plumiHow do substances get into, out of and around our bodies?: OCR GCSE Combined Science B questions
Every OCR GCSE Combined Science B exam question on B5.1 How do substances get into, out of and around our bodies?, 2018–2025, with its mark scheme and examiner’s report.
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Q8(a)
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Q8(b)
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Q7(a)
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Q7(b)
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Q9(b)
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The whole paper ↗Q9(d)(i)
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Q2(b)
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The whole paper ↗Q2(d)(i)
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The whole paper ↗Q1(a)(i)
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Q8(a)(i)
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All 78 questions on How do substances get into, out of and around our bodies?, as a list
- June 2025, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q8(a) (1 mark): Which part of the heart pumps oxygenated blood to the body? Tick (✓) one box. A B C D [1]
- June 2025, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q8(b) (1 mark): Which blood vessel carries deoxygenated blood back to the heart? Tick (✓) one box. Aorta Pulmonary artery Pulmonary vein Vena cava [1]
- June 2025, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q8(c) (2 marks): Explain the function of the valves in the heart. [2]
- June 2025, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q8(d)(i) (2 marks): Complete the table by showing which feature each blood vessel has. Tick (✓) one box in each row. Feature Arteries Capillaries Veins The walls have a thick layer
- June 2025, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q8(d)(ii) (4 marks): Explain how red blood cells and plasma are adapted to their functions in the blood. Red blood cells Plasma [4]
- June 2025, Combined Science Paper 4 Foundation, Q9(d) (3 marks): Yeast cells absorb oxygen across their cell membranes. An axolotl is a multicellular animal that lives in water. It has external gills for gas exchange. Externa
- June 2025, Biology Paper 5 Higher, Q7(a) (2 marks): Describe how the human circulatory system works together with the gaseous exchange and digestive systems. Gaseous exchange system Digestive system [2]
- June 2025, Biology Paper 5 Higher, Q7(b) (1 mark): Fig. 7.1 shows the inside of the human heart. Fig. 7.1 Valves The heart is adapted to pump blood around the body. Describe the function of the valves in the hea
- June 2024, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q9(a)(i) (1 mark): The cereal is made of carbohydrate. Which small molecule does the body get by breaking down the carbohydrate from the cereal? Put a ring around the correct opti
- June 2024, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q9(b) (3 marks): Explain how the partially-permeable cell membrane controls movement of small molecules into and out of a cell. Put a ring around each correct option. Gases such
- June 2024, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q9(c) (3 marks): Small molecules move into and out of the blood. Which statements about how this happens are true, and which are false? Tick (v) one box in each row. True False
- June 2024, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q9(d)(i) (4 marks): Calculate the surface area:volume ratio of organism B. Give your answer in its simplest form. Surface area:volume ratio = . [4]
- June 2024, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q9(d)(ii) (1 mark): The surface area:volume ratio of organism A is 6:1. Explain why the surface area:volume ratio of organism C is also 6:1. [1]
- June 2024, Biology Paper 5 Higher, Q2(a)(i) (1 mark): The cereal is made of carbohydrate. Which small molecule does the body get by breaking down the carbohydrate from the cereal? Put a ring around the correct opti
- June 2024, Biology Paper 5 Higher, Q2(b) (3 marks): Explain how the partially-permeable cell membrane controls movement of small molecules into and out of a cell. Put a ring around each correct option. Gases such
- June 2024, Biology Paper 5 Higher, Q2(c) (3 marks): Small molecules move into and out of the blood. Which statements about how this happens are true, and which are false? Tick (✓) one box in each row. True False
- June 2024, Biology Paper 5 Higher, Q2(d)(i) (4 marks): Calculate the surface area:volume ratio of organism B. Give your answer in its simplest form. Surface area:volume ratio = : [4]
- June 2024, Biology Paper 5 Higher, Q2(d)(ii) (1 mark): The surface area:volume ratio of organism A is 6:1. Explain why the surface area:volume ratio of organism C is also 6:1. [1]
- June 2023, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q1(a)(i) (1 mark): Write down the name of the organ that pumps the blood around our body. [1]
- June 2023, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q8(a)(i) (2 marks): Calculate the volume of cube B. Volume = cm3 [2]
- June 2023, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q8(a)(ii) (2 marks): Calculate the surface area : volume ratio of cube C. Surface area : volume ratio = : [2]
- June 2023, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q8(a)(iii) (1 mark): Describe the relationship between cube size and surface area : volume ratio. [1]
- June 2023, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q8(a)(iv) (2 marks): Sam places jelly cubes A, B, C and D into a solution of coloured stain. The stain diffuses into the jelly cubes. Predict which cube will take the longest time f
- June 2023, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q8(b)(i) (2 marks): The surface area of the digestive system wall has villi rather than being flat. Explain why this is an advantage. [2]
- June 2023, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q8(b)(ii) (2 marks): The villi contain blood vessels. Explain why this is an advantage. [2]
- June 2023, Biology Paper 5 Higher, Q5(a)(i) (2 marks): Explain why chamber A has a thick wall of cardiac muscle. [2]
- June 2023, Biology Paper 5 Higher, Q5(a)(ii) (1 mark): Why is there a valve between chamber A and chamber B? [1]
- June 2023, Biology Paper 5 Higher, Q5(b) (5 marks): Outside the heart, blood flows through blood vessels. Complete the table by naming the blood vessels and explaining how their structures are related to their fu
- June 2023, Biology Paper 5 Higher, Q5(c) (6 marks): People have a pulse because their heart beats. (c)* Describe how you could use only the equipment shown in Fig. 5.2 to: • investigate the effect of exercise on
- June 2023, Biology Paper 5 Higher, Q6(a) (1 mark): Urea is a waste product made by the body. Complete the sentences to describe what happens to urea. Urea is transported around the body by the system. It is remo
- June 2023, Biology Paper 5 Higher, Q6(b)(i) (3 marks): Complete the table by describing how to test for the presence of each substance absorbed by the digestive system. Result when the substance is Substance Reagent
- June 2023, Biology Paper 5 Higher, Q6(c) (4 marks): A teacher turns two identical beakers upside-down. • Beaker A is filled with air from outside. • Beaker B is filled with air exhaled by a person. The teacher pl
- June 2023, Combined Science Paper 8 Higher, Q6(a) (4 marks): Describe the method the students use to obtain these results. [4]
- June 2023, Combined Science Paper 8 Higher, Q6(b)(i) (4 marks): Plot the students’ results on the grid and draw a line of best fit. Use the concentration of sugar solution and percentage change in mass data. [4]
- June 2023, Combined Science Paper 8 Higher, Q6(b)(ii) (3 marks): The student concludes that the concentration of the potato cells is 0.2 mol / dm3. Explain why the student is wrong. Use ideas about osmosis in your answer. [3]
- June 2023, Combined Science Paper 8 Higher, Q6(b)(iii) (2 marks): Describe two ways in which the student can determine a more accurate value for the concentration of the potato cells. 1 2 [2]
- June 2023, Combined Science Paper 8 Higher, Q6(c) (3 marks): The student puts another piece of potato into a sugar solution of 0.4 mol / dm3. The initial mass of the potato is 1.04 g. The final mass of the potato is 0.90
- June 2022, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q2(b) (3 marks): Organ systems in the body have different roles in what happens to the sugar from the milk we drink. Draw lines to connect the correct three organ system to thei
- June 2022, Biology Paper 5 Higher, Q7(b) (4 marks): Substances involved in cellular respiration are transported by the blood. Complete the sentences about the transport of these substances by the blood. Use words
- November 2021, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q8(d)(ii) (1 mark): Leukaemia is a type of this disease which can cause a reduced amount of haemoglobin in red blood cells. How will this affect the function of the blood? [1]
- November 2021, Biology Paper 5 Higher, Q5(c) (2 marks): Glycogen is a long-chain carbohydrate, which is stored in animal cells. Explain how the partially permeable membrane allows the movement of glucose in and out o
- November 2021, Biology Paper 5 Higher, Q7(b)(iv) (1 mark): Haemophiliacs lack a protein which helps to make blood platelets active. Which statement about the adaptations of platelets is correct? Tick (3) one box. Platel
- November 2020, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q5(a) (4 marks): The circulatory system moves substances around the body. The blood vessels, A, B, C and D, in Fig. 5.1 each carry different compositions of blood. Identify whic
- November 2020, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q5(b) (3 marks): Explain how the structure of the heart is adapted to pump blood around the body. [3]
- November 2020, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q5(c) (6 marks): Fig. 5.1 shows a model of the circulatory system in a human. Lungs B Heart A Liver C Digestive system D Kidneys Other organs Fig. 5.1 (c)* Some babies are born
- November 2020, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q6(a) (2 marks): Blood transports many substances around the body. Complete the table to show whether each substance is transported in the blood by the plasma or by the red bloo
- November 2020, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q6(b) (4 marks): The diagram shows two views of a red blood cell. Explain how the shape of a red blood cell is adapted to its function. [4]
- November 2020, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q6(c) (1 mark): Red blood cells have an approximate diameter of 7.8 × 10–3 mm. Convert 7.8 × 10–3 mm into decimal form. Tick (3) one box. 0.00078 mm 0.0078 mm 0.078 mm 0.78 mm
- November 2020, Combined Science Paper 4 Foundation, Q4(a)(i) (1 mark): Which student is correctly talking about osmosis? Tick (✓) one box. Nina Kareem Sarah Jack [1]
- November 2020, Combined Science Paper 4 Foundation, Q4(a)(ii) (1 mark): Which student is correctly talking about active transport? Tick (✓) one box. Nina Kareem Sarah Jack [1]
- November 2020, Combined Science Paper 4 Foundation, Q4(b)(i) (3 marks): Mia is investigating osmosis in potato cells. She writes a six-step plan. Step 1. Cut 5 pieces of potato. Step 2. Weigh them and record the masses. Step 3. Put
- November 2020, Combined Science Paper 4 Foundation, Q4(b)(ii) (3 marks): Mia’s measurements for one piece of potato are shown in the table. Starting mass (g) 20.4 Final mass (g) 18.2 Calculate the percentage decrease in mass for this
- November 2020, Biology Paper 5 Higher, Q4(a) (2 marks): Draw lines to connect blood vessels, A, B and C, to their correct names and their correct drawings. Name of Drawing of blood vessel blood vessel Blood vessel Ar
- November 2020, Biology Paper 5 Higher, Q4(b) (3 marks): Explain why exchange surfaces and transport systems are needed in multicellular organisms. [3]
- June 2019, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q2(c)(i) (2 marks): Suggest two ways that the gas exchange surface is similar in humans and chicken eggs. 1 2 [2]
- June 2019, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q2(c)(ii) (1 mark): Sarah and some of her friends discuss cellular respiration in the chicken embryo. Ben Amir The membrane must be The respiration partially-permeable so must be t
- June 2019, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q3(b)(i) (6 marks): People with sickle cell disease have differences in their red blood cells. They are often treated by being given extra oxygen. Fig. 3.2 shows red blood cells fr
- June 2019, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q4(a) (2 marks): Diagrams A, B, C and D in Fig. 4.1 show stages in a heartbeat. The shading shows which chambers and arteries contain blood during each stage. The diagrams are n
- June 2019, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q4(b) (3 marks): Fig. 4.2 shows the relationships between the circulatory system and other systems in the human body. The numbers 1, 2, 3 and 4 represent substances that move fr
- June 2019, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q4(c)(i) (1 mark): The student is correct that the thumb should not be used to take the pulse. Suggest why. [1]
- June 2019, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q4(c)(ii) (1 mark): In step 1 the student plans to count the number of beats. How should the student calculate the resting pulse rate per minute from the count? [1]
- June 2019, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q4(c)(iii) (1 mark): Describe how the student can work out the recovery rate from her measurements. [1]
- June 2019, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q4(d)(i) (2 marks): Plot the results from Table 4.2 on the graph and draw a curve of best fit. 100 90 Pulse rate (bpm) 80 70 0 30 60 90 120 150 Time after exercise (s) [2]
- June 2019, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q4(d)(ii) (1 mark): The student’s resting pulse rate was 72 bpm. She uses Table 4.3 to decide her fitness rating. Time taken to return to resting pulse rate (s) Fitness rating 0–30
- June 2019, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q4(d)(iii) (1 mark): From these results, how confident should the student be about her fitness rating? Explain your answer. [1]
- June 2019, Biology Paper 5 Higher, Q3(e)(ii) (1 mark): An adult man has a lung volume of 5 litres and a lung surface area of 70 m2. Write down the simplest surface area to volume ratio for this man’s lungs. Surface
- June 2019, Biology Paper 5 Higher, Q3(e)(iii) (4 marks): Pneumonia causes fluid to collect in the alveoli of the lungs. The diagram in Fig. 3.3 shows this happening in one alveolus. alveolus fluid Fig. 3.3 Suggest how
- June 2019, Biology Paper 5 Higher, Q5(a)(i) (4 marks): The structure of red blood cells is adapted to carry oxygen. Changes to the red blood cells in people with SCD mean they carry less oxygen. Explain why. [4]
- June 2019, Biology Paper 5 Higher, Q5(d) (2 marks): The diagrams show two stages of the heartbeat. The shading shows which chambers and arteries contain blood at the end of each stage. The arrows show the directi
- June 2018, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q4(f) (1 mark): Energy from cellular respiration can be used to transport molecules across cell membranes. What is the name of this process? Tick (✓) one box. Active transport
- June 2018, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q5(a)(i) (2 marks): Which two substances will cell A need to take in more of? Put rings around the two correct answers. carbon dioxide dissolved food molecules oxygen urea water [2
- June 2018, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q5(a)(ii) (2 marks): Explain why cell A needs more of these substances. [2]
- June 2018, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q5(b)(i) (1 mark): Kareem thinks vessel X is an artery and vessel Y is a vein. Explain why he is correct. [1]
- June 2018, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q5(b)(ii) (1 mark): What other structure not shown in the diagrams would be found in a vein? [1]
- June 2018, Biology Paper 5 Higher, Q8(a) (1 mark): Draw a circle on the diagram of the heart around the valve between the left atrium and the left ventricle. [1]
- June 2018, Biology Paper 5 Higher, Q8(b) (3 marks): Explain to Jack the function of heart valves and why his faulty valve is making him feel tired and breathless. [3]
- June 2018, Biology Paper 5 Higher, Q8(c) (1 mark): Write down one other type of structure in the circulatory system that has valves. [1]
- June 2018, Biology Paper 5 Higher, Q8(d) (4 marks): This information is about Jack’s circulatory system: The volume of blood pumped out by Jack’s heart in one beat is 40 cm3. • • Jack’s resting pulse rate is 80 b
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