AQA GCSE COMBINED SCIENCE: TRILOGY
8464/B/2F BIOLOGY PAPER 2F 8464/B/2F
PAPER & MARK SCHEME
CERTIFICATION SCRIPT 2026 QUESTIONS
WITH SOLUTIONS GRADED A+
◍ What happens to water potential when H+ ions are transported into a
vacuole?.
Answer: Water potential decreases, causing water to move into the vacuole
by osmosis.
◍ What is the protocol if associates encounter unusual answers not covered in
the mark scheme?.
Answer: They must refer these answers to the Lead Examiner.
◍ What is the acceptable rounding for 2.34 x 10^5?.
Answer: Acceptable rounding includes 234375 = 1 mark
◍ Define metastasis.
Answer: When a group of cells breaks away from a tumour and travels in
the blood to form a secondary tumour elsewhere
◍ What are two different ways the spread of malaria be controlled?.
Answer: Mosquito nets, using a larvaecide to prevent mosquitos from
breeding
◍ What is the importance of using a control variable in experiments?.
Answer: It ensures that the results are due to the independent variable being
tested.
◍ What is the correct answer for the total number of plasmid kbp?.
, Answer: Correct answer of 8910 = 2 marks
◍ What does the use of brackets in the mark scheme indicate?.
Answer: Information that is not essential for awarding marks but helps
clarify the required sense of the answer.
◍ What is the relationship between ATP hydrolysis and active transport?.
Answer: ATP hydrolysis releases energy required for active transport.
◍ What is the significance of the standardisation process in marking?.
Answer: It ensures that all associates understand and apply the mark scheme
consistently, covering various student responses.
◍ For what purposes do organisms need to release energy by respiration?.
Answer: Chemical reactions to build larger molecules, movement, keeping
warm
◍ What is the role of hydrolysis in lactose digestion?.
Answer: Hydrolysis breaks down lactose into glucose and galactose.
◍ What is the colour change when Biuret solution is shaken with protein?.
Answer: Blue -> Purple
◍ What should painkillers be used for?.
Answer: Only to treat the symptoms of a disease, they do not kill pathogens
◍ What are the differences between aerobic and anaerobic respiration?.
Answer: Aerobic requires oxygen, anaerobic does not release as much
energy
◍ What does 'right + wrong = wrong' mean in the context of marking lists?.
Answer: If a student provides both correct and incorrect responses, the
errors negate the correct ones, potentially resulting in zero marks.
◍ What does a small sample size in an experiment indicate?.
Answer: It may limit the reliability and generalizability of the results.
◍ What is the role of micelles in digestion?.
Answer: They carry fatty acids and monoglycerides to the cell surface
, membrane and make them more soluble.
◍ Why aren't antibiotics used to treat measles or the flu?.
Answer: Antibiotics don't work on viruses
◍ What should the y-axis cover for the graph to be acceptable?.
Answer: The y-axis must cover at least half of the grid
◍ What is the result of a mutation that increases chlorophyll ratio?.
Answer: Mutant absorbs more light and has increased chlorophyll a:b ratio
◍ How should answers using 'it' be evaluated?.
Answer: Credit is given only if it is clear what 'it' refers to in the context of
the answer.
◍ Why should you blot a potato chip dry before taking its mass?.
Answer: To remove excess water, so it doesn't increase the mass
◍ What is the importance of a correctly labeled diagram of the phospholipid
bilayer?.
Answer: It can be accepted as a valid answer or description for the bilayer
question.
◍ What is the marking procedure for calculations in the mark scheme?.
Answer: Full marks can be awarded for a correct answer without showing
working; partial marks may be given for correct substitution or working.
◍ What is the role of condensation reactions in biological molecules?.
Answer: They form bonds between monomers to create polymers.
◍ Define cancer.
Answer: Uncontrolled cell division leading to a tumour
◍ What happens to bacteria with a resistant allele?.
Answer: They survive, reproduce, and increase the allele frequency
◍ What is an enzyme-substrate complex?.
Answer: It is formed when an enzyme binds to its substrate.
◍ The heart pumps 70ml blood per beat. If there are 70bpm, calculate the
8464/B/2F BIOLOGY PAPER 2F 8464/B/2F
PAPER & MARK SCHEME
CERTIFICATION SCRIPT 2026 QUESTIONS
WITH SOLUTIONS GRADED A+
◍ What happens to water potential when H+ ions are transported into a
vacuole?.
Answer: Water potential decreases, causing water to move into the vacuole
by osmosis.
◍ What is the protocol if associates encounter unusual answers not covered in
the mark scheme?.
Answer: They must refer these answers to the Lead Examiner.
◍ What is the acceptable rounding for 2.34 x 10^5?.
Answer: Acceptable rounding includes 234375 = 1 mark
◍ Define metastasis.
Answer: When a group of cells breaks away from a tumour and travels in
the blood to form a secondary tumour elsewhere
◍ What are two different ways the spread of malaria be controlled?.
Answer: Mosquito nets, using a larvaecide to prevent mosquitos from
breeding
◍ What is the importance of using a control variable in experiments?.
Answer: It ensures that the results are due to the independent variable being
tested.
◍ What is the correct answer for the total number of plasmid kbp?.
, Answer: Correct answer of 8910 = 2 marks
◍ What does the use of brackets in the mark scheme indicate?.
Answer: Information that is not essential for awarding marks but helps
clarify the required sense of the answer.
◍ What is the relationship between ATP hydrolysis and active transport?.
Answer: ATP hydrolysis releases energy required for active transport.
◍ What is the significance of the standardisation process in marking?.
Answer: It ensures that all associates understand and apply the mark scheme
consistently, covering various student responses.
◍ For what purposes do organisms need to release energy by respiration?.
Answer: Chemical reactions to build larger molecules, movement, keeping
warm
◍ What is the role of hydrolysis in lactose digestion?.
Answer: Hydrolysis breaks down lactose into glucose and galactose.
◍ What is the colour change when Biuret solution is shaken with protein?.
Answer: Blue -> Purple
◍ What should painkillers be used for?.
Answer: Only to treat the symptoms of a disease, they do not kill pathogens
◍ What are the differences between aerobic and anaerobic respiration?.
Answer: Aerobic requires oxygen, anaerobic does not release as much
energy
◍ What does 'right + wrong = wrong' mean in the context of marking lists?.
Answer: If a student provides both correct and incorrect responses, the
errors negate the correct ones, potentially resulting in zero marks.
◍ What does a small sample size in an experiment indicate?.
Answer: It may limit the reliability and generalizability of the results.
◍ What is the role of micelles in digestion?.
Answer: They carry fatty acids and monoglycerides to the cell surface
, membrane and make them more soluble.
◍ Why aren't antibiotics used to treat measles or the flu?.
Answer: Antibiotics don't work on viruses
◍ What should the y-axis cover for the graph to be acceptable?.
Answer: The y-axis must cover at least half of the grid
◍ What is the result of a mutation that increases chlorophyll ratio?.
Answer: Mutant absorbs more light and has increased chlorophyll a:b ratio
◍ How should answers using 'it' be evaluated?.
Answer: Credit is given only if it is clear what 'it' refers to in the context of
the answer.
◍ Why should you blot a potato chip dry before taking its mass?.
Answer: To remove excess water, so it doesn't increase the mass
◍ What is the importance of a correctly labeled diagram of the phospholipid
bilayer?.
Answer: It can be accepted as a valid answer or description for the bilayer
question.
◍ What is the marking procedure for calculations in the mark scheme?.
Answer: Full marks can be awarded for a correct answer without showing
working; partial marks may be given for correct substitution or working.
◍ What is the role of condensation reactions in biological molecules?.
Answer: They form bonds between monomers to create polymers.
◍ Define cancer.
Answer: Uncontrolled cell division leading to a tumour
◍ What happens to bacteria with a resistant allele?.
Answer: They survive, reproduce, and increase the allele frequency
◍ What is an enzyme-substrate complex?.
Answer: It is formed when an enzyme binds to its substrate.
◍ The heart pumps 70ml blood per beat. If there are 70bpm, calculate the
