Biology 9700 · AS & A Level
Movement into and out of cells
100 practice questions on Movement into and out of cells, with worked solutions and instant marking.
Antimycin is a chemical that stops mitochondria from working. Which methods of transport across the cell surface membrane would be inhibited by antimycin?
Feb/March 2016
Which statement describes movement within a plant via the apoplast pathway?
Feb/March 2016
What changes happen to the water potential and to the volume of liquid in the phloem when sucrose is transferred from the phloem sieve tube to an actively dividing root tip?
Feb/March 2016
The diagram presents the findings from an experiment that used leaves from two different plant species with the same surface area. Each leaf was placed on a balance in daylight inside a closed room, and its mass was measured at $1$ hour intervals. Which characteristics of leaf $2$ might account for these results?
Feb/March 2016
Which reactions happen at a faster rate in a capillary in an alveolus than in a capillary in active muscle?
Feb/March 2016
The diagram illustrates two routes, X and Y, by which molecules can diffuse across a cell surface membrane. Which row correctly indicates the possible routes for lipids, water and glucose?
Feb/March 2017
Which combination of features is typical of a phloem sieve tube element as it unloads into a sink?
Feb/March 2017
Which of the following statements accurately describe transport pathways in dicotyledonous plants?
Feb/March 2017
Which characteristic of transport in plants is true for both xylem and phloem?
Feb/March 2017
What is the chief function of a companion cell in phloem tissue?
Feb/March 2017
The heart’s contraction is synchronised by electrical impulses moving through the cardiac muscle. What is the correct order for part of the sequence of these impulses?
Feb/March 2017
Lysosomes contain a range of hydrolytic enzymes that can function either inside cells (intracellular enzymes) or beyond cells (extracellular enzymes). Which process has to happen for lysosomal enzymes to act outside the cell?
Feb/March 2018
Which one of the following substances is able to diffuse straight through cell surface membranes without the help of a carrier protein or a channel protein?
Feb/March 2018
Companion cells use ATP to pump hydrogen ions out of the cell, while co-transporter proteins enable hydrogen ions to return together with sucrose molecules. Which two processes are occurring in this movement?
Feb/March 2018
The diagrams illustrate transverse sections of different parts of a plant. Transport tissues are numbered 1 to 6. Which row identifies the tissues that mainly move water and the tissues that mainly move sucrose?
Feb/March 2018
Which of the following will raise the rate of transpiration? 1 raising the humidity 2 increasing the light intensity 3 lowering the temperature 4 reducing the wind speed
Feb/March 2018
Which of the following processes needs ATP? 1. movement of water in the xylem 2. semi-conservative replication of DNA 3. facilitated diffusion of amino acids into the cell
Feb/March 2018
An investigation was done to find out how different treatments affect the permeability of the cell surface membranes and tonoplasts in beetroot cells. The vacuoles of beetroot cells contain a red pigment. This pigment cannot leave the cells because it is unable to diffuse through the tonoplasts or the cell surface membranes. $1\text{ cm}^3$ cubes were taken from beetroot tissue and rinsed under running water for 20 minutes to remove any pigment released from damaged cells. The cubes were then put into test-tubes containing different contents and left for five minutes before being observed. Which row gives a correct explanation for the observation recorded for one of the treatments?
Feb/March 2019
Which statements concerning the movement of water into and out of cells are correct?
Feb/March 2019
Which combination of features is typical of a phloem sieve tube element while it is being loaded from a source?
Feb/March 2019
The diagrams illustrate cross-sections of parts of a plant, with some transport tissues labelled from 1 to 6. Which row identifies the tissues that mainly carry water and the tissues that mainly carry sucrose?
Feb/March 2019
Diagram 1 and diagram 2 illustrate how the transverse section of a leaf is altered when the leaf is transferred from solution X to solution Y. Which row gives the water potential of the leaf cells and the surrounding solutions in diagram 2 compared with diagram 1?
Feb/March 2021
Which features have to be present for water to move between two solutions by osmosis?
Feb/March 2021
When living pancreatic cells were put into a solution containing the red dye neutral red, the cytoplasm turned red. The cells were then taken out of the neutral red solution. The red dye in the cytoplasm then passed into vesicles, which were released from the cell, so that the cell eventually became colourless. Which transport mechanisms could account for the red dye entering and leaving the cells?
Feb/March 2021
Several root structures that take part in the movement of water in a plant are shown below. 1 Casparian strip 2 cell walls of cortex cells 3 endodermal cells 4 epidermal cells 5 xylem vessels Which sequence represents part of the route by which water can pass through a root?
Feb/March 2021
What is one example of a mass flow system in a plant?
Feb/March 2021
The diameter of a tree trunk usually becomes a little smaller during the day. Which day-time changes in environmental factors could make the diameter decrease by a larger amount?
Feb/March 2021
Which statement correctly describes the function of co-transporter proteins in sucrose movement?
Feb/March 2021
The diagram illustrates a capillary, some tissue cells and a lymph vessel. Which row correctly names arrows 1, 2, 3 and 4?
Feb/March 2021
As it diffuses from an air space in an alveolus, through a cell in the capillary wall, and into a red blood cell, how many times does a molecule of carbon monoxide have to pass through a cell surface membrane?
Feb/March 2021
Which transport mechanism does not need a concentration gradient to be present for it to occur?
Feb/March 2022
A plant cell was put into pure water during an investigation. At the start, the rate at which water molecules moved into the cell, $R$, was higher than the initial rate at which water molecules moved out of the cell. In a separate investigation, a plant cell of the same type was placed in a solution whose water potential was the same as that of the cell contents. What will happen in the second investigation over a period of five minutes?
Feb/March 2022
Why does an air bubble inside a xylem vessel element bring the water flow to a halt?
Feb/March 2022
What changes in water potential and in the volume of solution inside a phloem sieve tube happen when amino acids are transported from the phloem sieve tube into a sink?
Feb/March 2022
Which characteristic of some xerophytic leaves lowers the transpiration rate by reducing the water potential gradient between the leaf’s internal surface and the atmosphere?
Feb/March 2022
Which characteristic of cholera reduces the transmission of the pathogen Vibrio cholerae?
Feb/March 2022
Which row indicates the way penicillin kills bacteria?
Feb/March 2022
Which one of these substances can diffuse straight through cell surface membranes without the aid of a carrier protein or a channel protein?
Feb/March 2023
Mass flow refers to the net movement of materials from one location to another in bulk. How many of the vessels named below transport fluids by mass flow? artery; phloem sieve tube; vein; xylem vessel
Feb/March 2023
The arrows indicate the direction of water movement through a plant root, from water in the soil to the xylem. Which arrows show water movement only in the apoplast pathway?
Feb/March 2023
An efficient gas exchange system needs a large surface area and a short diffusion distance. Which row shows correctly how alveoli are adapted to satisfy these requirements?
Feb/March 2023
Which processes are involved in the action of phagocytes?
Feb/March 2023
Dialysis (Visking) tubing is a man-made partially permeable membrane with pores of around $2.5\,\text{nm}$. Glucose molecules are about $1.5\,\text{nm}$ in diameter, so they are able to move through the membrane pores. What else is able to pass through the pores?
Feb/March 2023
Sodium ions are able to pass into cells through the cell surface membrane. Which methods could sodium ions use to move across a cell surface membrane into a cell?
Feb/March 2024
The diagram illustrates an artificial partially permeable membrane being used to divide a beaker containing a $5\%$ sodium chloride solution from a $10\%$ sodium chloride solution. The two parts of the beaker were marked R and S. Which row gives the correct description of, and reason for, what will happen in the part of the beaker labelled S?
Feb/March 2024
Agar cubes may be used to show how diffusion is affected when the surface area to volume ratio changes. Three different agar cubes, prepared using a coloured indicator solution, were placed in a dilute acid which diffused into the cubes. As the acid spread through the agar cubes, the indicator solution changed colour. The cubes had volumes of $1\ \text{cm}^3$, $2\ \text{cm}^3$ and $3\ \text{cm}^3$ and were kept in the dilute acid for $10$ minutes. All the other variables were kept constant. After $10$ minutes, the agar cubes were taken out of the dilute acid and sliced in half. The cut surfaces were examined and the outcomes were recorded as diagrams. All diagrams were drawn to the same scale. The results for the $2\ \text{cm}^3$ cube are shown. Which diagrams show the results for the $1\ \text{cm}^3$ and the $3\ \text{cm}^3$ cubes?
Feb/March 2024
A maize seedling was cultivated in soil containing lanthanum ions that had been tagged with a chemical which fluoresces under ultraviolet light. The diagram shows what was seen when a section of root was viewed with a light microscope under ultraviolet illumination. Which conclusion about the transport of lanthanum ions in maize roots is correct?
Feb/March 2024
What conditions are required for the mass flow of sucrose in phloem sieve tubes to occur?
Feb/March 2024
Which statement correctly describes how tissue fluid is formed?
Feb/March 2024
As mucus is secreted by a goblet cell, the following events occur. In what order do these events occur?
Feb/March 2024
The diagram gives the measurements of two agar blocks. It has been drawn to scale. Both agar blocks were coloured pink using a pH indicator. Under acidic conditions, the pink pH indicator turns colourless. The two agar blocks were put into a beaker of acid at the same time. As the acid diffused into the blocks, they became colourless. What is the surface area to volume ratio of the block that turned completely colourless first?
Feb/March 2025
The graph illustrates how the rate of facilitated diffusion of substance X across a cell surface membrane altered as the concentration of substance X rose. Every condition other than the concentration of substance X was held constant. Temperature was kept at 15 ^{\circ}C. Which statement about the rate of facilitated diffusion is correct?
Feb/March 2025
Which row correctly shows whether growing leaves function as sources or sinks for amino acids and sucrose?
Feb/March 2025
What changes take place as amino acids are transported into phloem sieve tubes at a source?
Feb/March 2025
Which of the following statements about how carbon dioxide is transported in the blood are correct?
Feb/March 2025
An oxygen molecule diffuses from the air in an alveolus to haemoglobin inside a red blood cell. If the molecule moves across cellular layers by going through cells, not between them, what is the smallest number of phospholipid layers through which the oxygen molecule has to pass?
Feb/March 2025
Which processes enable movement into and out of a cell?
May/June 2010
Plant and animal cells were put into different solutions, and the outcomes are shown. Which cells were put into which solution?
May/June 2010
What takes place in the sieve tube elements of a photosynthesising leaf and an actively growing root?
May/June 2010
Some fungi that live in the soil make crop plants wilt by multiplying inside the xylem vessels. Which process will be affected directly by these fungi?
May/June 2010
The diagram presents a spirometer trace showing tidal volume and vital capacity. During moderate exercise, what happens to the volumes marked X and Y?
May/June 2010
Which processes make it possible for materials to move into and out of a cell?
May/June 2010
Some plant and animal cells were put into different solutions, and the results are shown. Which cells were placed in each solution?
May/June 2010
Some fungi that live in soil cause crop plants to wilt because they grow inside the xylem vessels. Which process will be directly affected by these fungi?
May/June 2010
What takes place in the sieve tube elements of a photosynthesising leaf and an actively growing root?
May/June 2010
What evidence supports the idea that a membrane protein is involved in active transport?
May/June 2011
Segments of plant tissue were placed into sucrose solutions spanning different concentrations. Their lengths were measured both before they were placed in the solutions and after 30 minutes. The graph shows the ratio of initial length to final length. What is a correct description of how the cells alter and of their water potential as the sucrose concentration increases?
May/June 2011
In an animal cell, which process depends on cell surface area, and which process depends on cell volume?
May/June 2011
Which xerophytic adaptations lower the water potential gradient?
May/June 2011
During transpiration, where in the leaves does evaporation of water occur?
May/June 2011
The photomicrograph shows a vascular bundle. Which statement describes the relationship between the water potential of the labelled cells?
May/June 2011
The diagram shows how water moves through a plant. Which row correctly identifies the processes involved at the stages of water movement illustrated?
May/June 2011
Which statement about tissue fluid is correct?
May/June 2011
Within the lungs, oxygen and carbon dioxide move across cell membranes by diffusion. Which row is correct?
May/June 2011
A person with mild emphysema has given up smoking cigarettes. Why would this person’s health get better?
May/June 2011
Potato tissue cylinders placed in a $0.35\,\text{mol dm}^{-3}$ sucrose solution showed no change in mass. What will happen if the cylinders are placed in a $0.1\,\text{mol dm}^{-3}$ sucrose solution?
May/June 2011
At high altitude, the partial pressure of oxygen is lower than it is at sea level. Which row gives the correct description and explanation of the body's response to high altitude?
May/June 2011
Blood, tissue fluid and lymph do not all share the same composition. Which row gives the composition of lymph?
May/June 2011
Which characteristics of xerophytes are adaptations that reduce water loss via transpiration?
May/June 2011
Visking tubing is an artificial partially permeable membrane that is used to show diffusion. Glucose molecules can move through the pores in the membrane, which are approximately $2.4\ \text{nm}$ in diameter. Which of the following could pass through the pores?
May/June 2011
The graph presents the findings from measuring the concentration of sucrose in the xylem, phloem and leaves of a plant over 24 hours. Which conclusion can be drawn from these findings?
May/June 2011
Water that is inside a root hair cell may leave the cell and enter the xylem. By which route must the water move?
May/June 2011
The diagram shows water moving through a plant. Which row correctly identifies the processes taking place during the stages of water movement shown?
May/June 2011
What evidence indicates that a membrane protein takes part in active transport?
May/June 2011
Pieces of plant tissue were placed into sucrose solutions at a variety of concentrations. Their lengths were recorded before being placed in the solutions and again after 30 minutes. The graph shows the ratio of the starting length to the final length. What is a correct description of how the cells change and how their water potential changes as the sucrose concentration increases?
May/June 2011
In the lungs, oxygen and carbon dioxide move through cell membranes by diffusion. Which row is correct?
May/June 2011
Which xerophytic adaptations lower the water potential gradient?
May/June 2011
In transpiration, where in the leaves does water evaporate from?
May/June 2011
The photomicrograph shows a vascular bundle. Which statement describes how the water potential of the labelled cells is related?
May/June 2011
For an animal cell, which process relies on cell surface area, and which process relies on cell volume?
May/June 2011
Which statement about tissue fluid is correct?
May/June 2011
Which one of the following ways of moving substances across cell surface membranes allows movement in both directions?
May/June 2012
The graphs illustrate the rate at which sugars are absorbed by a culture of animal cells under a range of conditions. How is the sugar absorbed by the cells when air is bubbled through the culture?
May/June 2012
During transpiration, from which part does water evaporate?
May/June 2012
The diagram illustrates a model used to show the mass flow hypothesis of translocation. In a plant, what are the structures W, X, Y and Z, and in which direction does solution move along W?
May/June 2012
The graph illustrates stomatal opening and closing in the leaves of a species of Pelargonium over a 24 hour period. What conclusion can be drawn?
May/June 2012
Which statement describes how mass flow develops in sieve tube elements?
May/June 2012
The processes listed below are all ways in which substances may enter a cell. 1 endocytosis 2 facilitated diffusion 3 osmosis Which of these processes are passive?
May/June 2012
The diagram illustrates the water potential of three neighbouring plant cells (top cell $-1200\ \text{kPa}$, bottom left cell $-800\ \text{kPa}$, bottom right cell $-1000\ \text{kPa}$). From which directions will net movement of water by osmosis occur?
May/June 2012
Which statements explain why a large animal has needed to develop a transport system?
May/June 2012