plumiCellulose microfibrils and plant fibres: Edexcel International A Level Biology questions
Edexcel International A Level Biology past-paper questions on 4.1.3 Cellulose microfibrils and plant fibres, 2019–2025, with mark schemes and examiner’s reports where available.
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Q4(a)(i)
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All 10 questions on Cellulose microfibrils and plant fibres, as a list
- June 2025, AS Unit 2, Q4(a)(i) (1 mark): Calculate the ratio of cellulose to lignin for a one-year-old bamboo plant. (1) : 1
- June 2025, AS Unit 2, Q4(a)(iii) (3 marks): Explain how the arrangement of molecules in the cell walls of xylem contributes to the high tensile strength of the bamboo plant. (3)
- January 2025, AS Unit 2, Q3(a) (3 marks): The photograph shows xylem vessels and walls with secondary thickening, as seen using an electron microscope. secondary thickening (Source: © Steve Gschmeissner
- January 2025, AS Unit 3, Q1(d)(ii) (3 marks): Suggest how differences in the structure of these three fibres could affect their tensile strength. Use the information in the graph, the drawing and the table
- October 2023, AS Unit 2, Q3(a) (3 marks): Some plant cell walls develop secondary thickening. Diagram 1 shows a cell without secondary thickening. Diagram 2 shows part of the cell walls of two adjacent
- June 2023, AS Unit 3, Q1(a)(ii) (2 marks): Fibres have cell walls with secondary thickening of lignin. Describe two ways in which secondary thickening affects the properties of the cell. (2) 1 2
- January 2023, AS Unit 2, Q1(b)(ii) (3 marks): Explain how the arrangement of molecules contributes to the physical properties of the cell walls of sclerenchyma fibres. (3)
- January 2022, AS Unit 2, Q2(b) (4 marks): Explain how the arrangement of cellulose molecules and secondary thickening in xylem vessels contributes to the physical properties of the cell wall. (4)
- January 2021, AS Unit 2, Q5(a)(iv) (1 mark): Which of the following may have secondary thickening in the cell walls? (1) A phloem sieve tubes only B phloem sieve tubes and sclerenchyma fibres C xylem vesse
- October 2020, AS Unit 2, Q1(b) (3 marks): Microfibrils are composed of cellulose. The photograph shows the arrangement of microfibrils in a plant cell wall, as seen using an electron microscope. (Source
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