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Edexcel IGCSE Biology (d) Movement of substances into & out of cells Question Bank

Practise diffusion, osmosis and active transport through cell examples, practical data, graphs and explanations of concentration gradients and ATP use.

Syllabus
First assessment 2019
Course
Biology 4BI1

Exam points

  • distinguish diffusion, osmosis and active transport in cell and tissue contexts
  • interpret mass, time or distance data from osmosis and diffusion investigations
  • explain transport changes using gradients, membranes, surface area, oxygen or ATP

(d) Movement of substances into and out of cells question 1

[Maximum number: 2]

Read the passage below. Use the information in the passage and your own knowledge to answer the questions that follow.

Rivers - the arteries of the world

Rivers are important supplies of water for drinking, farming, industry, and leisure activities. Like our circulatory system, rivers are essential for transport, and have a homeostatic effect on nature. The biodiversity in rivers is high as they are the habitat for many different species. In many countries rivers are under threat from human impact, particularly the release of untreated sewage.

Flooding can cause untreated sewage to run into rivers from pipelines. Scientists estimated that in England and Wales during 2022, sewage was released into rivers for a total time of 300000 hours. This sewage came from 1200 different pipelines. Untreated sewage may contain fertilisers, pesticides, pathogenic bacteria, and pharmaceutical drugs.

Figure for Question (d) Movement of substances into and out of cells question 1 — Edexcel IGCSE Biology

The photograph shows sewage being released into a river. The sewage causes the growth of something called 'sewage fungus'. Sewage fungus looks like fungus but is a solid collection of several types of anaerobic bacteria. Sewage fungus is common in rivers that are polluted with untreated sewage or are near to cattle and intensive crop farms. If sewage fungus is found in a river it often indicates that the biodiversity of the river will be low.

Pesticides from agriculture are also released into rivers, and these are frequently transferred through natural food chains. Even pharmaceutical drugs, such as those containing the hormones oestrogen and progesterone, have been found in polluted rivers. These drugs must have been consumed by humans, excreted and then released into the sewage flowing into rivers.

Untreated sewage can also contain pathogenic species of bacteria that then enter rivers. If humans are infected with these bacteria, the large intestine absorbs less water, causing diarrhoea. Some of the bacteria found in sewage are resistant to antibiotics.

Scientists are looking for ways to prevent river pollution. One way is to reduce the risk of pollution from fertilisers and from cattle urine and faeces. Woodchip bioreactors are being trialled in agricultural fields that are near to rivers. These bioreactors are pits filled with woodchips and denitrifying bacteria. Water drains through these bioreactors, which helps to remove nitrates before they reach the rivers. In some countries, efforts are being made to replant forests in areas upstream of rivers to reduce river flooding and the risk of untreated sewage release.

Pathogenic bacteria produce poisons that prevent the active transport of salt into the blood vessels surrounding the intestines.

Explain why preventing the transport of salt into the blood vessels will cause more water to be present in faeces (lines 22 to 24 ).

(d) Movement of substances into and out of cells question 2

[Maximum number: 4]

Read the passage below. Use the information in the passage and your own knowledge to answer the questions that follow.

Treating Kidney Disease

Chronic kidney disease affects approximately 12% of the world's population and many people are unable to obtain treatment. One method of treating chronic kidney disease is by dialysis. The diagram shows how kidney dialysis is done.

Figure for Question (d) Movement of substances into and out of cells question 2 — Edexcel IGCSE Biology

During dialysis, blood is taken from an artery in the arm and is pumped through a dialyser. In the dialyser, the blood passes through a long, coiled dialysis tube made of a thin partially permeable membrane. The tube is surrounded by dialysis fluid. The dialysis fluid contains glucose and ions at concentrations normally found in blood plasma, but does not contain urea. The urea passes from the blood into the dialysis fluid. The temperature in the dialyser is kept at 40C40^{\circ} \mathrm{C}. After passing through the dialyser, the blood is returned to a vein in the arm. Kidney dialysis can take up to three hours and must be done three times a week.

Scientists have now designed a new bioartificial kidney. This artificial kidney is a combination of engineering and living cells. This artificial kidney has a haemofilter made from artificial membranes that filter the blood. The substances filtered out of the blood then pass through a device called a bioreactor. This bioreactor absorbs useful substances back into the blood. The bioreactor is made of living nephron cells that are grown from stem cells. These cells are separated from the patient's blood by a silicon membrane to prevent the immune system rejecting them. Bioartificial kidneys are the same size as a human kidney and will be fitted inside the body to replace a kidney. The bioartificial kidney can react to changes in the body in the same way as a normal kidney.

Explain two ways that the dialyser is designed to increase the rate of removal of urea from the blood (Lines 5 to 11).

1

2

(d) Movement of substances into and out of cells question 3

[Maximum number: 5]

The image shows some cells from onion epidermis.

Figure for Question (d) Movement of substances into and out of cells question 3 — Edexcel IGCSE Biology

Question (a)

(a)

The images show samples of red onion epidermis cells before and after being placed into a 5\% sucrose solution for one hour.

Before

Before

After

After

[ 5 ]

Question (i)

(i)

Describe how to make 10 cm310 \mathrm{~cm}^{3} of a 5% sucrose solution from a 10% sucrose solution and pure water.

[ 2 ]

Question (ii)

(ii)

Explain the change in appearance of the onion cells shown in the images after being in the 5% sucrose solution for one hour.

[ 3 ]
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