plumiThe heart and the cardiac cycle: Edexcel International A Level Biology questions
Edexcel International A Level Biology past-paper questions on 1.2.3 The heart and the cardiac cycle, 2019–2025, with mark schemes and examiner’s reports where available.
Paper
All papers
Exam
All years
Calculations
Q4(b)
The whole paper ↗
Loading the start of the question…
Loading the question…
Open the full PDFQ3(a)(i)
The whole paper ↗
Loading the start of the question…
Loading the question…
Open the full PDFQ3(a)(ii)
The whole paper ↗Loading the start of the question…
Loading the question…
Open the full PDFQ3(a)(iii)
The whole paper ↗Loading the start of the question…
Loading the question…
Open the full PDFQ3(b)
The whole paper ↗Loading the start of the question…
Loading the question…
Open the full PDFQ3(c)(ii)
The whole paper ↗Loading the start of the question…
Loading the question…
Open the full PDFQ3(c)(iii)
The whole paper ↗Loading the start of the question…
Loading the question…
Open the full PDFQ4(b)
The whole paper ↗
Loading the start of the question…
Loading the question…
Open the full PDFQ4(c)
The whole paper ↗Loading the start of the question…
Loading the question…
Open the full PDFQ4(a)(i)
The whole paper ↗
Loading the start of the question…
Loading the question…
Open the full PDFYour answerQ4(a)(iii)
The whole paper ↗Loading the start of the question…
Loading the question…
Open the full PDFYour answerQ2(c)
The whole paper ↗
Loading the start of the question…
Loading the question…
Open the full PDFQ2(d)
The whole paper ↗Loading the start of the question…
Loading the question…
Open the full PDFQ5(b)
The whole paper ↗
Loading the start of the question…
Loading the question…
Open the full PDFQ2(a)
The whole paper ↗
Loading the start of the question…
Loading the question…
Open the full PDFYour answerQ2(b)
The whole paper ↗Loading the start of the question…
Loading the question…
Open the full PDFQ2(c)
The whole paper ↗Loading the start of the question…
Loading the question…
Open the full PDFQ4(a)(i)
The whole paper ↗Loading the question…
Open the full PDFYour answerQ4(a)(iii)
The whole paper ↗Loading the question…
Open the full PDFYour answerQ4(a)(iv)
The whole paper ↗Loading the question…
Open the full PDFYour answer
All 51 questions on The heart and the cardiac cycle, as a list
- June 2025, AS Unit 1, Q4(b) (2 marks): The diagram shows the structure of the heart of a frog. Give one similarity and one difference between the structure of this heart and a mammalian heart. (2) Si
- January 2025, AS Unit 3, Q3(a)(i) (4 marks): Complete the table with the letters of the locations of the four structures listed. (4) Structure Label letter Apex An atrium The place where the right and left
- January 2025, AS Unit 3, Q3(a)(ii) (1 mark): Photograph 2 shows the inside of the left side of the heart after it was cut open. (Source: © PjrStudio / Alamy Stock Photo) Photograph 2 Draw a line on photogr
- January 2025, AS Unit 3, Q3(a)(iii) (3 marks): Draw a plan of the structures within the rectangle on photograph 2. Label the tendinous cords (heart strings) and the cut surface of the muscular wall of the ve
- January 2025, AS Unit 3, Q3(b) (4 marks): The diagram shows a healthy heart and one showing a heart condition called dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). Healthy heart Heart with DCM Compare and contrast the s
- January 2025, AS Unit 3, Q3(c)(ii) (2 marks): When added together, these measurements give the full ventricular circumference. The data is shown in the table. Mean measurement / cm Type of heart 1 2 3 4 Tot
- January 2025, AS Unit 3, Q3(c)(iii) (3 marks): The mean circumference of hearts with DCM is larger than the mean circumference of healthy hearts. Discuss the relative effects of the changes in the four indiv
- October 2024, AS Unit 1, Q4(b) (2 marks): The table shows the durations of ventricular diastole and ventricular systole at two different heart rates. Duration of Duration of Heart rate ventricular diast
- October 2024, AS Unit 1, Q4(c) (3 marks): The graph shows the rate of flow of blood through the aorta of a dog with increasing distance from the heart. Rate of flow of 160 blood in a forward direction 14
- June 2024, AS Unit 1, Q4(a)(i) (1 mark): Which pair of blood vessels transports blood to and from the lungs? (1) A P and Q B Q and S C R and P D S and R
- June 2024, AS Unit 1, Q4(a)(iii) (1 mark): Which blood vessel does the coronary artery branch from? (1) A P B Q C R D S
- June 2024, AS Unit 3, Q2(c) (3 marks): The diagram shows the heart of a fish. atrium sinus venosus bulbus arteriosus blood enters the sinus venosus and flows through to the atrium blood flows from the
- June 2024, AS Unit 3, Q2(d) (6 marks): A student suggested that: The larger a fish is, the larger its heart will be. Devise a method that could be used to collect and analyse data to test this sugges
- October 2023, AS Unit 1, Q5(b) (2 marks): The diagram shows a mammalian heart. Draw arrows on the diagram to show the flow of deoxygenated blood (oxygen‑depleted blood) into, through and out of the hear
- June 2023, AS Unit 1, Q2(a) (1 mark): Which letter indicates when the atrioventricular (mitral) valves close? (1) A P B Q C R D S
- June 2023, AS Unit 1, Q2(b) (1 mark): Calculate the time for one cardiac cycle. (1) Answer seconds
- June 2023, AS Unit 1, Q2(c) (3 marks): The volume of blood in the left ventricle changes during the cardiac cycle. Explain these changes. (3)
- January 2023, AS Unit 1, Q4(a)(i) (1 mark): How many of the following are correct for blood vessel P? (1) • carries blood to the heart • has valves along its length • has an endothelial lining A 0 B 1 C 2
- January 2023, AS Unit 1, Q4(a)(iii) (1 mark): Which blood vessel does the coronary artery branch from? (1) A P B Q C R D S
- January 2023, AS Unit 1, Q4(a)(iv) (1 mark): When in the cardiac cycle is valve T open? (1) A atrial systole and cardiac diastole B atrial systole only C cardiac diastole and ventricular systole D ventricu
- January 2023, AS Unit 1, Q4(b)(i) (1 mark): Calculate the change in mean heart rate for group 2 after 8 days. (1) Answer beats min–1
- January 2023, AS Unit 1, Q4(b)(ii) (1 mark): Calculate the mean length of the cardiac cycle for group 2 on day 4. (1) Answer seconds
- January 2023, AS Unit 1, Q4(b)(iii) (3 marks): Comment on the conclusions that can be drawn from this investigation. (3)
- October 2022, AS Unit 1, Q2(a) (1 mark): What is the name of blood vessel Q? (1) A aorta B pulmonary artery C pulmonary vein D vena cava
- October 2022, AS Unit 1, Q2(b)(i) (1 mark): Name the other stage of the cardiac cycle. (1)
- October 2022, AS Unit 1, Q2(b)(ii) (2 marks): The duration of ventricular systole is the time it takes for the impulse to pass between E and F, shown on the diagram. Calculate the proportion of time that th
- October 2022, AS Unit 1, Q2(c)(i) (1 mark): The distance between B and D is 12.5 mm. Calculate the speed at which the impulse travels between B and D. (1) Answer mm s–1
- October 2022, AS Unit 1, Q2(c)(ii) (2 marks): Explain why this speed needs to be slower than the speeds that the impulse travels between other parts of the heart. (2)
- January 2022, AS Unit 1, Q2(a)(i) (1 mark): What is the name of the blood vessel labelled G? (1) A aorta B pulmonary artery C pulmonary vein D vena cava
- January 2022, AS Unit 1, Q2(a)(ii) (1 mark): Which row of the table identifies the stages before and after stage F? (1) Stage before stage F Stage after stage F A atrial systole cardiac diastole B atrial s
- January 2022, AS Unit 1, Q2(b)(i) (2 marks): Calculate the heart rate of this person. Express your answer to 3 significant figures. (2) Answer beats min–1
- January 2022, AS Unit 1, Q2(b)(ii) (3 marks): Another line could be drawn on this graph to show the pressure changes in the right ventricle. Describe the shape and position of this line. Give reasons for yo
- October 2021, AS Unit 1, Q3(a) (3 marks): The diagram shows the structure of a human heart. Label the diagram with the names of the four major blood vessels. (3)
- January 2021, AS Unit 3, Q3(a)(i) (2 marks): Name the structures A, B, C and D shown in the diagram. (2) A B C D
- January 2021, AS Unit 3, Q3(a)(ii) (3 marks): The photograph shows a heart after it has been dissected. (Source: © PjrStudio / Alamy Stock Photo) Draw a plan of the structures within the rectangle shown on
- January 2021, AS Unit 3, Q3(a)(iii) (2 marks): State the function of the two structures labelled on your drawing. (2) Label Function . Label Function .
- January 2021, AS Unit 3, Q3(b)(i) (2 marks): Calculate the percentage increase in thickness of the muscle in the HC heart compared with the normal heart, using the lines labelled M. Give your answer to two
- January 2021, AS Unit 3, Q3(b)(ii) (4 marks): Compare and contrast these two hearts. (4)
- October 2020, AS Unit 1, Q3(a)(i) (1 mark): Which row of the table describes the atria and ventricles during atrial systole? (1) Atria Ventricles A contracted contracted B contracted relaxed C relaxed con
- October 2020, AS Unit 1, Q3(a)(ii) (2 marks): Explain why there is a delay of 0.01 seconds between atrial systole and ventricular systole. (2)
- October 2020, AS Unit 1, Q3(a)(iii) (2 marks): Using the information in the diagram, calculate the duration of ventricular systole in milliseconds. Express your answer in standard form. (2) Answer ms
- October 2020, AS Unit 1, Q3(a)(iv) (1 mark): State what proportion of the cardiac cycle is spent in ventricular diastole. (1)
- October 2020, AS Unit 1, Q3(b) (3 marks): A typical cardiac cycle takes 0.86 seconds. During exercise, the heart rate increases and the duration of the cardiac cycle decreases. Calculate the increase in
- January 2020, AS Unit 1, Q2(a) (1 mark): Which diagram shows the direction of blood flow through the vena cava? (1) A C B D
- January 2020, AS Unit 1, Q2(b) (1 mark): Which row in the table describes the blood flow through the pulmonary artery and the pulmonary vein? (1) Blood flow through pulmonary artery Blood flow through
- January 2020, AS Unit 1, Q2(c) (3 marks): The table describes the atrioventricular (AV) valves and the semilunar (SL) valves during the cardiac cycle. Which description is true for each stage of the car
- January 2020, AS Unit 1, Q2(d) (2 marks): Describe how the events of the cardiac cycle change when the demand of body cells for oxygen increases. (2)
- June 2019, AS Unit 1, Q7(b) (2 marks): The heart of an adult giraffe can be 60 cm long. Explain why the heart of a giraffe needs to be so large. (2)
- January 2019, AS Unit 1, Q4(a) (3 marks): Explain why it is important that blood vessel X branches directly from the aorta. (3)
- January 2019, AS Unit 1, Q4(b)(i) (2 marks): Explain which stage of the cardiac cycle is shown in this diagram. (2)
- January 2019, AS Unit 1, Q4(b)(ii) (3 marks): Draw arrows on the diagram to show the flow of blood through the left side of the heart and into the aorta. (3)
Questions, mark schemes and examiner’s reports are © Pearson Edexcel, from their published past papers. Plumi isn’t affiliated with any exam board. Want whole papers? Edexcel International A Level Biology past papers.
The Plumi iPad app also offers exam-style questions with AI feedback on your handwritten working.