plumiBlood glucose and diabetes: Edexcel GCSE Biology questions
Every Edexcel GCSE Biology exam question on Blood glucose and diabetes (specification points 7.13–7.17), 2018–2025, with its mark scheme and examiner’s report.
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Q1(b)(i)
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Q1(c)
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Q1(a)(i)
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Q1(a)(ii)
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Q4(c)(i)
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Q4(c)(ii)
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Q4(c)(iii)
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Q4(d)(i)
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Q4(d)(ii)
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Q4(e)
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Q2(a)(i)
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Q2(b)(i)
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Q2(b)(iii)
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Q2(c)
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Q8(a)(i)
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Q8(a)(ii)
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Q8(b)(i)
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All 53 questions on Blood glucose and diabetes, as a list
- June 2025, Paper 2 Higher, Q9(b) (6 marks): Figure 17 shows the blood glucose concentrations for a person who has type 2 diabetes and a person who does not have type 2 diabetes. 200 180 blood glucose 160
- June 2025, Paper 2 Foundation, Q1(b)(i) (1 mark): State the highest blood glucose concentration during this six hour period. (1) mmol per dm3
- June 2025, Paper 2 Foundation, Q1(b)(ii) (2 marks): Insulin was released from the pancreas at 13:30. Describe the changes in the concentration of glucose in the blood from 13:30 to 18:00. (2)
- June 2025, Paper 2 Foundation, Q1(c) (2 marks): The cells of people with type 2 diabetes do not respond to insulin. Describe two ways that a person with type 2 diabetes can control the concentration of glucos
- June 2024, Paper 2 Higher, Q1(a)(i) (1 mark): Which body organ produces insulin? (1) A liver B heart C kidney D pancreas
- June 2024, Paper 2 Higher, Q1(a)(ii) (1 mark): How does insulin travel to its target organ? (1) A by diffusion along neurones B dissolved in blood plasma C attached to red blood cells D by osmosis in white b
- June 2024, Paper 2 Foundation, Q4(c)(i) (1 mark): Which endocrine gland produces insulin? (1) A thyroid B pancreas C adrenal D pituitary
- June 2024, Paper 2 Foundation, Q4(c)(ii) (1 mark): State how insulin is transported from its endocrine gland to its target organs. (1)
- June 2024, Paper 2 Foundation, Q4(c)(iii) (1 mark): Name the main target organ for insulin. (1)
- June 2024, Paper 2 Foundation, Q4(d)(i) (2 marks): Describe the trend from midday to 1 pm. (2)
- June 2024, Paper 2 Foundation, Q4(d)(ii) (1 mark): State what a person with type 1 diabetes could have done to cause the change in the blood glucose concentration from 1.05 pm to 1.30 pm. (1)
- June 2024, Paper 2 Foundation, Q4(e) (2 marks): People with type 2 diabetes have cells that do not respond to insulin. State two ways that people with type 2 diabetes can control their blood glucose concentra
- June 2023, Paper 2 Higher, Q2(a)(i) (1 mark): Calculate the maximum increase in the concentration of glucose in the blood of the person with diabetes. (1) mmol per dm3
- June 2023, Paper 2 Higher, Q2(b)(i) (1 mark): Name this hormone. (1)
- June 2023, Paper 2 Higher, Q2(b)(iii) (1 mark): Which is the target organ for the hormone that controls the concentration of glucose in the blood? (1) A kidney B pancreas C liver D lung
- June 2023, Paper 2 Higher, Q2(c) (3 marks): Explain how type 2 diabetes can be controlled. (3)
- June 2023, Paper 2 Foundation, Q8(a)(i) (2 marks): Describe two differences in the concentration of glucose in the blood of the two people shown in Figure 15. (2) 1 2
- June 2023, Paper 2 Foundation, Q8(a)(ii) (1 mark): Calculate the maximum increase in the concentration of glucose in the blood of the person with diabetes. (1) mmol per dm3
- June 2023, Paper 2 Foundation, Q8(b)(i) (1 mark): Name this hormone. (1)
- June 2023, Paper 2 Foundation, Q8(b)(ii) (1 mark): State how this hormone is transported from the pancreas to its target organs. (1)
- June 2023, Paper 2 Foundation, Q8(b)(iii) (1 mark): Which is the target organ for the hormone that controls the concentration of glucose in the blood? (1) A kidney B pancreas C liver D lung
- June 2023, Paper 2 Foundation, Q8(c) (3 marks): Explain how type 2 diabetes can be controlled. (3)
- June 2022, Paper 2 Higher, Q6(b) (3 marks): Excessive weight gain and obesity increase the likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes. Explain the effect of type 2 diabetes on the body. (3)
- November 2021, Paper 2 Higher, Q7(a) (2 marks): A hospital patient was tested for diabetes. A nurse recorded his mass and height. Figure 10 shows these measurements. mass in kg height in metres 124 1.8 Figure
- November 2021, Paper 2 Higher, Q7(b)(i) (3 marks): Describe the trends shown in this data. (3)
- November 2021, Paper 2 Higher, Q7(b)(ii) (3 marks): This patient was diagnosed as being type 2 diabetic. Explain why the blood glucose concentration of this patient remained high from 4 hours to 8 hours. (3)
- November 2021, Paper 2 Higher, Q7(b)(iii) (3 marks): This patient did some exercise during these 24 hours. Explain how the data in Figure 11 shows that this exercise occurred after 8 hours but before 12 hours. (3)
- November 2021, Paper 2 Foundation, Q4(b) (2 marks): Person A has type 1 diabetes. Person B has type 2 diabetes. Draw one straight line from each person to the cause of their type of diabetes. (2) person cause doe
- November 2021, Paper 2 Foundation, Q4(c)(i) (2 marks): Describe the trend shown in Figure 7. Use data from Figure 7 in your answer. (2)
- November 2021, Paper 2 Foundation, Q4(c)(ii) (2 marks): A female has a waist measurement of 78.3 cm and a hip measurement of 90.0 cm. Calculate the waist to hip ratio for this female and use Figure 7 to estimate the
- November 2021, Paper 2 Foundation, Q4(d)(i) (2 marks): The scientist also measured the BMI of the females. BMI and waist to hip ratio are two factors that affect the probability of females developing type 2 diabetes
- November 2021, Paper 2 Foundation, Q4(d)(ii) (1 mark): State why an athlete may have a high BMI but still have a low probability of developing type 2 diabetes. (1)
- November 2020, Paper 2 Foundation, Q5(a)(i) (1 mark): Which row of the table shows the endocrine gland and hormone involved in the control of blood glucose concentration? (1) endocrine gland hormone A ovary oestrog
- November 2020, Paper 2 Foundation, Q5(a)(ii) (1 mark): State a target organ for the hormone that controls blood glucose concentration. (1)
- November 2020, Paper 2 Foundation, Q5(b)(i) (2 marks): Use the formula to calculate the BMI for person A BMI = mass height2 (2)
- November 2020, Paper 2 Foundation, Q5(b)(ii) (2 marks): Person B develops type 2 diabetes. Describe two lifestyle changes person B should make to help to control their blood glucose concentration. (2) 1 2
- June 2019, Paper 2 Higher, Q6(a)(i) (1 mark): A doctor analysed the results and asked the person to have further tests for type 2 diabetes. Give a reason why the doctor came to this conclusion. (1)
- June 2019, Paper 2 Foundation, Q2(d)(i) (2 marks): Describe the trends shown in Figure 4 from 0 minutes to 30 minutes. (2)
- June 2019, Paper 2 Foundation, Q2(d)(ii) (2 marks): Explain why the concentration of glucose decreases from 30 minutes to 40 minutes. (2)
- June 2018, Paper 2 Foundation, Q1(a)(i) (1 mark): Which row shows the endocrine gland and the target organs for insulin? (1) endocrine gland target organs A adrenal liver and muscles B adrenal small and large i
- June 2018, Paper 2 Foundation, Q1(b) (2 marks): Figure 1 shows the blood glucose and blood insulin concentration for a healthy person during one day. Key blood glucose blood insulin breakfast lunch dinner con
- June 2018, Paper 2 Foundation, Q1(c) (1 mark): State one cause of type 1 diabetes. (1)
- June 2018, Paper 2 Foundation, Q1(d) (2 marks): Explain how controlling the diet can be used to treat type 2 diabetes. (2)
- June 2018, Paper 2 Foundation, Q1(e) (2 marks): A scientist is planning to test a new treatment for type 2 diabetes. She selects 300 volunteers who have type 2 diabetes. State two other factors that the scien
- Specimen, Paper 2 Higher, Q2(a)(i) (1 mark): Compare the glucose levels of person 1 with the glucose levels of person 2 after fasting for 12 hours. (1)
- Specimen, Paper 2 Higher, Q2(a)(ii) (1 mark): Compare the glucose levels of person 3 with the glucose levels of person 1, two hours after drinking 75g glucose. (1) Person 3 cannot produce the hormone that c
- Specimen, Paper 2 Higher, Q2(a)(iii) (1 mark): State the hormone that person 3 cannot produce. (1)
- Specimen, Paper 2 Higher, Q7(a)(i) (2 marks): Calculate how many units of insulin the athlete would need to inject to control the rise in blood glucose levels. Give your answer to two significant figures. (
- Specimen, Paper 2 Higher, Q7(a)(ii) (2 marks): The athlete miscalculated his carbohydrate intake to be greater than his actual intake. Explain how the increase in the number of units injected would affect hi
- Specimen, Paper 2 Higher, Q7(b)(i) (1 mark): A patient visits his doctor because he is putting on weight but does not think he is increasing his calorie intake. The patient has a height of 1.9m and a body
- Specimen, Paper 2 Foundation, Q8(a)(i) (1 mark): Compare the glucose levels of person 1 with the glucose levels of person 2 after fasting for 12 hours. (1)
- Specimen, Paper 2 Foundation, Q8(a)(ii) (1 mark): Compare the glucose levels of person 2 with the glucose levels of person 1, two hours after drinking 75g glucose. (1) Person 3 cannot produce the hormone that c
- Specimen, Paper 2 Foundation, Q8(a)(iii) (1 mark): State the hormone that person 3 cannot produce. (1)
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