AQA GCSE BIO
AQA GCSE Biology
Paper 1
This set has the following topics:
Cells and Biological Organization
Energy Pathways in Living Systems
Growth and Regulation in Organisms
Sources of Genetic Variation
Matter Cycling in Ecosystems
Energy Flow in Ecosystems
Ecosystem Health and Human Influence
Inheritance of Genetic Information
Population Dynamics
Evaluating Solutions for Biological Problems
Tools for Engineering Design
Factors Determining Variation or Distribution
Adaptation and Environmental Change
Natural Selection: A Mechanism of Evolution
Applications and Ethics of Modern Genetics
Speciation and Extinction
1|Page
,AQA GCSE BIO
1. What does a nucleus do?
CORRECT ANSWER: It contains genetic material and controls the activities of the cell
2. What does cytoplasm do?
CORRECT ANSWER: 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?
CORRECT ANSWER: It holds the cell together and controls what goes in and out
4. What do mitochondria do?
CORRECT ANSWER: 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?
CORRECT ANSWER: This is where protein synthesis takes place - where proteins are made in
the cell
6. What do cell walls do?
CORRECT ANSWER: They are made of cellulose and they support and strengthen the cell
7. What does a vacuole do?
CORRECT ANSWER: It contains cell sap and helps maintain the shape of the cell
8. What do chloroplasts do?
CORRECT ANSWER: This is where photosynthesis occurs, which makes food for the plant.
They contain chlorophyll - a green pigment - which absorbs light needed for photosynthesis
2|Page
, AQA GCSE BIO
9. What do bacterial cells contain?
CORRECT ANSWER: 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?
CORRECT ANSWER: A nucleus
11. What is the equation for magnification?
CORRECT ANSWER: Image size divided by actual size
12. What is differentiation?
CORRECT ANSWER: The process by which a cell changes to become specialized for its job
13. What are undifferentiated cells called?
CORRECT ANSWER: Stem cells
14. What are sperm cells specialized for and how are they specialized?
CORRECT ANSWER: Reproduction - they transport the male DNA to the female DNA
-It has a flagellum 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 specialized for and how are they specialized?
3|Page
AQA GCSE Biology
Paper 1
This set has the following topics:
Cells and Biological Organization
Energy Pathways in Living Systems
Growth and Regulation in Organisms
Sources of Genetic Variation
Matter Cycling in Ecosystems
Energy Flow in Ecosystems
Ecosystem Health and Human Influence
Inheritance of Genetic Information
Population Dynamics
Evaluating Solutions for Biological Problems
Tools for Engineering Design
Factors Determining Variation or Distribution
Adaptation and Environmental Change
Natural Selection: A Mechanism of Evolution
Applications and Ethics of Modern Genetics
Speciation and Extinction
1|Page
,AQA GCSE BIO
1. What does a nucleus do?
CORRECT ANSWER: It contains genetic material and controls the activities of the cell
2. What does cytoplasm do?
CORRECT ANSWER: 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?
CORRECT ANSWER: It holds the cell together and controls what goes in and out
4. What do mitochondria do?
CORRECT ANSWER: 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?
CORRECT ANSWER: This is where protein synthesis takes place - where proteins are made in
the cell
6. What do cell walls do?
CORRECT ANSWER: They are made of cellulose and they support and strengthen the cell
7. What does a vacuole do?
CORRECT ANSWER: It contains cell sap and helps maintain the shape of the cell
8. What do chloroplasts do?
CORRECT ANSWER: This is where photosynthesis occurs, which makes food for the plant.
They contain chlorophyll - a green pigment - which absorbs light needed for photosynthesis
2|Page
, AQA GCSE BIO
9. What do bacterial cells contain?
CORRECT ANSWER: 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?
CORRECT ANSWER: A nucleus
11. What is the equation for magnification?
CORRECT ANSWER: Image size divided by actual size
12. What is differentiation?
CORRECT ANSWER: The process by which a cell changes to become specialized for its job
13. What are undifferentiated cells called?
CORRECT ANSWER: Stem cells
14. What are sperm cells specialized for and how are they specialized?
CORRECT ANSWER: Reproduction - they transport the male DNA to the female DNA
-It has a flagellum 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 specialized for and how are they specialized?
3|Page
