plumiWhat happens during cellular respiration?: OCR GCSE Combined Science B questions
Every OCR GCSE Combined Science B exam question on B4.1 What happens during cellular respiration?, 2018–2025, with its mark scheme and examiner’s report.
Paper
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Calculations
Q9(a)
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Q9(b)
The whole paper ↗Q9(c)
The whole paper ↗Q4(a)
The whole paper ↗Q4(b)
The whole paper ↗Q4(c)(i)
The whole paper ↗Q4(c)(ii)
The whole paper ↗Q4(c)(iii)
The whole paper ↗Q9(a)(ii)
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Q6(a)
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Q6(b)
The whole paper ↗Q6(c)
The whole paper ↗Q6(d)
The whole paper ↗Q2(a)(ii)
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Q6(d)(i)
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Q6(d)(ii)
The whole paper ↗Q7(a)(i)
The whole paper ↗
Q7(a)(ii)
The whole paper ↗Q7(b)
The whole paper ↗Q6(b)(ii)
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All 64 questions on What happens during cellular respiration?, as a list
- June 2025, Combined Science Paper 4 Foundation, Q9(a) (1 mark): The student controls the temperature of the yeast and sugar solution to make sure their comparisons are valid. Describe how the student should control the tempe
- June 2025, Combined Science Paper 4 Foundation, Q9(b) (2 marks): Explain how the student could improve the accuracy of the gas volume measurements. [2]
- June 2025, Combined Science Paper 4 Foundation, Q9(c) (2 marks): Calculate the rate of carbon dioxide production for the yeast and glucose solution. Rate of carbon dioxide production = cm3 / minute [2]
- June 2024, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q4(a) (2 marks): Complete the table to compare aerobic and anaerobic respiration. Aerobic respiration Anaerobic respiration Conditions under Low or no oxygen which it happens Am
- June 2024, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q4(b) (1 mark): Explain why cellular respiration takes place continuously in living cells. [1]
- June 2024, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q4(c)(i) (1 mark): Anaerobic respiration is exothermic. Predict what will happen to the temperature of the mixture over time. [1]
- June 2024, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q4(c)(ii) (1 mark): Bubbles of gas appear in the mixture due to anaerobic respiration in the yeast. What is the name of the gas? Tick (✓) one box. Carbon dioxide Hydrogen Nitrogen
- June 2024, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q4(c)(iii) (1 mark): Flour contains starch, which is made from glucose. Explain why the flour enables respiration to take place in the yeast. [1]
- June 2024, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q9(a)(ii) (2 marks): Small molecules are used by cells in aerobic respiration. Complete the table. Tick (✓) one box in each row. Small molecule Needed Produced by Not needed for for
- June 2024, Combined Science Paper 4 Foundation, Q6(a) (2 marks): Plot the results from the table on the graph. Two points have already been plotted. 80 60 Volume of oxygen 40 uptake (mm3) 20 0 0 30 60 90 120 150 180 210 240 2
- June 2024, Combined Science Paper 4 Foundation, Q6(b) (1 mark): Draw a straight line of best fit. [1]
- June 2024, Combined Science Paper 4 Foundation, Q6(c) (4 marks): Use the graph to calculate the rate of respiration. Use the equation: rate of respiration = change in volume change in time Give your answer to an appropriate n
- June 2024, Combined Science Paper 4 Foundation, Q6(d) (1 mark): Predict the volume of oxygen uptake at 150 seconds. Volume of oxygen uptake = mm3 [1]
- June 2024, Biology Paper 5 Higher, Q2(a)(ii) (2 marks): Small molecules are used by cells in aerobic respiration. Complete the table. Tick (✓) one box in each row. Small molecule Needed Produced by Not needed for for
- June 2024, Biology Paper 5 Higher, Q6(d)(i) (1 mark): Which sub-cellular structure does aerobic respiration take place in? [1]
- June 2024, Biology Paper 5 Higher, Q6(d)(ii) (1 mark): Explain why respiration occurs continuously in all living cells. [1]
- June 2023, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q7(a)(i) (1 mark): Why does the mixture feel warmer? Put a ring around the correct option. The mixture feels warmer because the process of respiration is endothermic / exothermic
- June 2023, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q7(a)(ii) (1 mark): Why does the mixture bubble after 30 minutes? [1]
- June 2023, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q7(b) (2 marks): Another type of respiration is aerobic respiration. Complete the table to compare the processes of aerobic and anaerobic respiration. Tick (3) one box in each r
- June 2023, Biology Paper 5 Higher, Q6(b)(ii) (1 mark): Why do cells react glucose from the digestive system with oxygen from the gaseous exchange system? [1]
- June 2022, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q2(c) (2 marks): Describe how glucose and oxygen are used by body cells. [2]
- June 2022, Combined Science Paper 4 Foundation, Q5(b) (1 mark): Plants use glucose in aerobic respiration. Where does aerobic respiration take place in plant cells? Tick one (✓) box. chloroplast mitochondria nucleus ribosome
- June 2022, Biology Paper 5 Higher, Q7(a) (2 marks): Which processes need a supply of ATP? Tick (3) two boxes. Absorption of water in the gut Breakdown and synthesis of molecules Muscle contraction Movement of oxy
- June 2022, Biology Paper 5 Higher, Q7(c)(i) (1 mark): What evidence from the sketch shows that anaerobic respiration increases as running speed increases? [1]
- June 2022, Biology Paper 5 Higher, Q7(c)(ii) (1 mark): Give one disadvantage of increasing anaerobic respiration for the athlete. [1]
- June 2022, Biology Paper 5 Higher, Q7(c)(iii) (4 marks): Explain the changes shown on the sketch when the athlete’s running speed is higher than X. [4]
- June 2022, Biology Paper 5 Higher, Q7(d) (2 marks): Explain why the athlete’s body temperature increases as they run. [2]
- November 2021, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q9(a) (1 mark): How much oxygen has been taken up by germinating corn seeds after 15 minutes at 22 °C? Oxygen uptake = ml [1]
- November 2021, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q9(b) (2 marks): Some of the oxygen that the germinating corn seeds take up is not used for germination. Explain how we know this from the graph. [2]
- November 2021, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q9(c) (1 mark): After 5 minutes, germinating corn seeds at 12 °C have taken up 0.2 ml of oxygen. Calculate the rate of oxygen uptake by germinating corn seeds at 12 °C. oxygen
- November 2021, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q9(d) (1 mark): Which equation represents the linear relationships shown in the graph? Tick (✓) one box y = mx + c y = mc + x y = m + cx [1]
- November 2021, Biology Paper 5 Higher, Q9(d)(i) (2 marks): Explain why the oil rises up the right-hand side of the U-tube, as shown with label 3 in Fig. 9.2. [2]
- November 2021, Biology Paper 5 Higher, Q9(d)(ii) (1 mark): Changes in temperature will affect the volume of the gases in the tubes. Why is this a problem when investigating respiration reactions? [1]
- November 2021, Biology Paper 5 Higher, Q9(d)(iii) (1 mark): Suggest one way the experiment could be developed to maintain the temperature. [1]
- November 2021, Biology Paper 5 Higher, Q9(e) (4 marks): Fig. 9.3 shows results from an investigation into the effect of temperature on oxygen uptake by germinating corn seeds. 2.0 1.8 Germinating corn seeds 1.6 at 22
- November 2020, Combined Science Paper 8 Higher, Q5(c) (3 marks): Cellular respiration takes place in both the mitochondria and cytoplasm of animal cells. Which statements about cellular respiration in animal cells are true, a
- November 2020, Combined Science Paper 8 Higher, Q5(d) (2 marks): The number of mitochondria in different body cells of a healthy human is shown in the graph. 4000 3000 Number of mitochondria 2000 per cell 1000 0 Leg Skin Live
- June 2019, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q7(a) (2 marks): In which parts of a cell do the reactions of cellular respiration take place? Tick (✓) two boxes. Cell wall Chloroplasts Cytoplasm Mitochondria Nucleus Plasmids
- June 2019, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q7(b) (2 marks): Which processes need energy from cellular respiration? Tick (✓) two boxes. Active transport Diffusion Gaseous exchange Muscle contraction Osmosis Transpiration
- June 2019, Biology Paper 5 Higher, Q1(a) (2 marks): In which parts of a cell do the reactions of cellular respiration take place? Tick (✓) two boxes. Cell wall Chloroplasts Cytoplasm Mitochondria Nucleus Plasmids
- June 2019, Biology Paper 5 Higher, Q1(b) (2 marks): Which processes need energy from cellular respiration? Tick (✓) two boxes. Active transport Diffusion Gaseous exchange Muscle contraction Osmosis Transpiration
- June 2018, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q4(a) (1 mark): Which piece of equipment should the student use to measure the volume of sugar solution accurately? Put a ring around the correct answer. balance conical flask
- June 2018, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q4(b)(i) (1 mark): What is the name of the gas produced by the yeast? Tick (✓) one box. Carbon dioxide Methane Nitrogen Oxygen [1]
- June 2018, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q4(b)(ii) (2 marks): The gas is collected in the gas syringe. Explain why using a gas syringe is a better technique to use than counting the bubbles of gas produced. [2]
- June 2018, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q4(c)(i) (1 mark): Which conclusion could be made from the graph? Tick (✓) one box. Yeast respires fastest using glucose. Yeast respires at a constant rate using sucrose. Yeast ca
- June 2018, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q4(c)(ii) (1 mark): How much gas had been collected after 30 minutes from the yeast in glucose solution? Volume of gas = cm3 [1]
- June 2018, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q4(c)(iii) (2 marks): The student makes some suggestions to explain the pattern of results for yeast in glucose solution after 30 minutes. Which statements give the two best explanat
- June 2018, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q4(d) (1 mark): The student wanted to prove that it was the yeast producing the gas. Which suggestion would allow the student to prove this? Tick (✓) one box. Add more sugar to
- June 2018, Biology Paper 1 Foundation, Q4(e) (2 marks): Anaerobic respiration also happens in animal cells. Put a ring around the correct option to complete each sentence to describe anaerobic respiration in animal c
- June 2018, Combined Science Paper 4 Foundation, Q3(a) (1 mark): Nina measures the rate of the reaction by recording the volume of ethanol produced by 1 dm3 of beer over a period of time. Suggest one other method for recordin
- June 2018, Combined Science Paper 4 Foundation, Q3(b)(i) (1 mark): What volume of ethanol has been produced after 120 hours in Fig. 3.1? Volume = cm3 [1]
- June 2018, Combined Science Paper 4 Foundation, Q3(b)(ii) (3 marks): Calculate the rate of ethanol produced over the first 120 hours in Fig. 3.1. Rate = cm3 / h [3]
- June 2018, Combined Science Paper 4 Foundation, Q3(c)(i) (1 mark): What was the temperature range of the investigation? Temperature range = °C to °C [1]
- June 2018, Combined Science Paper 4 Foundation, Q3(c)(ii) (1 mark): Using information from Fig. 3.2, estimate the optimum temperature for fermentation. Optimum temperature = °C [1]
- June 2018, Combined Science Paper 4 Foundation, Q3(c)(iii) (2 marks): The students want to find a more accurate estimate of the optimum temperature for fermentation. How could they do this? Tick (✓) two boxes. Carry out the experi
- June 2018, Biology Paper 5 Higher, Q7(a)(iii) (2 marks): Two of the cells also contain an organelle that is not shown in the diagrams. Some of the reactions of aerobic respiration take place in this organelle. Write d
- June 2018, Biology Paper 5 Higher, Q7(b) (3 marks): The students write down simple word summaries of cellular respiration in different types of organisms. Complete the word summaries in the table. Type of Type of
- June 2018, Biology Paper 5 Higher, Q7(c)(i) (2 marks): The students have confidence in the information in the paper. Explain why. [2] The models of anaerobic and aerobic respiration from the paper are shown in the d
- June 2018, Biology Paper 5 Higher, Q7(c)(ii) (2 marks): Calculate the anaerobic:aerobic ratio of ATP produced by cellular respiration in yeast. anaerobic:aerobic ratio of ATP produced = : [2]
- June 2018, Biology Paper 5 Higher, Q7(c)(iii) (2 marks): Look at the diagram showing the models of respiration. Yeast will use anaerobic respiration even when oxygen is available. Which two statements, taken together,
- June 2018, Combined Science Paper 8 Higher, Q3(a) (1 mark): Fermentation of glucose with yeast can be represented by an equation. Balance the chemical equation for the reaction. glucose → ethanol + carbon dioxide C6H12O6
- June 2018, Combined Science Paper 8 Higher, Q3(b)(ii) (5 marks): Nina plots the graph in Fig. 3.1 to show the volume of ethanol produced over a period of time when yeast are added to glucose. 60 50 40 volume of ethanol 30 pro
- June 2018, Combined Science Paper 8 Higher, Q3(c)(i) (3 marks): What conclusions can be made from the graph in Fig. 3.2? Explain your answer. [3]
- June 2018, Combined Science Paper 8 Higher, Q3(c)(ii) (2 marks): Suggest how the optimum temperature could be estimated with more accuracy. [2]
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