Cambridge International Examinations

Cambridge Ordinary Level

* 4 0 3 1 9 5 2 5 2 0

BIOLOGY 5090/22
Paper 2 Theory October/November 2018
1 hour 45 minutes
Candidates answer on the Question Paper. No
Additional Materials are required.

READ THESE INSTRUCTIONS FIRST

Write your Centre number, candidate number and name on all the work you hand in. Write
in dark blue or black pen.
You may use an HB pencil for any diagrams or graphs. Do
not use staples, paper clips, glue or correction fluid. DO
NOT WRITE IN ANY BARCODES.

Section A
Answer all questions in this section.
Write your answers in the spaces provided on the Question Paper.

Section B
Answer both questions in this section.
Write your answers in the spaces provided on the Question Paper.

Section C
Answer either question 8 or question 9.
Write your answers in the spaces provided on the Question Paper. You are

advised to spend no longer than one hour on Section A.

Electronic calculators may be used.

You may lose marks if you do not show your working or if you do not use appropriate units.

At the end of the examination, fasten all your work securely together.
The number of marks is given in brackets [ ] at the end of each question or part question.

This document consists of 17 printed pages and 3 blank pages.

DC (SC/SG) 145248/3
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Section A

Answer all questions in this section.

Write your answers in the spaces provided.

1 Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 show transverse sections of two types of blood vessel.

Fig. 1 Fig. 2

(a) (i) Name the type of blood vessel shown in:

Fig. 1 .............................................

Fig. 2 ............................................. [2]

(ii) Describe the differences in the structures shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 that helped you to identify
these blood vessels.

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.......................................................................................................................................[2]

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(b) The diagram below is of a simplified, incomplete longitudinal section from the type of blood vessel
shown in Fig. 2. The direction of blood flow is shown.

direction of blood flow

(i) Complete the diagram by drawing one set of valves.

[2]

(ii) Describe the function of these valves.

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[Total: 8]

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2 The diagram shows the human male reproductive organs and associated structures.

fluid from
organ G

organ F
tube H

tube E

(a) (i) Identify each of the following:

tube E .............................................

organ F .............................................

organ G .............................................

tube H ............................................. [4]

(ii) State one difference between the fluids carried by tube E and tube H.

...........................................................................................................................................

.......................................................................................................................................[1]

(b) (i) State one way in which the fluid from organ G may be different in a person with diabetes
compared to a person without diabetes.

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.......................................................................................................................................[1]

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(ii) A person with diabetes may be treated with insulin produced by genetically modified
bacteria.

Outline how such genetically modified bacteria may be produced and used to manufacture
human insulin on a commercial scale.

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[Total: 10]

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3 The diagram shows a pollen grain with a pollen tube growing from it.

Pollen grains from the same type of plant were placed in sucrose solutions of different concentrations for a
fixed amount of time. After this time, the pollen grains and tubes were examined using a microscope. The
following observations were made for each concentration of sucrose:

• the number of pollen grains that had germinated to produce a pollen tube,
• the length of each pollen tube.

The table shows the results of the investigation.

% sucrose % of pollen grains mean pollen tube

concentration germinated length / mm
1 6 0.005
2 13 0.008
4 25 0.015
8 56 0.040
10 31 0.030
20 25 0.018
40 13 0.006

(a) (i) A total of 12 pollen grains were placed in the 20% sucrose solution.

Use the information in the table to calculate the number of pollen grains that germinated to
produce a pollen tube in the 20% sucrose solution.

........................................................... [1]

(ii) Suggest why the mean pollen tube length was calculated for each sucrose concentration.

...........................................................................................................................................

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(iii) Use the information in the table to suggest the optimum (best) concentration of sucrose solution
for pollen tube germination and growth.

............................................................ %

Explain how the information in the table enabled you to reach this conclusion.

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...........................................................................................................................................

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[3]

(iv) The germination of a pollen grain to form a pollen tube requires the movement of water into the
pollen grain from its surroundings.

Suggest why placing a pollen grain in a solution with a higher sucrose concentration than in
your answer to (a)(iii) may result in a lower percentage of germination.

...........................................................................................................................................

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.......................................................................................................................................[3]

(b) Describe the route taken by a growing pollen tube in a plant and explain its importance in plant
reproduction.

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[Total: 12]

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4 The graph shows the variation in the concentration of dissolved carbon dioxide in the water of a pond
over a period of 24 hours.

night day night

carbon
dioxide
concentration
of gas

time

(a) (i) Explain how plants that live in the water contribute to the changes in concentration of
dissolved carbon dioxide shown in the graph.

...........................................................................................................................................

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.......................................................................................................................................[4]

(ii) Draw a line on the graph above to show how the concentration of dissolved oxygen in the
water of the same pond is likely to change over the same period of time.

[2]

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(b) Carbon dioxide dissolves in water to form an acidic solution. The higher the concentration of
dissolved carbon dioxide, the lower the pH.

Ammonia is a toxic chemical found in ponds, that may harm fish.

The graph shows how the concentration of dissolved ammonia in the water of a pond changes as the
pH changes.

100

90

80

70

60

% ammonia 50

40

30

20

10

0
3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
pH

Use this graph and the graph on page 8 to suggest and explain at which time of day fish that live in the
pond are most likely to be affected by the toxic effects of ammonia.

Draw a ring around the correct time of day.

time of day sunrise midday sunset

explanation ...............................................................................................................................

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[4]

[Total: 10]

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5 (a) Describe the role of each of the following hormones in the menstrual cycle:

FSH, ..........................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

progesterone. ............................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................
[4]

(b) The chart shows the timing and duration of events that take place during part of a menstrual cycle.

day in cycle123456789 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18
event in cycle
phase of cyclefertile phase

key: menstruation
ovulation

(i) Suggest why pregnancy may occur if sexual intercourse takes place several days before
ovulation.

...........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

.......................................................................................................................................[2]

(ii) Name the method of birth control that makes use of the information in a chart like this.
Explain how this method of birth control is used to prevent pregnancy.

name of method ...............................................

explanation .........................................................................................................................

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[3]

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(iii) Suggest why the method of birth control that you have named in (b)(ii) is considered to be
unreliable.

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.......................................................................................................................................[1]

[Total: 10]

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Section B

Answer both questions in this section.

Write your answers in the spaces provided.

6 The graph shows how the percentage of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has changed since the year 1700.

0.040

0.038

0.036
% carbon dioxide
0.034

0.032

0.030

0.028

0
1700 1750 1800 1850 1900 1950 2000 2050
year

(a) Explain how human activity is likely to have contributed to the change in the percentage of carbon
dioxide.

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(b) Describe and evaluate the effects of this change in the percentage of carbon dioxide.

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[Total: 10]

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7 Fig. 1 shows a leaf immediately after falling from a growing plant. Fig. 2 shows a leaf from the same
plant several months after falling from the plant onto the soil below.

Fig. 1 Fig. 2

(a) (i) Name the process that has taken place to cause the leaf in Fig. 2 to appear different from that
in Fig. 1.

....................................................... [1]

(ii) Explain how named types of microorganism have carried out this process.

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(b) Explain how the plant benefits from this process taking place in the large number of leaves that fall
from the plant onto the soil below.

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...............................................................................................................................................[4]

[Total: 10]

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Section C

Answer either question 8 or question 9. Write

your answers in the spaces provided.

8 (a) Explain what is meant by each of the following terms and describe one example of each:

discontinuous variation, ............................................................................................................

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continuous variation. .................................................................................................................

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[7]

(b) Name the molecule that controls production of proteins in each body cell of a human and describe
its importance in inheritance.

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...............................................................................................................................................[3]

[Total: 10]

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9 (a) Explain what is meant by each of the following terms and describe one example of each in either a
plant or an animal:

diffusion, ...................................................................................................................................

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active transport. ........................................................................................................................

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[7]

(b) Starch is a carbohydrate stored inside plant cells.

Explain why starch is a more suitable storage substance than glucose.

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[Total: 10]

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© UCLES 5090/22/O/N/