Natural selection and evolution: OCR GCSE Biology A questions

Every OCR GCSE Biology A exam question on B5.2 Natural selection and evolution, 2018–2025, with its mark scheme and examiner’s report.

All 73 questions on Natural selection and evolution, as a list

June 2025, Paper 2 Foundation, Q2 (1 mark): A farmer wants to grow strawberry plants that produce strawberries early in the summer. The farmer chooses the plants that make strawberries the earliest and re
June 2025, Paper 2 Foundation, Q6 (1 mark): Some students want to identify an insect that they found. They use this key to identify the insect. 1. Does it have wings? Yes – go to 2 No – go to 3 2. Does it
June 2025, Paper 2 Foundation, Q14 (1 mark): A student is investigating variation by collecting data on shoe sizes. These are the shoe sizes of six members of their family. 10 5 6 7 8 6 Which of these stat
June 2025, Paper 2 Foundation, Q20(c) (3 marks): Complete the sentences about how bacterial populations can develop antibiotic resistance. Use words from the list. change die gene technology mitosis mutation n
June 2025, Paper 4 Higher, Q1 (1 mark): A student is investigating variation by collecting data on shoe sizes. These are the shoe sizes of six members of their family. 10 5 6 7 8 6 Which of these stat
June 2024, Paper 2 Foundation, Q7 (1 mark): Scientists use molecular phylogenetics to classify a newly discovered animal. What features do the scientists use in their classification? A The number of bones
June 2024, Paper 2 Foundation, Q9 (1 mark): Modern dairy cows are produced by selective breeding. This involves only some of the female cows breeding with male bulls. What decides which cows breed during
June 2024, Paper 2 Foundation, Q17(a) (2 marks): Complete the table using the information in the diagram. Number of Number of insects Ratio of insects resistant affected by insects resistant to to pesticide pe
June 2024, Paper 2 Foundation, Q17(b) (1 mark): Which process does the scientist’s investigation demonstrate? Tick (3) one box. Genetic engineering Natural selection Selective breeding [1]
June 2024, Paper 2 Foundation, Q17(c) (2 marks): Explain why the results of this investigation are important for farmers. [2]
June 2024, Paper 4 Higher, Q14 (1 mark): Why are the different structures of these limbs evidence for evolution? Human arm Cat leg Bat wing Whale flipper A Differences in the limb bones show that human
June 2023, Paper 2 Foundation, Q8 (1 mark): Charles Darwin and Gregor Mendel did important work in the development of science. Which row gives the areas of their work? Charles Darwin Gregor Mendel evoluti
June 2023, Paper 2 Foundation, Q16(d) (1 mark): Farmers have developed varieties of sorghum with lower levels of the bitter chemical. To do this they: • chose two plants with less bitter chemical than other p
June 2023, Paper 2 Foundation, Q17(a)(i) (2 marks): Plot the data from the table on the graph. [2]
June 2023, Paper 2 Foundation, Q17(a)(ii) (1 mark): Draw a line of best fit through the points. [1] 5.0 4.0 3.0 Mean number of years they live 2.0 1.0 0.0 0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 Mean mass (g)
June 2023, Paper 2 Foundation, Q17(a)(iii) (1 mark): Mole rats are rodents that have a mean mass of 60 g. Use your graph to predict the mean number of years that mole rats live. Mean number = years [1]
June 2023, Paper 2 Foundation, Q17(b) (4 marks): Mole rats spend most of their time burrowing underground in tunnels. The tunnels may have only 5% oxygen in the air compared with 21% above ground. Complete the
June 2023, Paper 4 Higher, Q7 (1 mark): Studying fossils has provided evidence for the evolution of modern humans (Homo sapiens). The diagram shows details of four species A–D who were modern humans’
June 2023, Paper 4 Higher, Q19(a)(i) (3 marks): Choose suitable scales and plot the data from the table onto the graph. [3]
June 2023, Paper 4 Higher, Q19(a)(ii) (1 mark): Draw a line of best fit through the points. [1] Mean number of years they live Mean mass (g)
June 2023, Paper 4 Higher, Q19(b) (2 marks): Mole rats are rodents that live in Africa. The mean mass of a mole rat is 60 g and they live for about 18 years. Use the graph you drew in (a) to explain what i
June 2023, Paper 4 Higher, Q19(c) (6 marks): The table shows the mean mass of four types of rodent and the mean number of years they live. Mean number of Type of rodent Mean mass (g) years they live Gerbil
June 2023, Paper 4 Higher, Q21(a) (3 marks): Sorghum produces a bitter chemical in its seeds. Birds do not like the taste of this chemical. Some people also find the taste unpleasant. Explain how sorghum c
June 2023, Paper 4 Higher, Q21(b) (2 marks): In some areas in Africa, farmers have been growing varieties of sorghum that have lower levels of the bitter chemical. These varieties have been produced by art
June 2022, Paper 2 Foundation, Q4 (1 mark): A student finds this organism in a pond: The student uses this key to identify the organism. 1 3 pairs of legs go to 3 more than 3 pairs of legs go to 2 2 curve
June 2022, Paper 2 Foundation, Q6 (1 mark): The table gives some information about four types of strawberry. Month when Type Yield strawberries are ripe Calypso September medium Cambridge Vigour June very
June 2022, Paper 2 Foundation, Q20(b)(i) (3 marks): Cuckoos evolved this sticky membrane by the process of natural selection. The statements A–E show steps in this process. They are not in the correct order. A Th
June 2022, Paper 2 Foundation, Q20(b)(ii) (1 mark): Name the scientist who first published a book describing the theory of natural selection. [1]
June 2022, Paper 4 Higher, Q3 (1 mark): What is phylogenetics? A Classification using behavioural characteristics B Classification using evolutionary links C Classification using physical characterist
June 2022, Paper 4 Higher, Q9 (1 mark): Charles Darwin and Alfred Wallace were both involved in the development of the theory of evolution by natural selection. How were they involved? A Darwin first
June 2022, Paper 4 Higher, Q20(b) (4 marks): The caterpillars have long hairs on their bodies that cause irritation to predators. Cuckoos have a special sticky membrane lining their guts that traps these h
November 2021, Paper 2 Foundation, Q7 (1 mark): Which scientists worked separately but developed a very similar theory? A Darwin and Wallace B Mendel and Darwin C Wallace and Mendel D Wallace, Darwin and Mend
November 2021, Paper 2 Foundation, Q17(a)(i) (1 mark): A farmer keeps sheep to supply milk. Which type of sheep should he keep to provide the highest milk yield? [1]
November 2021, Paper 2 Foundation, Q17(a)(ii) (2 marks): Another farmer decides to use selective breeding to produce a new type of sheep. She wants the sheep to have both high wool and high meat yields. Suggest which
November 2021, Paper 2 Foundation, Q17(a)(iii) (3 marks): The farmer breeds the two types of sheep together. Describe the next steps in her selective breeding method. [3]
November 2021, Paper 2 Foundation, Q21(b) (3 marks): The green chemical also makes the skin of the skinks look green. Scientists think that the colour may have evolved to protect the skinks from predators in the r
November 2021, Paper 2 Foundation, Q21(c) (2 marks): The scientists made different-coloured models of the skinks. Describe how they could use the models to test their ideas about why the skinks are green. [2]
November 2021, Paper 4 Higher, Q14 (1 mark): Researchers studied over 200 DNA samples from giraffe cells. Some populations of giraffe, which were geographically isolated, were found to be genetically very
November 2021, Paper 4 Higher, Q23(a) (2 marks): What is meant by the term evolution? [2]
November 2021, Paper 4 Higher, Q23(b) (4 marks): Describe the work of Charles Darwin which led him to develop a theory of how evolution could occur. [4]
November 2021, Paper 4 Higher, Q23(c) (6 marks): This question is about the evolution of plants and animals on Earth. (c)* For many millions of years the most complex organisms on Earth were bacteria. • They l
November 2021, Paper 4 Higher, Q23(d) (2 marks): Scientists think that the presence of secondary consumers (predators) caused primary consumers (prey) to evolve much more quickly. Explain why this statement ma
November 2020, Paper 2 Foundation, Q6 (1 mark): The drawings show typical cattle kept by farmers in 1900 and in 2000. 1900 2000 Thicker body Shorter legs Which process would have been used between 1900 and 20
November 2020, Paper 2 Foundation, Q13 (1 mark): What is meant by the term natural classification? A Classifying organisms according to their uses. B Classifying organisms using many of their common characteri
November 2020, Paper 2 Foundation, Q23(a)(i) (1 mark): Do the results in Fig. 23.2 support the theory that stripes keep zebras cool? Explain your answer. [1]
November 2020, Paper 2 Foundation, Q23(a)(ii) (1 mark): The scientists were aiming to investigate if it was only the colour of the skin that affected temperature regulation. Suggest one improvement the scientists cou
November 2020, Paper 2 Foundation, Q23(b)(i) (2 marks): Describe what Fig. 23.3 shows about the link between zebra stripes and protection from insects. [2]
November 2020, Paper 2 Foundation, Q23(b)(ii) (1 mark): Horse blankets are used to cover horses when they are outside. Companies have started to produce horse blankets with zebra stripes. Use the information in Fig.
November 2020, Paper 2 Foundation, Q23(b)(iii) (3 marks): Biting insects can spread pathogens between animals. Use the theory of natural selection to explain how zebra stripes could have developed. [3]
November 2020, Paper 4 Higher, Q6 (1 mark): Which of these is a similarity between selective breeding and natural selection? A Cause a change in organisms’ genotypes but not phenotypes. B Humans decide wh
November 2020, Paper 4 Higher, Q8 (1 mark): Darwin and Wallace both developed theories of natural selection. Both of their theories were developed after making observations on islands. What is the most li
November 2020, Paper 4 Higher, Q9 (1 mark): Humans belong to the species H.sapiens. H.sapiens have evolved from a number of possible ancestors. The graph shows five of these ancestors. Brain size (cm3) 20
November 2020, Paper 4 Higher, Q15 (1 mark): What is meant by the term phylogenetics? A Classifying organisms using many common characteristics. B Constructing diagrams to predict how characteristics are i
November 2020, Paper 4 Higher, Q17(a)(i) (1 mark): Do the results in Fig. 17.2 support the theory that stripes keep zebras cool? Explain your answer. [1]
November 2020, Paper 4 Higher, Q17(a)(ii) (1 mark): The scientists were aiming to investigate if it was only the colour of the skin that affected temperature regulation. Suggest one improvement the scientists cou
November 2020, Paper 4 Higher, Q17(b)(i) (2 marks): Describe what Fig. 17.3 shows about the link between zebra stripes and protection from insects. [2]
November 2020, Paper 4 Higher, Q17(b)(ii) (1 mark): Horse blankets are used to cover horses when they are outside. Companies have started to produce horse blankets with zebra stripes. Use the information in Fig.
November 2020, Paper 4 Higher, Q17(b)(iii) (3 marks): Biting insects can spread pathogens between animals. Use the theory of natural selection to explain how zebra stripes could have developed. [3]
June 2019, Paper 2 Foundation, Q16(a) (2 marks): The table shows the main steps in the process of selective breeding. They are not in the correct order. A Repeat the process over many generations. B Decide whi
June 2019, Paper 2 Foundation, Q16(b) (4 marks): Cows are female and are used by farmers to produce milk. Bulls are male. Look at the details of different varieties of cows and bulls. Variety Milk production A
June 2019, Paper 2 Foundation, Q16(c)(i) (1 mark): Describe the relationship between number of cows and yield of milk shown in the graph. [1]
June 2019, Paper 2 Foundation, Q16(c)(ii) (2 marks): Suggest two reasons for the relationship shown in the graph. 1 2 [2]
June 2019, Paper 2 Foundation, Q20(c) (3 marks): After several years, the percentage of resistant rats in the population had increased. Use Darwin’s theory of natural selection to explain this observation. [3]
June 2019, Paper 4 Higher, Q11 (1 mark): Which of these is a feature of an artificial classification system? A It shows evolutionary links between organisms. B It can be based on similarities in DNA. C
June 2019, Paper 4 Higher, Q14 (1 mark): How does the fossil record provide evidence for evolution? A It provides information about all extinct organisms. B It shows that all organisms have evolved at
June 2019, Paper 4 Higher, Q19(a) (4 marks): Many people in the UK feed birds nuts using a bird feeder, as shown in the diagram below. Scientists measured the mean lengths of blue tits’ beaks in the UK. Th
June 2019, Paper 4 Higher, Q23(c) (2 marks): When scientists studied the resistant rats they found that there were two different types. Homozygous rats are resistant to warfarin but need to eat 20 times mo
June 2018, Paper 2 Foundation, Q9 (1 mark): In selective breeding which organisms breed? A Humans choose which organisms breed. B Organisms that are best suited to their environment will breed. C Random o
June 2018, Paper 2 Foundation, Q11 (1 mark): Strains of bacteria are now becoming resistant to antibiotics. Which process is causing this resistance? A Genetic modification B Natural classification C Natur
June 2018, Paper 2 Foundation, Q23(c)(ii) (4 marks): Scientists have noticed that a new type of hedgehog is increasing in numbers in cities. These hedgehogs do not roll up. They run away when frightened. The scien
June 2018, Paper 4 Higher, Q13 (1 mark): Which statement best describes the development of the theory of evolution by natural selection? A Darwin and Mendel working together B Darwin and Wallace workin
June 2018, Paper 4 Higher, Q15 (1 mark): Which approach would be used to classify organisms by phylogenetics? A Compare the structure of the organisms’ internal organs B Look at DNA base sequences C Lo
June 2018, Paper 4 Higher, Q16(c)(ii) (4 marks): Scientists have noticed that a new type of hedgehog is increasing in numbers in cities. These hedgehogs do not roll up. They run away when frightened. The scien

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