Cambridge International AS & A Level

* 4 8 3 8 3 2 0 6 3 8 *

BIOLOGY 9700/31
Paper 3 Advanced Practical Skills 1 October/November 2023

2 hours

You must answer on the question paper.

You will need: The materials and apparatus listed in the confidential instructions

INSTRUCTIONS
● Answer all questions.
● Use a black or dark blue pen. You may use an HB pencil for any diagrams or graphs.
● Write your name, centre number and candidate number in the boxes at the top of the page.
● Write your answer to each question in the space provided.
● Do not use an erasable pen or correction fluid.
● Do not write on any bar codes.
● You may use a calculator.
● You should show all your working and use appropriate units.

INFORMATION
● The total mark for this paper is 40.
● The number of marks for each question or part question is shown in brackets [ ].

For Examiner’s Use

Total

This document has 12 pages. Any blank pages are indicated.

DC (DE/FC) 321126/2
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1 You will investigate the effect of temperature on the production of carbon dioxide gas by yeast
cells.

Yeast cells contain enzymes that break down glucose to release carbon dioxide and ethanol as
shown in Fig. 1.1.

enzymes in yeast cells

glucose carbon dioxide + ethanol

Fig. 1.1

You are provided with the materials shown in Table 1.1.

Table 1.1

labelled contents hazard volume / cm3

Y yeast cell suspension none 100
G glucose solution none 20
H hydrogencarbonate indicator harmful irritant 15

If any solution comes into contact with your skin, wash off immediately under cold water.

It is recommended that you wear suitable eye protection.

You will need to:

• maintain samples of a yeast cell suspension at different temperatures

• count the number of bubbles of carbon dioxide produced.

(a) (i) Decide which temperatures you will use for your investigation. These temperatures
should be below 65 °C.

State the temperatures that you will use in your investigation.

...........................................................................................................................................
[2]

Carry out step 1 to step 9.

step 1 Use the beakers labelled water-bath, hot water and cold water to set up
and maintain a water-bath at the highest temperature you stated in (a)(i). The
temperature of the water-bath must be maintained.

step 2 Stir the yeast cell suspension, Y, and put 20 cm3 of Y into the large test-tube.

step 3 Add 1 cm3 of glucose solution, G, to the large test-tube and mix well.

step 4 Set up the apparatus as shown in Fig. 1.2.

You will use the same test-tube of hydrogencarbonate indicator for each trial.

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bung delivery tube

small test-tube
water-bath
prepared in step 1

15 cm3
hydrogencarbonate
indicator
large test-tube of Y + G

Fig. 1.2

step 5 Start timing and leave the apparatus for 60 seconds.

step 6 After 60 seconds, start counting the number of bubbles produced during the
next 60 seconds.

Record your result in (a)(ii).

step 7 Take the large test-tube out of the water-bath and remove the bung and
delivery tube. Pour the contents of the large test-tube into the container labelled
For Waste.

step 8 Adjust the temperature of the water-bath to the next highest temperature you
stated in (a)(i).

step 9 Repeat step 2 to step 8 until you have tested all the temperatures stated in
(a)(i).

(ii) Record your results in an appropriate table.

[5]

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(iii) State the dependent variable in this investigation.

..................................................................................................................................... [1]

(iv) Observe the final colour of the hydrogencarbonate indicator.

State the final colour of the hydrogencarbonate indicator ........................................... [1]

(v) Suggest one conclusion from your observation in (a)(iv).

...........................................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................................... [1]

(vi) Identify one source of error in the procedure. Suggest an improvement to reduce this
source of error.

error ...................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

improvement .....................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................
[2]

(b) A student investigated the effect of copper ions on the growth of yeast cells.

Six yeast suspensions were made. For each suspension, 0.4 g of yeast was added to a nutrient
solution. Different concentrations of copper ions were added to each yeast suspension. The
mass of yeast in each suspension was measured after 24 hours.

The results are shown in Table 1.2.

Table 1.2

concentration of copper ions mass of yeast

/ parts per million (ppm) /g
0.00 19.4
0.10 21.2
0.25 5.6
0.50 2.0
0.75 0.8
1.00 0.4

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(i) Plot a graph of the data shown in Table 1.2 on the grid in Fig. 1.3.

Use a sharp pencil.

Fig. 1.3
[4]

(ii) Use your graph in Fig. 1.3 to estimate the concentration of copper ions that would result
in a mass of 10.0 g of yeast cells.

Show on your graph how you obtained your answer.

concentration of copper ions = ....................................................... ppm

[2]

(iii) Copper ions act as non-competitive inhibitors for some enzymes.

Suggest an explanation for the results shown in your graph in Fig. 1.3.

...........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................................... [2]

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(iv) Until the 1930s, most commercial fermenting equipment for growing yeast cells was
made of copper. After this time, fermenting equipment was made using stainless steel
instead of copper.

Use your graph in Fig. 1.3 to suggest why stainless steel was used instead of copper.

...........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................................... [1]

[Total: 21]

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2 J1 is a slide of a stained transverse section through a plant stem.

(a) (i) Draw a large plan diagram of the region of the stem on J1 indicated by the shaded area
in Fig. 2.1. Use a sharp pencil.

Use one ruled label line and label to identify one vascular bundle.

draw this region

Fig. 2.1

[5]

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(ii) Observe one vascular bundle of the section on J1.

Select one large xylem vessel element and a group of three adjacent, smaller xylem
vessel elements.

• Make a large drawing of this group of four xylem vessel elements.

• Use one ruled label line and label to identify the cell wall.

[5]

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(b) Fig. 2.2 is a photomicrograph showing the epidermis from another type of plant.

Fig. 2.2

The actual area of the epidermis visible in the photomicrograph in Fig. 2.2 is 0.04 mm2.

The leaf from which Fig. 2.2 is taken has a total surface area of 2000 mm2.

(i) Use Fig. 2.2 to estimate the total number of stomata on the leaf.

Show your working.

total number of stomata = ...............................................................

[3]

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(ii) One way to improve the accuracy of the estimate of the total number of stomata on a leaf
is to use a photomicrograph with a larger area.

State one other way to improve the accuracy of the estimate of the total number of
stomata on a leaf.

...........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................................... [1]

(iii) Fig. 2.3 and Fig. 2.4 are photomicrographs of sections through the leaf surface of two
different plants.

The photomicrographs in Fig. 2.3 and Fig. 2.4 have the same magnification.

Fig. 2.3

Fig. 2.4

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Identify three observable differences between the leaf section shown in Fig. 2.3 and the
leaf section shown in Fig. 2.4.

Record these three observable differences in Table 2.1.

Table 2.1

feature Fig. 2.3 Fig. 2.4

[4]

(iv) Suggest the environment where the plant shown in Fig. 2.3 has grown.

...........................................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................................... [1]

[Total: 19]

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© UCLES 2023 9700/31/O/N/23