Head to www.savemyexams.

com for more awesome resources

2.4 Cell Membranes & Transport

Question Paper

Course AQA AS Biology

Section 2. Cell Structure
Topic 2.4 Cell Membranes & Transport
Difficulty Easy

Time Allowed 50
Score /41
Percentage /100

Page 1 of 13

© 2015-2024 Save My Exams, Ltd. · Revision Notes, Topic Questions, Past Papers
 Head to www.savemyexams.com for more awesome resources

Question 1a
State two functions of membranes in living cells.
[2 marks]

Page 2 of 13

© 2015-2024 Save My Exams, Ltd. · Revision Notes, Topic Questions, Past Papers
 Head to www.savemyexams.com for more awesome resources

Question 1b
Figure 1 shows the structure of a cell surface membrane.
Figure 1

Identify structures A-C in Figure 1.

[3 marks]

Page 3 of 13

© 2015-2024 Save My Exams, Ltd. · Revision Notes, Topic Questions, Past Papers
 Head to www.savemyexams.com for more awesome resources

Question 1c
Explain why structure A in Figure 1 forms in the aqueous (watery) environment of the cell
cytoplasm.
[2 marks]

Question 1d
The appearance of cell membranes means that they are sometimes described as having
a mosaic-like structure. This mosaic is often referred to as a ‘fluid mosaic’. Explain
why the mosaic of molecules that makes up cell membranes is referred to as a ‘fluid
mosaic’.
[1 mark]

Page 4 of 13

© 2015-2024 Save My Exams, Ltd. · Revision Notes, Topic Questions, Past Papers
 Head to www.savemyexams.com for more awesome resources

Question 2a
Figure 1 below shows a cell surface membrane and some molecules of a small, nonpolar
substance known as substance X.
Figure 1

Predict and explain what will happen to substance X in Figure 1.

[4 marks]

Page 5 of 13

© 2015-2024 Save My Exams, Ltd. · Revision Notes, Topic Questions, Past Papers
 Head to www.savemyexams.com for more awesome resources

Question 2b
Give a possible name for substance X.
[1 mark]

Question 2c
Substance Y is a large molecule and is not lipid-soluble. Describe how substance Y
would travel across a cell membrane from an area of high to low concentration.
[2 marks]

Question 2d
State and explain how an increase in temperature would affect the rate of movement of
substance Y across a cell membrane.
[2 marks]

Page 6 of 13

© 2015-2024 Save My Exams, Ltd. · Revision Notes, Topic Questions, Past Papers
 Head to www.savemyexams.com for more awesome resources

Question 3a
Figure 1 below shows a group of onion cells viewed under an optical microscope.
Figure 1

Explain the appearance of the cytoplasm that can be seen in Figure 1.

[3 marks]

Page 7 of 13

© 2015-2024 Save My Exams, Ltd. · Revision Notes, Topic Questions, Past Papers
 Head to www.savemyexams.com for more awesome resources

Question 3b
Predict the appearance of a herbaceous (non-woody) plant that contained cells looking
like those seen in Figure 1.
[1 mark]

Question 3c
A student took a cheek cell sample using a cotton swab and placed the cells into a test
tube containing pure water. Predict what would happen to the cheek cells in the test
tube.
[2 marks]

Question 3d
The onion cells from part a) were also placed into pure water, but the effect on these
cells were slightly different. State how the effect would be different and explain why.
[2 marks]

Page 8 of 13

© 2015-2024 Save My Exams, Ltd. · Revision Notes, Topic Questions, Past Papers
 Head to www.savemyexams.com for more awesome resources

Question 4a
Complete Table 1 by placing a tick ( ✔ ) in the appropriate boxes.
Table 1
Simple Facilitated Active
Osmosis
diffusion diffusion Transport
Movement of glucose from
high to low concentration
Movement down a
concentration gradient
Movement of water from high
water potential to low water
potential.
Movement of oxygen from the
plasma into a red blood cell
[2 marks]

Page 9 of 13

© 2015-2024 Save My Exams, Ltd. · Revision Notes, Topic Questions, Past Papers
 Head to www.savemyexams.com for more awesome resources

Question 4b
Figure 1 shows a molecule (X) that is about to be transported across a cell membrane.
Figure 1

Describe the events that would take place in order for molecule X in Figure 1 to
move from the exterior of the cell into the cytoplasm.
[3 marks]

Page 10 of 13

© 2015-2024 Save My Exams, Ltd. · Revision Notes, Topic Questions, Past Papers
 Head to www.savemyexams.com for more awesome resources

Question 4c
Figure 2 below shows the absorption of certain nutrients from the lumen of the
small intestine into the blood.
Figure 2

Name the membrane transport processes taking place at A and B in Figure 2.

[2 marks]

Question 4d
State the purpose of the process taking place at the position labelled C in Figure 2.
[1 mark]

Page 11 of 13

© 2015-2024 Save My Exams, Ltd. · Revision Notes, Topic Questions, Past Papers
 Head to www.savemyexams.com for more awesome resources

Question 5a
A student wanted to investigate the effect of temperature on cell membrane
permeability.
They decided to carry out the experiment described in Figure 1 below.
Figure 1
1. Cut five cubes or cores of beetroot to the same size.
2. Rinse the beetroot cubes/cores.
3. Place the beetroot pieces into five test tubes, each containing the same volume of
water.
4. Put each test tube into a water bath at a different temperature (10°C, 20°C, 30°C,
40°C and 50°C).
5. Leave the test tubes in the water bath for 30 minutes.
6. Remove samples of liquid from each of the five test tubes and transfer to cuvettes.
7. Use a colorimeter to measure the absorbance for each of the five liquid samples.

Explain why beetroot is ideal for this experiment.

[2 marks]

Question 5b
Explain two control variables that have been included in the method in Figure 1.
[2 marks]

Page 12 of 13

© 2015-2024 Save My Exams, Ltd. · Revision Notes, Topic Questions, Past Papers
 Head to www.savemyexams.com for more awesome resources

Question 5c
Table 1 below shows some of the student’s results.
Table 1
Temperature (°C) Absorbance
10 0.15
20 0.19
30 0.21
40 0.22
50 0.27

Calculate the percentage increase in absorbance between 10°C and 50°C.

[2 marks]

Question 5d
Explain the relationship between temperature and absorbance shown in Table 1.
[2 marks]

Page 13 of 13

© 2015-2024 Save My Exams, Ltd. · Revision Notes, Topic Questions, Past Papers