Cambridge O Level

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BIOLOGY 5090/31
Paper 3 Practical Test October/November 2023

1 hour 30 minutes

You must answer on the question paper.

You will need: The materials and apparatus listed in the confidential instructions

INSTRUCTIONS
● Answer all questions.
● Use a black or dark blue pen. You may use an HB pencil for any diagrams or graphs.
● Write your name, centre number and candidate number in the boxes at the top of the page.
● Write your answer to each question in the space provided.
● Do not use an erasable pen or correction fluid.
● Do not write on any bar codes.
● You may use a calculator.
● You should show all your working and use appropriate units.

INFORMATION
● The total mark for this paper is 40.
● The number of marks for each question or part question is shown in brackets [ ].

For Examiner’s Use

Total

This document has 12 pages. Any blank pages are indicated.

DC (KN/FC) 313610/2
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In order to plan the best use of your time, read through all the questions on this paper
carefully before starting work.

1 Hydrogen peroxide is a toxic waste product found in cells. Catalase, an enzyme present in cells,
breaks down hydrogen peroxide to produce water and oxygen.

catalase
hydrogen peroxide water + oxygen

When potato tissue is added to a solution of hydrogen peroxide in a test-tube the catalase in the
potato cells causes bubbles of oxygen to be produced. If some detergent is added to the hydrogen
peroxide solution the oxygen bubbles are trapped to produce a layer of bubbles that rises up the
test-tube. The height of this layer of bubbles indicates how much catalase activity there has been.

You are going to investigate the activity of the catalase in potato tissue. As hydrogen peroxide
may cause damage to eyes, wear eye protection while you do this investigation.

You are provided with a piece of potato and three large test-tubes that are labelled A, B and C.
Each test-tube contains 5 cm3 of hydrogen peroxide solution.

• Add 1 cm3 of detergent to the hydrogen peroxide solution in test-tubes A, B and C.

• Mark the height of the liquid in each test-tube using the marker pen.

• Cut three pieces of potato measuring 10 mm × 10 mm × 10 mm.

• Add one of these pieces of potato to test-tube A. It will sink to the bottom of the hydrogen
peroxide solution.

• Immediately start timing (0 minutes) and observe the piece of potato.

(a) (i) Bubbles of oxygen will rise to the surface and form a layer at the top of the hydrogen
peroxide solution.

• Measure the height of this layer at 2, 4 and 6 minutes from the start and record
these measurements in Table 1.1. The height of the layer of bubbles should be
measured from the top of the hydrogen peroxide solution to the top of the layer of
bubbles as shown in Fig. 1.1.

layer of bubbles
height of
layer of
bubbles
hydrogen peroxide
solution and
detergent
potato

Fig. 1.1
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Cut the second piece of potato into four equal parts.

• Add these four parts to test-tube B.

• Immediately start timing and observe the pieces of potato.

• Measure the height of the layer of bubbles that forms at the top of the hydrogen
peroxide solution at 2, 4 and 6 minutes from the start and record these in Table 1.1.

Cut the third piece of potato into eight equal parts.

• Add these eight parts to test-tube C.

• Immediately start timing and observe the pieces of potato.

• Measure the height of the layer of bubbles that forms at the top of the hydrogen
peroxide solution at 2, 4 and 6 minutes from the start and record these in Table 1.1.

Table 1.1

height of layer of bubbles / mm

.................................
test-tube A test-tube B test-tube C

6
[5]

(ii) Enter the missing heading in Table 1.1. [1]

Cutting the potato pieces into smaller parts increases the surface area of the potato.

(iii) Describe the effect of increasing the surface area of the potato and explain what caused
this effect.

description .........................................................................................................................

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

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

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

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

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(iv) Describe two possible sources of error in your investigation and explain why these may
affect the results.

1 description ......................................................................................................................

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

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

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

2 description ......................................................................................................................

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

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

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

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(b) A student investigated the activity of catalase in potato by measuring the volume of oxygen
produced. They added cubes of potato to hydrogen peroxide solution in the apparatus shown
in Fig. 1.2.

oxygen

hydrogen D
peroxide
solution water

potato

Fig. 1.2

(i) Name the piece of apparatus labelled D.

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

(ii) Design an investigation to determine the effect of temperature on the activity of catalase
in potato.

Use the apparatus shown in Fig. 1.2.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

..................................................................................................................................... [6]

[Total: 20]

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2 Bacteria can be grown on agar jelly in a Petri dish. When they grow and multiply the clear agar
jelly becomes cloudy.

Antibiotics can prevent the growth of bacteria. Discs of filter paper dipped in an antibiotic solution
can be placed on the surface of the agar. If the area around a disc remains clear, the antibiotic has
prevented the growth of the bacteria. The larger the clear area, the more effective the antibiotic is.

A student investigated the effect of distilled water (E) and four different antibiotics (F, G, H and J)
on some bacteria using the method described.

They set up three identical Petri dishes and measured the diameter of the clear areas around the
filter paper discs after a few days.

There was no clear area around disc E in any of the Petri dishes.

Fig. 2.1 shows the results for Petri dish 3.

cloudy area where bacteria have grown

F
G

E
H

Fig. 2.1

Most of the measurements for the clear areas around the discs with antibiotics F, G, H and J are
shown in Table 2.1.

Table 2.1

diameter of clear area / mm

antibiotic
Petri dish 1 Petri dish 2 Petri dish 3 mean
F 12 6 12 10.0
G 15 14 14 14.3
H 20 21
J 8 8 8 8.0

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(a) (i) Measure the diameter of the clear area around the disc with antibiotic H in Fig. 2.1 and
record this in the table. [1]

(ii) Calculate the mean diameter of the clear areas around the discs with antibiotic H. Enter
the value in the table rounded to one decimal place.

Space for working.

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

(b) (i) Construct a bar chart of the four mean diameters in Table 2.1 on the grid.

[4]

(ii) State which antibiotic was most effective at preventing growth of the bacteria.

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

(c) The student realised that one of their results was anomalous.

State which measurement was an anomalous result and suggest what the student could have
done about it.

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

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

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

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

[Total: 10]
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3 Fig. 3.1 is a photomicrograph of a section through a kidney showing some kidney tubules.

collecting duct

loop of Henle

Fig. 3.1

(a) (i) K and L indicate the diameter of a collecting duct. Draw a straight line to join K and L on
the collecting duct in the photomicrograph.

Measure the length of the line and record it.

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

The actual distance between K and L is 0.06 mm.

Calculate the magnification of the photomicrograph and record it to the nearest whole
number.

Space for working.

magnification × ........................
[3]

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(ii) In the space below make a large drawing of the collecting duct and loop of Henle that are
labelled in Fig. 3.1. Draw them as they appear in the photomicrograph.

[5]

(b) A person suffering from Type 1 diabetes produces urine containing glucose.

Describe a test that could be carried out to detect whether glucose is present in a sample of
urine.

description of test .....................................................................................................................

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

positive result ............................................................................................................................

[2]

[Total: 10]
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