plumiPlant hormones: AQA GCSE Biology questions
Every AQA GCSE Biology exam question on 4.5.4 Plant hormones, 2018–2025, with its mark scheme and examiner’s report.
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Calculations
Q03.1
The whole paper ↗![June 2025 Paper 2 Higher, question 03.1: What is geotropism? [2 marks]](https://pub-e8a9dbab8e2a4d089f52b2a45e0d0b50.r2.dev/bank/84612h-jun25-03-1-qp.webp)
Q03.2
The whole paper ↗
Q03.3
The whole paper ↗![June 2025 Paper 2 Higher, question 03.3: Which hormone controls a plant’s response to the direction of light? [1 mark]](https://pub-e8a9dbab8e2a4d089f52b2a45e0d0b50.r2.dev/bank/84612h-jun25-03-3-qp.webp)
Q03.4
The whole paper ↗![June 2025 Paper 2 Higher, question 03.4: How does the hormone you named in Question 03.3 control the plant’s response to the direction of light? [1 mark] Tick () one box. All parts of the plant have t](https://pub-e8a9dbab8e2a4d089f52b2a45e0d0b50.r2.dev/bank/84612h-jun25-03-4-qp.webp)
Q03.5
The whole paper ↗![June 2025 Paper 2 Higher, question 03.5: Explain how a plant’s response to light helps the plant survive. [3 marks]](https://pub-e8a9dbab8e2a4d089f52b2a45e0d0b50.r2.dev/bank/84612h-jun25-03-5-qp.webp)
Q10.1
The whole paper ↗![June 2025 Paper 2 Foundation, question 10.1: What is geotropism? [2 marks]](https://pub-e8a9dbab8e2a4d089f52b2a45e0d0b50.r2.dev/bank/84612f-jun25-10-1-qp.webp)
Q10.2
The whole paper ↗
Q10.3
The whole paper ↗![June 2025 Paper 2 Foundation, question 10.3: Which hormone controls a plant’s response to the direction of light? [1 mark]](https://pub-e8a9dbab8e2a4d089f52b2a45e0d0b50.r2.dev/bank/84612f-jun25-10-3-qp.webp)
Q10.4
The whole paper ↗![June 2025 Paper 2 Foundation, question 10.4: How does the hormone you named in Question 10.3 control the plant’s response to the direction of light? [1 mark] Tick () one box. All parts of the plant have t](https://pub-e8a9dbab8e2a4d089f52b2a45e0d0b50.r2.dev/bank/84612f-jun25-10-4-qp.webp)
Q10.5
The whole paper ↗![June 2025 Paper 2 Foundation, question 10.5: Explain how a plant’s response to light helps the plant survive. [3 marks]](https://pub-e8a9dbab8e2a4d089f52b2a45e0d0b50.r2.dev/bank/84612f-jun25-10-5-qp.webp)
Q04.1
The whole paper ↗![June 2024 Paper 2 Higher, question 04.1: Give the reason why the student placed both sets of apparatus in the dark. [1 mark]](https://pub-e8a9dbab8e2a4d089f52b2a45e0d0b50.r2.dev/bank/84612h-jun24-04-1-qp.webp)
Q04.2
The whole paper ↗![June 2024 Paper 2 Higher, question 04.2: What are two reasons for surrounding the seedlings with damp blotting paper? [2 marks] Tick () two boxes. To prevent photosynthesis in the roots To prevent the](https://pub-e8a9dbab8e2a4d089f52b2a45e0d0b50.r2.dev/bank/84612h-jun24-04-2-qp.webp)
Q04.3
The whole paper ↗![June 2024 Paper 2 Higher, question 04.3: Apparatus B is a control. Explain why apparatus B is needed. [2 marks]](https://pub-e8a9dbab8e2a4d089f52b2a45e0d0b50.r2.dev/bank/84612h-jun24-04-3-qp.webp)
Q04.4
The whole paper ↗
Q04.5
The whole paper ↗![June 2024 Paper 2 Higher, question 04.5: Describe how a root from apparatus B would look different from the root you drew in Question 04.4. [1 mark]](https://pub-e8a9dbab8e2a4d089f52b2a45e0d0b50.r2.dev/bank/84612h-jun24-04-5-qp.webp)
Q04.6
The whole paper ↗![June 2024 Paper 2 Higher, question 04.6: Auxin is a plant hormone. Explain how auxin causes the results in apparatus A. [2 marks]](https://pub-e8a9dbab8e2a4d089f52b2a45e0d0b50.r2.dev/bank/84612h-jun24-04-6-qp.webp)
Q04.7
The whole paper ↗![June 2024 Paper 2 Higher, question 04.7: Give two uses of auxin. [2 marks] 1 2](https://pub-e8a9dbab8e2a4d089f52b2a45e0d0b50.r2.dev/bank/84612h-jun24-04-7-qp.webp)
Q04.8
The whole paper ↗![June 2024 Paper 2 Higher, question 04.8: A farmer sprayed an apple tree with gibberellin. Suggest two reasons why the farmer sprayed the apple tree with gibberellin. [2 marks] 1 2](https://pub-e8a9dbab8e2a4d089f52b2a45e0d0b50.r2.dev/bank/84612h-jun24-04-8-qp.webp)
Q06.1
The whole paper ↗![June 2024 Paper 2 Foundation, question 06.1: What name is given to a plant’s growth response? [1 mark] Tick () one box. Accommodation Adaptation Tropism](https://pub-e8a9dbab8e2a4d089f52b2a45e0d0b50.r2.dev/bank/84612f-jun24-06-1-qp.webp)
Q06.2
The whole paper ↗![June 2024 Paper 2 Foundation, question 06.2: Which substance controls the response to light in plant shoots? [1 mark] Tick () one box. Amylase Auxin Lactic acid](https://pub-e8a9dbab8e2a4d089f52b2a45e0d0b50.r2.dev/bank/84612f-jun24-06-2-qp.webp)
All 51 questions on Plant hormones, as a list
- June 2025, Paper 2 Higher, Q03.1 (2 marks): What is geotropism? [2 marks]
- June 2025, Paper 2 Higher, Q03.2 (6 marks): Plan an investigation to find the effect of the direction of light on the growth of plant seedlings. You may use the equipment shown in Figure 3 and any other l
- June 2025, Paper 2 Higher, Q03.3 (1 mark): Which hormone controls a plant’s response to the direction of light? [1 mark]
- June 2025, Paper 2 Higher, Q03.4 (1 mark): How does the hormone you named in Question 03.3 control the plant’s response to the direction of light? [1 mark] Tick () one box. All parts of the plant have t
- June 2025, Paper 2 Higher, Q03.5 (3 marks): Explain how a plant’s response to light helps the plant survive. [3 marks]
- June 2025, Paper 2 Foundation, Q10.1 (2 marks): What is geotropism? [2 marks]
- June 2025, Paper 2 Foundation, Q10.2 (6 marks): Plan an investigation to find the effect of the direction of light on the growth of plant seedlings. You may use the equipment shown in Figure 15 and any other
- June 2025, Paper 2 Foundation, Q10.3 (1 mark): Which hormone controls a plant’s response to the direction of light? [1 mark]
- June 2025, Paper 2 Foundation, Q10.4 (1 mark): How does the hormone you named in Question 10.3 control the plant’s response to the direction of light? [1 mark] Tick () one box. All parts of the plant have t
- June 2025, Paper 2 Foundation, Q10.5 (3 marks): Explain how a plant’s response to light helps the plant survive. [3 marks]
- June 2024, Paper 2 Higher, Q04.1 (1 mark): Give the reason why the student placed both sets of apparatus in the dark. [1 mark]
- June 2024, Paper 2 Higher, Q04.2 (2 marks): What are two reasons for surrounding the seedlings with damp blotting paper? [2 marks] Tick () two boxes. To prevent photosynthesis in the roots To prevent the
- June 2024, Paper 2 Higher, Q04.3 (2 marks): Apparatus B is a control. Explain why apparatus B is needed. [2 marks]
- June 2024, Paper 2 Higher, Q04.4 (3 marks): Figure 7 shows one seedling from apparatus A at the start of the investigation and after 24 hours. The drawing of the seedling after 24 hours is not complete. F
- June 2024, Paper 2 Higher, Q04.5 (1 mark): Describe how a root from apparatus B would look different from the root you drew in Question 04.4. [1 mark]
- June 2024, Paper 2 Higher, Q04.6 (2 marks): Auxin is a plant hormone. Explain how auxin causes the results in apparatus A. [2 marks]
- June 2024, Paper 2 Higher, Q04.7 (2 marks): Give two uses of auxin. [2 marks] 1 2
- June 2024, Paper 2 Higher, Q04.8 (2 marks): A farmer sprayed an apple tree with gibberellin. Suggest two reasons why the farmer sprayed the apple tree with gibberellin. [2 marks] 1 2
- June 2024, Paper 2 Foundation, Q06.1 (1 mark): What name is given to a plant’s growth response? [1 mark] Tick () one box. Accommodation Adaptation Tropism
- June 2024, Paper 2 Foundation, Q06.2 (1 mark): Which substance controls the response to light in plant shoots? [1 mark] Tick () one box. Amylase Auxin Lactic acid
- June 2024, Paper 2 Foundation, Q06.3 (2 marks): A plant root grows downwards in response to gravity. Which two substances can the root absorb in larger amounts when it grows downwards? [2 marks] Tick () two
- June 2024, Paper 2 Foundation, Q06.4 (6 marks): Plan an investigation to show the effect of light from one direction on the growth of plant seedlings. You should include: • a control • the measurements you wo
- June 2024, Paper 2 Foundation, Q07.2 (2 marks): How many times more concentrated is chemical Q in tube 6 than in tube 2? [2 marks] Number of times more concentrated =
- June 2022, Paper 2 Higher, Q09.1 (2 marks): Suggest two control variables the students should have used in their investigation. [2 marks] 1 2
- June 2022, Paper 2 Higher, Q09.2 (2 marks): Describe how experiment B and experiment C acted as controls for the investigation. [2 marks] Experiment B Experiment C
- June 2022, Paper 2 Higher, Q09.3 (2 marks): Give two conclusions that the students could make from the ink marks on the shoot in experiment A. [2 marks] 1 2
- June 2022, Paper 2 Higher, Q09.4 (1 mark): Name the type of response shown by the seedling in experiment A. [1 mark]
- June 2022, Paper 2 Higher, Q09.5 (3 marks): A scientist made a hypothesis: ‘Light causes auxin to move from the side of the shoot nearest to the light to the side furthest from the light.’ Describe the ev
- June 2022, Paper 2 Higher, Q09.6 (1 mark): Another scientist made a different hypothesis: ‘Light causes the breakdown of auxin.’ Give the evidence from Figure 14 that shows that auxin is not broken down
- June 2022, Paper 2 Foundation, Q03.1 (1 mark): What name is given to the type of response shown by the plant shoot? [1 mark] Tick () one box. Adaptation Homeostasis Tropism A student investigated the effect
- June 2022, Paper 2 Foundation, Q03.2 (2 marks): Draw one line from each experiment to what the seedling would look like after 12 hours. [2 marks]
- June 2022, Paper 2 Foundation, Q03.3 (1 mark): Why did the student set up experiment 2 in this investigation? [1 mark]
- June 2022, Paper 2 Foundation, Q03.4 (1 mark): The student wanted to make the investigation of the effect of one-sided light more valid. The student decided to set up a third experiment. How should the stude
- June 2022, Paper 2 Foundation, Q03.5 (1 mark): What is a suitable control variable for the investigation? [1 mark] Tick () one box. Keep each seedling at the same temperature. Keep each seedling the same he
- June 2022, Paper 2 Foundation, Q03.6 (1 mark): Give one stimulus a plant root responds to. Do not refer to light in your answer. [1 mark]
- June 2022, Paper 2 Foundation, Q03.7 (2 marks): Scientists often repeat investigations several times. Give two reasons why. [2 marks] 1 2
- November 2020, Paper 2 Higher, Q03.1 (2 marks): Farmers can spray seeds with gibberellins to start germination. What are two other uses of gibberellins? [2 marks] Tick () two boxes. To help in tissue culture
- November 2020, Paper 2 Higher, Q03.2 (2 marks): Describe two improvements the students should make to their investigation. [2 marks] 1 2
- November 2020, Paper 2 Higher, Q03.3 (1 mark): Suggest how the students measured the length of the curved seedling in Figure 4. [1 mark]
- November 2020, Paper 2 Higher, Q03.4 (3 marks): Explain what happened to the growth of the seedling on side Q compared with the growth on side P. [3 marks]
- November 2020, Paper 2 Higher, Q03.5 (1 mark): Bananas are often stored separately from other fruits because bananas release a plant hormone. Why does storing bananas with other fruits cause the other fruits
- November 2020, Paper 2 Foundation, Q02.1 (2 marks): Which two improvements should the student make to the investigation? [2 marks] Tick () two boxes. Give more water to the seedlings nearest the lamp Leave some
- November 2020, Paper 2 Foundation, Q02.2 (1 mark): What is the dependent variable in the investigation? [1 mark] Tick () one box. The height of the seedlings The mass of cotton wool The temperature of the room
- November 2020, Paper 2 Foundation, Q02.4 (1 mark): What happened to the growth of the seedling on side P compared with the growth on side Q? [1 mark] Tick () one box. Side P has grown less than side Q Side P ha
- November 2020, Paper 2 Foundation, Q02.5 (1 mark): Plant responses are called tropisms. Which tropism causes the seedling to grow towards light? [1 mark] Tick () one box. Geotropism Gravitropism Phototropism
- November 2020, Paper 2 Foundation, Q02.6 (1 mark): Which hormone causes the seedling to grow towards the light? [1 mark] Tick () one box. Auxin Insulin Testosterone
- Specimen, Paper 2 Foundation, Q06.1 (2 marks): Describe the direction of growth of the bean roots after 2 days. Give one reason for this growth response. [2 marks Direction of root growth Reason
- Specimen, Paper 2 Foundation, Q06.2 (2 marks): The student then noticed the shoots growing from the seeds. He then: 1. put a light above the Petri dish but did not move the seeds 2. allowed the seeds to grow
- Specimen, Paper 2 Foundation, Q06.3: At which stage of ripeness is there most ethene? [1 ma Tick one box. Stage 1 Stage 2 Stage 3 Stage 4 Stage 5
- Specimen, Paper 2 Foundation, Q06.4 (1 mark): Suggest how the scientists can find out if the result for Stage 1 was an anomaly. [1 mark
- Specimen, Paper 2 Foundation, Q06.5 (1 mark): Gibberellins are a different type of plant hormone. Farmers growing cotton plants in cold climates sometimes soak their seeds in a solution of gibberellins befo
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