plumiNucleotides, ADP and ATP: OCR A‑Level Biology A questions
OCR A-Level Biology A past-paper questions on 2.1.3.1 Nucleotides, ADP and ATP, 2016–2025, with mark schemes and examiner’s reports where available.
All papers
All years
Q2(a)(i)
The whole paper ↗
Loading the start of the question…
Loading the question…
Open the full PDFLoading the question…
Open the full PDFYour answerQ4(a)
The whole paper ↗
Loading the start of the question…
Loading the question…
Open the full PDFQ23(a)
The whole paper ↗
Loading the start of the question…
Loading the question…
Open the full PDFQ2(b)
The whole paper ↗
Loading the start of the question…
Loading the question…
Open the full PDFLoading the question…
Open the full PDFYour answerLoading the question…
Open the full PDFYour answerQ27(b)(i)
The whole paper ↗
Loading the start of the question…
Loading the question…
Open the full PDFLoading the question…
Open the full PDFYour answerLoading the question…
Open the full PDFYour answerQ16(a)(i)
The whole paper ↗
Loading the start of the question…
Loading the question…
Open the full PDFQ16(a)(ii)
The whole paper ↗Loading the start of the question…
Loading the question…
Open the full PDFQ21(a)(i)
The whole paper ↗
Loading the start of the question…
Loading the question…
Open the full PDFQ21(a)(ii)
The whole paper ↗Loading the start of the question…
Loading the question…
Open the full PDFQ21(a)(iii)
The whole paper ↗Loading the start of the question…
Loading the question…
Open the full PDFQ16(a)(i)
The whole paper ↗Loading the question…
Open the full PDFQ16(a)(ii)
The whole paper ↗Loading the question…
Open the full PDFQ16(a)(iii)
The whole paper ↗Loading the question…
Open the full PDFLoading the question…
Open the full PDFYour answerQ6(b)(ii)
The whole paper ↗
Loading the start of the question…
Loading the question…
Open the full PDF
All 29 questions on Nucleotides, ADP and ATP, as a list
- June 2025, Paper 3, Q2(a)(i) (1 mark): Describe one difference between the structure of ATP and the structure of ADP. [1]
- June 2025, AS Paper 1, Q2 (1 mark): Which statement correctly describes phosphorylated nucleotides? A ADP can be hydrolysed to produce ATP. B ADP can be phosphorylated to produce ATP. C All phosph
- June 2024, Paper 3, Q4(a) (2 marks): Phosphodiester bonds are formed during DNA replication. The diagram shows a molecule of deoxyguanosine, which consists of deoxyribose bonded to guanine. O C H N
- June 2024, AS Paper 1, Q23(a) (1 mark): Describe how a polynucleotide is formed from its monomers. [1]
- June 2023, Paper 3, Q2(b) (2 marks): Vitamin B9 is needed for the synthesis of molecule D, shown in Fig. 2.2. Fig. 2.2 O CH3 HN O HO N O OH Molecule D Molecule D is a component in the structure of
- June 2023, AS Paper 1, Q15 (1 mark): Which nucleotide is shown in the diagram? O O N NH2 O P O O O N HO OH A DNA nucleotide with a purine base B DNA nucleotide with a pyrimidine base C RNA nucleoti
- June 2023, AS Paper 1, Q16 (1 mark): Which statement is a correct description of the structure of ADP? A A pyrimidine is part of its structure. B It contains deoxyribose. C It is a nucleotide. D On
- June 2023, AS Paper 1, Q27(b)(i) (1 mark): Label a phosphodiester bond in the diagram above with the letter ‘P’. [1]
- June 2022, Paper 2, Q13 (1 mark): Which structure shows ATP? A B O NH2 H3C O O O NH O O O N N HO P O P O P O HO P O P O P O N O N O O N OH OH OH OH OH OH OH OH C D O NH2 O O O NH O O O N N O P O
- June 2022, AS Paper 1, Q6 (1 mark): Restriction endonucleases are a group of enzymes that carry out hydrolysis reactions that cut long DNA molecules into shorter lengths. Which of the options desc
- November 2021, Paper 2, Q16(a)(i) (3 marks): The circled region shows one nucleotide. Name the components of this nucleotide. [3]
- November 2021, Paper 2, Q16(a)(ii) (2 marks): State the name of the bond labelled X and the type of reaction that forms this bond. Name Type of reaction [2]
- November 2021, AS Paper 1, Q21(a)(i) (1 mark): On Fig. 21, draw a circle around the part of the ADP molecule that is a purine. [1]
- November 2021, AS Paper 1, Q21(a)(ii) (2 marks): State two differences between a molecule of ADP and a DNA nucleotide that contains adenine. 1 2 [2]
- November 2021, AS Paper 1, Q21(a)(iii) (1 mark): ADP binds with an inorganic phosphate (Pi) to make ATP. Name this type of reaction. [1]
- November 2020, Paper 1, Q16(a)(i) (1 mark): Name the circled component in Fig. 16.1. [1]
- November 2020, Paper 1, Q16(a)(ii) (1 mark): Name the type of reaction that occurs when ATP is converted to ADP. [1]
- November 2020, Paper 1, Q16(a)(iii) (2 marks): A teacher told his students that the human body makes the equivalent of its own mass in ATP every day. Explain why, at the end of the day, only a small proporti
- June 2019, Paper 2, Q12 (1 mark): Which of the following nucleotides contains uracil? A B O O H3C NH NH O O O HO P O N P N O HO O O O OH OH OH OH OH C D O O N NH O O N NH P HO O N P NH2 HO O N O
- June 2019, AS Paper 2, Q6(b)(ii) (1 mark): An enzyme is involved in this process. Name the bond that is broken by this enzyme. [1]
- June 2018, Paper 2, Q21(c)(ii) (2 marks): Part of Fig. 21 is labelled G. Use the table below to identify two differences between the part labelled G and the structure of a molecule of ATP. G Molecule of
- June 2018, AS Paper 1, Q24(a)(i) (1 mark): Name the circled component in Fig. 24. [1]
- June 2018, AS Paper 1, Q24(a)(ii) (1 mark): Name the bond labelled x in Fig. 24. [1]
- June 2018, AS Paper 1, Q24(b) (4 marks): Identify two similarities and two differences between the DNA nucleotide shown in Fig. 24 and a molecule of ATP. Similarities Differences [4]
- June 2017, Paper 1, Q19(b) (4 marks): The chromosomes carried by sperm are made of DNA. The following passage about nucleic acids has four words missing. Choose the correct missing words from the li
- June 2017, AS Paper 1, Q2 (1 mark): DNA is formed from three main groups of molecules: pentose sugars, phosphate groups and nitrogenous bases. The bases can be divided into purines and pyrimidines
- June 2017, AS Paper 1, Q23(c)(ii) (2 marks): The process of active transport uses ATP to pump potassium ions through the cell surface membrane against the concentration gradient. ATP is made up of phosphat
- June 2016, AS Paper 1, Q22(b)(i) (1 mark): Individual nucleotides are joined together to make a polynucleotide strand. What type of chemical reaction takes place when two nucleotides in a single polynucl
- June 2016, AS Paper 1, Q22(b)(ii) (1 mark): Name the chemical released when the bond is formed between the two nucleotides. [1]
Questions, mark schemes and examiner’s reports are © OCR, from their published past papers. Plumi isn’t affiliated with any exam board. Want whole papers? OCR A-Level Biology A past papers, or our free OCR-style practice pack.
The Plumi iPad app also offers exam-style questions with AI feedback on your handwritten working.