The Developing Individual: Meiosis, Growth and Development | OCR A-Level Biology B (Advancing Biology) (H422)
The Developing Individual: Meiosis, Growth and Development
- 80 questions
- 5 subtopics
- Biology content, examined on all three papers
- Component 01, Component 02 and Component 03
The Developing Individual: Meiosis, Growth and Development is examined in all three written papers — the specification states that Components 01, 02 and 03 can each assess content from any of the five modules, so nothing is confined to one paper.
It covers meiosis, haploid gametes and genetic variation, the stages of meiosis, antenatal care and diet in pregnancy, alcohol, smoking and monitoring fetal growth and prenatal screening and karyotypes.
Sample questions from The Developing Individual: Meiosis, Growth and Development
Answer each one closed book first, then open the answer.
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Meiosis, haploid gametes and genetic variation
How does the outcome of meiosis in a human female differ from that in a human male?
Show the answer
In the female the cytoplasm divides unequally, so one large functional egg cell is produced together with small polar bodies that degenerate, whereas in the male all four products mature into functional sperm. -
Meiosis, haploid gametes and genetic variation
Define independent assortment.
Show the answer
Independent assortment is the random orientation of each bivalent at the equator in metaphase 1, so which member of one homologous pair passes to a given pole is independent of every other pair. -
The stages of meiosis
What is separated during anaphase 1?
Show the answer
Whole homologous chromosomes are pulled to opposite poles, each still made of two chromatids, because the centromeres do not divide at this stage. -
The stages of meiosis
What happens during anaphase 2?
Show the answer
The centromeres divide and the sister chromatids are pulled apart to opposite poles of each cell. -
Antenatal care and diet in pregnancy
Why is blood pressure monitored throughout pregnancy?
Show the answer
A rise in blood pressure, especially with protein in the urine, indicates pre-eclampsia, which is dangerous to both mother and fetus and needs treatment. -
Antenatal care and diet in pregnancy
Why is iron important in the diet during pregnancy?
Show the answer
Iron is needed for the haemoglobin of the mother's increased blood volume and of the fetus's own erythrocytes, and for the store of iron the fetus lays down in its liver for the first months of life. -
Alcohol, smoking and monitoring fetal growth
How does the carbon monoxide in cigarette smoke restrict fetal growth?
Show the answer
Carbon monoxide binds strongly to haemoglobin to form carboxyhaemoglobin, reducing the oxygen carried to the fetus, so respiration and therefore growth are limited. -
Alcohol, smoking and monitoring fetal growth
What is the crown-rump length, and when in pregnancy is it measured?
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It is the length from the top of the head to the base of the buttocks measured along the back, and it is used in the first trimester to date the pregnancy accurately.
The 5 subtopics
One subtopic is one session. Work down the list.
| Subtopic | What it covers | Questions |
|---|---|---|
| Meiosis, haploid gametes and genetic variation | Recall questions on meiosis, haploid cells and homologous pairs, where meiosis happens in humans and flowering plants, fertilisation, crossing over and chiasmata, independent assortment at metaphase 1 and 2, the 2²³ chromosome combinations, and random fertilisation as a source of variation. | 18 |
| The stages of meiosis | Recall questions on the interphase before meiosis, the events of prophase 1 and bivalent formation, what separates at each anaphase, and how the products compare with mitosis. | 15 |
| Antenatal care and diet in pregnancy | Recall questions on antenatal, pre-conceptual and post-conceptual care, folic acid supplements, urine and blood pressure checks for pre-eclampsia, rubella immunity and body mass, and the extra protein, calcium, iron, vitamin C, vitamin A and energy needed in pregnancy. | 16 |
| Alcohol, smoking and monitoring fetal growth | Recall questions on fetal alcohol syndrome and how ethanol crosses the placenta, how carbon monoxide and nicotine restrict fetal growth, the other risks of smoking, why ultrasound is used rather than X-rays, biparietal diameter and crown-rump length, and reading fetal growth charts and centiles. | 15 |
| Prenatal screening and karyotypes | Recall questions on the advantages and limitations of fetal ultrasonography, amniocentesis and chorionic villus sampling compared, preparing a karyotype, the karyotypes of Down's, Klinefelter's and Turner's syndromes, and why a karyotype cannot reveal cystic fibrosis. | 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
OCR A-Level Biology B (Advancing Biology) Active Recall Guide
Every topic, not just this one. 2,895 questions with their answers.