Cell membranes and transport: Eduqas A‑Level Biology questions

Every Eduqas A-Level Biology exam question on C.3 Cell membranes and transport, 2016–2025, with its mark scheme and examiner’s report.

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2,061 questions

Q5(a)(i)
June 2025 · Component 2
1 markC.3 Cell membranes and transport
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Q3(b)(i)
June 2025 · Component 3
4 marksC.3 Cell membranes and transport
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Q4(d)(i)
June 2025 · Component 3
1 markC.3 Cell membranes and transport
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Q2(a)
June 2025 · AS Component 1
4 marksC.3 Cell membranes and transport
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Q2(b)(i)
June 2025 · AS Component 1
1 markC.3 Cell membranes and transport
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Q2(b)(ii)
June 2025 · AS Component 1
3 marksC.3 Cell membranes and transport
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Q2(b)(iii)
June 2025 · AS Component 1
1 markC.3 Cell membranes and transport
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Q6
June 2025 · AS Component 1
9 marksC.3 Cell membranes and transport
Mark scheme (PDF)
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Q4(a)(iii)
June 2024 · Component 1
2 marksC.3 Cell membranes and transport 1.2 Photosynthesis uses light energy to synthesise organic molecules
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Q4(a)(iv)
June 2024 · Component 1
1 markC.3 Cell membranes and transport
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Q5(a)(i)
June 2024 · AS Component 1
3 marksC.3 Cell membranes and transport
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Q5(a)(ii)
June 2024 · AS Component 1
5 marksC.3 Cell membranes and transport
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Q5(a)(iii)
June 2024 · AS Component 1
1 markC.3 Cell membranes and transport
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Q5(b)(i)
June 2024 · AS Component 1
2 marksC.3 Cell membranes and transport
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Q5(b)(ii)
June 2024 · AS Component 1
3 marksC.3 Cell membranes and transport
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Q6
June 2024 · AS Component 1
9 marksC.5 Nucleic acids and their functions C.3 Cell membranes and transport
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Q1(a)(ii)
June 2023 · Component 1
2 marks1.1 Importance of ATP C.3 Cell membranes and transport
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Q5(c)
June 2023 · Component 1
2 marksC.3 Cell membranes and transport
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Q2(a)
June 2023 · Component 2
2 marksC.3 Cell membranes and transport
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Q4(c)
June 2023 · Component 3
2 marks3.4 Homeostasis and the kidney C.3 Cell membranes and transport
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All 89 questions on Cell membranes and transport, as a list

June 2025, Component 2, Q5(a)(i) (1 mark): State the term used for the carbohydrates attached to the extracellular surface of a cell. [1] The formation of glycoproteins on red blood cell membranes is car
June 2025, Component 3, Q3(b)(i) (4 marks): Identify how sucrose is transported from mesophyll to companion cells in each mechanism shown in Image 3.1. Explain the reason for your answer. [4] Mechanism Mo
June 2025, Component 3, Q4(d)(i) (1 mark): Suggest why the Taenia were placed in saline solution rather than distilled water. [1]
June 2025, AS Component 1, Q2(a) (4 marks): With reference to the properties of phospholipids and water, describe and explain the arrangement of phospholipids in a cell membrane as shown in Image 2.1. [4]
June 2025, AS Component 1, Q2(b)(i) (1 mark): The currently accepted model of the cell membrane structure is called the fluid mosaic model. Phospholipids are the main component of cell membranes. State the
June 2025, AS Component 1, Q2(b)(ii) (3 marks): At the point labelled Z on Image 2.2, the actual thickness of the cell membrane was found to be 7.5 nm. On the original photomicrograph, the thickness of the ce
June 2025, AS Component 1, Q2(b)(iii) (1 mark): Fick’s Law states that: surface area of exchange surface × difference in concentration Rate of diffusion = thickness of exchange surface State how an increase i
June 2025, AS Component 1, Q6 (9 marks): Image 6 shows how cells covering the surface of a villus in the small intestine transport some molecules from the gut lumen into tissue fluid. Image 6 gut lumen
June 2024, Component 1, Q4(a)(iii) (2 marks): Carotene is a hydrophobic molecule. Suggest why carotene molecules are found embedded in thylakoid membranes rather than in the stroma. [2]
June 2024, Component 1, Q4(a)(iv) (1 mark): Research has shown that carotenes have a similar function in membranes to that of cholesterol. Describe this function. [1] Question continued overleaf
June 2024, AS Component 1, Q5(a)(i) (3 marks): Complete Table 5.1 for cylinder D by: I. Calculating the total surface area. [2] Use the formula n(2πrh + 2 πr2) Where n = number of pieces r = radius h = lengt
June 2024, AS Component 1, Q5(a)(ii) (5 marks): Use your knowledge of osmosis, Table 5.1 and Graph 5.2 Describe and explain how the number of pieces of cylinder affects the change in mass of the carrot. [5]
June 2024, AS Component 1, Q5(a)(iii) (1 mark): When the number of pieces was increased to 16, the change in mass remained the same as for 8 pieces. Suggest an explanation for this. [1]
June 2024, AS Component 1, Q5(b)(i) (2 marks): The steps below show part of a method that could be used to find the water potential of the carrot tissue. • Prepare six cylinders of carrot, each measuring 40
June 2024, AS Component 1, Q5(b)(ii) (3 marks): Older carrots convert sugars to starch. Suggest what would happen to the water potential of carrot tissue if older carrots were used in the method in (b)(i). Ex
June 2024, AS Component 1, Q6 (9 marks): Cells of the airway in humans secrete mucus. The thickness of this mucus is regulated by the movement of chloride ions through an intrinsic membrane protein cal
June 2023, Component 1, Q1(a)(ii) (2 marks): Explain why protons are moved through structure C by a form of active transport but through structure D by facilitated diffusion. [2]
June 2023, Component 1, Q5(c) (2 marks): Name the process by which these bacteria enter cells and explain why ATP is needed for this to take place. [2]
June 2023, Component 2, Q2(a) (2 marks): Suggest why there is an increase in the volume of the cells between 1 and 3 mm from the end of the root tip, even though the dry mass remains constant. [2]
June 2023, Component 3, Q4(c) (2 marks): People with uncontrolled Type 1 diabetes have high concentrations of blood glucose. This results in high concentrations of glucose in the glomerular filtrate. N
June 2023, AS Component 1, Q3(a)(i) (1 mark): Use one of the letters (A–D) shown on Graph 3.1 to suggest when the cell membrane was exposed to the light and explain your answer. [1] Image 3.2 shows the top
June 2023, AS Component 1, Q3(a)(ii) (3 marks): Use the results shown in Graph 3.1 and Image 3.2 and your knowledge of membrane structure to explain the recovery of the fluorescence. [3]
June 2023, AS Component 1, Q3(b)(i) (2 marks): Use only the scale bar to calculate the magnification of Image 3.3 [2] Magnification = ×
June 2023, AS Component 1, Q3(b)(ii) (2 marks): Use your answer from (i) to calculate the actual width of the plasma membrane shown by X–X. Express your answer to two significant figures. [2] Actual width =
June 2023, AS Component 1, Q3(c) (2 marks): Image 3.4 is an electron micrograph of a plant cell showing some organelles. Image 3.4 G A F E C B D Using letters (A–G) from Image 3.4, identify the organelles
June 2023, AS Component 1, Q3(d)(i) (2 marks): Suggest why the temperature would need to be controlled in this experiment. [2] The results of the investigation are shown in Table 3.6 Table 3.6 NaCl Absorban
June 2023, AS Component 1, Q3(d)(ii) (1 mark): Calculate the mean absorbance for 0.3% NaCl solution. Write your answer in Table 3.6 [1]
June 2023, AS Component 1, Q3(d)(iii) (4 marks): Use the data in Table 3.6 to describe and explain the effect of increasing the concentration of the NaCl solution on the permeability of the beetroot membrane.
June 2023, AS Component 1, Q3(d)(iv) (4 marks): When dissolved in water, NaCl dissociates to form Na+ and Cl– ions. Use the structure shown in Image 3.7 and the data in Table 3.6 to suggest how the interactio
June 2023, AS Component 1, Q3(d)(v) (2 marks): Suggest how the method could be modified to investigate the effect of temperature on membrane stability. [2]
June 2023, AS Component 2, Q4(b)(ii) (3 marks): Describe the process of glucose transport from the lumen of the small intestine into and then out of epithelial cells as it is absorbed along the pathway from X
June 2023, AS Component 2, Q4(b)(iii) (2 marks): The lumen of the small intestine contains water from food and digestive secretions. Describe how the transport of glucose into the epithelial cells affects the
June 2022, Component 1, Q6(c)(ii) (1 mark): The solution used in the experiment was isotonic to the stroma in the chloroplasts. State the meaning of the term isotonic. [1] The student used the isolated ch
June 2022, Component 2, Q4(a)(ii) (3 marks): Cadmium ions are only able to pass into the xylem due to the presence of specialised protein molecules in the cell membranes of one tissue layer in the roots. N
June 2022, AS Component 1, Q2(a)(i) (2 marks): Calculate the percentage change in mass of the potato cylinder in the 0.8 mol dm–3 sodium chloride solution. Write your answer in the table. Give your answer to
June 2022, AS Component 1, Q2(a)(ii) (1 mark): Explain why it is necessary to calculate the percentage change in mass. [1]
June 2022, AS Component 1, Q2(a)(iii) (4 marks): Use the results from Table 2.1 to plot a graph showing how the percentage change in mass is affected by the concentration of sodium chloride solution. [4]
June 2022, AS Component 1, Q2(a)(iv) (4 marks): With reference to the results of this investigation, describe and explain the relationship between the concentration of NaCl and the percentage change in mass o
June 2022, AS Component 1, Q2(a)(v) (1 mark): State what additional information would be required in order to determine the water potential of the potato tissue. [1]
June 2022, AS Component 1, Q2(a)(vi) (2 marks): With reference to the method given, suggest and explain how confidence in the data collected could be improved. [2]
June 2022, AS Component 1, Q2(a)(vii) (2 marks): Suggest two ways in which the accuracy of the investigation might be improved. [2] Due to rising sea levels, it is expected that some coastal regions of the UK
June 2022, AS Component 1, Q2(b) (2 marks): Suggest which variety of potato might be best suited to planting in soil with a higher salt content. Explain your answer. [2]
Autumn 2021, AS Component 1, Q3(b) (3 marks): Bacterial cells are hypertonic to their environments. Suggest how the structure of the bacterial cell wall enables bacteria to survive in such environments. [3]
Autumn 2021, AS Component 1, Q3(c) (2 marks): Suggest how the action of these anti-microbial agents could kill bacteria. [2]
Autumn 2021, AS Component 1, Q4(b)(i) (1 mark): Name the process by which glucose moves from the cytoplasm of the epithelial cell into the bloodstream. [1]
Autumn 2021, AS Component 1, Q4(b)(ii) (5 marks): The movement of glucose from the lumen of the intestine into the epithelial cell is dependent on a concentration gradient of sodium ions between the lumen of th
Autumn 2021, AS Component 1, Q4(c)(i) (3 marks): Suggest how phlorizin would affect the uptake of glucose in the small intestine by transport protein P in image 4.3. Explain your answer. [3]
Autumn 2020, Component 1, Q1(b)(ii) (3 marks): Use image 1.2 and image 1.3 to explain how the properties of the head and tail of the chlorophyll molecule result in its position in the photosynthetic membrane
Autumn 2020, Component 3, Q2(a)(ii) (1 mark): Explain why the sodium ions do not diffuse across the phospholipid bilayer despite the concentration gradient. [1] Image 2.2 shows a typical action potential of
Autumn 2020, AS Component 1, Q2(a)(i) (1 mark): Name the currently accepted model used to describe the structure of the plasma membrane. [1]
Autumn 2020, AS Component 1, Q2(a)(ii) (3 marks): Explain the distribution of the staining of the membranes in image 2.1. [3]
Autumn 2020, AS Component 1, Q2(a)(iii) (3 marks): The structure labelled X is a secretory vesicle. The magnification of the micrograph is ×34 000. Calculate the actual diameter of the secretory vesicle. Express
Autumn 2020, AS Component 1, Q4(a)(ii) (1 mark): Name the process by which white blood cells engulf and destroy the cell fragments. [1]
June 2019, AS Component 1, Q6(a)(i) (1 mark): Explain why water molecules cannot easily diffuse through the phospholipid bilayer. [1]
June 2019, AS Component 1, Q6(a)(ii) (1 mark): Identify which region of the aquaporin molecule labelled R and S is non-polar. Explain how you arrived at your answer. [1]
June 2019, AS Component 1, Q6(b)(i) (1 mark): Explain why the water potential of the cell can be assumed to be equal to the solute potential of the solution that causes 50 % plasmolysis. [1]
June 2019, AS Component 1, Q6(b)(ii) (1 mark): Use the results in the table to estimate a value for the water potential of the onion tissue. [1]
June 2019, AS Component 1, Q6(b)(iii) (2 marks): Outline how the data in the table could be used to determine a more accurate estimate of the onion tissue water potential. [2]
June 2019, AS Component 1, Q6(b)(iv) (2 marks): State how the procedure could be modified to improve reliability and accuracy. [2] Reliability Accuracy Photographs of some of the cells from the red onion tiss
June 2019, AS Component 1, Q6(b)(v) (1 mark): State the terms used to describe the cells above. [1] S T
June 2019, AS Component 1, Q6(b)(vi) (2 marks): Red onion tissue was placed in a solution with a solute potential of −1800 kPa. After 30 minutes, the cells appeared like those shown in T above. Explain this o
June 2018, Component 1, Q2(b)(i) (1 mark): Which agar plate used in this experiment has the lowest water potential? [1]
June 2018, Component 2, Q2(c)(i) (2 marks): Use your knowledge of the structure of the plasma membrane to state what is meant by the term ‘gated calcium ion channel’. [2]
June 2018, Component 3, Q3(a)(i) (2 marks): Identify the variables in this investigation: [2] Independent variable Dependent variable
June 2018, Component 3, Q3(a)(ii) (2 marks): Identify and justify two variables that should have been controlled in this experiment. [2] Controlled variable I. Controlled variable II.
June 2018, Component 3, Q3(b) (2 marks): The results of the investigation are shown in the table below. Concentration of phosphate in culture solution / mmol dm–3 Time / hours with oxygen with nitrogen
June 2018, Component 3, Q6(a)(ii) (2 marks): Explain how the products of cellulose breakdown result in the plasmolysis of cells in the plant tissue surrounding the site of infection. [2]
June 2018, AS Component 1, Q4(c)(ii) (5 marks): Explain how the data supports the following hypotheses regarding lateral transport of ions between xylem and phloem. Hypothesis 1. Nitrate is transported from x
June 2018, AS Component 1, Q4(d)(i) (3 marks): Fick’s Law states that the rate of diffusion of a substance is affected by the surface area, the concentration gradient and the distance the substance travels.
June 2018, AS Component 1, Q4(d)(ii) (1 mark): Explain why an increase in temperature will result in a decrease in time taken to diffuse across a cell membrane. [1]
June 2018, AS Component 1, Q5(b)(i) (3 marks): The diameter of a contractile vacuole reaches a maximum of 2 µm. Calculate the volume of a contractile vacuole and use this to calculate the number of times the
June 2018, AS Component 1, Q5(b)(ii) (4 marks): Explain why the volume of water released from a cell of Chlamydomonas increases as the water potential of the external solution increases. [4]
June 2018, AS Component 2, Q5(f) (3 marks): With reference to the role of the Casparian strip, explain how cyanide would result in the reduction in root pressure observed. [3]
June 2017, Component 2, Q1(c)(ii) (3 marks): Studies have shown that the plasma membranes of cells in these growths have some transmembrane proteins with shorter carbohydrate side chains. In the boxes belo
June 2017, Component 2, Q1(c)(iii) (2 marks): How would the difference described in (ii) affect the properties of the abnormal cells? [2]
June 2017, AS Component 1, Q1(b)(i) (2 marks): Explain why they arrange themselves in this way. [2]
June 2017, AS Component 1, Q1(b)(ii) (1 mark): The plasma membrane of a single human red blood cell has a surface area of approximately 140 μm2. Calculate the area of water covered by the lipids extracted fr
June 2017, AS Component 1, Q1(b)(iii) (1 mark): Explain how you calculated this value. [1]
June 2017, AS Component 1, Q1(c) (3 marks): A human cell was genetically engineered to produce plasma membrane proteins that fluoresced when exposed to UV light. These proteins permanently lose their abil
June 2016, AS Component 1, Q1(b)(i) (1 mark): Name two sugars from the table which can be absorbed by active transport. [1]
June 2016, AS Component 1, Q1(b)(ii) (2 marks): Using evidence from the table, explain why you chose these sugars. [2]
June 2016, AS Component 1, Q1(c) (2 marks): It was concluded that all of the sugars named in the table can be absorbed by diffusion. Under what conditions could this take place and how does evidence from
June 2016, AS Component 1, Q2(c) (3 marks): Using information from the diagrams, explain how Ebola virus particles enter a host cell. [3]
June 2016, AS Component 1, Q4(a) (3 marks): Calculate the total surface area, to one decimal place, of one of the cylinders which had a length of 45 mm and a diameter of 8 mm. [3] Surface area of a cylind
June 2016, AS Component 1, Q4(b) (3 marks): Use the data above to draw a graph on the page opposite showing how percentage change in mass of potato is affected by the change in sucrose concentration. [3]
June 2016, AS Component 1, Q4(c) (3 marks): Using the conversion table below, determine the water potential of the potato tissue in this experiment. Explain how you reached this conclusion. [3] Sucrose Wa
June 2016, AS Component 1, Q4(d) (4 marks): Explain what has caused the percentage difference in the mass of the tissue in the following concentrations of sucrose solution in terms of water potential. [4]
June 2016, AS Component 1, Q4(e)(i) (1 mark): Explain why there was no decrease in mass at any of the sucrose concentrations. [1]
June 2016, AS Component 1, Q4(e)(ii) (2 marks): Describe how you would modify the method to determine the ψtissue of sweet potato. [2]

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