1.

The sense of taste is normally caused by the stimulation of chemoreceptors in the taste buds of
the tongue. There are four main tastes: sweet, salty, bitter and sour. The tongue also has
receptors for temperature. It is known that the taste of food can vary according to whether it is
cold, warm or hot. Scientists discovered that just warming or cooling parts of the tongue, even
when no food was present, also caused a sensation of taste.

Scientists experimented with a group of people. They gradually cooled the tips of their tongues
and measured the intensity of the taste felt by each member of the group. The experiment was
repeated, this time warming the tip of the tongue. The graphs show the average values for the
group.

C o o lin g th e to n g u e tip W a rm in g th e to n g u e tip

m o d e ra te
T a s te in te n s ity fe lt
/ a rb itra ry u n its

w eak

ju s t
d e te c ta b le

35 25 35 20 35 15 35 10 35 5 20 25 20 30 20 35 20 40
D e c re a s e in te m p e ra tu re fro m 3 5 C In c re a s e in te m p e ra tu re fro m 2 0 C

K ey: S a lty B itte r Sw eet Sour

[Source: modified from Cruz and Green, Nature (2003) 403, page 889]

(a) Identify which taste was felt most strongly when the tip of the tongue was

(i) cooled................................................................................................................

(ii) warmed..............................................................................................................
(1)

(b) Compare the effects on the taste of sweetness, of warming and cooling the tip of the
tongue.

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

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

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

.....................................................................................................................................
(2)

(c) It is important that such experiments use a population sample that is representative.
Suggest two biological criteria the scientists would have used to select the people to be
tested.

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

1
 .....................................................................................................................................
(1)

(d) Explain whether cooling or warming the tip of the tongue has the greater effect on the
sensation of taste.

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

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

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

.....................................................................................................................................
(2)

The scientists discovered that there were two types of chemoreceptor in the tongue tip. They
called these A and B. They tested these chemoreceptors using solutions of sucrose to find out
the type of taste and the intensity felt. The results are shown in the bar chart.

m o d e ra te

w eak
T a s te in te n s ity fe lt
/ a rb itra ry u n its
ju s t d e te c ta b le

s w e e t d e te c te d s o u r d e te c te d

K ey: A B

(e) Compare the effects of sucrose on the A and B chemoreceptors by giving two similarities
and two differences.

Similarities .................................................................................................................

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

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

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

Differences .................................................................................................................

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

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

.....................................................................................................................................
(4)
(Total 10 marks)

2
2. Intravenous nutrition is used in patients who cannot feed by mouth. Introducing
nutrients directly into veins bypasses the rate at which the digestive system absorbs them. Scientists
studied the effect of injecting six different glucose concentrations into rats. They measured the
glucose concentration in the urine per day and the glucose concentration in blood plasma per day.
These values were compared to control rats that received the same six glucose concentrations
through the mouth. The percentage of rats that died during the experiment (mortality) was
measured. The results for all control rats orally fed with six different glucose concentrations were
the same and are shown in the table below.
Urine glucose concentration / Blood plasma glucose
3 3 Mortality / %
mmol dm concentration / mmol dm
0 10 0

The results for the injected rats are shown in the line graph below.

3
(a) State the mortality for rats when injected with 110 mmol dm glucose.

....................................................................................................................................
(1)

(b) Estimate the difference in blood plasma glucose concentration between rats injected with
3
145 mmol dm glucose and the blood plasma glucose concentration of control rats orally
3
fed 145 mmol dm glucose.

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

....................................................................................................................................
(1)

(c) Using the data, explain the conclusions that can be drawn about the ability of the rats to
regulate blood plasma glucose levels successfully.

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

3
 ....................................................................................................................................

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

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

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

....................................................................................................................................
(3)

(d) Suggest reasons for the differences between rats that were injected and the rats that were
orally fed high levels of glucose concentrations.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

....................................................................................................................................
(2)
(Total 7 marks)

3. The effect of different types of meals before exercise was tested on metabolism and
performance for twelve competitive cyclists. The cyclists ingested either high fat or high
carbohydrate meals before the start of exercise.

The test consisted of:

1 hour of cycling at half peak power (pre-load)
followed by five 10 minute incremental increases in intensity (load)
and a 50 km time trial.

The concentration of various hormones in the blood plasma of the cyclists was measured. The
graphs below indicate the change in insulin and glucagon levels before and during the cycling
test.

4
 P re - In c re m e n ta l 50 km
lo a d te s t (lo a d ) tim e tria l
80
60
40
30
In s u lin c o n c e n tra tio n / 20
m U d m 3 15
(lo g s c a le )
10

5
K ey:
3
H ig h fa t
240 H ig h c a rb o h y d ra te
200
160
120
100
G lu c a g o n c o n c e n tra tio n / 80
n g d m 3 60
(lo g s c a le ) 50
40
30

20
100 60 20 20 60 100 140 160
T e s t d u ra tio n / m in
[Source: Rowlands and Hopkins, International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism,
(2002), 12, page 318]

(a) Describe the changes in insulin concentration during the course of the exercise period for
those cyclists who ate a high carbohydrate meal.

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

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

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

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

.....................................................................................................................................
(2)

(b) Compare the changes in insulin and glucagon concentration during the pre-load and
incremental test period.

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

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

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

5
 .....................................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................
(2)

(c) Using the data provided, outline how the changes illustrate negative feedback of insulin
and glucagon.

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

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

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

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

.....................................................................................................................................
(2)
(Total 6 marks)

4. The plasma solute concentration, plasma antidiuretic hormone (ADH) concentration and
feelings of thirst were tested in a group of volunteers. These graphs show the relationship
between intensity of thirst, plasma ADH concentration and plasma solute concentration.

10 20
9 18
8 16
14
th irs t / a rb itra ry

7
3

12
pm ol dm

6
In te n s ity o f

P la s m a
A D H /

5 10
8
u n its

4
3 6
2 4
1 2
0 0
280 290 300 310 320 280 290 300 310 320
1
P la s m a s o lu te c o n c e n tra tio n / m O s m o l k g P la s m a s o lu te c o n c e n tra tio n / m O s m o l k g 1

[Source: adapted from C T Thompson, et al., (1986), Clinical Science London, 71, page 651]

(a) Identify the plasma ADH concentration at a plasma solute concentration of 300 mOsmol
1
kg using the line of best fit.

.....................................................................................................................................
(1)

(b) Compare intensity of thirst and plasma ADH concentration.

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

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

6
 (1)

(c) Outline what would happen to plasma solute concentration and ADH concentration if a
person were to drink water to satisfy his/her thirst.

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

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

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

.....................................................................................................................................
(2)

(d) State two reasons why a persons plasma solute concentration may increase.

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

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

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

.....................................................................................................................................
(2)
(Total 6 marks)

5. During pregnancy a condition called sub-clinical hypothyroidism can occur. This condition
causes increased levels of thyrotropin (TSH) which triggers the release of a protein in blood
serum. The protein then binds to thyroxin preventing it from working. Decreased levels of
thyroxin can increase the risk of death in mother and fetus.

The graph below shows the levels of TSH in twelve women before and during pregnancy. The
dotted lines show the safe lower and upper limits of TSH.

7
 5 0 .0

4 0 .0

3 0 .0

S e ru m T h y ro tro p in (T S H ) /
m U litre 1 2 0 .0

1 0 .0

5 .0

0 .5

0 .0
B e fo re D u rin g
P re g n a n c y P re g n a n c y

N um ber of w om en
[Source: A Toft, Drug Therapy: Thyroxine Therapy, The New England Journal of Medicine (July 1994),
vol. 331, issue 3, pp. 174180. Copyright 1994 Massachusetts Medical Society. All rights reserved]

(a) Identify the number of women in this study whose levels of TSH were within the safe
limits before pregnancy.

....................................................................................................................................
(1)

(b) Calculate the proportion of women whose levels of TSH are above the safe limits during
pregnancy.

....................................................................................................................................
(1)

(c) Compare the levels of TSH in these women before and during pregnancy.

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

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

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

....................................................................................................................................
(2)

(d) Discuss why the results of this study contradict the normal control of thyroxin levels.

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

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

8
 ....................................................................................................................................

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

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

....................................................................................................................................
(3)
(Total 7 marks)

6. Distinguish between the mode of action of steroid hormones and peptide hormones.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

...............................................................................................................................................
(Total 4 marks)