plumiMovement across membranes: OCR A‑Level Biology A questions
OCR A-Level Biology A past-paper questions on 2.1.5.3 Movement across membranes, 2016–2025, with mark schemes and examiner’s reports where available.
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All 31 questions on Movement across membranes, as a list
- June 2025, AS Paper 2, Q2(a)(i) (2 marks): Identify the independent variable and the dependent variable in this experiment. Independent variable Dependent variable [2]
- June 2025, AS Paper 2, Q2(a)(ii) (2 marks): Suggest two improvements to this experiment to increase the accuracy of the results. Improvement 1 Improvement 2 [2]
- June 2025, AS Paper 2, Q2(a)(iii) (2 marks): Suggest a conclusion that can be drawn from the data in the table. You should give evidence to support your conclusion. [2]
- June 2025, AS Paper 2, Q2(b) (2 marks): State one similarity and one difference between simple diffusion and facilitated diffusion. Similarity Difference [2]
- June 2025, AS Paper 2, Q2(d) (2 marks): Exocytosis is an active process. Explain why ATP is needed for exocytosis. [2]
- June 2024, AS Paper 2, Q3(a) (3 marks): The graph shows the rate of uptake of particles across a membrane by two different methods of diffusion. © biology.arizona.edu, The Biology Project Department o
- June 2024, AS Paper 2, Q3(b) (1 mark): Temperature and concentration are two factors that affect the rate of diffusion. State one other factor that affects the rate of diffusion. [1]
- June 2024, AS Paper 2, Q3(c)(i) (2 marks): Name two more pieces of apparatus they would need to make sure this is a controlled investigation. 1 2 [2]
- June 2024, AS Paper 2, Q3(c)(ii) (4 marks): Outline the method that the students would use to carry out an investigation into the effect of temperature on the diffusion rate in their model cells. [4]
- June 2024, AS Paper 2, Q3(d) (3 marks): The table below shows some results from a model cell investigation. Concentration of glucose found outside the Temperature (°C) dialysis tubing after two minute
- June 2024, AS Paper 2, Q5(c)(iii) (1 mark): The secretory vesicles remove proteins from the cell by a process called exocytosis. Explain why exocytosis is described as an active process. [1]
- November 2020, Paper 1, Q16(b)(i) (4 marks): The student concluded that one substance entered the cells by simple diffusion and the other by active transport. Evaluate the student’s conclusion. [4]
- November 2020, Paper 1, Q16(b)(ii) (4 marks): The student then added 2,4-dinitrophenol (DNP) to the cells. DNP inhibits respiration. Predict the effect of DNP on the uptake of each substance and explain you
- November 2020, Paper 1, Q16(c) (4 marks): The student used a colorimeter to measure the concentration of each substance in the liquid surrounding the cells. The colorimeter had an analogue display. The
- November 2020, Paper 1, Q18(a) (2 marks): The structure of FURA-2 is shown below. COO– COO– CH3 N O O N O COO– COO– N O COO– Use the information in the figure to explain why FURA-2 is unable to cross ce
- November 2020, AS Paper 2, Q5(a)(i) (1 mark): Suggest an improvement to the method that would allow the students to obtain more precise results. [1]
- November 2020, AS Paper 2, Q5(a)(ii) (1 mark): State one variable that should have been controlled during this experiment. [1]
- November 2020, AS Paper 2, Q5(b)(i) (2 marks): Before the students began their investigation they made a hypothesis. State the hypothesis the students would have made and state the scientific process that su
- November 2020, AS Paper 2, Q5(b)(ii) (2 marks): Justify whether the results from the investigation support your hypothesis given in part (b)(i). [2]
- November 2020, AS Paper 2, Q5(c) (2 marks): Describe how you would use the same equipment to test if the thickness of the exchange surface affects the diffusion rate. [2]
- June 2019, Paper 1, Q19(b) (2 marks): Some bodybuilders use anabolic steroids to increase their muscle mass. Suggest why anabolic steroids are effective when applied to the surface of the skin. [2]
- June 2019, AS Paper 1, Q1 (1 mark): The diagram below shows one method of transport across a cell membrane. outside cell inside cell Which of the following options, A to D, is the name of this met
- June 2019, AS Paper 1, Q3 (1 mark): This diagram shows the transport of two molecules across a plasma membrane. tissue fluid Z cytoplasm Y Which row, A to D, correctly identifies the molecule bein
- June 2018, AS Paper 1, Q5 (1 mark): The graph shows the rate of movement of four different substances across a membrane. A B C rate of movement across membrane D concentration difference across me
- June 2018, AS Paper 1, Q21(d)(i) (2 marks): State two ways the student could have ensured they had confidence in their results. 1 2 [2]
- June 2017, Paper 2, Q9 (1 mark): Cut pieces of agar jelly can be used to investigate the factors affecting diffusion rates in cells. Four pieces of agar jelly containing universal indicator wer
- June 2017, Paper 2, Q20(b)(ii) (2 marks): E. coli usually grows in conditions where the extracellular concentration of lactose is low. In such conditions lactose does not easily cross the bacterial cell
- June 2017, AS Paper 1, Q23(b)(i) (2 marks): Explain why progesterone can move across membranes. [2]
- June 2017, AS Paper 1, Q23(b)(ii) (1 mark): Name one other molecule that can cross plasma membranes. [1]
- June 2017, AS Paper 1, Q23(c)(i) (1 mark): State how the structure of the cell surface membrane allows potassium ions to enter or leave a cell. [1]
- June 2016, AS Paper 1, Q16 (1 mark): A group of students were investigating the diffusion of molecules across membranes using a ‘model cell’, as shown below. ‘model cell’ ‘extracellular fluid’ ‘cyt
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