AQA A LEVEL BIOLOGY PAPER 3 2023
Please write clearly in block capitals.
Centre number Candidate number
Surname
Forename(s)
Candidate signature
I declare this is my own work.
A-level
BIOLOGY
Paper 3
Time allowed: 2 hours
Materials
For this paper you must have: For Examiner’s Use
• a ruler with millimetre measurements
Question Mark
• a scientific calculator.
1
Instructions 2
• Use black ink or black ball-point pen. 3
• Fill in the boxes at the top of this page. 4
• Answer all questions in Section A.
5
• Answer one question from Section B.
• You must answer the questions in the spaces provided. Do not writeoutside 6
the box around each page or on blank pages. 7
• If you need extra space for your answer(s), use the lined pages at the end ofthis
book. Write the question number against your answer(s). TOTAL
• Show all your working.
• Do all rough work in this book. Cross through any work you do not wantto be
marked.
Information
• The marks for the questions are shown in brackets.
• The maximum mark for this paper is 78.
, 2
Do not
write
Section A outside the
box
Answer all questions in this section.
You are advised to spend no more than 1 hour and 15 minutes on this section.
0 1 In one species of squirrel, Sciurus carolinensis, fur colour is controlled by one gene,with two
codominant alleles. CG represents the allele for grey fur colour, and CB represents the allele
for black fur colour.
Table 1 shows the three possible phenotypes.
Table 1
Genotype Phenotype
G G
C C Grey fur
G B
C C Brown-black fur
B B
C C Black fur
0 1 . 1 In a population of 34 S. carolinensis, 2 had black fur.
Use the Hardy–Weinberg equation to estimate how many squirrels in this populationhad
brown-black fur. Show your working.
[2 marks]
Answer
, 3
Do not
write
0 1 . 2 The actual number of squirrels in this population that had brown-black fur was16. outside the
box
Use all of the information to calculate the actual frequency of the CG allele.
Do not use the Hardy–Weinberg equation in your calculation.
Give your answer to 2 decimal [1 mark]
places.
Answer
0 1 . 3 S. carolinensis were first introduced to the UK from North America in the 1870s.
They are now widely distributed across the UK.
S. carolinensis from both North America and the UK show exactly the same genotypic and
phenotypic variation. An identical mutation causing black fur has also been found in several
other species closely related to S. carolinensis.
Use this information to deduce which one of the following conclusions is most likelytrue.
Tick (✓) one box.
[1 mark]
A The mutation that caused black fur happened after
S. carolinensis was introduced to the UK from North America.
B The mutation that caused black fur happened in a common
ancestor of S. carolinensis and other closely related species.
C The mutation that caused black fur happened independentlyin S.
carolinensis and all other closely related species.
D The phenotypic variation shown in S. carolinensis and other
closely related species is caused by genetic drift.
Question 1 continues on the next page
Turn over ►
, 4
Do not
write
B outside the
The mutation that caused the C allele was due to a 24 base-pair deletion from the box
G
C allele.
0 1 . 4 The protein coded for by the CB allele is 306 amino acids long.
Calculate the percentage reduction in size of the protein coded for by the CB allelecompared
with the protein coded for by the CG allele.
Give your answer to 3 significant figures and show your working.
[2 marks]
Answer
In S. carolinensis, fur colour depends on the distribution and relative amounts of lightpigments
and dark pigments in the hairs of the fur. Figure 1 shows how the protein produced from the
CG allele can result in the production of a light pigment or a dark pigment.
Figure 1
*04
IB/H/Jun21/7402/3
*
Please write clearly in block capitals.
Centre number Candidate number
Surname
Forename(s)
Candidate signature
I declare this is my own work.
A-level
BIOLOGY
Paper 3
Time allowed: 2 hours
Materials
For this paper you must have: For Examiner’s Use
• a ruler with millimetre measurements
Question Mark
• a scientific calculator.
1
Instructions 2
• Use black ink or black ball-point pen. 3
• Fill in the boxes at the top of this page. 4
• Answer all questions in Section A.
5
• Answer one question from Section B.
• You must answer the questions in the spaces provided. Do not writeoutside 6
the box around each page or on blank pages. 7
• If you need extra space for your answer(s), use the lined pages at the end ofthis
book. Write the question number against your answer(s). TOTAL
• Show all your working.
• Do all rough work in this book. Cross through any work you do not wantto be
marked.
Information
• The marks for the questions are shown in brackets.
• The maximum mark for this paper is 78.
, 2
Do not
write
Section A outside the
box
Answer all questions in this section.
You are advised to spend no more than 1 hour and 15 minutes on this section.
0 1 In one species of squirrel, Sciurus carolinensis, fur colour is controlled by one gene,with two
codominant alleles. CG represents the allele for grey fur colour, and CB represents the allele
for black fur colour.
Table 1 shows the three possible phenotypes.
Table 1
Genotype Phenotype
G G
C C Grey fur
G B
C C Brown-black fur
B B
C C Black fur
0 1 . 1 In a population of 34 S. carolinensis, 2 had black fur.
Use the Hardy–Weinberg equation to estimate how many squirrels in this populationhad
brown-black fur. Show your working.
[2 marks]
Answer
, 3
Do not
write
0 1 . 2 The actual number of squirrels in this population that had brown-black fur was16. outside the
box
Use all of the information to calculate the actual frequency of the CG allele.
Do not use the Hardy–Weinberg equation in your calculation.
Give your answer to 2 decimal [1 mark]
places.
Answer
0 1 . 3 S. carolinensis were first introduced to the UK from North America in the 1870s.
They are now widely distributed across the UK.
S. carolinensis from both North America and the UK show exactly the same genotypic and
phenotypic variation. An identical mutation causing black fur has also been found in several
other species closely related to S. carolinensis.
Use this information to deduce which one of the following conclusions is most likelytrue.
Tick (✓) one box.
[1 mark]
A The mutation that caused black fur happened after
S. carolinensis was introduced to the UK from North America.
B The mutation that caused black fur happened in a common
ancestor of S. carolinensis and other closely related species.
C The mutation that caused black fur happened independentlyin S.
carolinensis and all other closely related species.
D The phenotypic variation shown in S. carolinensis and other
closely related species is caused by genetic drift.
Question 1 continues on the next page
Turn over ►
, 4
Do not
write
B outside the
The mutation that caused the C allele was due to a 24 base-pair deletion from the box
G
C allele.
0 1 . 4 The protein coded for by the CB allele is 306 amino acids long.
Calculate the percentage reduction in size of the protein coded for by the CB allelecompared
with the protein coded for by the CG allele.
Give your answer to 3 significant figures and show your working.
[2 marks]
Answer
In S. carolinensis, fur colour depends on the distribution and relative amounts of lightpigments
and dark pigments in the hairs of the fur. Figure 1 shows how the protein produced from the
CG allele can result in the production of a light pigment or a dark pigment.
Figure 1
*04
IB/H/Jun21/7402/3
*
