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Respiration: Edexcel GCSE Combined Science questions

Every Edexcel GCSE Combined Science exam question on Respiration (specification points 8.9–8.11), 2018–2025, with its mark scheme and examiner’s report.

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2,937 questions

  1. Q1(b)

    June 2025 · Biology Paper 2 Higher

    2 marksRespiration
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  2. Q1(c)(i)

    June 2025 · Biology Paper 2 Higher

    1 markRespiration
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  3. Q1(c)(ii)

    June 2025 · Biology Paper 2 Higher

    1 markRespiration
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  4. Q1(c)(iii)

    June 2025 · Biology Paper 2 Higher

    2 marksRespiration
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  5. Q1(c)(iv)

    June 2025 · Biology Paper 2 Higher

    1 markRespiration
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  6. Q5(c)

    June 2025 · Biology Paper 2 Foundation

    2 marksRespiration
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  7. Q5(d)(i)

    June 2025 · Biology Paper 2 Foundation

    1 markRespiration
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  8. Q5(d)(ii)

    June 2025 · Biology Paper 2 Foundation

    1 markRespiration
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  9. Q5(d)(iii)

    June 2025 · Biology Paper 2 Foundation

    2 marksRespiration
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  10. Q5(d)(iv)

    June 2025 · Biology Paper 2 Foundation

    1 markRespiration
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  11. Q4(a)(i)

    June 2024 · Biology Paper 2 Higher

    2 marksRespiration
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  12. Q4(a)(ii)

    June 2024 · Biology Paper 2 Higher

    1 markRespiration
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  13. Q4(b)(i)

    June 2024 · Biology Paper 2 Higher

    2 marksRespiration
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  14. Q4(b)(ii)

    June 2024 · Biology Paper 2 Higher

    3 marksRespiration
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  15. Q2(a)

    June 2023 · Biology Paper 2 Higher

    1 markRespiration
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  16. Q2(b)(i)

    June 2023 · Biology Paper 2 Higher

    2 marksRespiration
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  17. Q2(b)(ii)

    June 2023 · Biology Paper 2 Higher

    2 marksRespiration
    The whole paper ↗

  18. Q2(c)(i)

    June 2023 · Biology Paper 2 Higher

    2 marksRespiration
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  19. Q2(c)(ii)

    June 2023 · Biology Paper 2 Higher

    2 marksPhotosynthesisRespiration
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  20. Q6(a)

    June 2023 · Biology Paper 2 Foundation

    1 markRespiration
    The whole paper ↗
All 51 questions on Respiration, as a list
  1. June 2025, Biology Paper 2 Higher, Q1(b) (2 marks): During a race, athletes respire aerobically and anaerobically. Figure 2 shows an athlete after a race. (Source: © voronaman/Shutterstock) Figure 2 Explain how a
  2. June 2025, Biology Paper 2 Higher, Q1(c)(i) (1 mark): State the reason why the soda lime is placed in the test tube. (1)
  3. June 2025, Biology Paper 2 Higher, Q1(c)(ii) (1 mark): The drop of liquid in Figure 3 is at 20 mm. The drop of coloured liquid moved at a mean rate of 2 mm per minute. Draw, on Figure 4, the new position of the bubb
  4. June 2025, Biology Paper 2 Higher, Q1(c)(iii) (2 marks): The investigation was repeated with two maggots. Explain how the movement of the drop of coloured liquid would be affected if the investigation was repeated usi
  5. June 2025, Biology Paper 2 Higher, Q1(c)(iv) (1 mark): State one way this investigation can be improved to obtain more reliable results. (1)
  6. June 2025, Biology Paper 2 Foundation, Q5(c) (2 marks): During a race, athletes respire aerobically and anaerobically. Figure 10 shows an athlete after a race. (Source: © voronaman/Shutterstock) Figure 10 Explain how
  7. June 2025, Biology Paper 2 Foundation, Q5(d)(i) (1 mark): State the reason why the soda lime is placed in the test tube. (1)
  8. June 2025, Biology Paper 2 Foundation, Q5(d)(ii) (1 mark): The drop of liquid in Figure 11 is at 20 mm. The drop of coloured liquid moved at a mean rate of 2 mm per minute. Draw, on Figure 12, the new position of the bu
  9. June 2025, Biology Paper 2 Foundation, Q5(d)(iii) (2 marks): The investigation was repeated with two maggots. Explain how the movement of the drop of coloured liquid would be affected if the investigation was repeated usi
  10. June 2025, Biology Paper 2 Foundation, Q5(d)(iv) (1 mark): State one way this investigation can be improved to obtain more reliable results. (1)
  11. June 2024, Biology Paper 2 Higher, Q4(a)(i) (2 marks): Describe how to set up a control for this investigation. (2)
  12. June 2024, Biology Paper 2 Higher, Q4(a)(ii) (1 mark): State how the scientist could improve this investigation to increase the rate of the reaction. (1)
  13. June 2024, Biology Paper 2 Higher, Q4(b)(i) (2 marks): The student thought one of the results was anomalous. Explain which of these results is anomalous. (2)
  14. June 2024, Biology Paper 2 Higher, Q4(b)(ii) (3 marks): Explain why the height of the foam was greatest for the 25 % glucose concentration. (3)
  15. June 2023, Biology Paper 2 Higher, Q2(a) (1 mark): Why do cells respire? (1) A to produce nitrogen B to release oxygen C to produce glucose D to release energy
  16. June 2023, Biology Paper 2 Higher, Q2(b)(i) (2 marks): Explain why the breathing rate of the athlete increases when running. (2)
  17. June 2023, Biology Paper 2 Higher, Q2(b)(ii) (2 marks): When the athlete is running, their muscle cells use both aerobic respiration and anaerobic respiration. State two differences between aerobic respiration and an
  18. June 2023, Biology Paper 2 Higher, Q2(c)(i) (2 marks): Explain why the air breathed out turns the BTB solution yellow. (2)
  19. June 2023, Biology Paper 2 Higher, Q2(c)(ii) (2 marks): A scientist placed pondweed into two sealed test tubes containing green BTB solution. Test tube A was kept in the dark. Test tube B was kept in the light. All o
  20. June 2023, Biology Paper 2 Foundation, Q6(a) (1 mark): Why do cells respire? (1) A to produce nitrogen B to release oxygen C to produce glucose D to release energy
  21. June 2023, Biology Paper 2 Foundation, Q6(b)(i) (2 marks): Explain why the breathing rate of the athlete increases when running. (2)
  22. June 2023, Biology Paper 2 Foundation, Q6(b)(ii) (2 marks): When the athlete is running, their muscle cells use both aerobic respiration and anaerobic respiration. State two differences between aerobic respiration and an
  23. June 2023, Biology Paper 2 Foundation, Q6(c)(i) (2 marks): Explain why the air breathed out turns the BTB solution yellow. (2)
  24. June 2023, Biology Paper 2 Foundation, Q6(c)(ii) (6 marks): Devise a plan, using green BTB solution, to investigate the amount of carbon dioxide in the air athletes breathe out after they have been running at different s
  25. June 2022, Biology Paper 2 Higher, Q5(c) (2 marks): After high intensity exercise, the pH of muscles can decrease from pH 7.0 to pH 6.3. Explain this change in pH. (2)
  26. November 2021, Biology Paper 2 Higher, Q2(b)(i) (2 marks): Use information from Figures 4 and 5 to calculate the mean rate of respiration of the maggots in mm per minute. (2) mm per minute
  27. November 2021, Biology Paper 2 Higher, Q2(b)(ii) (2 marks): Describe a control for this investigation. (2)
  28. November 2021, Biology Paper 2 Foundation, Q4(a)(ii) (1 mark): Amoeba proteus uses oxygen for aerobic respiration. Complete the equation for aerobic respiration. (1) glucose + oxygen → + (+ energy is released)
  29. November 2021, Biology Paper 2 Foundation, Q4(b)(i) (1 mark): Which two changes allow the rate of respiration in the muscle to increase? (1) amount of glucose heart rate delivered to the muscles A increases increases B inc
  30. November 2021, Biology Paper 2 Foundation, Q4(b)(ii) (2 marks): Figure 8 shows breathing data for a human at rest and when running at 5 metres per second on a running machine. mean number mean volume of mean volume activity
  31. November 2021, Biology Paper 2 Foundation, Q4(b)(iii) (4 marks): Devise an investigation to compare the mean number of breaths per minute for men, with the mean number of breaths per minute for women, when running at 5 metres
  32. November 2021, Biology Paper 2 Foundation, Q4(c) (1 mark): Whilst running, the leg muscles of an athlete tightened up, causing cramp. Name the product of anaerobic respiration that can cause cramp. (1)
  33. November 2021, Biology Paper 2 Foundation, Q6(b) (2 marks): Figure 12 shows equipment used to investigate the rate of respiration in maggots. centimetre 4 3 2 1 0 scale drop of coloured liquid maggots wire mesh to stop m
  34. November 2020, Biology Paper 2 Higher, Q2(b)(iii) (1 mark): The starch grains in the potatoes became smaller as the starch was converted into glucose. State why the potatoes need glucose. (1)
  35. November 2020, Biology Paper 2 Foundation, Q4(c)(i) (1 mark): Which row of the table shows the type or types of respiration that use glucose? (1) aerobic respiration anaerobic respiration A yes yes B yes no C no yes D no n
  36. November 2020, Biology Paper 2 Foundation, Q4(c)(ii) (3 marks): A scientist measured the rate of respiration in a person when sleeping and then running at different speeds. Figure 9 shows the results. activity speed in km pe
  37. November 2020, Biology Paper 2 Foundation, Q6(b)(iii) (1 mark): The starch grains in the potatoes became smaller as the starch was converted into glucose. State why the potatoes need glucose. (1)
  38. June 2019, Biology Paper 2 Higher, Q2(a)(i) (2 marks): State two ways this method could be improved to make the results for these three organisms more comparable. (2) 1 2
  39. June 2019, Biology Paper 2 Higher, Q2(a)(ii) (2 marks): Describe a suitable control for this investigation. (2)
  40. June 2019, Biology Paper 2 Higher, Q2(b)(i) (2 marks): Explain why the result for the germinating peas is different from the result for the dried peas. (2)
  41. June 2019, Biology Paper 2 Higher, Q2(b)(ii) (1 mark): How was the carbon dioxide produced in this investigation? (1) A by photosynthesis B when glucose is broken down in the presence of oxygen C when glucose is bro
  42. June 2019, Biology Paper 2 Higher, Q2(c) (2 marks): Explain why cellular respiration is essential for living organisms. (2)
  43. June 2019, Biology Paper 2 Foundation, Q3(c)(i) (2 marks): Describe the relationship shown by this data. (2)
  44. June 2019, Biology Paper 2 Foundation, Q3(c)(ii) (3 marks): Explain why some people’s leg muscles tired quickly and developed cramp when they were running. (3)
  45. June 2019, Biology Paper 2 Foundation, Q6(a)(i) (2 marks): State two ways this method could be improved to make the results for these three organisms more comparable. (2) 1 2
  46. June 2019, Biology Paper 2 Foundation, Q6(a)(ii) (2 marks): Describe a suitable control for this investigation. (2)
  47. June 2019, Biology Paper 2 Foundation, Q6(b)(i) (2 marks): Explain why the result for the germinating peas is different from the result for the dried peas. (2)
  48. June 2019, Biology Paper 2 Foundation, Q6(b)(ii) (1 mark): How was the carbon dioxide produced in this investigation? (1) A by photosynthesis B when glucose is broken down in the presence of oxygen C when glucose is bro
  49. June 2018, Biology Paper 2 Foundation, Q2(b)(i) (2 marks): Describe the trend shown in Figure 4. (2)
  50. June 2018, Biology Paper 2 Foundation, Q2(b)(ii) (1 mark): Which uses more oxygen when the running speed of the athlete changes from 4 to 6 km per hour? (1) A increasing aerobic respiration B increasing anaerobic respir
  51. June 2018, Biology Paper 2 Foundation, Q2(b)(iii) (2 marks): Explain why the athlete produces lactic acid when running at 14 km per hour. (2)

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