Version 1.

0: 0509

abc
General Certificate of Education

Biology / Human Biology

5411 / 5413

Specification A

BYA1 Molecules, Cells and Systems

Mark Scheme
2009 examination – June series
Mark schemes are prepared by the Principal Examiner and considered, together with the
relevant questions, by a panel of subject teachers. This mark scheme includes any
amendments made at the standardisation meeting attended by all examiners and is the scheme
which was used by them in this examination. The standardisation meeting ensures that the
mark scheme covers the candidates’ responses to questions and that every examiner
understands and applies it in the same correct way. As preparation for the standardisation
meeting each examiner analyses a number of candidates’ scripts: alternative answers not
already covered by the mark scheme are discussed at the meeting and legislated for. If, after
this meeting, examiners encounter unusual answers which have not been discussed at the
meeting they are required to refer these to the Principal Examiner.

It must be stressed that a mark scheme is a working document, in many cases further
developed and expanded on the basis of candidates’ reactions to a particular paper.
Assumptions about future mark schemes on the basis of one year’s document should be
avoided; whilst the guiding principles of assessment remain constant, details will change,
depending on the content of a particular examination paper.

Further copies of this Mark Scheme are available to download from the AQA Website: www.aqa.org.uk

Copyright © 2009 AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.

COPYRIGHT
AQA retains the copyright on all its publications. However, registered centres for AQA are permitted to copy material
from this booklet for their own internal use, with the following important exception: AQA cannot give permission to
centres to photocopy any material that is acknowledged to a third party even for internal use within the centre.

Set and published by the Assessment and Qualifications Alliance.

The Assessment and Qualifications Alliance (AQA) is a company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales (company number 3644723) and a registered charity (registered charity number 1073334).
Registered address: AQA, Devas Street, Manchester M15 6EX Dr Michael Cresswell Director General
 Biology Specification A - AQA GCE Mark Scheme 2009 June series

Question 1

(a) (i) Chloroplast; 1

(ii) Photosynthesis;
Uses light (energy);
To produce carbohydrates/starch/glucose/sugars/ATP/reduced NADP; 2 max
Note that candidates cannot be expected to have a detailed knowledge of
photosynthesis

(b) (i) A; 1

(ii) C; 1

(c) (i) Slows enzymes/prevents enzymes being denatured/prevents/

stops self-digestion; 1
Ignore references to bacteria. Reject enzymes not working

(ii) To remove organelle C/ nuclei;

Which are larger/heavier/more dense; 2

Total 8

Question 2

(a) (i) C and D; 1

(ii) Left ventricle with thicker wall/more muscle / (muscle in) left ventricle
contracts more forcefully/beats/pumps more strongly; 1

(b) Higher in atria/lower in ventricles;

Atrioventricular valves/valves between atria and ventricles open; 2
(Position of valves must be identified. Do not accept an unqualified reference to valves.
Assume pronouns refer to atria.)

(c) (i) Atrioventricular node/AVN; 1

(ii) Bundle of His/Purkyne tissue/; 1

Accept Purkinje tissue

(d) (i) Allows blood to pass into ventricles/from atria/so that atria can empty;
Before ventricles contract; 2

(ii) Ventricle contracts from base / upwards / all blood ejected; 1

Total 9

3
 Biology Specification A - AQA GCE Mark Scheme 2009 June series

Question 3

(a) Diagram showing molecule A fitting into inhibition site;

Distortion of active site; 2

(b) Molecules moving less/slower;

Reduces chance of collision (between enzyme and substrate)/of enzyme-substrate
complexes being formed; 2
Reject converse

(c) These bonds hold/maintain tertiary/globular structure (of enzyme);

Enzyme denatured/tertiary structures destroyed;
(Shape of) active site distorted/changes/no longer complementary;
Substrate no longer fits/enzyme-substrate complex not formed; 3 max

Total 7

Question 4

(a) Mix with ethanol/alcohol/meths then water;

Milky/white / emulsion produced;
Do not accept unqualified reference to cloudy
Ignore references to precipitate etc 2

(b) (i) Glycerol; 1

(ii) Has a phosphate/ (only) two fatty acids/hydrocarbon tails; 1

Unqualified references refer to the phospholipids shown in the diagram

(iii) H-C-H
l
H-C-H
l
H-C-H
l
H

/ CH2CH2CH3 ; 1

(iv) Z/tails/Hydrophobic/hate water/non-polar;

Attracted to tails of other phospholipids /
Tails face inwards / away from water; 2

Total 7

4
 Biology Specification A - AQA GCE Mark Scheme 2009 June series

Question 5

(a) (i) Less at A/ more at B; 1

Accept inspiration and expiration as equivalent to A and B

(ii) Carbon dioxide diffuses/passes/ into alveoli/from blood;

As higher concentration in blood/low concentration in alveolus; 2
(First mark for site and direction, second for cause)

(b) (i) Contract;

Ribs move upwards/out;
Increasing volume/decreasing pressure in chest/thorax/lungs; 3

(ii) Intercostal muscles relax; 1

(If you can ignore reference to internal contracting, do so)

Total 7

Question 6

(a) Does not have the resolution / cannot distinguish between points this close together;
As light has longer wavelength/lower frequency; 2
The key ideas in marking this part of the question are resolution and wavelength

(b) Lipid soluble / small / non-polar / not charged; 1

(c) (i) Concentration of sodium ions (outside cell);

As concentration/independent variable increases so does the rate
of diffusion; 2

(ii) Sodium ions are passing through the channels/pores;

At their maximum rate;
Rate is limited by the number of sodium channels /
another limiting factor; 2 max

Total 7

5
 Biology Specification A - AQA GCE Mark Scheme 2009 June series

Question 7

(a) (i) Atoms / elements / named atoms arranged differently / isomers; 1

(ii) C12; H22 O11; 2

(b) (i) Facilitated diffusion is movement from high to low concentration / down
concentration gradient;
Reject ‘across’ / ‘along’ concentration gradient
Facilitated diffusion does not require energy / ATP / is passive; 2

(ii) Produces greater water potential gradient / lower / more negative water potential
in cells / less negative / higher water potential in intestine;
Water moves (into cells) by osmosis / diffusion; 2

(c) Based on central carbon atom / α-carbon;

COOH group / Carboxyl group;
NH2 / amino group;
H; 2 max
Allow information on diagram. Do not accept ‘both have an R-group’

(d) Method
1. Load;
2. Method of producing small spot;
3. Repetition to concentrate;
4. Assemble apparatus with solvent below origin;
5. Leave until solvent near top of paper;
6. Use reagent to identify / show up sugars / mark solvent front;
7. Turn through 90°C and use another solvent;
Maximum of 4 marks from this section

Identification
8. Calculate Rf value;
9. By dividing distance moved by spot by distance moved by solvent;
10. Look up in table / compare with standard values / compare with Rf of known
standard;
OR
11. Compare distance moved;
12. With distance moved by known substance;
13. On same chromatogram; 6 max
Maximum of 2 marks from this section

Total 15

6
 Biology Specification A - AQA GCE Mark Scheme 2009 June series

Question 8

(a) Ventricle contracts/systole;

(Blood enters aorta) through semi lunar valves/semi lunar valves open; 2

(b) (i) Pressure lower (in pulmonary artery); 1

(ii) Right ventricle has thinner wall/less muscle/does not contract as strongly; 1

(c) Two marks for correct answer of 1.13 s ;;

One mark for incorrect answer clearly derived from subtracting 0.37 from length of
heartbeat; 2

(d) (i) Decreases but less steeply with increasing heart rate; 1

(ii) Filling time decreases so shorter cardiac cycle/greater heart rate;

Emptying time remains the same so as much / more blood pumped per beat;
Accept Cardiac output = heart rate x stroke volume; 2 max

(e) 1. Contains no nucleus/ mitochondria/ organelles;

2. Haemoglobin;
3. Biconcave shape/small size; Allow description
4. Large surface area to volume;
5. For diffusion;
6. Disc means short distance to centre of cell/ no point far from surface;
7. Approx same size / diameter as capillary;
8. (Surface pressed against capillary wall therefore) short distance for oxygen to travel;
9. Only pass down in single file / slow passage down capillary gives time for
diffusion/uptake;
6 max

Total 15