration down a concentration gradient
◉ What factors affect the rate of diffusion? Answer: Temperature,
surface area, difference in concentration
◉ How is the small intestine adapted for diffusion? Answer: There
are lots of villi to give a large surface area, villi contain lots of
capillaries close to the surface so there is a short diffusion distance
◉ How are the lungs adapted for diffusion? Answer: Lots of alveoli
give a large surface area, they have thin walls and capillaries are
close so there is a short diffusion distance
◉ How are fish gills adapted for diffusion? Answer: Gills have lots of
filaments to give a large surface area, there are lots of capillaries
with a short distance for diffusion
◉ How are plant roots adapted to absorb water? Answer: Roots have
lots of long root hair cells to give a large surface area for osmosis
, ◉ How are plant roots adapted to absorb mineral ions? Answer:
Root hair cells have mitochondria to release energy for active
transport of mineral ions
◉ How are leaves adapted for gas exchange? Answer: Leaves have
lots of stomata on the underside to allow carbon dioxide to diffuse in
◉ Define osmosis Answer: The movement of water from a high
water potential to a low water potential across a partially permeable
membrane
◉ How would you calculate % change in mass of a potato chip in
sucrose solution? Answer: (Change in mass ÷ Starting mass) x 100
◉ Why should you blot a potato chip dry before taking its mass?
Answer: To remove excess water, so it doesn't increase the mass
◉ Why do you calculate %change in mass of a potato chip rather
than just change in mass? Answer: So that you can compare different
chips, as the starting mass of each potato may not be the same
◉ Define active transport Answer: The movement of particles from a
low concentration to a high concentration against a concentration
gradient, using energy
