1.

B
[1]

2. B
[1]

3. A
[1]

4. A
[1]

5. (a) plants/producers fix carbon (dioxide)/use carbon (dioxide) in

photosynthesis;
sugars/carbon compounds (produced) in plants/producers from
photosynthesis;
(carbon compounds in) plants/producers eaten by animals/primary
consumers/herbivores;
(carbon compounds in) primary consumers eaten by secondary
consumers/ passed along food chain;
carbon compounds/sugars/organic molecules digested and
absorbed by consumers;
carbon dioxide released by cell respiration (in plants/animals/
consumers);
plants/animals die and are decomposed by (saprotrophic)
bacteria/fungi;
carbon dioxide released by cell respiration in bacteria/fungi/
decomposers;
enzymes released to digest/hydrolyse carbon compounds in
organic matter;
forest fires/combustion releases carbon dioxide;
humans burn fossil fuels adding carbon dioxide to the atmosphere; 8 max
Award any of the above points if clearly drawn in an annotated diagram.

(b) ribulose bisphosphate/RuBP and carbon dioxide react together;

(this is) carbon fixation/part of light-independent reactions;
catalysed by RuBP carboxylase/Rubisco;
glycerate 3-phosphate/GP produced;
glycerate 3-phosphate/GP reduced/converted to triose phosphate/TP;
using NADPH/(NADPH+H+) and ATP;
from the light-dependent reactions;
some triose phosphate used to regenerate RuBP;
some triose phosphate used to synthesize glucose (phosphate)/starch; 5 max

(c) water needed to rehydrate the seed;

IB Questionbank Biology 1
 gibberellin released / active after water absorbed;
gibberellin needed to produce amylase;
water needed to allow substances inside the seedling to be transported;
oxygen needed for (aerobic) cell respiration;
warmth needed to speed up metabolism/enzyme activity;
warmth indicates that it is a favourable season for germination/spring;
some seeds need a cold period to stimulate germination;
some seeds need fire to stimulate germination;
some seeds need to pass through an animal (gut) to stimulate germination; 5 max
(Plus up to [2] for quality)
[20]

6. (a) G1 the cell grows/duplication of organelles;

S is synthesis stage when DNA is synthesized/replicated;
G2 the chromosomes begin condensing/preparation for cell division;
G1, S and G2 make up interphase;
during mitosis nuclear division occurs/all four stages listed;
during cytokinesis cytoplasm/cell divides/daughter cells formed; 4 max

(b) monocotyledon seeds contain one cotyledon/seed leaf;

dicotyledon seeds contain two cotyledons/seed leaves;
monocotyledons have parallel veins;
dicotyledons have net-like veins;
monocotyledon stems have scattered vascular bundles;
dicotyledon stems have vascular bundles around edge;
monocotyledon roots are adventitious/fibrous;
dicotyledon roots are from radicle/tap root/branched;
monocotyledon flower parts/petals are (usually) in threes;
dicotyledon flower parts/petals are (usually) in fours or fives; 5 max

IB Questionbank Biology 2
 (c) (transpiration is) loss of water vapour from the leaves/
stomata (and stems) of plants;
temperature, humidity, light (intensity) and wind all affect
transpiration;
high temperatures increase evaporation rate of water/transpiration;
(accept converse)
high humidity lowers the rate of water evaporation/transpiration;
(accept converse)
air currents/wind increase water evaporation/transpiration; (accept converse)
high light (intensity)/sunlight (usually) increases photosynthesis/
water evaporation through the stomata/transpiration;
stomata open to allow gaseous exchange/entry of CO2;
abscisic acid stimulates closing of stomata;
guard cells open/close the stomata;
adaptations of (xerophyte) plant structures reduce water loss/
transpiration;

( thicker leaf cuticle / reduced surface area / rolled leaves


one example; spines / sunken / reduced stomata / close stomata in day /
low growth form/ CAM / C4 physiology )

second example; (of above) 9 max

Award [8 max] if definition is missing.
(Plus up to [2] for quality)
[20]

7. D
[1]

8. C
[1]

9. B
[1]

10. B
[1]

IB Questionbank Biology 3
11. (a) Award [1] for each of these structures clearly drawn and labelled.
epidermis shown on the outside with thickness less than 10% of overall diameter;
cortex labelled between the outer layer of the stem and the vascular bundles;
xylem shown on the inner side of the vascular bundles;
phloem shown on outer side of the vascular bundles;
vascular bundle with some way of indicating the entire structure;
pith shown in centre;
cambium shown between xylem and phloem;

5 max

(b) mineral ions are absorbed by active transport;

large surface area;
branching (increases surface area);
root hairs;
root hair cells have carrier protein/ion pumps (in their plasma membrane);
(many) mitochondria in root (hair) cells;
to provide ATP for active transport;
connections with fungi in the soil/fungal hyphae; 5 max

IB Questionbank Biology 4
 (c) photosynthesis rate increases as temperature rises (up to an optimum
temperature);
(due to) increase in the rate of enzyme catalysed reactions/light
independent reactions/the Calvin cycle;
(steep) drop in rate of photosynthesis above the optimum;
at high temperatures enzymes/Rubisco/RuBP carboxylase denature(s);
graph with correctly labelled axes showing relationship between
temperature and rate of photosynthesis;
transpiration rate increases as temperature rises;
(energy/heat leads to more) evaporation of water (in the leaf);
faster diffusion of water vapour at higher temperatures;
relative humidity falls as temperature rises / warmer air can hold more
water vapour;
stomata may close at very high temperatures reducing the transpiration rate;
some plants open their stomata at very high temperatures to cool
by transpiration; 8 max
(Plus up to [2] for quality)
[20]

12. (a) small subunit and large subunit;

mRNA binding site on small subunit;
three tRNA binding sites / A, P and E tRNA binding sites;
protein and RNA composition (in both subunits); 4 max

(b) fibrous proteins are strands/sheets whereas globular proteins are

rounded;
fibrous proteins (usually) insoluble whereas globular proteins
(usually) soluble;
globular more sensitive to changes in pH/temperature/salt than fibrous;
fibrous proteins have structural roles / other specific role of
fibrous protein;
globular proteins used for catalysis/transport/other specific role
of globular protein;
another role of globular protein;
named fibrous proteins e.g. keratin/fibrin/collagen/actin/myosin/
silk protein;
named globular protein e.g. insulin/immunoglobulin/hemoglobin/
named enzyme;
Do not accept statements about fibrous proteins having only secondary
structure and globular proteins having only tertiary structure. 6 max

IB Questionbank Biology 5
 (c) auxin is a plant hormone;
produced by the tip of the stem/shoot tip;
causes transport of hydrogen ions from cytoplasm to cell wall;
decrease in pH / H+ pumping breaks bonds between cell wall fibres;
makes cell walls flexible/extensible/plastic/softens cell walls;
auxin makes cells enlarge/grow;
gene expression also altered by auxin to promote cell growth;
(positive) phototropism is growth towards light;
shoot tip senses direction of (brightest) light;
auxin moved to side of stem with least light/darker side
causes cells on dark side to elongate/cells on dark side grow faster;
Accept clearly annotated diagrams for phototropism marking points. 8 max
(Plus up to [2] for quality)
[20]

13. D
[1]

14. B
[1]

15. (a) (i) gid1-1 1

(ii) between 10–8 and 10 maltose –7 mol dm–3 (units required) 1

(iii) (breakdown) of starch to maltose 1

(b) 25% / 1 in 4 / 1:3 seeds produced would be homozygous recessive;

no response to/inhibits gibberellin in homozygous recessives results in less
germination;
less growth / dwarf plants produced; (must be in context)
would produce plants with infertile flowers that cannot produce rice grains;
would lower rice production/less yield because infertile plants cannot
produce seeds (that humans can eat); 3 max

(c) (i) Sub1C 1

IB Questionbank Biology 6
 (ii) Sub1A is expressed strongly/the most / Sub1A produces the
most RNA;
Sub1B (always) has the lowest expression/produces least
mRNA;
Sub1A expressed/produces mRNA for the longest time/days
1 to 10;
Sub1C expressed/produces mRNA for the shortest time/days
3 to 7; 2 max

(d) Sub1A;
is only expressed in indica / Sub1B and SubC are expressed in both
rice varieties;
indica is the variety showing submersion tolerance / vice versa for
japonica; 2 max

(e) (i) it increases the length of time before flowering 1

(ii) long-day light exposure increases time before flowering only if

(OsGI) gene is not overexpressed/in WT and –/–;
long-day light exposure decreases time before flowering for +/–
and/or +/+;
length of day does not make much difference/makes least difference
for +/+;
overexpression for +/– reduces time before flowering;
–/– acts as a control / has nearly the same length of time before
flowering as WT;
Accept numerical answers if they are making a clear comparison. 2 max

(iii) is a short-day plant because WT has shortest time/shorter

time before flowering in shorter days than longer days / as it takes
less time to flower under short day conditions; 1

(f) codominant alleles show intermediate phenotype when both present;

could be codominant because homozygous +/+ shows longer time before
flowering than heterozygous;
–/– or homozygous not overexpressed has a slightly longer time before
flowering than WT so factors other than codominance could be
influencing flowering;
dominance shown with short-day light exposure while codominance
in long-day light exposure;
because presence causes overwhelming difference compared with
absence in short-day light exposure;
OsGI+ could be dominant because its presence always causes longer
time before flowering; 2 max

IB Questionbank Biology 7
 (g) the mutant gid1-1 would not be useful because it produces sterile plants;
genetically modified rice/rice with Sub1A is more tolerant to submersion/
can withstand seasonal flooding/torrential rain;
OsGI+ varieties adapted to different latitudes / day length could be
produced (to overcome food shortages); 2 max
[19]

16. (a) I. sepal;

II. ovary / receptacle;
III. petal; 3

(b) (i) Angiospermophyta / Angiospermophytes / Angiosperms

Do not accept flowering plants. 1

(ii) confirms the hypothesis; must be qualified

stigma/anther inside the flower/ring of petals so as visiting animal
enters it brushes past them;
colourful petals (provide contrast) so that flowers can be seen
by animals;
(slightly) cone-shaped flowers so animals come in; 2 max

(c) first name/Campanula for genus / second name/persicifolia for species;

(all) members of Campanula persicifolia share special/unique features;
two names make a unique combination to designate species / worldwide
recognized nomenclature; 2 max
[8]

17. D
[1]

18. C
[1]

19. C
[1]

IB Questionbank Biology 8
20. B
[1]

21. A
[1]

22. (a) Award [1] for each of the following clearly drawn and correctly labelled.
Label lines must be unambiguous in terms of what they are indicating.
double/inner and outer membrane/envelope—shown as two concentric
continuous lines close together;
granum/grana —shown as a stack of several disc-shaped subunits;
(intergranal) lamella — shown continuous with thylakoid membrane;
thylakoid — one of the flattened sacs;
stroma;
(70S) ribosomes/(circular) DNA / lipid globules / starch granules /
thylakoid space; 4 max

(b) transpiration is water loss (from plant) by evaporation;

flow of water through xylem from roots to leaves is the transpiration stream;
evaporation from spongy mesophyll cells;
replaced by osmosis from the xylem;
(diffusion of water vapour) through stomata;
water lost replaced from xylem / clear diagram showing movement of
water from xylem through cell(s) (walls) to air space;
water pulled out of xylem creates suction/low pressure/tension;
transpiration pull results;
water molecules stick together/are cohesive;
due to hydrogen bonding/polarity of water molecules;
xylem vessels are thin (hollow) tubes;
adhesion between water and xylem due to polarity of water molecules;
creates continuous column/transpiration stream; 7 max

IB Questionbank Biology 9
 (c) flowering affected by light;
phytochrome;
exists in two (interconvertible) forms/P fr and Pr;
Pr (red absorbing/660 nm) converted to Pfr (far-red/730 nm absorbing) in
red or day light;
sunlight contains more red than far red-light so Pfr predominates
during the day;
gradual reversion of Pfr to Pr occurs in darkness;
Pfr is active form / Pr is inactive form;
in long-day plants, flowering induced by dark periods shorter than
a critical length / occurs when day is longer than a critical length;
enough Pfr remains in long-day plants at end of short nights to stimulate
flowering;
Pfr acts as promoter of flowering in long-day plants;
short-day plants induced to flower by dark periods longer than a
critical length/days shorter than a critical value;
at end of long nights enough Pfr has been converted to Pr to allow
flowering to occur;
Pfr acts as inhibitor of flowering in short-day plants; 7 max
(Plus up to [2] for quality)
[20]

23. (a) Award [1] for each structure clearly drawn and correctly labelled. Accept
a plan diagram without individual cells.
upper and lower epidermis;
1 1
palisade mesophyll under upper epidermis to of leaf thickness;
3 2
spongy mesophyll/layer in lower half of leaf;
vein showing separate areas of xylem above phloem;
stoma/stomata labelled in (lower) epidermis;
two guard cells; (at least one must be labelled for mark) 4 max

(b) (chlorophyll/antenna) in photosystem II absorbs light;

absorbing light/photoactivation produces an excited/high energy/
free electron;
electron passed along a series of carriers;
reduction of NADP+ / generates NADPH + H+;
absorption of light in photosystem II provides electron for photosystem I;
photolysis of water produces H+ / O2;
called non-cyclic photophosphorylation;
in cyclic photophosphorylation electron returns to chlorophyll;
generates ATP by H+ pumped across thylakoid membrane / by
chemiosmosis / through ATP synthetase/synthase; 6 max

IB Questionbank Biology 10
 (c) both light and temperature can be limiting factors;
other factors can be limiting;
graph showing increase and plateau with increasing light / description
of this;
graph showing increase and decrease with increasing temperature /
description of this;
light:
affects the light-dependent stage;
at low intensities insufficient ATP;
and insufficient NADPHH + H+ produced;
this stops the Calvin cycle operating (at maximum rate);
temperature:
affects light-independent stage / Calvin cycle;
temperature affects enzyme activity;
less active at low temperatures / maximum rate at high temperatures;
but will then be denatured (as temperature rises further);
Award [5 max] if only one condition is discussed. 8 max
(Plus up to [2] for quality)
[20]

24. C
[1]

25. C
[1]

26. B
[1]

27. (a) water has a high specific heat capacity;

a large amount of heat causes a small increase in temperature;
water has a high latent heat of vaporization;
a large amount of heat energy is needed to vaporize/evaporate water;
hydrogen bonds between water molecules make them
cohesive/stick together;
this gives water a high surface tension / explains how water rises
up xylem;
water molecules are polar;
this makes water a good solvent;
Award [4 max] if thermal, cohesive and solvent properties are not
all mentioned. 5 max

(b) xerophytes are plants that live in dry conditions;

IB Questionbank Biology 11
 reduced leaves/spines to prevent water loss (by transpiration);
rolled leaves to prevent water loss / stomata on the inside / sunken stomata;
thick waxy cuticle/hairs on leaves to prevent water loss (by transpiration);
reduced stomata to prevent water loss (by transpiration) / stomata on
one side of leaf;
deep/widespread roots to obtain more water;
special tissue for storing water;
take in carbon dioxide at night / CAM plant to prevent water loss; 4 max

(c) process of water balance is called osmoregulation;

water passes into the kidney tubules by ultrafiltration;
water is reabsorbed in the proximal convoluted tubule;
water reabsorbed into blood from the (descending limb) of the
loop of Henle;
process by osmosis;
transport of salts into the medulla of kidney;
changes salt concentration so water is reabsorbed;
ADH released into blood when water is required;
ADH causes concentrated urine / no/low ADH causes dilute urine;
this causes more reabsorption of water from the collecting duct;
excess water is released as urine;
urine concentration depends on the body’s need for water;
drinking a lot gives dilute urine; 9 max
(Plus up to [2] for quality)
[20]

28. (a) apical and lateral 1

(b) 2 max

Structure Monocotyledonous Dicotyledonus

leaf parallel veins branched (net of) veins;
seed one cotyledon two cotyledons;
flower floral parts in multiple of 3 floral parts in multiple of 4 or 5;
ring of vascular bundles around
stem scattered vascular bundles
central pith;
root adventitious roots branched tap roots;

Award [1] for each correct line

(c) Award [1] for any two of the following:

cellulose cell wall / turgor / lignin / lignified xylem 1

IB Questionbank Biology 12
 (d) auxin produced at apical meristem / tip;
transported to growing area / zone of cell growth;
lateral transport to cells on shade side;
results in cell expansion;
shoot “grows” towards light source;
experimental detail; 3 max
[7]

IB Questionbank Biology 13