plumiChloroplasts and photosynthetic pigments: OCR A‑Level Biology A questions
OCR A-Level Biology A past-paper questions on 5.2.1.2 Chloroplasts and photosynthetic pigments, 2016–2025, with mark schemes and examiner’s reports where available.
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Q16(a)(i)
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All 28 questions on Chloroplasts and photosynthetic pigments, as a list
- June 2025, Paper 1, Q16(a)(i) (4 marks): Identify the components labelled A and B and describe how they are adapted for their function. Component A Adaptation Component B Adaptation [4]
- June 2025, Paper 1, Q16(a)(ii) (2 marks): Identify one similarity and one difference between the structures of chloroplasts and the structures of mitochondria. Similarity Difference [2]
- June 2025, Paper 1, Q16(b)(i) (3 marks): Calculate the R f for the most soluble pigment. Give your answer to 2 significant figures. Distance travelled = mm Rf = [3]
- June 2025, Paper 1, Q16(b)(ii) (2 marks): The student noticed that the spots were very faint and thought that there might be other pigments present in the mixture that were too faint to be seen. Describ
- June 2025, Paper 1, Q16(b)(iii) (1 mark): Describe how the student could use the same equipment but increase the accuracy of the calculated Rf value. [1]
- June 2025, Paper 1, Q16(b)(iv) (1 mark): The student was not able to identify any of the pigments using Rf values from a data book. Suggest an explanation for this. [1]
- June 2025, Paper 1, Q16(b)(v) (2 marks): Describe how the student could use TLC to identify the pigments present in the mixture without calculating Rf values. [2]
- June 2024, Paper 1, Q17(b)(i) (1 mark): Chlorophyll a has an absorption peak at 680 nm. Use Fig. 17.2 to estimate the percentage of light absorbed by chlorophyll a that is used in photosynthesis by Po
- June 2024, Paper 1, Q17(b)(ii) (3 marks): Explain why the percentage of light used in photosynthesis is higher than your answer to part (i) at wavelengths other than 680 nm. [3]
- June 2024, Paper 1, Q17(b)(iii) (2 marks): Porphyra naiadum grows in deep water. Use the data in Fig. 17.2 to suggest how it is able to survive in conditions where other types of algae or plant cannot. [
- June 2023, Paper 1, Q8 (1 mark): The diagram shows the absorption spectra of different photosynthetic pigments. Chlorophyll b Carotenoids Absorbance (%) Chlorophyll a 400 500 600 700 Wavelength
- June 2022, Paper 1, Q7 (1 mark): Which option is not a component of a chloroplast? A Cristae B DNA C Ribosome D Thylakoid Your answer [1] 5 The following information is needed to answer questio
- June 2022, Paper 1, Q8 (1 mark): One student examined a cross section of a leaf under a light microscope. They counted the number of chloroplasts in each cell in the field of view. Their result
- June 2022, Paper 1, Q9 (1 mark): Which option is the correct procedure for statistical analysis of the data collected by the class? A Calculate the mean number of chloroplasts per cell in the h
- June 2022, Paper 1, Q22(a) (4 marks): The image is a transmission electron micrograph (TEM) of a chloroplast. F G D E Complete the table using the letters from the TEM which identifies the structure
- November 2021, Paper 3, Q5(d)(i) (1 mark): The cyanobacterium Acaryochloris marina lives in an aquatic habitat with many aquatic plant species. Acaryochloris marina has a high concentration of chlorophyl
- November 2021, Paper 3, Q5(d)(ii) (1 mark): Diatoms are unicellular photosynthetic eukaryotes. Diatoms contain high concentrations of the pigment fucoxanthin. Fig. 5.3 shows a chromatogram with three pigm
- November 2020, Paper 1, Q17(a)(i) (3 marks): Calculate the Rf value for spot 3 and use this to identify the pigment that spot 3 represents. Rf = pigment = [3]
- November 2020, Paper 1, Q17(a)(ii) (1 mark): Predict the colour of spot 4. [1]
- November 2020, Paper 1, Q17(a)(iii) (2 marks): The solvent used for the separation was non-polar. Identify the spot corresponding to the least polar pigment. Give a reason for your choice. spot reason [2]
- November 2020, Paper 1, Q17(b)(i) (2 marks): Explain why the method included the following precautions: Hold the TLC plate carefully by the edges and avoid damaging the surface of the plate. Make sure the
- November 2020, Paper 1, Q17(b)(ii) (1 mark): Suggest an advantage of working as quickly as possible in Step 1. [1]
- June 2019, Paper 1, Q14 (1 mark): Cyanobacteria are photosynthetic prokaryotes. A scientist exposed cyanobacteria to light of different colours and intensities and made the following observation
- June 2018, Paper 1, Q17(a)(i) (4 marks): Outline the importance of photosynthetic pigments in photosynthesis. [4]
- June 2018, Paper 1, Q17(a)(ii) (1 mark): The wavelengths of light absorbed by chlorophyll c are different from those wavelengths absorbed by chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b. Suggest why Chromista need
- June 2018, Paper 1, Q17(b) (2 marks): Fig. 17.1 is a diagram of the chloroplast found in a Chromista cell. thylakoids stacked external membrane in threes DNA Fig. 17.1 Outline the structural differe
- June 2017, Paper 3, Q1(b)(i) (1 mark): State a material that can be used as the stationary phase in thin layer chromatography. [1]
- June 2017, Paper 3, Q1(b)(ii) (2 marks): State the precise location of photosynthetic pigments in a chloroplast. [2]
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