12

Animal nutrition

CORE questions

Core 1

(a) Much of the food we eat has to be digested.

(i) Explain why food needs to be digested.

[2]

(ii) Describe the part played by chewing in the process of digestion.

[2]

(b) (i) Describe how food is moved along the oesophagus by peristalsis.

[3]

(ii) Students sometimes wrongly suggest that food falls down into the stomach
under the effect of gravity. Suggest one piece of evidence which would
oppose this idea.

[1]

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Core 1

(c) Fig. 1 shows the human digestive system.

Fig. 1

(i) Using the appropriate letter, label on Fig 1 where each of the following is
produced:

an amylase, (A);

hydrochloric acid, (B);

a lipase, (C);

a protease, (D).

[4]

(ii) State the nutrient on which protease enzymes act and name the products
that are formed.

Nutrient .............................................................................................................

Products ........................................................................................................ [2]

[Total : 14]

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Core 2

Table 1 shows information about the composition of a fruit.

Table 1

nutritional component amount in 100 g of fruit

energy 162 kJ
protein 0.6 g
sugars 8.7 g
fats trace
fibre 1.6 g
minerals trace
vitamins trace

(a) (i) The average daily amount of protein needed by humans is 66 g.

How many kilograms of this fruit would a person need to eat if this was the
only source of protein? Show your working.

Answer .......................................kg [3]

(ii) List the four main chemical elements from which protein is made.

1.

2.

3.

4. ............................................. [2]

(b) (i) Describe how you could safely test this fruit to see if it contains reducing
sugars.

[3]

(ii) State what you would observe if a reducing sugar is present.

[1]

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Core 2

(c) Fruit such as this is an important part of a healthy diet.

(i) Suggest one reason for eating food rich in fibre.

[1]

(ii) Name the vitamin which is associated with citrus fruits and green vegetables.
State the function of this vitamin in the body.

Vitamin ...........................................

Function ............................................................................................................

[2]

[Total: 12]

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Core 3

Fig. 2 shows part of the alimentary canal.

Fig. 2

(a) On Fig. 2 label each of the following structures:

(i) stomach;

(ii) liver;

(iii) pancreas.

[3]

(b) Describe the parts played by the liver and the pancreas in the digestion of fats.

Liver

Pancreas ...........................................................................................................

[4]

[Total:7]

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ALTERNATIVE TO PRACTICAL questions

Alternative to Practical 1

(a) (i) Describe how you would carry out a test to show the presence of fat in a
biscuit. What observation would indicate the presence of fat?

Test

Observation ......................................................................................................

[3]

(ii) Describe how you would use this test to compare the fat content of two
different types of biscuit.

.......... [2]

(b) Complete the equation below to summarise the process of fat digestion.

fat + water 

...................
(enzyme)
→ ..................... + ..................... [3]

[Total: 8]

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EXTENSION questions

Extension 1

Health workers in America were concerned about the diets of American people. In response a
report was published called `Dietary Goals'.

Fig. 3 compares an average 1977 diet with the report's recommended dietary goals.

Fig. 3

(a) (i) What recommendations were made about changes to the fat content of the
diet?

... [2]

(ii) Suggest why these changes were recommended.

[3]

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Extension 1

(b) Complex carbohydrates are long chain molecules.

Name a long chain carbohydrate present in

(i) plant tissue; ................................................

(ii) animal tissue. ................................................ [2]

(c) Suggest why a reduction in the sugar content of the diet was recommended.

........................................................................................................................................

........................................................................................................................................

.......... .......................................................................................................................... [2]

It was also recommended that people should reduce their salt intake to about 3 g a day.

(d) Suggest why a high salt intake can be dangerous to health.

[1]

Babies need a carefully controlled diet to keep them healthy. Mothers are often advised to
feed their babies with breast milk rather than with milk derived from cows (formula milk).

(e) State three advantages of feeding a baby with breast milk compared with formula
milk.

1. ...........................................................................................................................

2. ...........................................................................................................................

3. .......... ............................................................................................................. [3]

[Total: 13]

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Extension 2

(a) Describe the processes, beginning with nutrition, which result in the formation of
proteins in the leaves of a photosynthetic plant. [8]

(b) (i) Explain how amino acids in the small intestine of a mammal are assimilated
into muscle tissue. [3]

(ii) Outline the role of proteins in animals. [4]

[Total: 15]

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Animal nutrition – answers

Core 1

a(i) to change food into simple / small / soluble form / molecules

for absorption / diffusion(into intestine wall / villi) / carriage in blood

(ii) any two of these

make small enough to swallow
increase surface area of particles
mix with saliva / enzyme / amylase

b(i) any three of these

contraction of (circular) muscles behind food / bolus
relaxation of muscles in front
occurs rhythmically / in waves
food forced forward / along tube

(ii) any one of these

can swallow standing on head / hanging upside down
can swallow in space with no gravity
some mammals (standing on four legs) have horizontal oesophagus
some mammals can regurgitate food against gravity

c(i) A – label to salivary gland / mouth / pancreas

B – label to stomach
C – label to pancreas
D – label to stomach / pancreas / small intestine

(ii) protein / named protein

amino acids / polypeptides / peptides

Core 2

a(i) 66 / 0.6 = 110

110 x 100 g fruit = 11 (kg)

(ii) carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen

b(i) add to Benedict's solution / Fehling's reagent

heat
use of water bath / goggles / any other relevant safety practice

(ii) colour change to orange (accept yellow / brick red/ red-brown)

c(i) any one of these

aids peristalsis / movement of food along gut(or alternative wording)
prevents constipation(or alternative wording)
reduces fat absorption / risk of bowel cancer(or alternative wording)

(ii) any one of these

vitamin C
maintains healthy skin
wounds heal more rapidly
prevents scurvy
assists uptake of iron

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Core 3

a labels correctly placed

b any four of these

liver production of bile / bile salts
emulsifies fats / increases surface area (alternative wording)
neutralises stomach acid / raises pH

pancreas
secretes lipase / enzyme
digests / breaks down fats
to fatty acids and glycerol

Alternative to Practical 1

a(i) emulsion test – add ethanol / alcohol

pour into water

observation - cloudiness / white / milky / emulsion

(ii) equal quantities of biscuit / same conditions

one comparison described e.g. of cloudiness

b lipase / esterase
fatty acids and glycerol

Extension 1

a(i) one mark for reduction / one mark for stating figures from
reduce fat / saturated fat / unsaturated fat
reduce fat content from 42% to 30% or by a quarter (or alternative wording)
reduce saturated fat from 16% to 10 % or by a third or by 6%(or alternative
wording)
reduce unsaturated fat from 26% to 20% or by a fifth or by 6%(or alternative
wording)

(ii) any one from

reference to problems of obesity (resulting from too much fat in the diet)
reference to presence of cholesterol
in (some) saturated fats
can cause atherosclerosis / atheroma / blockage of arteries
reference to heart problems(or alternative wording)
reference to arthritis problems

b(i) starch / cellulose / hemicellulose / amylose / amylopectin / pectin / callose / insulin

Reject glycogen
glycogen / chitin
Reject glucagon

c(i) reference to dental decay(or alternative wording)

reference to problems with obesity(or alternative wording)
leading to heart disease / diabetes

d reference to high blood pressure / greater risk of heart attack (or alternative wording)

e any three of these

breast milk contains antibodies or greater protection from infection
breast milk contains foodstuffs in correct proportions (or alternative wording)

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bottle milk may contain bacteria or cause intestine disease (accept breast
milk is sterile)
financial implications of bottle milk
some babies are allergic to cow's milk
reference to correct temperature of breast milk
reference to convenience of breast milk or preparation involved with bottle
milk
no additives / preservatives in breast milk
reference to bonding through breast feeding
reference to triggering reduction in size of uterus

Extension 2

a(i) any eight of these

reference to absorption of nitrogen-containing salts by roots ( accept
reference to ions)
by diffusion / active transport
reference to nitrogen-fixing bacteria in root nodules
nitrogen salts transported in xylem
reference to photosynthesis
carbon dioxide is combined with / reacts with water
using energy from (sun)light
reference to chloroplasts / chlorophyll
sugars produced
nitrogen is combined with sugars to make amino acids / proteins

b(i) amino acids pass through ileum wall / epithelium or lining or wall of villus absorbed
into blood (stream)
transported to muscles in plasma
amino acids synthesized into proteins (or alternative wording)

(ii) any four of these

reference to growth / repair / formation of new cells
reference to hormones
reference to enzymes
constituent of cell membranes(or alternative wording)
reference to haemoglobin
reference to collagen
reference to keratin
reference to antibodies
reference to fibrinogen / fibrin

v1 4Y11 Cambridge IGCSE Biology – past paper questions and answers