Q1.Figure 1 shows a reflex in the iris of the human eye in response to changes in light levels.
Figure 1
@ Gandee Vasan/Stone/Getty Images
(a) Describe the changes in the pupil and iris going from A to B in Figure 1.
Explain how these changes occur.
Refer to the changes in light level in your answer.
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(4)
(b) Some people wear glasses to improve their vision.
Figure 2 shows light entering the eye in a person with blurred vision.
Figure 3 shows how this condition is corrected with glasses.
Figure 2 Figure 3
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Compare Figure 2 and Figure 3.
Explain how the blurred vision is corrected.
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(2)
(Total 6 marks)
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Q2.Humans maintain an almost constant body temperature.
(a) Describe the role of blood vessels in the control of body temperature.
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(4)
(b) An athlete can run a marathon in 2 hours 15 minutes on a dry day in outside
temperatures up to 35 °C.
If the air is dry, his body will not overheat.
In humid conditions the same athlete can run the marathon in the same time.
However, in humid conditions, if the outside temperature goes over 18 °C then his
body will overheat.
Suggest an explanation for the athlete overheating in humid conditions.
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(3)
(Total 7 marks)
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Q3.Diagram 1 shows cells from the light-sensitive layer in the eye.
Diagram 1
(a) On Diagram 1, add labels to name part A and part B of the light-sensitive cell.
(2)
(b) There is a junction between the connecting neurone and the neurone carrying the
impulse to the brain.
(i) What name is given to the junction?
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(1)
(ii) In what form is information passed across the junction?
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(1)
(c) Diagram 2 shows a bee flying towards a man’s eye.
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In the blink reflex , light from the bee reaches the light-sensitive cell in the eye.
The muscles in the eyelid shut the man’s eye before the bee hits the eye.
Describe the pathway taken by the nerve impulse in the blink reflex.
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(4)
(Total 8 marks)
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Q4.The diagram shows the structures involved in the knee-jerk reflex. When the person is hit at
point P, the lower leg is suddenly raised.
(a) Name the structures labelled A, B and C.
A ....................................................................................................................
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C ....................................................................................................................
(3)
(b) How is information passed across a synapse?
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(c) What is the effector in this response?
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(1)
(Total 5 marks)
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Q5.The diagram below shows how a nerve impulse passing along a relay neurone causes an
impulse to be sent along another type of neurone, neurone X.
(a) What type of neurone is neurone X?
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(1)
(b) Describe how information passes from the relay neurone to neurone X.
Use the diagram to help you.
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(3)
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(c) Scientists investigated the effect of two toxins on the way in which information
passes across synapses. The table below shows the results.
Toxin Effect at the synapse
Decreases the effect of the chemical
Curare
on neurone X
Increases the amount of the
Strychnine
chemical made in the relay neurone
Describe the effect of each of the toxins on the response by muscles.
Curare ............................................................................................................
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Strychnine ......................................................................................................
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(2)
(Total 6 marks)
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Q6.The graph shows the core body temperature and the skin surface temperature of a cyclist
before, during and after a race.
Start
of race
(a) (i) When the cyclist finished the race, his core body temperature started to
decrease.
How long did the race last?
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(1)
(ii) Describe and explain the different patterns shown in the core body
temperature and skin surface temperature between 09.15 and 10.15.
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(iii) After 10.30, the core body temperature decreased.
Explain how changes in the blood vessels supplying the skin caused the skin
surface temperature to increase.
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(2)
(b) During the race, the cyclist’s blood glucose concentration began to decrease.
Describe how the body responds when the blood glucose concentration begins to
decrease.
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(3)
(Total 12 marks)
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Q7.Two students investigated reflex action times.
This is the method used.
1. Student A sits with her elbow resting on the edge of a table.
2. Student B holds a ruler with the bottom of the ruler level with the thumb of Student
A.
3. Student B drops the ruler.
4. Student A catches the ruler and records the distance, as shown in the diagram
below.
5. Steps 1 to 4 were then repeated.
(a) Suggest two ways the students could improve the method to make sure the test
would give valid results.
1 .....................................................................................................................
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2 .....................................................................................................................
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(2)
(b) The table below shows Student A’s results.
Distance ruler
Test Number
dropped in mm
1 117
2 120
3 115
4 106
5 123
6 125
7 106
What is the median result?
Tick one box.
106
115
116
117
123
(1)
(c) The mean distance the ruler was dropped is 116 mm.
Calculate the mean reaction time.
Use the equation:
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reaction time in s =
Give your answer to 3 significant figures
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Mean reaction time = ............................................ s
(3)
(d) The students then measured Student A’s reaction time using a computer program.
This is the method used.
1. The computer shows a red box at the start.
2. As soon as the box turns green the student has to press a key on the
keyboard as fast as possible.
3. The test is repeated five times and a mean reaction time is displayed.
Student A’s mean reaction time was 110 ms.
Using a computer program to measure reaction times is likely to be more valid than
the method using a dropped ruler.
Give two reasons why.
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(2)
(e) A woman has a head injury.
Her symptoms include:
• finding it difficult to name familiar objects
• not being able to remember recent events.
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Suggest which part of her brain has been damaged.
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(1)
(f) A man has a head injury.
He staggers and sways as he walks.
Suggest which part of his brain has been damaged.
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(1)
(Total 10 marks)
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