CIE

A-Level Biology
Topic 13

Photosynthesis
Exam questions

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1.

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 [Total 9 marks]

2.

[Total 4 marks]

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3.

[Total 3 marks]

4.

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(a)

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(b) Table 2.1 shows the results of the experiment.

[Total 10 marks]

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5. Explain how the leaves of maize or sorghum are able to maximise carbon dioxide fixation at high
temperatures.
[Total 9 marks]

6. Fig. 1.1 is a diagram of a palisade cell from a dicotyledonous leaf.

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7.

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8.

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9. Scientists investigated the effects of temperature and light intensity on the rate of
photosynthesis in creeping azalea. They investigated the effect of temperature on the net rate
of photosynthesis at three different light intensities. They also investigated the effect of
temperature on the rate of respiration. The graph shows the results.

(a)     (i)      Name the factors that limited the rate of photosynthesis between X and Y.

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(1)

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 (ii)     Use information from the graph to explain your answer.

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(2)

(b)     Use information from the graph to find the gross rate of photosynthesis at 20°C and
medium light intensity.

Answer .....................................................
(1)

(c)     Creeping azalea is a plant which grows on mountains. Scientists predict that in the
area where this plant grows the mean summer temperature is likely to rise from 20
°C to 23 °C. It is also likely to become much cloudier. Describe and explain how these
changes are likely to affect the growth of creeping azalea.

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(3)
(Total 7 marks)

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10. (a)     Describe how NADP is reduced in the light-dependent reaction of photosynthesis.

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(2)

(b)     In an investigation of the light-independent reaction, the amounts of glycerate

Figure 1 shows the effect of reducing the carbon dioxide concentration on the
amounts of glycerate 3-phosphate and ribulose bisphosphate in photosynthesising
cells.

Figure 1

(i) Explain why there is twice the amount of glycerate 3-phosphate as ribulose
bisphosphate when the carbon dioxide concentration is high.

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 (ii) Explain the rise in the amount of ribulose bisphosphate after the carbon dioxide
concentration is reduced.

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(1)

(c)     Figure 2 shows the results of an experiment in which photosynthesising cells were
kept in the light and then in darkness.

Figure 2

(i)      In the experiment the cells were supplied with radioactively labelled CO . 14
2

Explain why the carbon dioxide used was radioactively labelled.

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 (ii)     Explain how lack of light caused the amount of radioactively labelled glycerate 3-
phosphate to rise.

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(2)

(iii)     Explain what caused the amount of radioactively labelled glucose to decrease
after the light was switched off.

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(1)
(Total 8 marks)

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