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S.6 BIOLOGY (P530/1)

1Hour 30 Minutes
Instructions
Attempt all questions in this paper.
Precise and sequential presentation of answers is required of candidates
1. The graph in the figure below shows variation of the rate of
photosynthesis of barley and sugar cane at two different temperatures,
10℃ and 25℃ with carbon dioxide concentration.

(a) Suggest why in all the four experiments, the rate of photosynthesis
remained constant as carbon dioxide concentration increased.
(1mark)

Carbon dioxide concentration ceased being a limiting factor;✓ light

intensity and temperature are possibly limiting;✓ @ ½ mark

(b) Describe the difference in the rate of photosynthesis between

barley and sugar cane at 10℃ . (3marks)
Rate of photosynthesis in sugar cane Rate of photosynthesis in Barley
Higher from 0a.u to 250a.u ✓ Lower from 0a.u to 250a.u
Lower from 250a.u to 600a.u ✓ Higher from 250a.u to 600a.u
Lower maximum ✓ Higher maximum
Maximum attained/becomes constant Maximum attained/becomes
at a lower carbon dioxide 1 constant at a higher carbon dioxide
concentration ✓ concentration
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(c) Explain the difference in the rate of photosynthesis between barley

and sugar cane at 25℃. (3marks)
From 0a. u to 600a.u carbon dioxide concentration, rate of
photosynthesis of sugar cane is higher than that of barley;✓ because
its carbon dioxide fixing enzyme, PEP carboxylase has a higher
optimum temperature than RuBP carboxylase in Barley;✓ thus not
denatured;✓ allowing it continue fixing carbon dioxide at even higher
temperatures/25℃;✓ its RuBP and RuBP carboxylase enzyme in
bundle sheath cells are isolated from air inside the leaf, preventing
oxygen reaching these cells;✓ and carbon dioxide from
decarboxylation of malate accumulates within the bundle sheath
cells;✓ both preventing photorespiration;✓
Rate of photosynthesis of sugar cane increases more rapidly,
attaining a maximum at a lower carbon dioxide concentration than
barley;✓ because its carbon dioxide fixing enzyme, PEP carboxylase
has a higher affinity for carbon dioxide than RuBP carboxylase;✓ thus
absorb carbon dioxide efficiently even at lower carbon dioxide
concentration;✓ @ ½ mark
Max 3
(d) Explain the following observations.
(i) Photorespiration is a wasteful process. (1½ marks)

By product, glycolate;✓ on oxidation, fixed carbon dioxide is

lost;✓ no ATP is produced;✓ photosynthetic efficiency of plants
is reduced;✓ @ ½ mark

(ii) Subjecting plants to alternate flashes of light yield more

photosynthetic product than continuous light. (1½ marks)
In continuous light, products from the light dependent stage,
ATP and NADPH;✓ accumulates;✓ slowing down that process;✓
while with period of darkness/alternate flashes, slower light
independent stage use up the products (ATP and NADPH);✓ thus
speeding up the overall process;✓ @ ½ mark

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2. The diagram below shows the inheritance of the Rhesus blood group in
one family. The allele for Rhesus positive, R is dominant to that for
Rhesus negative, r.

(a) Explain one piece of evidence from the diagram which shows that the;
(i) Allele for Rhesus positive is dominant. (2marks)
Two Rhesus positive individuals, 3 and 4 produced only two
Rhesus negative children, 7 and 9;✓ because both Rhesus
positive individuals carry a recessive allele/are heterozygous;✓

(ii) Gene is not X-linked. (2marks)

Daughter 9 would be Rhesus positive/both daughters 8 and 9 of
individual 3 and 4, would be Rhesus positive;✓ X chromosome
carrying a dominant allele would be passed to daughter 9 by
father3;✓
Acc Individual 3 would be Rhesus negative;✓ because Rhesus
negative allele on X chromosome from mother would be passed
to it;✓
(b) (i) What is the likely consequence of female 2 having subsequent
pregnancies with individual 1? (3marks)
Subsequent pregnancies with Rhesus positive fetuses;✓ fragments of
fetal red blood cells especially around birth, cross to the mother;✓
stimulating production of large quantities of Rhesus antibodies;✓
passed back to fetus via placenta;✓ break down/destroy fetal red
blood cells;✓ proving fatal /causing erythroblastosis foetalis
(Haemolytic disease of the new born;✓ @ ½ mark

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(ii) Explain one way in which the above effect can be prevented.

(1½ marks)

Injection of Rhesus antibodies into the mother immediately after

birth;✓ destroying any Rhesus positive cells which may have
entered her blood;✓ before they stimulate production of the
mother’s own antibodies;✓ @ 1½ mark

(c) In a human population, 16% of the individuals are Rhesus negative.

Using Hardy-Weinberg equation, workout the percentage of
individuals that you would expect to be heterozygous for the Rhesus
gene. (1½ marks)
let p represents frequency of dominant/Rhesus positive allele
q represents frequency of recessive/Rhesus negative allele
p2 represent frequency of the dominant genotype
q2 represent frequency of the Homozygous recessive genotype
2pq represent frequency of heterozygotes
q2 represent the frequency of Rhesus negative individuals;
𝟏𝟔
⟹ q2 = 𝟏𝟎𝟎
= 0.16;
q = √𝟎. 𝟏𝟔 = 0.4;✓
From p + q = 1
p = 1 – 0.4= 0.✓
Heterozygotes
2pq = 2×0.6×0.4= 0.48, 48%;✓ @ 1½ mark

3. (a) Of what advantage is maintenance of relatively small body size

among locomoting organisms? (2marks)
Reduced problems of support;✓
Expends less energy during locomotion;✓ @ 1mark

(b) Explain how buoyancy can be achieved in chondrichthyes that

lack swim bladders. (3marks)
Having a larger ventral lobe than dorsal lobe of the caudal fin;✓✓
making the tail asymmetric/ forming a heterocercal tail;✓ which
provides an upthrust;✓ allowing it to maintain its vertical position
in water;✓provided the fish keeps swimming;✓ @ ½ mark

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(c) Describe the role of the following in bringing about contraction of a

skeletal muscle fibre.
(i) Acetylcholine. (3marks)
On attachment onto protein receptor molecule on folds of the
muscle fibre membrane/sarcolemma/post synaptic membrane;✓
protein receptor changes shape;✓ increasing the permeability of
the membrane to sodium ions/ Sodium ions diffuse into the
sarcoplasm via opened sodium ion channels;✓ causing local
depolarization of the sarcolemma;✓ @ 1mark
(ii) ATP. (2marks)

On hydrolysis,✓ provides energy for activating/cocking the

myosin head;✓ and active transport/pumping of calcium ions
from the sarcoplasm back to the sarcoplasmic reticulum and T
system;✓ for the muscle fibre to relax;
On attachment on the myosin head;✓ myosin head detaches
from the actin filament;✓ @ ½ mark
4. The graph in the figure below shows rates of transpiration of emergent
(tallest), canopy (forming a thick canopy of leaves) and suppressed (not
reaching the canopy) trees in a forest cover over a 14-hour period.
Study it carefully and answer the questions that follow.

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(a) Compare the transpiration rates of the emergent and suppressed trees
over the 14-hour period. (4marks)
Similarities.
In both emergent and suppressed trees, rate of transpiration,
Are equal initially/at 06.00hrs;✓
Attain peak;✓
Decrease from 14.50hrs to 20.00hrs;✓
Increase from 06.00hrs to 12.00hrs;✓ and 12.50hrs to13.00hrs;✓
Differences
Rate of transpiration of emergent trees Rate of transpiration of suppressed trees
Higher from 06.00hrs to 20.00hrs ✓ Lower from 06.00hrs to 20.00hrs
Decreases rapidly from 14.50hrs to Decreases gradually from 14.50hrs to
20.00hrs ✓ 20.00hrs
Attains two peaks ✓ Attains one peak
First peak attained later /at Peak attained earlier/at 13.00hrs
13.50hrs ✓
Award for two correct similarities and two differences
(b) Explain the difference in the rates of transpiration of the emergent
trees and suppressed trees over the 14-hour period. (4marks)
Rate of transpiration of emergent trees is higher than that of
suppressed trees;✓ because emergent trees are exposed to higher light
intensities;✓ more stomata open;✓ lower humidity;✓ increasing
diffusion/water potential gradient;✓ higher temperatures;✓ more
latent heat which heats up water;✓ converting it to vapour;✓ higher
wind velocity;✓ water vapour is blown away;✓ increasing diffusion
gradient;✓ all causing a more transpirational loss of water in
emergent trees than suppressed trees;✓
Emergent trees have longer roots; absorbing more water;✓ and with
more leaves;✓ larger surface area availed for stomatal water loss;✓
@ ½ mark for any well explained three environmental factors

(c) Explain why transpiration is often described as an “inevitable

consequence of gaseous exchange in plants”. (2marks)
Stomata opens allowing carbon dioxide uptake;✓✓ a raw material for
photosynthesis;✓ water vapour diffuses out of the opened stomata;✓
@ ½ mark
5. (a) (i) What is meant by term blue baby condition? (1mark)
Condition in which oxygen transportation in blood is impeded
resulting into cyanosis (blueness of skin) in babies;✓

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(ii) Explain two causes of the blue baby condition in humans.

(3marks)

Congenital heart defect;✓ in which foramen ovale and/or

ductus arteriosus fail to close soon after birth;✓ allowing a
proportion of blood to bypass the lungs;✓ depriving the
tissues of sufficient oxygen;
Nitrate poisoning;✓ in babies fed on nitrate rich food/nitrate
contaminated water; whose very sensitive and less developed
gastrointestinal tract covert nitrate to nitrites,✓ which bind
to haemoglobin producing methemoglobin which does not
easily release oxygen into blood stream; causing
hypoxemia;✓ @ ½ mark
(b) Explain how the placenta functions as
(i) Small intestine. (1mark)
Allows absorption of nutrients (amino acids, glucose,
minerals, vitamins) from mother’s blood into the fetal blood;✓
to nourish the developing foetus;✓
(ii) An endocrine gland. (1mark)
Secretes Human chorionic gonadotrophin;✓ progesterone;✓
and oestrogen;✓
Award for any two correct hormones
(iii) Lung. (2mark)

Allows diffusion of carbon dioxide from fetal blood into

maternal blood, for excretion;✓
Allows diffusion of oxygen from maternal blood into fetal
blood;✓
(c) The blood supply of the mother and of the fetus are kept separate
from each other at the placenta. Suggest and explain reasons why
these two blood systems must not be joined together. (2marks)
Mother’s blood is at higher pressure than fetal blood;✓ thus
prevents bursting of the fetal vessels;✓
Mother’s blood can be of different blood groups to fetal blood;✓
thus prevents agglutination of fetal blood; blocking the vital
organs such as kidney; which can prove fatal;✓
Mother’s blood can carry pathogens;✓ thus no direct transfer of
pathogens;✓
Mother’s blood carry toxins/drugs;✓ thus no direct transfer of
toxins; ✓
Award for any two

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6. The diagram below shows a stage during protein synthesis in a

eukaryotic cell.

(a) Name
(i) Organelle X. (½ mark)
Ribosome;✓
(ii) Molecules W and Y. (1mark)
W- messenger RNA/mRNA;✓
Y-transfer RNA/tRNA;✓
(iii) the monomer of molecule W. (½ mark)
Nucleotide;✓
Award for correct label of W in a (ii).
(b) (i) State the stage of protein synthesis illustrated above, giving where
it occurs in the cell. (2marks)
Translation;✓ occurring on the ribosomes in the cytoplasm;✓

(ii) Outline three differences between the stage in b(i) above and DNA
replication. (3marks)
Translation DNA replication
Occurs on the ribosomes in the occurs in the nucleus
cytoplasm ✓
Polypeptide chain of amino Two identical copies of DNA are
acids/protein is formed ✓ formed
Template molecule is mRNA ✓ Template molecule is DNA
Read direction is 5’ to 3’ on the mRNA Read direction is 3’ to 5’ on the DNA
template ✓ template
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(c) When a sample of DNA is extracted from a cell, chemical analysis
showed that 38% were adenine.
(i) To which group of organic bases is adenine found. Give a
reason for your answer. (1mark)
Purines;✓ consist of double/2 (Six- membered and five-membered)
nitrogen containing rings;✓ @ ½ mark
(ii) Calculate the percentage of guanine base. (2marks)
Percentage of Thymine = 38%;✓ ( Ratio of Guanine to cytosine,
1:1)
Total percentage of Adenine and Thymine= 76%;✓
Percentage of Cytosine and Guanine= 100-76=24%;✓
Ratio of Guanine to cytosine= 1:1;
Percentage of guanine = ½ X 24= 12%;✓
@ ½ mark

END