plumiCoordination and control – the nervous system: OCR GCSE Combined Science A questions
Every OCR GCSE Combined Science A exam question on B3.1 Coordination and control – the nervous system, 2018–2025, with its mark scheme and examiner’s report.
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- Your answer
Q11(a)
The whole paper ↗Q11(b)
The whole paper ↗Q16(a)
The whole paper ↗Q13(a)
The whole paper ↗Q13(b)(i)
The whole paper ↗Q13(b)(ii)
The whole paper ↗Q13(b)(iii)
The whole paper ↗Q14(a)
The whole paper ↗Q12(a)(i)
The whole paper ↗Q12(a)(ii)
The whole paper ↗Q12(b)
The whole paper ↗Q13(a)(i)
The whole paper ↗Q13(a)(ii)
The whole paper ↗Q11(a)
The whole paper ↗Q11(b)(i)
The whole paper ↗Q11(b)(ii)
The whole paper ↗Q11(c)(i)
The whole paper ↗Q11(c)(ii)
The whole paper ↗Q11(c)(iii)
The whole paper ↗
All 45 questions on Coordination and control – the nervous system, as a list
- June 2025, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q8 (1 mark): Four students measure their reactions by dropping a ruler and measuring the distance the ruler falls before they catch it. Each student does this five times. Th
- June 2025, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q11(a) (2 marks): Moving a paw away after standing on a pin is an example of a reflex. Explain how a reflex arc prevents harm to the dog. [2]
- June 2025, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q11(b) (3 marks): Complete the flow diagram to show the order that structures are stimulated in this reflex arc. One has been done for you. Choose words from the list. motor neur
- June 2025, Biology Paper 7 Higher, Q16(a) (2 marks): An animal’s nervous system is important in coordinating responses. Put a tick (✓) next to any statements that correctly describe the functions of parts of an an
- June 2024, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q13(a) (4 marks): Doctors can test your eye reflexes by touching the eye to make you blink. The diagram shows the reflex arc involved in blinking. Face muscles Eye Part of the br
- June 2024, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q13(b)(i) (1 mark): Which age group had the fastest mean reaction time? [1]
- June 2024, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q13(b)(ii) (3 marks): Calculate the percentage increase from the 25–34 age group’s mean reaction time and the 65+ age group. Give your answer to 3 significant figures. Percentage inc
- June 2024, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q13(b)(iii) (1 mark): When drivers are at the UK limit for blood alcohol content it increases their reaction time by 0.12 s. A 25 year old drives at the UK limit. Which age group has
- June 2024, Biology Paper 7 Higher, Q14(a) (4 marks): Doctors can test your eye reflexes by touching the eye to make you blink. Fig. 14.1 shows the reflex arc involved in blinking. Fig. 14.1 Face muscles Eye Part o
- June 2023, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q12(a)(i) (1 mark): What mistake has the student made in their drawing? Tick (3) one box. Labelling the effector as muscle instead of the receptor. The arrows showing impulse direc
- June 2023, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q12(a)(ii) (1 mark): The spinal cord coordinates nervous responses. Which other part of the central nervous system coordinates responses? [1]
- June 2023, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q12(b) (2 marks): The body is also controlled by the endocrine system. Complete the table to show two differences between the nervous system and the endocrine system. Nervous sys
- June 2023, Biology Paper 7 Higher, Q13(a)(i) (1 mark): Draw lines to connect the letters, X, Y and Z, to the correct name of each neurone. X Motor Y Relay Z Sensory [1]
- June 2023, Biology Paper 7 Higher, Q13(a)(ii) (2 marks): The foot steps on a sharp object. The leg is pulled away from the sharp object. Explain how the reflex arc in the diagram produces this response. [2]
- June 2022, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q11(a) (2 marks): The diagram shows the central nervous system (CNS). Complete the sentence to describe the structure of the CNS. Use the diagram. The CNS is made up of the and t
- June 2022, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q11(b)(i) (2 marks): Hot objects can burn your skin. Removing your hand from a hot object is a reflex action. The response is a reflex action because it is controlled by a reflex ar
- June 2022, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q11(b)(ii) (3 marks): Draw lines to connect each part of the reflex arc to its correct function when responding to a hot object. Part Function muscles detects the hot object motor ne
- June 2022, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q11(c)(i) (1 mark): Identify the median reaction time for the five friends. Median reaction time = s [1]
- June 2022, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q11(c)(ii) (2 marks): Calculate the mean reaction time for the five friends. Mean reaction time = s [2]
- June 2022, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q11(c)(iii) (1 mark): Use the data in the table to suggest one reason why friend D has the fastest reaction time. [1]
- June 2022, Biology Paper 7 Higher, Q5 (1 mark): The diagram shows the structure of the reflex arc. A D B C Which label, A, B, C or D, shows the motor neurone? [1] Your answer
- November 2021, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q11(b)(i) (3 marks): Complete the three boxes in Fig. 11.1 to label the neurones involved in the response. [3]
- November 2021, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q11(b)(ii) (1 mark): Draw two arrows on Fig. 11.1 to show the direction the nerve impulse travels along each neurone in the arm. [1]
- November 2021, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q11(b)(iii) (2 marks): Explain how the reflex arc prevents too much damage from the hot pan. [2]
- November 2021, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q11(c)(i) (1 mark): Identify one variable that has been controlled in this investigation. [1]
- November 2021, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q11(c)(ii) (2 marks): Fig. 11.2 shows the results. Key Mean reaction time before drink Mean reaction time 10 min after drink Mean reaction time 20 min after drink 1.0 0.8 0.6 Reactio
- November 2021, Biology Paper 7 Higher, Q15(b) (4 marks): The nervous system helps the body maintain a constant internal environment. It also allows a person to respond to external stimuli. A person touches a hot pan.
- November 2021, Biology Paper 7 Higher, Q15(c)(i) (1 mark): Suggest one reason why their method produces results that may not be reproducible. [1]
- November 2021, Biology Paper 7 Higher, Q15(c)(ii) (2 marks): Fig. 15.2 shows the results. Key Mean reaction time before drink Mean reaction time 10 min after drink Mean reaction time 20 min after drink 1.0 0.8 0.6 Reactio
- November 2021, Biology Paper 8 Higher, Q15(a) (2 marks): The cornea can be damaged by injury or disease. Treatment often requires a local anaesthetic. Local anaesthetics stop nerve impulses passing along the sensory n
- November 2021, Biology Paper 8 Higher, Q15(b)(i) (2 marks): Look at the data over the first 10 minutes after injection. Calculate the percentage decrease in nerve activity after 10 minutes when pregnant compared to not b
- November 2021, Biology Paper 8 Higher, Q15(b)(ii) (1 mark): The data in the graph has range bars plotted. These give the highest and lowest values at each point. Why is this an improvement when presenting this data? [1]
- November 2020, Biology Paper 7 Higher, Q7 (1 mark): The diagram shows a sensory neurone. X What is the part labelled X? A Axon B Dendrite C Cell body D Nucleus Your answer [1]
- June 2019, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q16(a) (1 mark): Sight is used by the friend to detect where to draw around the star. What organ is used for detecting light? [1]
- June 2019, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q16(b)(i) (1 mark): Look at the results for time to draw around the star. What is the median for these results? Median = s [1]
- June 2019, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q16(b)(ii) (2 marks): At the start of the investigation the student made this statement. Practising a task helps you to improve. Write about how the results support this statement. [
- June 2019, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q16(c) (6 marks): Drawing around the star is a coordinated response. Describe the parts of the nervous system and how they work together to coordinate this response. [6]
- June 2019, Biology Paper 7 Higher, Q14(a)(i) (2 marks): The student investigates how the number of attempts affects the accuracy of drawing the star. What are the independent variable and dependent variables for this
- June 2019, Biology Paper 7 Higher, Q14(a)(ii) (3 marks): The friend has improved their time and the number of errors they make. Calculate percentage change in the number of errors in Table 14.1. Give your answer to 2
- June 2019, Biology Paper 7 Higher, Q14(b) (2 marks): The student makes this conclusion about their results. My results show that practising a task will always help you improve. Explain why this conclusion may not
- June 2019, Biology Paper 7 Higher, Q14(c) (6 marks): The diagram in Fig. 14.1 and Table 14.1 are repeated below. Mirror Sheet of hardboard supported by retort stand Retort stand and clamp Sheet of paper with 5-poi
- June 2018, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q12(a) (2 marks): The diagram shows a motor neurone. Nucleus 1 Axon 2 Label 1 and 2 on the diagram. [2]
- June 2018, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q12(b)(i) (1 mark): Describe the relationship between diameter and speed of impulse. [1]
- June 2018, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q12(b)(ii) (1 mark): The data was measured as part of an investigation by a scientist. The scientist made this statement. ‘The data collected is mostly precise.’ What evidence is th
- June 2018, Biology Paper 7 Higher, Q4 (1 mark): The diagram shows a motor neurone. X What is the function of part X? A Generates an impulse B Insulates the axon C Slows down the speed of an impulse D Stops an
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