AQA A-Level Biology Paper 1 Sample 2023
Think you can spot why a carbohydrate polymer fails to dissolve in water, or predict how a cell's surface area-to-volume ratio affects its ability to exchange gas? Paper 1 of A-Level Biology tests your grasp of the microscopic world: biological molecules, cell structure, exchange across membranes, and the foundations of genetics. You'll see data analysis tasks, calculation questions, and reasoning stems that mimic the exact style of A-Level papers—with no multiple-choice filler. By the end, you'll be confident enough to tackle the real exam's tricky "suggest why" questions without a second thought.
Questions in this quiz
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- Question 1
Which statement correctly describes the formation of a dipeptide bond?
- Question 2
A polysaccharide fails to dissolve in water despite being composed of glucose units. Which feature of its structure best explains this?
- Question 3
The primary structure of a protein is determined by the sequence of:
- Question 4
A student observes a cheek cell under a light microscope at a magnification of ×400. The cell's nucleus appears to be 2.5 mm across on the microscope's eyepiece graticule. What is the actual diameter of the nucleus in micrometres (μm)?
- Question 5
Which of the following is a feature of prokaryotic cells that distinguishes them from eukaryotic cells?
- Question 6
True or False: Mitochondria in eukaryotic cells are found in plant cells but not in animal cells.
- Question 7
An electron microscope magnifies a specimen by ×50,000. A mitochondrion measures 8 μm in length. What would be the length of the mitochondrion's image on the microscope screen, in millimetres?
- Question 8
Which type of transport allows a substance to move across a cell membrane against its concentration gradient, and requires energy in the form of ATP?
- Question 9
A plant cell is placed in a hypertonic solution (higher solute concentration outside the cell). What would you expect to observe?
- Question 10
The cell membrane is described as a 'fluid mosaic'. Which feature of the membrane structure does the term 'mosaic' refer to?
- Question 11
True or False: Facilitated diffusion and active transport both require cellular energy (ATP) to move substances across the membrane.
- Question 12
A single-celled organism has a surface area of 100 μm² and a volume of 200 μm³. Calculate its surface area-to-volume ratio.
- Question 13
Adaptations of the small intestine for efficient nutrient absorption include a large internal surface area. Which feature provides this large surface area?
- Question 14
A specimen is observed using a light microscope with an eyepiece lens of ×10 and an objective lens of ×40. What is the total magnification?