Cambridge International AS & A Level
2: Cells as the basic units of life – Topic questions
The questions in this document have been compiled from past papers, as indicated in the table below.
Use these questions to formatively assess your learners’ understanding of this topic.
Question Year Series Paper number
1 2017 May/June 21
3(c)(d) 2017 May/June 22
6 2016 May/June 21
The mark scheme for each question is provided at the end of the document.
You can find the complete question papers and the complete mark schemes (with additional notes where
available) on the School Support Hub at [Link]/support
2: Cells as the basic units of life 1 Copyright (c) UCLES 2018
Answer all the questions.
1 (a) Each of the statements A to D describes a structure found in eukaryotic cells.
Identify the structure that is described in each statement.
A An organelle that contains 70S ribosomes.
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B A thread-like structure composed of DNA and histone proteins.
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C The organelle that modifies and packages proteins for secretion.
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D The structure that synthesises rRNA and combines it with proteins.
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[4]
(b) Prokaryotes and plant cells have cell walls.
Outline the composition of the cell wall of a prokaryote and the composition of the cell wall of
a plant cell to show how they differ.
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...............................................................................................................................................[2]
[Total: 6]
2: Cells as the basic units of life 2 Copyright (c) UCLES 2018
3 Malaria is a disease caused by the protoctist, Plasmodium. The organism has a very complex life
Fig. 3.1 is a transmission electron micrograph showing the developing Plasmodium cells inside a
protective structure known as an oocyst. In this stage of the life cycle the oocysts are found in the
mosquito gut. When mature, the Plasmodium cells are released and travel to the salivary glands
of the mosquito.
20 μm
Fig. 3.1
(c) The magnification used in Fig. 3.1 can also be obtained using a light microscope.
Suggest why an electron microscope was used to obtain this image instead of a light
microscope.
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...............................................................................................................................................[2]
(d) Use the scale bar to calculate the magnification of the image shown in Fig. 3.1.
Write down the formula and use it to make your calculation. Show your working.
formula
magnification × ...........................................................[3]
[Total: 5]
2: Cells as the basic units of life 3 Copyright (c) UCLES 2018
13
6 Fig. 6.1 shows an incomplete diagram of the fluid mosaic model of membrane structure. The
diagram shows the cell surface membrane of a eukaryotic cell.
Fig. 6.1
(a) State what is meant by the term fluid mosaic.
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...............................................................................................................................................[2]
(b) State the thickness of a cell surface membrane.
...............................................................................................................................................[1]
(c) List four features of cell surface membranes of eukaryotic cells that are not visible in Fig. 6.1.
1 ................................................................................................................................................
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2 ................................................................................................................................................
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3 ................................................................................................................................................
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4 ................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................[4]
[Total: 7]
2: Cells as the basic units of life 4 Copyright (c) UCLES 2018
Mark scheme abbreviations
; separates marking points
/ alternative answers for the same point
A accept (for answers correctly cued by the question, or by extra guidance)
R reject
AW alternative wording (where responses vary more than usual)
underline actual word given must be used by candidate (grammatical variants accepted)
max indicates the maximum number of marks that can be given
ora or reverse argument
mp marking point (with relevant number)
ecf error carried forward
I ignore
AVP alternative valid point
Question Answers Marks
1(a) A chloroplast / mitochondrion ; 4
B chromosome(s) / chromatid / chromatin ;
C Golgi (body / apparatus / complex) ;
D nucleolus ;
1(b) max 1 if only written about prokaryote wall or only about plant wall max 2
1 prokaryote cell wall has, peptidoglycan / murein ;
2 plant cell wall has, cellulose / polymer of β glucose ; I lignin
3 AVP ; e.g.
prokaryote wall is made of chains crossed linked by, peptides / amino acids
hydrogen bonds between cellulose molecules (within microfibrils) in plant cell wall A cellulose chains
other components such as pectins / hemicelluloses in plant cell walls
Total: 6
2: Cells as the basic units of life 5 Copyright (c) UCLES 2018
Question Answer Marks
3(c) max 2
3(d) image / scale bar (length) 3
(magnification =) ; A triangle / letters only
actual / object (length)
(x) 500 ; using 10 mm as measured length A calculated values for measured length of 9 mm or 11 mm
allow one mark if correct answer given with units
allow one mark if incorrect answer and
correct measurement and correct working
correct measurement and formula but incorrect conversion
measurement ±2 mm and correct working
2: Cells as the basic units of life 6 Copyright (c) UCLES 2018
Question Answers Marks
6(a) fluid 2
phospholipids (and proteins), move / AW ;
mosaic
proteins / glycoproteins, scattered / AW (in the phospholipid bilayer) ;
A different types of proteins
I pattern unqualified
6(b) 7 nm ; A any size or range within 6 nm and 10 nm 1
A 7 nanometres
6(c) cholesterol ; Max 4
unsaturated fatty acids ; A phospholipid tails
carbohydrate chains added to protein(s) / glycoproteins ;
A oligosaccharides for carbohydrate chains
carbohydrate chains added to lipids / glycolipids ;
glycocalyx ;
channel protein(s) / AW ; A aquaporin(s) ;
carrier proteins / AW ;
peripheral / extrinsic, proteins ;
attachment to, cytoskeleton / microfilaments ;
receptor(s) ;
antigen(s) ;
AVP ;
Total: 7
2: Cells as the basic units of life 7 Copyright (c) UCLES 2018