Energy for Biological Processes | Edexcel A-Level Biology B (9BI0)
Energy for Biological Processes
- 181 questions
- 12 subtopics
- Topics 5 to 7, examined on Paper 1 and Paper 3
- Paper 1 and Paper 3
How cells release energy and how plants capture it: the four stages of aerobic respiration, what happens when oxygen runs out, the pigments that absorb light, and the light-dependent and light-independent stages of photosynthesis..
It covers an overview of aerobic respiration, glycolysis, the link reaction and the Krebs cycle, the electron transport chain, chemiosmosis and ATP yield, anaerobic respiration and ATP yield, measuring respiration with a respirometer, absorption and action spectra, photosynthetic pigments and chromatography, chloroplast structure and the light-dependent stage, the Calvin cycle and limiting factors in photosynthesis.
Sample questions from Energy for Biological Processes
Answer each one closed book first, then open the answer.
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An overview of aerobic respiration
Name the first stage of aerobic respiration.
Show the answer
Glycolysis. -
Glycolysis
What would happen to the products of glycolysis if the cell lacked NAD⁺?
Show the answer
NADH could not be formed because NAD⁺ is required to accept hydrogen atoms; glycolysis would stall as the oxidation steps could not proceed. -
The electron transport chain
What happens to the energy released as electrons pass along the electron transport chain?
Show the answer
It is used to pump protons (hydrogen ions) from the mitochondrial matrix into the intermembrane space. -
Chemiosmosis and ATP yield
How does the folded structure of the inner mitochondrial membrane benefit oxidative phosphorylation?
Show the answer
It increases the surface area available for the electron transport chain and ATP synthase, allowing more ATP to be produced. -
Measuring respiration with a respirometer
How should organisms be handled during respirometer experiments to ensure their safe use?
Show the answer
Handle organisms carefully to minimise stress and ensure appropriate containment. -
Absorption and action spectra
State two ways the rate of photosynthesis can be measured in a pondweed experiment.
Show the answer
By counting the oxygen bubbles released in a fixed time, or by collecting the oxygen in a photosynthometer and measuring its volume. -
Chloroplast structure and the light-dependent stage
What are the products of cyclic photophosphorylation?
Show the answer
ATP only. -
The Calvin cycle
How many carbon atoms are present in GP?
Show the answer
3 carbon atoms.
The 12 subtopics
One subtopic is one session. Work down the list.
| Subtopic | What it covers | Questions |
|---|---|---|
| An overview of aerobic respiration | Recall questions on ATP as the energy currency, why respiration also releases heat, and the order and location of glycolysis, the link reaction, the Krebs cycle and oxidative phosphorylation. | 13 |
| Glycolysis | Recall questions on glycolysis in the cytoplasm, phosphorylation of hexose as an energy investment, glycerate 3-phosphate, reduced NAD and substrate-level phosphorylation, and the net yield of pyruvate, ATP and NADH. | 15 |
| The link reaction and the Krebs cycle | Recall questions on decarboxylation and dehydrogenation, acetyl coenzyme A, and the products of one turn of the cycle. | 13 |
| The electron transport chain | Recall questions on the electron transport chain in the inner mitochondrial membrane, electrons from NADH and FADH2 passed on by redox reactions, proton pumping into the intermembrane space, the formation of water, and the proton motive force. | 13 |
| Chemiosmosis and ATP yield | Recall questions on oxidative phosphorylation, oxygen as the terminal electron acceptor, chemiosmosis through rotating ATP synthase, the cristae, and why compartmentalisation by the mitochondrial membranes is needed. | 14 |
| Anaerobic respiration and ATP yield | Recall questions on anaerobic respiration and why it yields far less ATP, lactate in mammalian muscle and its effect on enzymes and fatigue, and ethanol and carbon dioxide production in plants with the regeneration of NAD. | 14 |
| Measuring respiration with a respirometer | Recall questions on how a respirometer measures respiration, carbon dioxide absorbents, the control tube and equilibration, the variables to investigate and control, calculating rate from fluid movement, adapting it for anaerobic respiration, and the safe and ethical use of organisms. | 23 |
| Absorption and action spectra | Recall questions on absorption and action spectra and why their match shows that pigments drive photosynthesis, how pigments complement each other, and investigating the effect of light wavelength on photosynthesis with filters or LEDs. | 15 |
| Photosynthetic pigments and chromatography | Recall questions on why plants have several photosynthetic pigments, extracting and separating them by chromatography, and calculating and using Rf values to identify them. | 15 |
| Chloroplast structure and the light-dependent stage | Recall questions on the chloroplast envelope, grana, thylakoids and intergranal lamellae, cyclic and non-cyclic photophosphorylation, the path of electrons through photosystems II and I, the photolysis of water, and the products of each route. | 18 |
| The Calvin cycle | Recall questions on RuBisCO and carbon fixation, GP and GALP, and the regeneration of RuBP. | 12 |
| Limiting factors in photosynthesis | Recall questions on limiting factors, how light intensity, carbon dioxide and temperature restrict photosynthesis, the compensation point and how to read and calculate it from a graph, gross against net photosynthesis, and shade-tolerant plants. | 16 |
How the guide is worked
Answering a question from memory stores it far better than reading the answer again. The guide runs that as a fixed procedure on one subtopic at a time, about twenty minutes a session.
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Step 1 · Closed book
Cover the answers. Work through one subtopic and write down what you can. Leave blanks where you have nothing.
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Step 2 · Open book
Go back to the top. Read each printed answer and write it out in full, including the ones you had right.
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Step 3 · Closed book again
Same questions, same order, from memory. The gap between pass one and pass three is the session result.
Read the full method, the return schedule and the research behind it.
Nearby topics
Edexcel A-Level Biology B Active Recall Guide
Every topic, not just this one. 2,073 questions with their answers.