GCSE BIOLOGY 8461 1H PAPER 1 HIGHER TIER
FINAL PAPER 2026 COMPLETE QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS FULL SOLUTION GRADED A+
◉ What is a eukaryotic cell? Answer: cell that has a nucleus and
organelles
◉ Where are eukaryotic cells found? Answer: plants, animals, fungi,
protists
◉ What is the size of a eukaryotic cell? Answer: 10-100 micrometers
◉ What are prokaryotic cells? Answer: bacterial cells
◉ What is the size of a prokaryotic cell? Answer: 0.1-5.0
micrometers in size
◉ What are the key features of a prokaryotic cell? Answer: Plasmids,
no mitochondria, no chloroplasts, single DNA loop
◉ What are plasmids? Answer: Small, circular DNA molecules found
in bacteria
,◉ What are plasmids used for? Answer: They replicate and move
between cells so that genetic information can be shared.
◉ Where is the genetic material stored in a prokaryotic cell?
Answer: It is stored in a single DNA loop inside then cytoplasm.
◉ What structures can be found in a eukaryotic cell but not in a
prokaryotic cell? Answer: Mitochondria, chloroplasts and nucleus
◉ What are the 5 subcellular structures in the animal cell? Answer:
Cell membrane, nucleus, cytoplasm, mitochondria and ribosomes.
◉ What are the subcellular structures in a plant cell? Answer:
Permanent vacuole, chloroplasts and rigid cell wall
◉ What is the plant cutting example? Answer: -Cut off a small
section of a plant stem and plant it.
-Some cells in the plant stem are able to differentiate to create new
root tissue.
-This allows a whole new plant to grow
◉ What is cell differentiation? Answer: The process in which cells
become specialized.
,◉ What does specialisation mean? Answer: When a cell develops
new sub-cellular structures to let it perform a specific function.
◉ When does cell differentiation in an animal cell happen? Answer:
During the organisms development.
◉ Why do adult animal cells mostly divide? Answer: To replace cells
and repair tissues.
◉ How are sperm cells specialised? Answer: Long flagellum:
Used for cells motion, allows sperm cell to travel to egg cell.
Head:
Contains nucleus(carries half of the organisms genetic material)
Combines with egg cells half of genetic material to fertilise it.
Middle section:
Lot of mitochondria in the cell to provide the energy needed
Acrosome:
Tip of the head
, Contains digestive enzymes needed to digest the egg cell.
◉ How do sperm cells get to the egg? Answer: They spin their
flagellum in a corkscrew motion.
◉ How are root cells specialised? Answer: Long projections:
Increases their surface area
Allows it to absorb water and minerals
No chloroplasts:
Cells are located underground
(No light for photosynthesis)
◉ How are root hair cells specialised?
(3 marks) Answer: -Root hair cells are specialised to increase the
efficiency of water absorption and the uptake of minerals required
for the plant's survival.
-These cells are located underground and so do not contain
chloroplasts (there is no light for photosynthesis).
-Root hair cells are long projections that increase the surface area
that the plant can use to absorb water and minerals.
FINAL PAPER 2026 COMPLETE QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS FULL SOLUTION GRADED A+
◉ What is a eukaryotic cell? Answer: cell that has a nucleus and
organelles
◉ Where are eukaryotic cells found? Answer: plants, animals, fungi,
protists
◉ What is the size of a eukaryotic cell? Answer: 10-100 micrometers
◉ What are prokaryotic cells? Answer: bacterial cells
◉ What is the size of a prokaryotic cell? Answer: 0.1-5.0
micrometers in size
◉ What are the key features of a prokaryotic cell? Answer: Plasmids,
no mitochondria, no chloroplasts, single DNA loop
◉ What are plasmids? Answer: Small, circular DNA molecules found
in bacteria
,◉ What are plasmids used for? Answer: They replicate and move
between cells so that genetic information can be shared.
◉ Where is the genetic material stored in a prokaryotic cell?
Answer: It is stored in a single DNA loop inside then cytoplasm.
◉ What structures can be found in a eukaryotic cell but not in a
prokaryotic cell? Answer: Mitochondria, chloroplasts and nucleus
◉ What are the 5 subcellular structures in the animal cell? Answer:
Cell membrane, nucleus, cytoplasm, mitochondria and ribosomes.
◉ What are the subcellular structures in a plant cell? Answer:
Permanent vacuole, chloroplasts and rigid cell wall
◉ What is the plant cutting example? Answer: -Cut off a small
section of a plant stem and plant it.
-Some cells in the plant stem are able to differentiate to create new
root tissue.
-This allows a whole new plant to grow
◉ What is cell differentiation? Answer: The process in which cells
become specialized.
,◉ What does specialisation mean? Answer: When a cell develops
new sub-cellular structures to let it perform a specific function.
◉ When does cell differentiation in an animal cell happen? Answer:
During the organisms development.
◉ Why do adult animal cells mostly divide? Answer: To replace cells
and repair tissues.
◉ How are sperm cells specialised? Answer: Long flagellum:
Used for cells motion, allows sperm cell to travel to egg cell.
Head:
Contains nucleus(carries half of the organisms genetic material)
Combines with egg cells half of genetic material to fertilise it.
Middle section:
Lot of mitochondria in the cell to provide the energy needed
Acrosome:
Tip of the head
, Contains digestive enzymes needed to digest the egg cell.
◉ How do sperm cells get to the egg? Answer: They spin their
flagellum in a corkscrew motion.
◉ How are root cells specialised? Answer: Long projections:
Increases their surface area
Allows it to absorb water and minerals
No chloroplasts:
Cells are located underground
(No light for photosynthesis)
◉ How are root hair cells specialised?
(3 marks) Answer: -Root hair cells are specialised to increase the
efficiency of water absorption and the uptake of minerals required
for the plant's survival.
-These cells are located underground and so do not contain
chloroplasts (there is no light for photosynthesis).
-Root hair cells are long projections that increase the surface area
that the plant can use to absorb water and minerals.
