plumiVentilation and lung volumes: OCR A‑Level Biology A questions
OCR A-Level Biology A past-paper questions on 3.1.1.3 Ventilation and lung volumes, 2016–2025, with mark schemes and examiner’s reports where available.
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All 38 questions on Ventilation and lung volumes, as a list
- June 2025, Paper 1, Q10 (1 mark): Following a period of intense exercise an athlete breathes out forcefully. Which option describes the mechanism of forceful expiration in this athlete? A The di
- June 2025, AS Paper 2, Q6(a)(i) (2 marks): Calculate the breathing rate of the person at rest. Give your answer to the nearest whole number. Breathing rate = breaths per minute [2]
- June 2025, AS Paper 2, Q6(a)(ii) (1 mark): Calculate the person’s tidal volume during exercise. Tidal volume during exercise = cm3 [1]
- June 2025, AS Paper 2, Q6(b) (1 mark): A study shows that long term exposure to dust affects a person’s lung function by reducing their vital capacity. The graph shows a spirometer trace for a person
- June 2025, AS Paper 2, Q6(c) (2 marks): A student makes the following statement about ventilation in humans: “During inspiration the diaphragm contracts and flattens. Internal intercostal muscles cont
- June 2024, Paper 1, Q20(a)(i) (1 mark): The downward slope of the spirometer trace in Fig. 20.1 is due to oxygen consumption. The subject exhales the same volume of air as they inhale. State why the t
- June 2024, Paper 1, Q20(a)(ii) (2 marks): The subject had a mass of 75 kg. Calculate the subject’s oxygen consumption in cm3 kg–1 during the first 2 minutes of the experiment. Give your answer to 2 sign
- June 2024, Paper 1, Q20(a)(iii) (2 marks): Using Fig. 20.1, compare the breathing pattern between 0–120 s and 120–240 s. [2] 24 The student measured the subject’s heart rate and blood oxygen saturation e
- June 2024, Paper 1, Q20(a)(iv) (4 marks): Use the data in Fig. 20.1 and Fig. 20.2 and your own knowledge of homeostatic control to explain the changes in breathing rate and heart rate during the experim
- June 2024, Paper 1, Q20(b) (2 marks): Blood oxygen saturation of less than 90% can be dangerous. Explain one modification that you could make to the experiment to safely study the effect of extended
- June 2024, AS Paper 1, Q2 (1 mark): Which change in the mammalian gas exchange system takes place only during forced expiration? A Abdominal muscles relax B Diaphragm contracts to become dome-shap
- June 2024, AS Paper 1, Q4 (1 mark): The graph shows a trace recorded by a spirometer. The trace shows a period of normal breathing whilst at rest, followed by a maximum inhalation and maximum exha
- June 2022, Paper 1, Q6 (1 mark): Ventilation of the lungs involves muscles working together. Which option describes expiration? A In expiration at rest, the external intercostal muscles and the
- June 2022, AS Paper 2, Q5 (6 marks): 5* A teacher set up the apparatus shown in Fig. 5.1 to demonstrate ventilation in mammals to a group of students. Bell jar Glass tubing Balloons Elastic sheet t
- November 2021, Paper 3, Q1(c)(i) (1 mark): The West Highland Terrier develops CPF more often than other breeds of dog. The lung function of a West Highland Terrier was tested. At rest, its ventilation ra
- November 2021, AS Paper 1, Q23(a)(i) (2 marks): Explain why there is a downward trend in the trace. [2]
- November 2021, AS Paper 1, Q23(a)(ii) (2 marks): Using Fig. 23.1, calculate the mean resting breathing rate. Mean = breaths per minute [2]
- November 2021, AS Paper 1, Q23(a)(iii) (2 marks): Using the trace in Fig. 23.1, state the vital capacity. Give your answer in cm3. Vital capacity = cm3 [2]
- November 2021, AS Paper 1, Q23(b)(i) (3 marks): Describe three patterns in the data in Fig. 23.2. 1 2 3 [3]
- November 2021, AS Paper 1, Q23(b)(ii) (2 marks): State one group from Fig. 23.2 that is likely to contain an anomaly. Explain your choice. Group Explanation [2]
- November 2021, AS Paper 1, Q23(b)(iii) (2 marks): Explain why using standard deviation error bars in Fig. 23.2 would increase the confidence in any conclusion made. [2]
- November 2021, AS Paper 1, Q23(b)(iv) (3 marks): The table shows the raw data of resting tidal volume for 13-year-old boys in Fig. 23.2. The mean resting tidal volume for this group is 510 cm3. Resting tidal v
- November 2021, AS Paper 1, Q23(b)(v) (2 marks): Other than increasing the sample size, suggest two ways that the selection of participants in the study could have improved the validity of the data. 1 2 [2]
- November 2020, Paper 1, Q21(b)(i) (1 mark): Name the apparatus used to measure and record these air movements. [1]
- November 2020, Paper 1, Q21(b)(ii) (1 mark): The trace below shows a recording of ventilation movements from an individual subject. 5.0 4.5 4.0 3.5 volume of 3.0 air in air chamber 2.5 (dm3) 2.0 1.5 1.0 0.
- November 2020, Paper 1, Q21(b)(iii) (2 marks): After 60 seconds, the subject was told to breathe in as deeply as possible and then breathe out fully. Use the trace to calculate the vital capacity of the subj
- November 2020, Paper 1, Q21(c) (6 marks): (c)* Compare and contrast the mechanism of expiration during the first 60 seconds of the trace with the mechanism of expiration when the subject was told to bre
- November 2020, AS Paper 1, Q11 (1 mark): Which of the following muscles in the mammalian ventilation system contract to force air out of the lungs? A all of the muscles in the mammalian ventilation sys
- June 2019, AS Paper 1, Q18 (1 mark): Ventilation is a process that involves various parts of the body. Which of the following options, A to D, describes exhalation in a mammal? A ribcage moves upwa
- June 2019, AS Paper 1, Q22(a) (3 marks): Table 22 is a list of practical apparatus used in biological investigations. Each piece of apparatus has been assigned a letter. Letter Apparatus A calorimeter
- June 2018, Paper 1, Q9 (1 mark): Peak expiratory flow (PEF) is a measure of the maximum rate at which a person can exhale. The graph below shows the typical PEF values for men of different ages
- June 2018, Paper 1, Q16(c) (3 marks): During late pregnancy, women find ventilation more difficult, as the developing foetus reduces the volume of the thorax. This can lead to tiredness and difficul
- June 2018, Paper 1, Q21(a)(ii) (2 marks): A common cause of death from TTX poisoning is suffocation (not getting enough oxygen) as a result of paralysis of the diaphragm. Explain how paralysis of the di
- June 2017, Paper 3, Q7(b) (4 marks): Mammals use lungs for gas exchange. The following passage describes how gases are moved in and out of the lungs. Complete the passage using the most appropriate
- June 2016, AS Paper 1, Q5 (1 mark): Ventilation involves various parts of the mammalian respiratory system. Which of the following statements, A to D, describes inhalation? A ribcage moves upwards
- June 2016, AS Paper 2, Q1(b)(i) (2 marks): Which of the two diagrams, (a) or (b), represents the body immediately after expiration? Describe how this diagram justifies your choice. [2]
- June 2016, AS Paper 2, Q1(b)(ii) (1 mark): Why can expiration be a passive process? [1]
- June 2016, AS Paper 2, Q1(b)(iii) (8 marks): Some chemicals can act as allergens. If these allergens are inhaled, they can cause breathing problems. Allergens cause the smooth muscle in the walls of the ai
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