(2) cell A - thicker inner wall and thinner wall / kidney-shaped ------------------------------------1
cell B - long cellular extension / nerve fibre / branched endings ------------------------------1
(iii) Many candidates could give a clear and accurate account of the changes in cells C and D
using the concept of water potential. This shows that water potential is a useful concept in
understanding and explaining osmosis in living cells.
(ii) This part was well answered, showing that the candidates were familiar with the mechanism
of breathing movements.
(iii) Some candidates did not express the rate of breathing as number of breaths per unit time.
(iv) Many candidates failed to provide a useful reference to indicate that the curve sketched
shows an increase in rate and depth of breathing during exercise in comparison with those
at rest.
(ii) since the purple and yellow grains occur in a 3:1 ratio -------------------------------------------------1
both parents must be heterozygous -------------------------------------------------------------------------1
purple grain colour is the dominant character ------------------------------------------------------------1
therefore the phenotype of both parents must be purple grain colour -----------------------------1
(ii) pH 2 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------1
(iii) - incubate the tubes at a higher temperature but not exceeding 40°C )
3
- cut the 1 cm cube into smaller cubes / using smaller cubes of egg white ) any TWO---1,1
- using a more concentrated enzyme solution / using more enzyme )
(vi) replace the enzyme solution with boiled enzyme solution / distilled water-------------------------1
and repeat the whole experiment ----------------------------------------------------------------------------1
Total : 9 Marks
2. (a) (iii) Many candidates could apply their knowledge on enzyme activity in answering this question.
(iv) This question assesses candidates’ ability in experimental design. The performance on this
question was not satisfactory. A common mistake is to use the Biuret test to check the
disappearance of the egg white cube rather than the presence of digested proteins in the
solution.
(vi) Most candidates were able to point out that a control can be set up by replacing the enzyme
solution with boiled enzyme solution or distilled water. However, many failed to realise that,
for this particular experiment, a control should be set up for each of the given pH values.
(ii) (1)
3
1
growth in length mainly takes place in the region
of elongation (starting from region 2 or region 3) -------------------------------------------------1
radicle bends downwards -------------------------------------------------------------------------------1
(2) enable the roots to grow deeper into the soil ------------------------------------------------------1
for better anchorage --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------1
to ensure the root to absorb enough water / mineral nutrients
(dissolved mineral salts) / to reach a new source of
water (dissolved mineral salts) ------------------------------------------------------------------------1
(iii) the radicle grows in length but does not bend ------------------------------------------------------------1
(N.B. diagram acceptable)
because no gravity acting on it -------------------------------------------------------------------------------1
Total : 9 Marks
2. (b) (ii) (1) Many failed to show in their diagrams that bending of the radicle takes place at the
region of elongation.
(iii) Many candidates could give a reasonable prediction on the possible changes on the radicle
in a space shuttle. Some candidates, however, considered wrongly that *no geotropism* had
the same meaning as "no gravity".
(ii) (2) Many candidates failed to provide a complete explanation for this question. They
missed some points although they seemed to understand the mechanisms involved. A
common misconception is that protein can pass into the Bowman’s capsule and be
reabsorbed later. Some candidates failed to point out that the increase in urea
concentration is due to the reabsorption of a large amount of water.
(ii) Many candidates answered wrongly that the toadstool carries out asexual reproduction
while the fruit tree carries out sexual reproduction. They did not realise that both the
toadstool and the fruit tree, like most plants, can carry out both asexual and sexual
reproduction.
(iii) Many candidates failed to examine the food web diagram carefully and made mistakes in
the identification of carnivores and omnivores.
(iii) This part is quite demanding in that it requires the candidates to organise their ecological
concepts in order to give a clear and accurate account of the concentration effect of DDT
along the food chain. Many candidates, for example, did not state the correct feeding
relationship of the food chain. The performance on this part was rather unsatisfactory.
(iv) Many candidates could relate the greater demand for iron by women to the loss of blood
during menstruation. However, some failed to pinpoint that iron is required for the formation
of red blood cells or haemoglobin.
8.0
leaf
(ii) (1) (10.2 ± 0.2) × 10 mg
= 102 ± 2 mg--------------------------------1
6.0
(N.B. No unit, no mark)
(2) [ (10.2 ± 0.2) + 1.0] × 10 mg ------------1
4.0 = 112 ± 2 mg---------------------------------1
(N.B. No unit, no mark)
Net release of CO2 Net uptake of CO2
stem
2.0
(mg/cm2/h2)
0 2 4 10
6 8
-2.0
Light intensity (arbitrary units)
(2) - more choloplast (per unit area) / closely packed palisade cells )
- more stomata / numerous air space ) any TWO -------1,1
- thin / flat )
Total : 11 Marks
4. (a) (i) Graph plotting was satisfactory in general but some candidates failed to label the axes with
correct units. Some candidates plotted the data on wrong axes while a small number of
candidates plotted their graphs on the answer book instead of on graph paper.
(ii) This part was poorly answered as many candidates gave the net carbon dioxide uptake by a
leaf of 1 cm2 area. They failed to read the question carefully which states that the leaf has
an area of 10 cm2. For the second Part of this question, many failed to consider the effect of
respiration when calculating the net carbon dioxide uptake by the leaf.
(iii) (2) Some candidates failed to compare the leaf with the stem and did not stress the point
that the leaf contains more chloroplasts and stomata than the stem.
no year report
(ii) (1) the fusion / union of male and female gametes ---------------------------------------------------1
(2) B ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------1
(iii) (1) the egg and the sperms cannot reach each other ------------------------------------------------1
(ii) The question demands clarity of thought as it involves the comparison of conditions in four
different set ups.
(ii) because the pin (stimulus) is not applied directly onto a touch receptor / nerve ending ------1
(or other reasonable answers)
(iii) change in quality of food (smell, taste, texture, appearance, etc.) ----------------------------------1
danger of food poisoning / harmful to the body ----------------------------------------------------------1
Total : 8 Marks
5. (c) For part (iii), however, while many candidates stated the effect of bacteria in causing diseases,
very few pointed out the effect of microorganisms on the quality of food.