Respiration: AQA GCSE Biology questions

Every AQA GCSE Biology exam question on 4.4.2 Respiration, 2018–2025, with its mark scheme and examiner’s report.

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Q05.6
June 2025 · Paper 1 Higher
2 marks4.4.2 Respiration
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Q05.7
June 2025 · Paper 1 Higher
2 marks4.4.2 Respiration
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Q05.8
June 2025 · Paper 1 Higher
2 marks4.4.2 Respiration 4.2.2 Animal tissues, organs and organ systems
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Q06.3
June 2025 · Paper 1 Higher
4 marks4.4.2 Respiration
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Q01.8
June 2025 · Paper 1 Foundation
3 marks4.1.3 Transport in cells 4.4.2 Respiration
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Q05.4
June 2025 · Paper 1 Foundation
3 marks4.4.2 Respiration
Mark scheme (PDF)
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Q05.5
June 2025 · Paper 1 Foundation
3 marks4.4.2 Respiration
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Q05.6
June 2025 · Paper 1 Foundation
3 marks4.4.2 Respiration
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Q05.7
June 2025 · Paper 1 Foundation
2 marks4.4.2 Respiration
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Q01.2
June 2024 · Paper 1 Higher
2 marks4.2.2 Animal tissues, organs and organ systems 4.4.2 Respiration
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Q01.3
June 2024 · Paper 1 Higher
1 mark4.2.2 Animal tissues, organs and organ systems 4.4.2 Respiration
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Q02.3
June 2024 · Paper 1 Higher
6 marks4.2.2 Animal tissues, organs and organ systems 4.4.2 Respiration
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Q02.5
June 2024 · Paper 1 Higher
3 marks4.4.2 Respiration
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Q07.2
June 2024 · Paper 1 Foundation
2 marks4.2.2 Animal tissues, organs and organ systems 4.4.2 Respiration
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Q07.3
June 2024 · Paper 1 Foundation
1 mark4.2.2 Animal tissues, organs and organ systems 4.4.2 Respiration
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Q08.3
June 2024 · Paper 1 Foundation
6 marks4.2.2 Animal tissues, organs and organ systems 4.4.2 Respiration
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Q08.5
June 2024 · Paper 1 Foundation
3 marks4.4.2 Respiration
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Q02.1
June 2024 · Paper 2 Higher
3 marks4.2.2 Animal tissues, organs and organ systems 4.4.2 Respiration
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Q02.4
June 2024 · Paper 2 Higher
1 mark4.4.1 Photosynthesis 4.4.2 Respiration
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Q02.5
June 2024 · Paper 2 Higher
4 marks4.4.2 Respiration 4.7.2 Organisation of an ecosystem
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All 80 questions on Respiration, as a list

June 2025, Paper 1 Higher, Q05.6 (2 marks): During the exercise the athlete respired aerobically and anaerobically. Explain why anaerobic respiration is less efficient than aerobic respiration. [2 marks]
June 2025, Paper 1 Higher, Q05.7 (2 marks): Explain why the use of oxygen remained high after the athlete stopped exercising. [2 marks]
June 2025, Paper 1 Higher, Q05.8 (2 marks): Some athletes regularly exercise in conditions that increase the number of red blood cells. Explain why having an increased number of red blood cells is an adva
June 2025, Paper 1 Higher, Q06.3 (4 marks): Some fish rest on the sea floor. Explain why the metabolic rate of a fish is higher when swimming compared with when resting. [4 marks]
June 2025, Paper 1 Foundation, Q01.8 (3 marks): Table 1 shows substances that are exchanged between the blood and muscle cells. Complete Table 1 to show the direction of movement of each substance. [3 marks]
June 2025, Paper 1 Foundation, Q05.4 (3 marks): Stingrays rest on the sea floor. Table 4 shows information about the metabolic rate of a stingray. Table 4 Activity of stingray Metabolic rate in arbitrary unit
June 2025, Paper 1 Foundation, Q05.5 (3 marks): When the metabolic rate of the stingray increases, the rate of aerobic respiration in the stingray increases. Complete the word equation for aerobic respiration
June 2025, Paper 1 Foundation, Q05.6 (3 marks): Explain why the rate of respiration in the stingray increases when the stingray starts to swim. [3 marks]
June 2025, Paper 1 Foundation, Q05.7 (2 marks): Some plants can use anaerobic respiration. Which two substances are produced during anaerobic respiration in plants? [2 marks] Tick () two boxes. Carbon dioxid
June 2024, Paper 1 Higher, Q01.2 (2 marks): Explain why putting pressure on the heart helps the person. [2 marks]
June 2024, Paper 1 Higher, Q01.3 (1 mark): The first-aider also forces air into the person’s lungs by blowing into their mouth. Describe how forcing air into the person’s lungs helps the person. [1 mark]
June 2024, Paper 1 Higher, Q02.3 (6 marks): The pancreas produces several digestive enzymes. CF reduces the amount of each enzyme that reaches the small intestine. Explain why a person with CF has: • diff
June 2024, Paper 1 Higher, Q02.5 (3 marks): CF reduces the amount of oxygen that can enter the blood from the alveoli. Explain how a reduced amount of oxygen entering the blood will affect the human body.
June 2024, Paper 1 Foundation, Q07.2 (2 marks): Explain why putting pressure on the heart helps the person. [2 marks]
June 2024, Paper 1 Foundation, Q07.3 (1 mark): The first-aider also forces air into the person’s lungs by blowing into their mouth. Describe how forcing air into the person’s lungs helps the person. [1 mark]
June 2024, Paper 1 Foundation, Q08.3 (6 marks): The pancreas produces several digestive enzymes. CF reduces the amount of each enzyme that reaches the small intestine. Explain why a person with CF has: • diff
June 2024, Paper 1 Foundation, Q08.5 (3 marks): CF reduces the amount of oxygen that can enter the blood from the alveoli. Explain how a reduced amount of oxygen entering the blood will affect the human body.
June 2024, Paper 2 Higher, Q02.1 (3 marks): Explain why most of the dead remains of plants in layer B do not decay. [3 marks]
June 2024, Paper 2 Higher, Q02.4 (1 mark): What substance can the sundew plant make using the nitrogen? [1 mark] Tick () one box. Fatty acid Glucose Lactic acid Protein
June 2024, Paper 2 Higher, Q02.5 (4 marks): Humans have destroyed large areas of peat bog to collect peat. The peat provides fuel and provides compost for gardeners to use. The peat comes from layer B in
June 2024, Paper 2 Higher, Q07.5 (1 mark): Which amino acids are found in significantly higher proportions in the QPM seeds? [1 mark] Tick () one box. Lysine and tryptophan Lysine and valine Threonine a
June 2024, Paper 2 Higher, Q07.6 (1 mark): Table 2 shows that 1 kg of QPM contains less leucine than 1 kg of normal maize. Suggest why a diet containing less leucine does not slow down the growth of chic
June 2024, Paper 2 Foundation, Q10.1 (3 marks): Explain why most of the dead remains of plants in layer B do not decay. [3 marks]
June 2024, Paper 2 Foundation, Q10.4 (1 mark): What substance can the sundew plant make using the nitrogen? [1 mark] Tick () one box. Fatty acid Glucose Lactic acid Protein
June 2024, Paper 2 Foundation, Q10.5 (4 marks): Humans have destroyed large areas of peat bog to collect peat. The peat provides fuel and provides compost for gardeners to use. The peat comes from layer B in
June 2023, Paper 1 Higher, Q02.8 (6 marks): Explain the effect of a partly blocked coronary artery on the human body. [6 marks]
June 2023, Paper 1 Higher, Q04.1 (4 marks): During vigorous exercise, anaerobic respiration occurs in a person’s body. Explain two effects of anaerobic respiration on the person’s body. [4 marks] 1 2
June 2023, Paper 1 Higher, Q04.2 (6 marks): Design an investigation to show the effect of different types of exercise on the heart rate of athletes. [6 marks] Anabolic steroids are drugs. Anabolic steroid
June 2023, Paper 1 Higher, Q04.3 (2 marks): Explain how taking anabolic steroids could improve an athlete’s performance. [2 marks]
June 2023, Paper 1 Higher, Q05.3 (2 marks): During one stage of malaria infection, the malarial protists enter red blood cells and cause them to burst. Explain why the bursting of red blood cells causes t
June 2023, Paper 1 Foundation, Q03.2 (2 marks): Explain how oxygen is used in cells. [2 marks]
June 2023, Paper 1 Foundation, Q07.8 (6 marks): Explain the effect of a partly blocked coronary artery on the human body. [6 marks]
June 2023, Paper 2 Higher, Q05.2 (2 marks): Thyroxine is a hormone produced by the thyroid gland. A decrease in body temperature causes an increase in thyroxine production. Explain how the production of t
June 2022, Paper 1 Higher, Q06.4 (4 marks): Organisms D and E both keep a constant body temperature (warm-blooded). Explain why the metabolic rate of organism D is greater than the metabolic rate of organ
June 2022, Paper 2 Higher, Q05.6 (3 marks): Explain why a person with MSUD must have a low-protein diet. [3 marks]
June 2022, Paper 2 Higher, Q08.3 (2 marks): During hibernation the echidna wakes up several times. Each time the echidna wakes up it becomes active and its body temperature increases to over 30 °C. Explai
November 2021, Paper 1 Higher, Q04.1 (1 mark): What is the chemical equation for aerobic respiration? [1 mark] Tick () one box. 6 O2 + 6 CO2  6 H2O + C6H12O6 6 H2O + C6H12O6  6 H2O + 6 CO2 6 H2O + 6 CO2 
November 2021, Paper 1 Higher, Q04.3 (2 marks): Energy is released in respiration. Give two uses of the energy released in respiration. [2 marks] 1 2
November 2021, Paper 1 Higher, Q04.4 (2 marks): Describe two differences between aerobic and anaerobic respiration in humans. Do not refer to oxygen in your answer. [2 marks] 1 2
November 2021, Paper 1 Higher, Q04.5 (2 marks): What are the two products of anaerobic respiration in plant cells? [2 marks] Tick () two boxes. Carbon dioxide Ethanol Glucose Lactic acid Water A scientist in
November 2021, Paper 1 Higher, Q04.6 (2 marks): Explain why the concentration of carbon dioxide in the tube stayed the same between day 0 and day 5. [2 marks]
November 2021, Paper 1 Higher, Q04.7 (1 mark): Suggest why the concentration of carbon dioxide increased between day 5 and day 10. [1 mark]
November 2021, Paper 1 Higher, Q04.8 (3 marks): On day 10, the pond snail died. Explain why the death of the pond snail caused the concentration of carbon dioxide to increase after day 10. [3 marks]
November 2021, Paper 1 Foundation, Q04.1 (1 mark): Which formula shows glucose? [1 mark] Tick () one box. C6H12O6 CO2 H2O O2
November 2021, Paper 1 Foundation, Q06.3 (2 marks): Give two variables the scientist controlled in the investigation. [2 marks] 1 2
November 2021, Paper 1 Foundation, Q06.4 (3 marks): Calculate the percentage increase in the man’s breathing rate between 0 minutes and 8 minutes. [3 marks] Use the equation: percentage increase = (breathing rate
November 2021, Paper 1 Foundation, Q06.5 (2 marks): Explain why the man’s breathing rate increased when he was running. [2 marks]
November 2021, Paper 1 Foundation, Q06.6 (1 mark): Give one measurement that could be taken to show a different effect of exercise on the body. Do not refer to breathing rate in your answer. [1 mark]
November 2021, Paper 2 Foundation, Q05.2 (1 mark): The fungus grows near the surface of the potato. How does growing near the surface help the fungus to respire? [1 mark] Tick () one box. The fungus can get nit
November 2020, Paper 1 Higher, Q04.1 (2 marks): Lipases break down lipids. Which two products are formed when lipids are broken down? [2 marks] Tick () two boxes. Amino acids Fatty acids Glucose Glycerol Gly
November 2020, Paper 1 Higher, Q04.7 (3 marks): Explain why the leaf left in a cupboard with no light for two days did contain glucose but did not contain starch. [3 marks]
November 2020, Paper 1 Higher, Q05.6 (2 marks): Explain how the nodules benefit the gorse plant. [2 marks]
November 2020, Paper 1 Higher, Q06.7 (4 marks): Cirrhosis of the liver leads to liver failure. Describe the effects of liver failure on the human body. [4 marks]
November 2020, Paper 1 Foundation, Q04.1 (3 marks): Describe the trend for breathing rate shown in Figure 6. Use data from Figure 6 in your answer. [3 marks]
November 2020, Paper 1 Foundation, Q04.2 (1 mark): The safe maximum heart rate for a person exercising can be calculated using the equation: safe maximum heart rate = 220 – age in years Calculate the safe maximu
November 2020, Paper 1 Foundation, Q04.3 (1 mark): What is the man’s maximum heart rate? Use Figure 6. [1 mark] Man’s maximum heart rate = beats per minute
November 2020, Paper 1 Foundation, Q04.4 (1 mark): The man concluded that he was exercising at a safe heart rate. Give the reason for his conclusion. Use your answers from Question 04.2 and Question 04.3 [1 mark
November 2020, Paper 1 Foundation, Q04.5 (6 marks): Explain the ways the man’s body has responded to the exercise. Use information from Figure 6 on page 16. [6 marks]
November 2020, Paper 1 Foundation, Q05.4 (2 marks): The green leaves of the gorse plant make glucose for the plant to use. What are two uses of glucose in the gorse plant? [2 marks] Tick () two boxes. For defenc
June 2018, Paper 1 Higher, Q02.1 (1 mark): Give one other metabolic reaction in cells. [1 mark] Table 2 shows the mean metabolic rate of humans of different ages. Table 2 Age in years Mean metabolic rate
June 2018, Paper 1 Higher, Q02.2 (2 marks): What two conclusions can be made from the data in Table 2? [2 marks] Tick two boxes. As age increases, mean metabolic rate of males and females increases. Males
June 2018, Paper 1 Higher, Q02.3 (3 marks): Calculate the percentage decrease in the mean metabolic rate of males between 5 years and 45 years of age. Use the equation: percentage decrease= decrease in me
June 2018, Paper 1 Higher, Q02.4 (2 marks): Describe two differences in the response of person R and person S to the exercise. Use information from Table 3. [2 marks] 1 2
June 2018, Paper 1 Higher, Q02.5 (4 marks): Complete the line graph in Figure 3 for person S. You should: • add the scale to the x axis • label the x axis. [4 marks] Figure 3
June 2018, Paper 1 Higher, Q02.6 (2 marks): After five minutes of exercise, the heart rate of person S was 132 beats per minute. When person S rested, his heart rate decreased steadily at a rate of 12 bea
June 2018, Paper 1 Higher, Q02.7 (6 marks): A student made the following hypothesis about the heart rate of smokers and non-smokers during exercise. “During exercise, the heart rate of smokers increases m
June 2018, Paper 1 Higher, Q03.2 (3 marks): Some athletes train at high altitude. Training at high altitude increases the number of red blood cells per cm3 of blood. Explain why having more red blood cell
Specimen, Paper 1 Higher, Q04.1 (2 marks): Respiration transfers energy from glucose for muscle contraction. Describe how glucose from the small intestine is moved to a muscle cell. [2 marks
Specimen, Paper 1 Higher, Q04.2: What is the purpose of the liquid paraffin in Tube A? [1 ma Tick one box. To prevent evaporation To stop air getting in To stop the temperature going up To stop
Specimen, Paper 1 Higher, Q04.3 (1 mark): What colour would you expect the indicator to be in Tube B during maximum rate of anaerobic respiration? [1 mark Tick one box. Blue Green Yellow
Specimen, Paper 1 Higher, Q04.4 (2 marks): Suggest how the experiment could be changed to give a reproducible way to measure the rate of the reaction. Include any apparatus you would use. [2 marks
Specimen, Paper 1 Higher, Q04.5: Compare anaerobic respiration in a yeast cell with anaerobic respiration in a muscle cell. [3 mar 5 6
Specimen, Paper 1 Foundation, Q05.1 (1 mark): How can you tell from the equation that this process is anaerobic? [1 mark
Specimen, Paper 1 Foundation, Q05.2 (2 marks): Exercise cannot be sustained when anaerobic respiration takes place in muscle cells. Explain why. [2 marks 0
Specimen, Paper 1 Foundation, Q05.3: What gas will bubble into Tube B? [1 ma Tick one box. Carbon dioxide Nitrogen Oxygen Water vapour
Specimen, Paper 1 Foundation, Q05.4 (2 marks): Describe how you could use tube B to measure the rate of the reaction in tube A. [2 marks
Specimen, Paper 1 Foundation, Q05.5 (1 mark): Anaerobic respiration in yeast is also called fermentation. Fermentation produces ethanol. Give one use of fermentation in the food industry. [1 mark
Specimen, Paper 2 Higher, Q02.4: Some of the leaves from the gardener’s strawberry plant die. The dead leaves fall off the strawberry plant onto the ground. The carbon in the dead leaves is rec
Specimen, Paper 2 Higher, Q08.2 (4 marks): Explain how the intensive farming of pigs increases the efficiency of food production. [4 marks 8 A newspaper reported that: ‘Food security is a serious problem
Specimen, Paper 2 Foundation, Q11.4: Some of the leaves from the gardener’s strawberry plant die. The dead leaves fall off the strawberry plant onto the ground. The carbon in the dead leaves is rec

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