plumiMitosis, growth and cancer: Edexcel GCSE Combined Science questions
Every Edexcel GCSE Combined Science exam question on Mitosis, growth and cancer (specification points 2.1–2.7), 2018–2025, with its mark scheme and examiner’s report.
Paper
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Exam
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Calculations
Q1(c)
The whole paper ↗Q5(c)
The whole paper ↗Q6(a)(i)
The whole paper ↗Q6(a)(ii)
The whole paper ↗Q6(b)(ii)
The whole paper ↗Q3(b)(i)
The whole paper ↗Your answerQ3(c)(iv)
The whole paper ↗Your answerQ5(a)
The whole paper ↗Q5(b)
The whole paper ↗Q5(c)
The whole paper ↗Q5(d)
The whole paper ↗Q4(a)(i)
The whole paper ↗Your answerQ4(a)(ii)
The whole paper ↗Q3(a)(i)
The whole paper ↗Your answerQ3(a)(ii)
The whole paper ↗Q3(a)(iii)
The whole paper ↗Q4(a)(ii)
The whole paper ↗Q1(a)(i)
The whole paper ↗Your answerQ1(a)(ii)
The whole paper ↗Q1(a)(iii)
The whole paper ↗
All 33 questions on Mitosis, growth and cancer, as a list
- June 2025, Biology Paper 1 Higher, Q1(c) (2 marks): Cancer occurs when cell division by mitosis is uncontrolled. Describe the properties of cells produced by mitosis. (2)
- June 2025, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q5(c) (2 marks): Cancer occurs when cell division by mitosis is uncontrolled. Describe the properties of cells produced by mitosis. (2)
- June 2024, Biology Paper 1 Higher, Q6(a)(i) (6 marks): Describe the three stages of the cell cycle shown in Figure 7. (6)
- June 2024, Biology Paper 1 Higher, Q6(a)(ii) (1 mark): State what happens to the cell cycle in cancerous cells. (1)
- June 2024, Biology Paper 1 Higher, Q6(b)(ii) (4 marks): A parent is concerned that their child is not growing as much as other children. Describe how a doctor might determine if the child is growing as expected. (4)
- June 2023, Biology Paper 1 Higher, Q3(b)(i) (1 mark): Which is the correct order for the stages of one cell division? (1) A metaphase → prophase → anaphase → telophase B prophase → metaphase → anaphase → telophase
- June 2023, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q3(c)(iv) (1 mark): Smoking cigarettes can increase the risk of people developing cancer. Which is the description of cancer? (1) A uncontrolled organ division B uncontrolled cell
- June 2022, Biology Paper 1 Higher, Q5(a) (4 marks): A student was investigating mitosis in the roots of a garlic plant. Describe how the student could prepare a microscope slide to show mitosis in the growing roo
- June 2022, Biology Paper 1 Higher, Q5(b) (3 marks): Describe what is produced when a single cell divides by mitosis. (3)
- June 2022, Biology Paper 1 Higher, Q5(c) (3 marks): The student observed 89 cells on the microscope slide. Figure 4 shows the number of cells at each stage of the cell cycle. stage of cell cycle number of cells I
- June 2022, Biology Paper 1 Higher, Q5(d) (1 mark): The mitotic index is often used in the diagnosis of cancer. State the effect of cancer on cell division. (1)
- June 2022, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q4(a)(i) (1 mark): A 10-year-old boy has a height of 140 cm. Which is the percentile range for height for this boy? (1) A 10th to 25th B 25th to 50th C 50th to 75th D 75th to 90th
- June 2022, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q4(a)(ii) (1 mark): State how percentile charts are used. (1)
- November 2021, Biology Paper 1 Higher, Q3(a)(i) (1 mark): Identify the stages of mitosis shown in cell Q and cell R. (1) cell Q cell R metaphase anaphase A telophase anaphase B C metaphase interphase D telophase interp
- November 2021, Biology Paper 1 Higher, Q3(a)(ii) (2 marks): Describe two processes that occur in cells during prophase. (2) 1 2
- November 2021, Biology Paper 1 Higher, Q3(a)(iii) (1 mark): State the term used to describe the process which occurs after mitosis, when the cell divides into two. (1)
- November 2021, Biology Paper 1 Higher, Q4(a)(ii) (2 marks): Describe how cancer develops in the liver. (2)
- November 2021, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q1(a)(i) (1 mark): Which structure is labelled Z? (1) A allele B chromosome C spindle D nuclear membrane
- November 2021, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q1(a)(ii) (2 marks): Mitosis produces new cells. Give two reasons why mitosis is important in living things. (2) 1 2
- November 2021, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q1(a)(iii) (2 marks): Draw one straight line from each stage of the cell cycle to its description. (2) stage of cell cycle description the nuclear membrane breaks down interphase two
- November 2020, Biology Paper 1 Higher, Q6(a)(i) (3 marks): Describe how this could cause cancer to develop. (3)
- November 2020, Biology Paper 1 Higher, Q6(a)(ii) (1 mark): Cell division occurs during the cell cycle. During which stage of the cell cycle is DNA replicated? (1) A anaphase B prophase C interphase D telophase
- June 2019, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q1(a)(i) (2 marks): Explain why the student used the tip of the root. (2)
- June 2019, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q1(a)(iii) (1 mark): The student could not see the chromosomes inside the cells. State what can be added to the root tip squash to make the chromosomes visible. (1)
- June 2019, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q1(b)(i) (1 mark): Which stage of mitosis is shown in Figure 1? (1) A prophase B metaphase C anaphase D telophase
- June 2019, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q1(b)(ii) (3 marks): Describe what is happening in Figure 1. (3)
- June 2018, Biology Paper 1 Higher, Q4(b)(i) (1 mark): Which is the correct order for these stages? (1) A Q l R l S l P B R l Q l S l P C R l S l Q l P D Q l S l R l P
- June 2018, Biology Paper 1 Higher, Q4(b)(ii) (1 mark): The stage of mitosis labelled S in figure 8 is (1) A anaphase B prophase C telophase D metaphase
- June 2018, Biology Paper 1 Higher, Q4(b)(iii) (2 marks): Interphase is part of the cell cycle. Describe what happens during interphase. (2)
- June 2018, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q4(b)(i) (1 mark): The cells in Figure 4 were taken from a rapidly growing part of a plant. Which part of a plant has rapidly dividing cells? (1) A chloroplast B epithelium C meri
- June 2018, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q4(b)(ii) (1 mark): Which stage of mitosis is shown in cell R? (1) A prophase B metaphase C anaphase D telophase
- June 2018, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q4(b)(iii) (2 marks): Describe two genetic similarities of the new cells that would be produced by cell Q in Figure 4. (2) 1 2
- June 2018, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q4(b)(iv) (2 marks): The cells in Figure 4 were heated in hydrochloric acid. State two safety precautions that should be taken when heating hydrochloric acid. (2) 1 2
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