Cambridge International AS & A Level
4: Transport and gas exchange – 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
5 2017 May/June 21
1 2017 May/June 23
4 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
4: Transport and gas exchange – Topic questions Copyright (c) UCLES 2018
10
5 Sugar molecules enter cells through transport proteins.
(a) Explain why transport proteins are required for the movement of sugar molecules, such as
glucose and fructose, into cells.
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Some plant cells convert fructose and glucose into sucrose for transport from sources to sinks.
Sucrose is moved into phloem sieve tubes as shown in Fig. 5.1.
H+ +
Y
H+ H+ H X
+
H H+ H+
cell surface membrane
of companion cell
ATP ATP + Pi
H+ H+
cell wall
mesophyll
cell
companion
cell
sieve tube element
Fig. 5.1 not to scale
4: Transport and gas exchange – Topic questions 2 Copyright (c) UCLES 2018
11
(b) Use the information in Fig. 5.1 to explain how sucrose:
• moves into the companion cell
• moves from the companion cell into the sieve tube element.
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(c) Sucrose travels in phloem sieve tubes to sinks.
State two examples of sinks.
1 ................................................................................................................................................
2 ............................................................................................................................................[1]
[Total: 8]
4: Transport and gas exchange – Topic questions 3 Copyright (c) UCLES 2018
Answer all the questions.
1 Mammals have a closed double circulation system.
(a) Explain what is meant by a closed double circulation.
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(b) Table 1.1 shows some structures in the mammalian circulatory system.
Complete Table 1.1 to show the sequence of structures through which blood flows, starting
with the pulmonary vein.
Use the numbers 2 to 5 to indicate the correct sequence.
Table 1.1
structure sequence of blood flow
left ventricle
vena cava
pulmonary vein 1
aorta
right atrium
[2]
4: Transport and gas exchange – Topic questions 4 Copyright (c) UCLES 2018
3
(c) (i) Explain why arteries have thicker walls than veins.
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(ii) Smoking causes carbon monoxide and nicotine to enter the blood.
Describe the short-term effects of each of these substances on the cardiovascular
system.
carbon monoxide
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nicotine
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[Total: 10]
4: Transport and gas exchange – Topic questions 5 Copyright (c) UCLES 2018
7
4 (a) Transpiration is often described as ‘an inevitable consequence of gas exchange in leaves’.
Explain what is meant by this description.
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(b) Explain how hydrogen bonding is involved in the movement of water in the xylem.
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Southern beech trees of the genus Nothofagus grow in forests in the South Island of New Zealand.
Fig. 4.1 shows a small part of a forest.
Most of the trees in the forests form a thick canopy of leaves. These are known as canopy trees.
The tallest trees are known as emergent trees. Some trees do not reach the canopy and are
known as suppressed trees.
canopy
trees
emergent tree
suppressed
tree
Fig. 4.1
[Turn over
4: Transport and gas exchange – Topic questions 6 Copyright (c) UCLES 2018
Researchers determined the rates of transpiration of emergent, canopy and suppressed trees in
a forest over a 14 hour period from 06.00 until 20.00 on one day in the summer. The results are
shown in Fig. 4.2A. They also recorded changes in light intensity above the canopy over the same
time period as shown in Fig. 4.2B.
10
9 $
8 Key
emergent trees
7
canopy trees
suppressed trees
mean 6
transpiration
rate per tree 5
/ kg h–1
4
2
1
0
06.00 08.00 10.00 12.00 14.00 16.00 18.00 20.00
time of day
2.0
1.5
light intensity
/ arbitrary units 1.0
0.5
0.0
06.00 08.00 10.00 12.00 14.00 16.00 18.00 20.00
time of day
Fig. 4.2
4: Transport and gas exchange – Topic questions 7 Copyright (c) UCLES 2018
9
(c) Use Fig. 4.2A to compare the transpiration rates of the emergent, canopy and
suppressed trees in the forest over 14 hours.
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(d) The factors that affect transpiration rate vary considerably at different places inside forests.
Use the information in Fig. 4.1 and Fig. 4.2 to suggest reasons for the difference in the
transpiration rates of the emergent and suppressed trees.
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[Total: 14]
4: Transport and gas exchange – Topic questions 8 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
5(a) sugar (molecules) / glucose / fructose, is polar / is water soluble / not lipid soluble / hydrophilic ; 2
cannot pass through, (phospho)lipid bilayer / hydrophobic core / fatty acid ‘tails’ / hydrocarbon ‘tails’ ; A non-polar regions
5(b) accept H+ for proton throughout max 5
1 (at Y) protons, pumped out (of companion cell) / moved out by active transport / move out through proton pump ;
A protons are moved out against concentration gradient
2 creates a, proton gradient / electrochemical gradient ;
3 protons go into the, cell wall / apoplast ; R mesophyll cell
4 (at X) protons enter cell by facilitated diffusion ;
5 (X is) cotransporter / cotransport protein ;
6 sucrose transported into (companion) cell together with protons ;
7 (sucrose enters) against concentration gradient ;
8 sucrose concentration, increases / maintained, in companion cell ;
9 sucrose diffuses into sieve tube (element) ;
10 through plasmodesmata ;
11 AVP ; e.g. ref. to, secondary / indirect, active transport
4: Transport and gas exchange – Topic questions 9 Copyright (c) UCLES 2018
Question Answers Marks
5(c) look for names of plant organs other than leaves, ignore names such as potato, iris, onions max 1
R leaves unqualified
any two for max 1
root / root tip
stem / stem tip / shoot / shoot tip
tubers
bulbs
corms
rhizomes
buds
flowers
fruits
seeds
young / maturing / developing / infected, leaves
AVP
Total: 8
4: Transport and gas exchange – Topic questions 10 Copyright (c) UCLES 2018
Question Answer Marks
1(a) blood contained in (blood) vessels AW 2
or
blood contained in any three of
heart, arteries, veins, capillaries ;
systemic and pulmonary, systems / circulation ;
A described if circulations not named
e.g. for each complete circuit (round the body) blood passes through heart twice
blood transported from heart to lungs and back, then to (rest of) body and back
1(b) 2
1st and 5th boxes (2 and 5) correct ;
2nd and 4th boxes (4 and 3) correct ;
1(c)(i) assume answer refers to arteries unless stated otherwise max 2
withstand / AW, higher pressure (of blood) ;
prevent rupturing / bursting (from high blood pressure) ; I collapsing
one from
thicker / AW, tunica media ;
more elastic, tissue / fibres, and (smooth) muscle tissue ;
more / AW, elastic, tissue / fibres, to maintain, blood pressure / blood flow ;
more (smooth) muscle to maintain, blood pressure / blood flow ;
Total: 6
4: Transport and gas exchange – Topic questions 11 Copyright (c) UCLES 2018
Question Answers Marks
4(a) transpiration is an inevitable consequence because 3
1 stomata open ;
2 for diffusion in of carbon dioxide / carbon dioxide required for photosynthesis ;
3 water vapour, diffuses out / moves out down the water potential gradient ;
A description of water potential gradient / high to low water potential
A vapour pressure gradient / water vapour gradient
allow water vapour if it is clear that evaporation has occurred
A water evaporates and diffuses out
R water evaporates out
I water (vapour) concentration gradient
4(b) 1 adhesion of water to, cellulose / lining / walls (of xylem vessels) ; max 3
A adhesive force
2 ref to, hydrophilic / polar, property of cellulose (fibres) ;
A hydrophilic / polar, parts of lignin
3 cohesion between water molecules ; cohesive force
4 maintains column of water / prevents water column breaking / AW ;
5 ref. to transpiration pull / AW ; I transpiration unqualified
4(c) mp3 – units for rates of transpiration must appear once correctly in the whole answer to award this point max 4
1 rate (of transpiration) of all trees is 0 at, 06.00 / start ; A no transpiration
2 rates (of transpiration) increase and decrease (in all three) ; A peaks
3 highest rates:
emergent trees at 14.30 at 8.5 kg h–1
canopy trees at 14.30 at 3.5 kg h–1
suppressed trees at 13.00 at 1.6–1.7 kg h–1 ;
must have units at least once
accept kg / h or kg per hour
4 emergent trees (always) have highest rate or suppressed trees have lowest rate;
A emergent trees have higher rate than, canopy and suppressed, trees
5 rate of emergent trees is, much / AW, higher than rates for canopy and
suppressed trees ;
6 emergent trees have, steeper / steepest, increase in (transpiration) rate ;
A emergent trees have, steeper / steepest, decrease in (transpiration) rate
4: Transport and gas exchange – Topic questions 12 Copyright (c) UCLES 2018
Question Answers Marks
4(d) following factors may be given in answers, any three of these factors = 1 mark max 4
light, intensity / wavelength I ‘more light’
humidity
temperature
wind speed / air movement
size of tree / height / area of leaves
water availability / depth or length of roots
transpiration rate for emergent trees is higher because … accept ora for suppressed trees
accept vapour pressure gradient / water vapour pressure gradient / water vapour diffusion gradient for water
potential gradient
1 high(er) light intensity for emergent trees increase in stomatal aperture ; ora
A more sunlight
A stomata open more
I more stomata open
2 lower humidity for emergent trees so steeper water potential gradient ; ora
A description of water potential gradient
3 higher temperature / AW, for emergent trees so higher rate of, evaporation /
diffusion ; ora
4 higher wind speed for emergent trees so, steeper water potential gradient / lower
humidity ; ora
A ref. to diffusion shells / descriptions of water potential gradient
5 emergent trees have longer roots so take up more water ;
6 emergent trees have more leaves so, greater surface area / more stomata per unit area (of leaf)
Total: 14
4: Transport and gas exchange – Topic questions 13 Copyright (c) UCLES 2018