FOUN005: HUMAN BIOLOGY SAMPLE EXAM

Note: This sample exam would take longer than two hours to do. The purpose is to give
students an idea of the type of question they can expect in the final exam in this paper.

Question 1. (12 marks)

The diagram below shows the human digestive system.

(a) Name the organ labelled A and describe one of its functions. (1mark)
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(b) Name the organ labelled B and describe one of its functions. (1mark)
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(c) Name the organ labelled C and describe one of its functions. (1mark)
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(d) Explain why both physical and chemical forms of digestion are needed for digestion to
be most efficient. (2marks)
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The diagram below shows the structure of a single villi from the small intestine.

(e) Describe the function of villi and explain how they are adapted to carry out this
function efficiently. (3marks)
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(f) The lacteal is part of a network of vessels that spread throughout the body. Name this
network of vessels. (1mark)
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(g) Describe three functions performed by this system. (3marks)
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Question 2. (10marks)
The diagram below shows the muscles and bones in the upper arm of a human.

(a) Name the bone labelled A. (1mark)

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(b) Name the tissue B which connects muscle to bone. (1mark)
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(c) On the diagram, clearly indicate where you would find areas of spongy bone in the bone
labelled A. (1mark)
(d) Explain how the biceps and triceps muscles act as an antagonistic pair. (2marks)
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The diagram below shows a thoracic vertebra

(e) Name the part of the vertebra labelled A. (1mark)

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(f) Label the part of the vertebra labelled B. (1mark)
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(g) Describe the function of the part labelled C. (1mark)
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(h) Describe the function of the part labelled D. (1mark)
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(i) What is the function of cartilage when it covers the ends of large bones in a joint? (1mark)
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Question 3. (10marks)
The kidney acts as both an excretory and an osmoregulatory organ.
(a) What is mean by the term excretory? (1 mark)
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(b) What is meant by the term osmoregulatory? (1mark)
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The following table shows an analysis of various substances in the blood as they pass
through a kidney over a certain period of time.

Blood Filtered into Quantity in the Quantity in % excreted

component kidney tubules Renal vein Urine (D)
A B C D= C x 100/A
Water 100L 99L
Chloride ions 370g 364g
Glucose 70g 70g
Urea 30g 10g
Creatinine 1g 0

(c) Complete columns C and D on the table to show the quantity of each substance in the
urine and the % of each substance excreted during the period of time. (2marks)
(d) Explain what happens to glucose after it is filtered into the kidney tubules.(2marks)
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(e) How does the hormone ADH affect the functioning of the kidney tubule. (2marks)
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(f) Some substances or blood components should never be filtered in to the kidney tubules.
Name TWO of these substances or components and explain why they normally cannot
enter the kidney tubule. (2marks)
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Question 4. (10marks)
The diagrams below show two different views of the human heart

(a) Name the blood vessel labelled A and describe its function. (2marks)
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(b) Name the blood vessel labelled B and describe its function. (2marks)
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(c) Name the structures labelled C and describe their function. (2marks)
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The diagram below shows components of the blood.

(d) What is the function of the red blood cells? (1mark)

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(e) Explain two features of red blood cells that allow them to carry out their function
efficiently. (2marks)
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(f) What problem could a person have if their platelets did not function properly. (1mark)
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Question 5. (10marks)
The diagram below shows a normal alveolus from a lung and one damaged by many years of
cigarette smoking.

(a) Describe three features of an alveolus that make it well adapted for efficient gas
exchange. Include in your answer exactly how each feature makes gas exchange more
efficient. (3 marks)
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(b) Describe two ways that smoking has damaged the alveolus and explain how this damage
will reduce the efficiency of gas exchange. (2marks)
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(c) Describe the muscular actions that cause inhalation. (2marks)
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Question 6. (10marks)

The diagram below shows the structure of the mucus membrane which lines the air passages
(a) Goblet cells make mucus. Explain the function of the mucus. (1mark)
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(b) Explain the function of the cilia. (1mark)
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(c) Describe how phagocytes help protect us from disease. (2marks)
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(d) Why are phagocytes described as being non-specific? (1mark)
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Tetanus is an infectious disease caused by the bacterium Clostridium tetani. The bacterium
produces a toxin (antigen) which is poisonous and causes severe muscle contraction and even
death. When a person is immunized against tetanus they are injected with a weakened form
of the toxin. Two weeks later they receive a second injection of the weakened toxin.
(e) Explain how the immune system responds to the first injection. (2marks)
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(f) Explain how the immune system responds to the second injection. (2marks)
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(g) If the immunized person was then infected with the typhoid bacterium Salmonella typhi
would they be protected from this disease. Explain your answer. (2marks)
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Question 7. (10marks)
(a) What is the function of an endocrine gland? (1mark)
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(b) Where are the target cells in your body for the hormone TSH? (1mark)
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The diagram below shows how the hormones calcitonin and PTH regulate the levels of
calcium ions in our blood.

(c) What is the effect of calcitonin on the level of calcium ions in bone? (1mark)
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(d) What is the effect of PTH on the level of calcium ions in blood? (1mark)
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The endocrine system contributes to homeostasis in our body by negative feedback
mechanisms.
(e) Explain the meaning of the term homeostasis. (1mark)
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(f) Explain the meaning of the term negative feedback. (1mark)
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(g) Where are neurosecretory cells found and what is their function? (2marks)
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(h) A sudden release of adrenaline leads to the fight or flight response. Describe two effects
adrenaline has on the body that assist this response. (2marks)
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Question 8. (10marks)
(a) Draw a labelled diagram of a motor neuron. (3marks)

(b) Explain how an electrical impulse passes from one neuron to another. (2marks)
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The diagram below shows the human brain

(c) Name the part labelled Z and describe one of its functions. (1mark)
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The diagram below shows a section of a human spinal cord with the neurons involved in a
reflex arc labelled W, X and Y.

(d) Name the neuron labelled W. (1mark)

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(e) What substance is found in the central canal and what is its function. (1mark)
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(f) What is white matter made of? (1mark)

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(g) A person has been injured in a car accident. The reflex response controlled by this reflex
arc is still working but they have no awareness of the reflex response. Where has the
person most likely damaged their spinal cord? (1mark)
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Question 9. (12marks)
The diagram below shows the parts of the male human reproductive system.

(a) Name the parts labelled A-D. (2marks)

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D._________________________________________________
(b) Where does meiosis take place? (1mark)
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(c) Describe three reasons why the accessory glands are vital for sperm to function
properly. (3marks)
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The diagram below shows an eight week old foetus in the uterus.

(d) On the diagram clearly label the cervix and the vagina. (1mark)
(e) How does a growing foetus obtain oxygen? (1mark)
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Question 10 (12 marks)
a. Explain why it is possible for a baby to be born with antibodies against the disease called
whooping cough, even though they have never had the disease.
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If a person has Addison’s disease their immune system attacks cells in their adrenal
glands. These cells are destroyed.

b. What type of disease is Addison’s disease. State a reason for your answer.
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A child comes in contact with the polio virus, develops the disease and then recovers.
Two years later the child comes in contact with the polio virus for the second time but
this time does not develop any symptoms of the disease.

c. Describe the child’s immune response the first time she came into contact with the virus.
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d. Describe the child’s immune response the second time she came in contact with the
virus.
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e. Scientists have developed a vaccine to protect people against polio. Describe what is
likely to be present in the vaccine.
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f. Explain why this vaccine will not protect you from other pathogens. (1 mark)
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g. Describe three external barriers that your body has to prevent pathogens entering your
body. (3 marks)
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Question 11 (7 marks)
a. In this question you are given two columns A and B containing items and statements
concerning the endocrine system. In the space provided beside each item in column A,
place the appropriate letter of the statement that best describes or matches the item.

Column A Column B

Posterior pituitary gland _____ A. raises blood glucose levels

Anterior pituitary gland _____ B. stores ADH and oxytocin

Hypothalamus _____ C. its target cells are in the thyroid gland

Insulin _____ D. it causes the fight or flight response

Glucagon _____ E. it makes several hormones including TSH

TSH _____ F. neurosecretory cells are found in this organ.

Thyroxine _____ G has several functions including storing glycogen.

Thyroid gland _____ H. more is made when blood glucose levels are high.

Liver _____ I. Iodine is found in this hormone.

Adrenaline _____ J. an important gland controlling body temperature

b. Define the term homeostasis (1 mark)

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c. Name two other endocrine glands NOT listed in the matching columns question above.
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Question 12. (6marks)
Lactose is a sugar found in milk. People who are lactose intolerant cannot digest lactose and
may get sick if they drink milk. The dominant allele for a gene allows lactose to be digested,
while the recessive allele for the gene causes lactose intolerance. The dominant allele can be
represented by the letter D and the recessive allele by the letter d.
(a) Describe the genotype(s) of a person who can digest lactose. (1mark)
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(b) Two parents who can digest lactose have a child who is lactose intolerant. What are the
genotypes of these parents? (1mark)
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(c) If these parents have another child what is the chance of the child being a lactose
intolerant girl? (1mark)
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(d) Red green colour blindness is a sex linked recessive characteristic. If a carrier female and
a male who is not colour blind marry, what is the probability that their sons will be colour
blind? Show your working using suitable symbols. (3marks)
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Question 13 (4marks)
Genes are found on chromosomes and the members of a pair of chromosomes have the same
sequence of genes. The genes themselves may occur in slightly different forms called alleles.
(a) On the diagram below draw a possible position of the alleles for a person who is:
- homozygous recessive for gene B.
- homozygous dominant for gene F.
- heterozygous for gene H. (2marks)
The diagram below represents a replicated pair of homologous chromosomes during meiosis.

(b) Draw diagrams to show the chromosomes as they would appear in the gametes at the end
of meiosis when crossing over has occurred at point X. (2marks)
Question 14. (10marks)
Drosophila melanogaster, the common fruit fly, is used in genetics experiments. A normal
population consists of flies with long wings and grey bodies. Many mutant forms are found
naturally in a population, and one such example is a fly with short wings and a black body.
A homozygous normal male with the genotype WWGG is crossed with a homozygous
mutant female with the genotype wwgg. The offspring of this cross all have the same
genotype. Two of these F1 offspring are then bred together to produce the F2 generation.
(a) Use the Punnet square to show the gametes and the genotypes of all the possible F2
offspring from these two F1 flies. (2marks)

(b)If 1000 F2 offspring were produced how many would you expect to be heterozygous for
both genes? (1mark)
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 (c) A geneticist thinks he has a long winged grey bodied fly with the genotype WWGg. His
colleague thinks the fly’s genotype is WWGG. Describe a genetic test the geneticists
could do to decide who was right. Include in your answer the expected results of the test.
(3marks)
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The pedigree (family tree) below shows the inheritance of the ABO blood groups. Inheritance of
these blood groups illustrates the effects of both multiple alleles and codominance.

(d) Explain the meaning of the term multiple alleles (1mark)

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(e) Explain the meaning of the term codominance. (1mark)
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(f) Using the symbols IA, IBand i , show all the possible genotypes for the following
people. (2marks)
(i) Hector_______________________ (iii) Elsie______________________________
(ii) Desmond_____________________ (iv) Delilah____________________________

Question 15. (16marks)

The diagram below shows three rock strata ( I, II, III ) each with a distinctive fossil.

(a) List the strata in order of increasing age from the youngest rock strata to the oldest rock
strata. (1mark)
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(b) What is a fossil? (1mark)
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(c) The first life forms on earth probably lived in water and were single celled. Describe two
major trends that have occurred over the millions of years of evolution. (2marks)
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(d) If fossil B is dated as being 120 million years old, what can be said about the age of fossil
C? (1mark)
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A farmer’s crop is heavily infested with an insect pest. The farmer sprays his crop regularly
with an insecticide. Daily estimates of the insect population were made over several months
during which time many generations of insects were produced. The data from the sprayed
crop is presented on the graph below.

(e) Explain the changes that have occurred to the insect population at the places (times)
labelled A, B and C. (3marks)
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The curved beak wren (now extinct) was a New Zealand bird which had a long, curved beak
adapted to extract grubs from small gaps in the bark of trees. Other bird species such as
woodcreepers in South America and honeycreepers in Australia have similar shaped beaks to
the curved beak wren and they feed in a very similar way. The birds in South America and
Australia are not closely related to the New Zealand wren.
(f) Explain how these unrelated species could have evolved their similarities. (2marks)
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(g) Name this type of evolution. (1mark)
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The diagrams below show the bones in the forelimb of six different vertebrate animals.

(h) How are the forelimbs similar? (1mark)

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(i) Describe the differences between the forelimbs of the horse and the bat and explain why
this differences have evolved. (2marks)
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(j) The forelimbs of vertebrates are an example of homologous structures. Explain the
meaning of the term homologous structures. (2marks)
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