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GCSE
BIOLOGY
Foundation Tier Paper 2F
F
Friday 9 June 2023 Afternoon Time allowed: 1 hour 45 minutes
Materials
For Examiner’s Use
For this paper you must have:
• a ruler Question Mark
• a scientific calculator.
1

Instructions 2
• Use black ink or black ball-point pen. 3
• Pencil should only be used for drawing. 4
• Fill in the boxes at the top of this page.
5
• Answer all questions in the spaces provided.
• If you need extra space for your answer(s), use the lined pages at the end of 6
this book. Write the question number against your answer(s). 7
• Do all rough work in this book. Cross through any work you do not want
8
to be marked.
• In all calculations, show clearly how you work out your answer. 9

TOTAL
Information
• The maximum mark for this paper is 100.
• The marks for questions are shown in brackets.
• You are expected to use a calculator where appropriate.
• You are reminded of the need for good English and clear presentation
in your answers.

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Answer all questions in the spaces provided. box

0 1 Hormones are important for controlling many processes in the human body.

Hormones are produced by glands.

0 1 . 1 Which organ system has glands that produce hormones?

[1 mark]
Tick () one box.

The circulatory system

The endocrine system

The nervous system

0 1 . 2 How are hormones transported around the body?

[1 mark]
Tick () one box.

By the blood

By the muscles

By the nerves

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Figure 1 shows glands in a woman’s body. box

Figure 1

0 1 . 3 Draw one line from each gland to the name of that gland.
[3 marks]

Gland Name

Adrenal
A
Pituitary
B
Testes
C
Thyroid

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0 1 . 4 Which gland in Figure 1 produces insulin? box

[1 mark]
Tick () one box.

A B C D

0 1 . 5 Which organ does insulin mainly affect?

[1 mark]
Tick () one box.

The brain

The liver

The ovary

0 1 . 6 Give one effect of insulin.

[1 mark]

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Some hormones control a woman’s menstrual cycle. box

0 1 . 7 Which hormone causes an egg to mature in the ovary?

[1 mark]
Tick () one box.

Adrenaline

Follicle stimulating hormone (FSH)

Testosterone

0 1 . 8 Which two are hormones that help to maintain the lining of the uterus
during pregnancy?
[2 marks]
Tick () two boxes.

Amylase

Oestrogen

Progesterone

Protease

Thyroxine

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0 1 . 9 Contraception prevents pregnancy. box

Give two methods of contraception that use hormones.

[2 marks]

2
13

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0 2 Students estimated the population of buttercup plants growing on a lawn. box

The lawn is a rectangle measuring 15 m × 10 m.

Figure 2 shows the lawn.

Figure 2

This is the method used.

1. Measure the length and width of the lawn.

2. Choose five locations to sample.

3. Place a 1 m × 1 m square frame at each location.

4. Record the number of buttercup plants in each square frame.

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0 2 . 1 Complete the sentences. box

Choose answers from the box.

[2 marks]

15 cm ruler 30 m tape measure

balance quadrat transect

The length and width of the lawn should be measured

using a .

The 1 m × 1 m square frame is called a .

0 2 . 2 How should the students choose the five locations to sample?

[1 mark]
Tick () one box.

Choose locations at random.

Choose locations at the corners of the lawn.

Choose locations with lots of buttercup plants.

Choose locations with no buttercup plants.

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Table 1 shows the results. box

Table 1

Sample number Number of buttercup plants

1 2

2 7

3 0

4 0

5 1

The students used their results to calculate the population of buttercup plants.

0 2 . 3 Complete the sentences.

Choose answers from the box.

[2 marks]

area mean median perimeter volume

Multiply the length of the lawn by the width of the lawn to give the

lawn’s .

Add up the total number of buttercup plants and divide by 5 to give

the .

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0 2 . 4 The students calculated that the population of buttercup plants on the lawn was 300. box

How did the students use the results in Table 1 to calculate the population?
[1 mark]

0 2 . 5 How could the students improve the accuracy of the estimate?

[1 mark]
Tick () one box.

Count and record more samples.

Select locations in the middle of the lawn.

Use a square frame measuring 0.5 m × 0.5 m.

0 2 . 6 One abiotic factor that affects the number of buttercup plants on the lawn is soil pH.

Give one other abiotic factor that could affect the number of buttercup plants on
the lawn.

Do not refer to soil pH in your answer.

[1 mark]
8

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0 3 Different species in a habitat may depend on each other for food. box

Figure 3 shows a food chain.

Figure 3

0 3 . 1 The grass needs energy to grow.

What is the source of energy for the grass?

[1 mark]

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0 3 . 2 Table 2 lists different types of feeding relationship. box

Table 2

Feeding relationship Organism

Secondary consumer Lynx

Primary consumer

Producer

Herbivore

Carnivore

Prey

Predator

Write the name of one organism from Figure 3 in each box in Table 2.
[3 marks]

Each organism may be written in one box or in more than one box.

The first box has been completed for you.

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0 3 . 3 Figure 4 shows the appearance of the snowshoe hare in the summer and in box

the winter.

Figure 4

Snowshoe hare in summer Snowshoe hare in winter

The snowshoe hare has a different fur colour in the summer than in the winter.

Explain how the different fur colour increases the chance of survival of the
snowshoe hare.
[3 marks]

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Figure 5 shows how the number of snowshoe hares and the number of lynx varied in box

one area between 1900 and 1935.

Figure 5

0 3 . 4 Figure 5 shows that the number of snowshoe hares and the number of lynx increase
and decrease several times.

Suggest two reasons why the number of snowshoe hares increases.

[2 marks]

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0 3 . 5 The number of snowshoe hares increased and decreased four times between 1900 box

and 1935.

What effect does an increase in the number of snowshoe hares have on the number
of lynx?
[1 mark]

0 3 . 6 Suggest one reason why the number of lynx decreased from 1915 to 1919.

Use information from Figure 5.

[1 mark]

0 3 . 7 When the snowshoe hare eats grass, about 90% of the biomass of the grass is lost.

Give two ways the biomass is lost.

[2 marks]

2
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0 4 Some farmers keep cows indoors in large sheds. box

Other farmers keep cows outdoors in fields of grass.

Figure 6 shows cows being kept indoors and outdoors.

Figure 6

Table 3 shows the energy inputs and energy outputs for keeping cows.

Table 3

Energy in kJ/m2/year

Indoors Outdoors

Input as food 10 000 5 950

Input as fossil fuel 6 000 50

Output as meat and milk 40 2

0 4 . 1 Calculate the total energy input for keeping cows outdoors.

Use data from Table 3.

[1 mark]

Total energy input = kJ/m2/year

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0 4 . 2 The total energy input for keeping cows indoors is 16 000 kJ/m2/year. box

Calculate the percentage efficiency of keeping cows indoors.

Use the equation:

energy output
percentage efficiency = × 100
total energy input
[2 marks]

Percentage efficiency = %

0 4 . 3 The percentage efficiency of keeping cows outdoors is 0.03%.

Why is it more energy efficient to keep cows indoors than to keep cows outdoors?
[2 marks]
Tick () two boxes.

Cows are more stressed indoors.

Cows move less indoors.

It is noisier indoors.

It is warmer indoors.

There is less light indoors.

Diseases in cows can cause problems for farmers.

0 4 . 4 Suggest why diseases spread more quickly when the cows are kept indoors.
[1 mark]

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One species of bacterium causes a disease in cows. box

Scientists investigated the effect of eight different antibiotics on the growth of this
species of bacterium.

The scientists put discs containing the different antibiotics onto a Petri dish containing
the bacteria.

Antibiotics A to H were used in the investigation.

Figure 7 shows what the Petri dish looked like after 2 days.

Figure 7

0 4 . 5 This species of bacterium is resistant to some of the antibiotics.

Give the letter of one antibiotic the bacterium is resistant to.

[1 mark]

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0 4 . 6 Complete the sentence. box

Choose the answer from the box.

[1 mark]

carbohydrate DNA lipid

Antibiotic resistance in a single bacterium is caused by a change in the

bacterium’s .

0 4 . 7 Complete the sentence.

Choose the answer from the box.

[1 mark]

excretion feeding reproduction

A change in one bacterium can cause millions of bacteria to become resistant to

the antibiotic.

This is because bacteria have a high rate of .

0 4 . 8 Suggest why the production of millions of antibiotic-resistant bacteria is a problem

for farmers.
[2 marks]

11

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0 5 Bacteria are one type of organism that cause decay. box

0 5 . 1 Which other type of organism causes decay?

[1 mark]
Tick () one box.

Fungi

Plants

Viruses

Students investigated the effect of temperature on the decay of milk.

The decay was caused by bacteria in the milk.

Figure 8 shows the apparatus used.

Figure 8

This is the method used.

1. Set up the apparatus as shown in Figure 8 with the milk at 20 °C.

2. Record the pH each day for 7 days.

3. Repeat with more samples of milk at 5 °C and at 30 °C.

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0 5 . 2 What was the dependent variable in the investigation? box

[1 mark]
Tick () one box.

The pH of the milk

The type of milk

The volume of the milk

0 5 . 3 How could the students keep the milk at 30 °C for 7 days?

[1 mark]
Tick () one box.

Put a lid on the beaker.

Put the beaker in a water bath.

Stir the milk continuously.

Wrap cloth around the beaker.

0 5 . 4 As the milk decays, the bacteria digest fats in the milk.

What type of acid is produced by digestion of fats in the milk?

[1 mark]
Tick () one box.

Amino acid

Fatty acid

Hydrochloric acid

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Figure 9 shows the results. box

Figure 9

0 5 . 5 Why did the pH not fall below pH 4.5 at 20 °C?

[1 mark]
Tick () one box.

All the fat had been digested.

The reaction was too fast.

The temperature was too low.

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The digestion of fat was fastest at 30 °C and slowest at 5 °C. box

0 5 . 6 Give one reason why the rate of digestion was faster at 30 °C than at 5 °C.
[1 mark]

0 5 . 7 Calculate the rate of digestion at 30 °C from day 2 to day 3.

Complete the following calculation.

Use data from Figure 9.

[2 marks]

At 30 °C, the pH at day 2 =

At 30 °C, the pH at day 3 =

Therefore the fall in pH at 30 °C from day 2 to day 3 = pH units/day

0 5 . 8 The rate of digestion at 5°C from day 2 to day 3 is 0.1 pH units/day.

How many times faster is the rate of digestion at 30°C than the rate of digestion at
5°C from day 2 to day 3?
[2 marks]
Use your answer to Question 05.7.

Rate at 30 °C is times faster 10

Turn over for the next question

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0 6 The kidneys filter the blood. box

Figure 10 shows filtration in the kidney.

Figure 10

0 6 . 1 Glucose molecules are found in the blood plasma and in the filtrate.

Protein molecules are only found in the blood plasma.

Draw one line from each substance to the reason for where the substance is found.
[2 marks]

Substance Reason

The molecules are too large to

pass through the filter

Glucose

The molecules are small enough to

pass through the filter

Protein

The molecules are too small to

pass through the filter

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0 6 . 2 The kidneys control the volume of water in the body. box

Table 4 shows information about a person on one day.

Table 4

Volume in dm3

Water filtered from blood 160.0

Water lost in urine 1.9

Calculate the volume of water reabsorbed into the blood.

[1 mark]

Volume = dm3

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0 6 . 3 A person with kidney disease may be treated by dialysis or by having a box

kidney transplant.

Figure 11 gives information about dialysis and kidney transplants.

Figure 11

Dialysis

• A person needs 3 dialysis sessions a week, with each session lasting

about 8 hours.

• Most patients have dialysis in hospital.

• Protein and salt levels in food must be kept low.

• Dialysis costs £35 000 per year for each patient.

Kidney transplant

• In a surgical operation the use of a general anaesthetic can occasionally

cause damage to other organs.

• After a transplant the patient must take drugs for the rest of their life to
suppress the immune system.

• A transplant costs £17 000 in the first year and then £5 000 in each of the
following years for drugs.

• The transplanted kidney will work well for about 10 years.

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A doctor states: box

‘It is better to treat a person with kidney disease by using

a kidney transplant rather than by dialysis.’

Evaluate the doctor’s statement.

Use information from Figure 11.

[6 marks]

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0 6 . 4 A kidney transplant costs £17 000 in the first year and then £5 000 in each of the box

following years for drugs.

Calculate the total cost of treatment by kidney transplant over the first 5 years.
[3 marks]

12
Total cost = £

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0 7 Many different species can live together in the same habitat. box

0 7 . 1 What name is given to all of the organisms living in the same habitat?
[1 mark]
Tick () one box.

A community

A food chain

A population

An ecosystem

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Figure 12 shows four species of bird from the same habitat in the UK. box

Figure 12

Brambling (Fringilla montifringilla) Bullfinch (Pyrrhula pyrrhula)

Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs) Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis)

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0 7 . 2 Which species of bird in Figure 12 do scientists think are most closely related? box

[1 mark]
Tick () one box.

Brambling and chaffinch

Brambling and goldfinch

Bullfinch and chaffinch

Bullfinch and goldfinch

0 7 . 3 Scientists think the brambling and the bullfinch belong to different species.

What evidence is used by scientists to classify the brambling and the bullfinch as
different species?
[1 mark]
Tick () one box.

The brambling and the bullfinch are different sizes.

The brambling and the bullfinch cannot breed together to give fertile
offspring.

The brambling and the bullfinch live in different parts of the habitat.

The brambling eats mainly seeds and the bullfinch eats mainly insects.

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Four other species of bird (A, B, C and D) live in a habitat in the UK. box

Figure 13 shows how the numbers of each species of bird varied during one year.

Figure 13

Use information from Figure 13 to answer Questions 07.4 to 07.6

0 7 . 4 Describe what happens to the number of birds of species A during the year.
[3 marks]

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0 7 . 5 In June and July, a disease affected the populations of some of the species. box

Which species had the lowest resistance to the disease?

[1 mark]
Tick () one box.

A B C D

0 7 . 6 One species migrates between the UK and other countries.

Which species migrates between the UK and other countries?

Give a reason for your answer.

[1 mark]

Species

Reason

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0 8 A person’s eyes can focus on objects at different distances. box

A person looks at a distant object.

The person then looks at a near object.

The person’s eyes make adjustments so that the near object forms a clear image.

0 8 . 1 Which term describes the adjustment of focus from the distant object to the
near object?
[1 mark]
Tick () one box.

Accommodation

Adaptation

Hyperopia

Myopia

Figure 14 shows the eye.

Figure 14
.

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0 8 . 2 Which structure in Figure 14 is where the image is focused? box
[1 mark]
Tick () one box.

A B C D E

0 8 . 3 Which structure in Figure 14 is a muscle that contracts when focusing on a

near object?
[1 mark]
Tick () one box.

A B C D E

0 8 . 4 What happens to the shape of the lens when focusing on a near object?
[1 mark]

0 8 . 5 The eyes can function in dimly-lit areas and in brightly-lit areas.

The iris contains muscles.

Describe how muscles in the iris help the person to see clearly when moving from a
dimly-lit area to a brightly-lit area.
[2 marks]

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0 8 . 6 It is important to be able to react quickly. box

Many people think that drinking coffee decreases reaction time.

Plan an investigation to test the effect of drinking coffee on reaction time.

You should include:

• the test for reaction time that you would use
• how to make the investigation valid.
[4 marks]

10

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0 9 Reproduction can produce offspring which are: box

• genetically different
or
• genetically identical.

Farmers grow tomato plants in greenhouses.

The tomatoes are sold in supermarkets.

0 9 . 1 Suggest one advantage of growing tomato plants that are genetically different.
[1 mark]

0 9 . 2 Suggest one advantage of growing tomato plants that are genetically identical.
[1 mark]

0 9 . 3 Scientists can grow genetically identical tomato plants using tissue culture.

What is tissue culture?

[1 mark]

0 9 . 4 Genetically identical tomato plants growing in the same garden do not all grow to the
same height.

Give one reason why.

[1 mark]

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The sex of dogs is determined by X and Y chromosomes in the same way as box

in humans.

0 9 . 5 Complete the Punnett square diagram in Figure 15 to show the inheritance of sex
in dogs.

Use the symbols X and Y.

[3 marks]
Figure 15

Female

Male

0 9 . 6 A female dog gave birth to six offspring.

Why would you expect there to be three male offspring and three female offspring?

Use your answer to Question 09.5.

[1 mark]

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Farmers keep chickens for: box

• meat production
• egg production.

Some varieties of chicken grow more quickly and are more suitable for
meat production.

Other varieties of chicken produce more eggs.

A farmer keeps two varieties of chicken, A and B.

The farmer investigated the growth rates and egg-production rates of both varieties.

Figure 16 shows the results.

Figure 16

0 9 . 7 Suggest two control variables the farmer should have used in this investigation.
[2 marks]

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0 9 . 8 Figure 16 shows mean values from 500 chickens of each variety. box

Give the reason the farmer used a large number of chickens.

[1 mark]

0 9 . 9 The farmer wants to produce a new variety of chicken that is good for both meat
production and egg production.

Describe how selective breeding of chicken varieties A and B can produce the new
variety of chicken.
[4 marks]

15

END OF QUESTIONS

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Question Additional page, if required.
number Write the question numbers in the left-hand margin.

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Question Additional page, if required.
number Write the question numbers in the left-hand margin.

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Question Additional page, if required.
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