Exam practice

Exam questions

Write your answer. Then open the mark scheme and tick each point you made.

  1. Question 1 of 103 marks

    Air is breathed in through the nose. Describe the path it takes from the trachea to the place where gas exchange happens.

    Mark scheme
    • Along a bronchus (accept: the bronchi)
    • Then through the bronchioles
    • To the alveoli (accept: air sacs)

    The parts must be in the right order for full marks.

  2. Question 2 of 102 marks

    Give two ways in which alveoli are adapted for gas exchange.

    Mark scheme
    • Any one of: a very large surface area (there are millions of them); walls only one cell thick; a good blood supply (covered in capillaries)
    • A second, different one from the same list
  3. Question 3 of 102 marks

    Describe what the diaphragm and the muscles between the ribs do when you breathe in.

    Mark scheme
    • The diaphragm contracts (accept: flattens, or moves down)
    • The intercostal muscles contract and pull the ribs up and out
  4. Question 4 of 102 marks

    Explain why air moves into the lungs when the chest gets bigger.

    Mark scheme
    • The volume inside the chest increases, so the pressure inside falls
    • The pressure of the air outside is now higher, so air is pushed in (accept: air moves from higher pressure to lower pressure)
  5. Question 5 of 102 marks

    State the difference between breathing and respiration.

    Mark scheme
    • Breathing is the movement of air into and out of the lungs
    • Respiration is a chemical reaction in cells that releases energy
  6. Question 6 of 101 mark

    Ada and Cara each take the deepest breath they can, then breathe out as much air as they can. Ada breathes out 2.6 litres and Cara breathes out 3.4 litres. Calculate how much more air Cara breathes out.

    Mark scheme
    • 0.8 litres
  7. Question 7 of 102 marks

    A student’s breathing rate is 15 breaths per minute at rest and 40 breaths per minute straight after a run. Explain why the rate went up.

    Mark scheme
    • The muscle cells respire faster (accept: they need to release more energy)
    • So they need more oxygen (accept: there is more carbon dioxide to get rid of)
  8. Question 8 of 103 marks

    Describe what happens to the airways in an asthma attack, and explain how a reliever inhaler helps.

    Mark scheme
    • The muscles around the airways tighten (accept: contract)
    • The airways get narrower, so less air can get through (accept: the lining swells, or extra mucus is made)
    • The medicine from the inhaler relaxes the muscles, so the airways open up again
  9. Question 9 of 102 marks

    Name the substance in tobacco smoke that causes cancer, and the gas in tobacco smoke that reduces the amount of oxygen the blood can carry.

    Mark scheme
    • Tar
    • Carbon monoxide
  10. Question 10 of 102 marks

    State where most of the stomata on a leaf are found, and name one gas that passes through them.

    Mark scheme
    • On the underside (accept: the bottom) of the leaf
    • Carbon dioxide, oxygen or water vapour (any one)
These questions and their mark scheme (PDF)