9700/52 AS & A Level – Mark Scheme March 2023

PRE-STANDARDISATION

Biology 9700/52

Paper 52 Planning, Analysis and Evaluation February/March 2023

Maximum Mark: 30

PRE-STANDARDISATION MARK SCHEME

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9700/52 AS & A Level – Mark Scheme March 2023
PRE-STANDARDISATION
Cambridge Assessment International Education – Generic Marking Principles

These general marking principles must be applied by all examiners when marking candidate answers. They should be applied alongside the
specific content of the mark scheme or generic level descriptors for a question. Each question paper and mark scheme will also comply with these
marking principles.

GENERIC MARKING PRINCIPLE 1:

Marks must be awarded in line with:

● the specific content of the mark scheme or the generic level descriptors for the question
● the specific skills defined in the mark scheme or in the generic level descriptors for the question
● the standard of response required by a candidate as exemplified by the standardisation scripts.

GENERIC MARKING PRINCIPLE 2:

Marks awarded are always whole marks (not half marks, or other fractions).

GENERIC MARKING PRINCIPLE 3:

Marks must be awarded positively:

● marks are awarded for correct/valid answers, as defined in the mark scheme. However, credit is given for valid answers which go beyond the
scope of the syllabus and mark scheme, referring to your Team Leader as appropriate
● marks are awarded when candidates clearly demonstrate what they know and can do
● marks are not deducted for errors
● marks are not deducted for omissions
● answers should only be judged on the quality of spelling, punctuation and grammar when these features are specifically assessed by the
question as indicated by the mark scheme. The meaning, however, should be unambiguous.

GENERIC MARKING PRINCIPLE 4:

Rules must be applied consistently, e.g. in situations where candidates have not followed instructions or in the application of generic level
descriptors.

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GENERIC MARKING PRINCIPLE 5:

Marks should be awarded using the full range of marks defined in the mark scheme for the question (however; the use of the full mark range may
be limited according to the quality of the candidate responses seen).

GENERIC MARKING PRINCIPLE 6:

Marks awarded are based solely on the requirements as defined in the mark scheme. Marks should not be awarded with grade thresholds or grade
descriptors in mind.

Science-Specific Marking Principles

1 Examiners should consider the context and scientific use of any keywords when awarding marks. Although keywords may be present, marks
should not be awarded if the keywords are used incorrectly.

2 The examiner should not choose between contradictory statements given in the same question part, and credit should not be awarded for any
correct statement that is contradicted within the same question part. Wrong science that is irrelevant to the question should be ignored.

3 Although spellings do not have to be correct, spellings of syllabus terms must allow for clear and unambiguous separation from other syllabus
terms with which they may be confused (e.g. ethane/ethene, glucagon/glycogen, refraction/reflection).

4 The error carried forward (ecf) principle should be applied, where appropriate. If an incorrect answer is subsequently used in a scientifically
correct way, the candidate should be awarded these subsequent marking points. Further guidance will be included in the mark scheme where
necessary and any exceptions to this general principle will be noted.

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5 ‘List rule’ guidance (see examples below)

For questions that require n responses (e.g. State two reasons …):

● The response should be read as continuous prose, even when numbered answer spaces are provided.
● Any response marked ignore in the mark scheme should not count towards n.
● Incorrect responses should not be awarded credit but will still count towards n.
● Read the entire response to check for any responses that contradict those that would otherwise be credited. Credit should not be awarded
for any responses that are contradicted within the rest of the response. Where two responses contradict one another, this should be
treated as a single incorrect response.
● Non-contradictory responses after the first n responses may be ignored even if they include incorrect science.

6 Calculation specific guidance

Correct answers to calculations should be given full credit even if there is no working or incorrect working, unless the question states ‘show
your working’.

For questions in which the number of significant figures required is not stated, credit should be awarded for correct answers when rounded by
the examiner to the number of significant figures given in the mark scheme. This may not apply to measured values.

For answers given in standard form (e.g. a × 10n) in which the convention of restricting the value of the coefficient (a) to a value between 1 and
10 is not followed, credit may still be awarded if the answer can be converted to the answer given in the mark scheme.

Unless a separate mark is given for a unit, a missing or incorrect unit will normally mean that the final calculation mark is not awarded.
Exceptions to this general principle will be noted in the mark scheme.

7 Guidance for chemical equations

Multiples/fractions of coefficients used in chemical equations are acceptable unless stated otherwise in the mark scheme.
State symbols given in an equation should be ignored unless asked for in the question or stated otherwise in the mark scheme.

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PRE-STANDARDISATION

Examples of how to apply the list rule

State three reasons … [3]

A 1. Correct ✔

2. Correct ✔ 2

3. Wrong 🗶

B 1. Correct, Correct ✔, ✔

(4 responses) 2. Correct ✔ 3

3. Wrong ignore

C 1. Correct ✔

(4 responses) 2. Correct, Wrong ✔, 🗶 2

3. Correct ignore

D 1. Correct ✔

(4 responses) 2. Correct, CON (of 2.) 🗶, (discount 2) 2

3. Correct ✔

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E 1. Correct ✔

(4 responses) 2. Correct ✔ 3

3. Correct, Wrong ✔

F 1. Correct ✔

(4 responses) 2. Correct ✔
2
3. Correct 🗶
CON (of 3.) (discount 3)

G 1. Correct ✔

(5 responses) 2. Correct ✔
3
3. Correct ✔
Correct ignore
CON (of 4.) ignore

H 1. Correct ✔

(4 responses) 2. Correct 🗶
2
3. CON (of 2.) (discount 2)
Correct ✔

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PRE-STANDARDISATION

I 1. Correct ✔

(4 responses) 2. Correct 🗶
2
3. Correct ✔
CON (of 2.) (discount 2)

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Question Answer Marks Guidance

1(a)(i) any one from: 1M

ref. to correct, colour / wavelength, of light ; A stated wavelength of about 600 nm
A use coloured filter (should be, red / orange)
R blue filter
STM to discuss colours and wavelengths to accept
see mark scheme for 9700/52 Nov 2022

use (colorimeter tube) of distilled water / use a blank (colorimeter tube), A water / deionised water / distilled water
to zero colorimeter ; A use a blank, to set absorbance to 0

AVP ; A use clear sides of colorimeter tube to face light

A fill cuvette to arrow / mark

1(a)(ii) 3M ignore prompt lines when marking

A as a table showing volumes and concentrations
with units (cm3 and %)
if serial dilution, max 1 – mp 1

1 5 stated concentrations and units ; 1 from 2.0% downwards

can include 2.0% and 0.0%
A units mentioned once

2 (reasonably) evenly spaced ; 2 award in context of number of concentrations

i.e. not bunched and spread between 2.0%
and 0.0%

3 method for dilution shown for at least 2 intermediates ; 3 A e.g. ‘take e.g. 5 cm3 of glucose solution
and add water to make up to 20 cm3
do not accept anything for the diluent other
than (deionised / distilled / pure) water

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Question Answer Marks Guidance

1(a)(iii) correct axis labels and orientation ; 2P x-axis: glucose concentration

and
y-axis: absorbance
ignore units

appropriate shaped line ; negative correlation (absorbance decreases as

glucose concentration increases)
A curve or line
ECF from incorrect orientation of axes

1(b)(i) glucose concentration (of potato) ; 1P A absorbance(s)

1(b)(ii) any six from: 1P

5M
1 ref. to, same / stated, potatoes (used for investigation) ; 1 e.g. variety, growing conditions, harvesting
time
I same species of potato
2 ref. to, same / stated, storage conditions (of potatoes) ; 2 e.g. cold temperature, dark, dry / low humidity
+ STM to discuss sensible storage conditions to
3 additional stated storage condition (of potatoes) ; 3 accept
two marks for either:
same storage conditions and example of
stated storage condition
or
two stated storage conditions

4 ref. to appropriate range of storage times (of potatoes) ; 4 minimum 5 storage times
STM to discuss sensible storage times to acc
(weeks / months?)
5 ref. to, same / stated, volume of potato juice (for glucose assay) ; 5 volumes chosen must be sensible and fit into
test-tube
continued on next page

1(b)(ii) 6 at each storage time, measure / note / record, absorbance (of potato
continued juice used in glucose assay)
or

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PRE-STANDARDISATION

Question Answer Marks Guidance

at each storage time carry out glucose assay ;

7 use at least three measurements for each storage time and calculate 7 A use 3 different potatoes for each storage
a mean ; time / do 3 replicates using potato juice made
from 1 potato
STM to discuss
8 safety comment with hazard and precaution ; 8 e.g. Benedict’s reagent + irritant + gloves /
eye protection
hot water bath + burns / scalds + use
tongs / eye protection
potato + allergy + gloves
knife + injury + cut away from hand
R no risk
I low risk
9 AVP ; 9 e.g. carry out glucose assay in same way as
for standard glucose solutions
use standardised variables and same
colorimeter for all assays

1(c) any two from: 2C

1 as gamma radiation dose increases, volatile nitrogen compounds
decrease, significantly ;

2 idea that no change in percentage glucose, therefore decrease in

acrylamide, is not due to glucose / must be due to asparagine ;

3 idea that (decrease in volatile nitrogen compounds) indicates

decrease in asparagine so less acrylamide is made (in the Maillard
reaction) ;

1(d)(i) (–)61 (%) ; 2D apply rounding rule (science-specific marking

principle 6)
working ; I sign (positive or negative)
100 × (1768 – 4551) / 4551
or

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PRE-STANDARDISATION

Question Answer Marks Guidance

100 × 2783 / 4551

1(d)(ii) supports (max 2): 1D

1 idea that, gamma radiation and hot water treatment / treatment 2, 2E A throughout:
decreases the acrylamide concentration of potato blocks more than,
treatment 1 = gamma / γ radiation only
gamma radiation only / treatment 1 ;
treatment 2 = gamma / γ radiation and hot
2 idea that, 95% confidence intervals / 95% CI / error bars, (for
treatment 1 and treatment 2) do not overlap (at all doses of radiation) water
suggesting treatment with radiation and hot water is significantly potato chips for potato blocks
better than treatment with radiation alone ;

3 hot water treatment and, highest / 150 J kg–1, gamma radiation dose
gives lowest acrylamide concentration (of potato blocks) ;

does not support (max 2):

4 idea that hot water treatment alone decreases acrylamide
concentration (of potato blocks) ;
4 A hot water treatment alone = treatment 2 at
5 idea that, 95% confidence intervals / 95% CI / error bars, (for 0 J kg–1 gamma radiation dose
treatment 2 overlap at all gamma radiation doses) suggesting that
decrease in acrylamide due to hot water treatment and gamma
radiation is not significant (compared to hot water treatment alone) ;

6 idea that hot water treatment alone might be safer than γ-radiation ;

7 ref. to only one variety of potato investigated ;

8 AVP ; 8 A no statistical test carried out (since not

shown on question paper)

2(a)(i) distance from, GM rice plants 1P A distance pollen carried

and STM to consider whether ’GM’ must be included
direction from GM rice plants ;

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Question Answer Marks Guidance

2(a)(ii) apply herbicide to young plants ; 2M I analysis of, nucleic acids / DNA / mRNA /
microarrays / etc.
count the number of young plants that survive ; (young plants that survive contain the gene for
herbicide resistance)

2(a)(iii) any two from: 1D

1 as distance (from GM rice plants) increases, percentage gene flow 1C 1 STM to consider acceptability of reference to
decreases / pollen dispersal decreases ; ora negative correlation
A in context of NW or other areas combined
2 percentage gene flow / distance of pollen dispersal, is higher in
direction of (normal) wind / NW direction (than other directions) ;
ora

3 pollen cannot disperse further than 10 m / no gene flow at 10 m (or

further) ;

2(b)(i) 0.036 ; 1D apply rounding rule (science-specific marking

principle 6)
0.03625

2(b)(ii) any three from: 2D

1 critical value (for p = 0.05) = 2.145 1C 1 A indication of values on Table 2.2
or
critical value (for p = 0.01) = 2.977 ;

2 value for t / 9.043 / calculated value, is greater than critical value ;

3 null hypothesis is rejected ;

4 there is a significant difference (between percentage gene flow from 4 A there is less than a 5% probability that the
GM rice plants to weedy rice plants and percentage gene flow from difference is due to chance
weedy rice plants to GM rice plants) ; R correlation / relationship, instead of
difference
STM to consider if association instead of
difference is R or I

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Question Answer Marks Guidance

A there is no significant difference as ECF

from marking point 3

2(b)(iii) any one from: 1E

reasons to do with limitations of study:

investigation only carried out once ;
investigation only on, wind-pollinated crop / one crop species / (GM and
weedy) rice / one non-crop species ;
investigation only investigated, one / two, gene(s) ;
investigation in one geographical area only ;
investigation only in, experimental trials / without herbicide use ;
no assessment of significance of consequences ;
no long-term data / no data over several generations ;

reasons to do with results of study:

gene flow from GM plants to wild plants was shown to occur ;
even a low gene flow will transfer (herbicide-resistant) genes (from GM
plants) to, weeds/ wild plants ;
wild plants to which genes are transferred (from GM plants) may have
selective advantage ;

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