Heart

The diagram illustrates how pressure in the aorta and the left ventricle changes over one full heartbeat. What causes the rise in pressure between points X and Y?

May/June 2015

The diagram shows how pressure changes in the aorta and the left ventricle during one full heart beat. What causes the rise in pressure between points X and Y?

May/June 2015

The graph illustrates how pressure varies in the left atrium and the left ventricle during a single heartbeat. At time X, what is the condition of the valves in the heart?

May/June 2016

The graph illustrates how pressure varies in the left atrium and the left ventricle over one heartbeat. At time $X$, what is the condition of the valves in the heart?

May/June 2016

Which heart chamber has the thickest walls?

May/June 2017

Why does an increase in pulse rate matter to an athlete during a $200\,\text{m}$ race?

May/June 2017

The diagram illustrates the right-hand side of the human heart while the ventricle is relaxed. Which row gives the correct positions of valve X and valve Y when the ventricle contracts?

May/June 2018

The diagram illustrates a human heart together with the blood vessels connected to it.

May/June 2018

The heart is shown in the diagram. The vessel marked F can be seen narrowing, as illustrated.

May/June 2018

A patient breathes in a drug. Which chamber of the patient’s heart would receive the blood carrying the drug first?

May/June 2019

Via which valve does blood move as it leaves the right ventricle, and which structure does it then enter?

May/June 2019

The diagram presents the heart’s internal layout as seen from the front, together with the blood vessels linked to it.

May/June 2019

The diagram shows a cross-section of the human heart. What is the condition of the valves when chambers X and Y are contracting?

May/June 2021

The diagram illustrates how the volume of blood in the left ventricle of a human heart varies over one heartbeat. During which stage is the left ventricle contracting?

May/June 2021

The diagram shows the right-hand side of the human heart while the ventricle is relaxed. Which row gives the positions of valve $X$ and valve $Y$ when the ventricle contracts?

May/June 2022

The diagram illustrates the right side of the human heart while the ventricle is relaxed. Which row states the positions of valve X and valve Y as the ventricle contracts?

May/June 2022

Which chamber in the heart has the thickest muscular walls?

May/June 2023

The heart functions as a pump, forcing blood around the circulatory system. The arrows on the heart diagram show the direction of blood flow. At which point is the pressure of the blood greatest?

May/June 2024

A student recorded their pulse rate in beats per minute (bpm) three times while resting and three times after running. The table lists the results. What was the mean heart rate after running, rounded to the nearest bpm?

May/June 2024

A student carried out an investigation into the effect of exercise on their heart rate. The student found their heart rate at rest. They did this by sitting down, counting the number of heartbeats in 15 seconds, and then multiplying this to obtain the number in 60 seconds. The student then exercised for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, the student stopped exercising and measured their heart rate for the 3 minutes after stopping. Table 3.1 shows some of their results.

May/June 2024

During two full circuits of the human body, what total number of atria and ventricles does the blood pass through?

May/June 2025

Pulmonary stenosis is a condition that results from narrowing at the opening of the blood vessel carrying blood away from the right ventricle. In which part of the body will blood flow decrease first because of pulmonary stenosis?

May/June 2025

During a single heartbeat, the muscles in the atria and ventricles tighten and then relax, driving blood out of the heart and into the circulatory system. The diagram indicates the time taken for the heart to beat twice. What is the heartbeat rate?

May/June 2025

Which organ is supplied with blood by two major vessels, and where does all of that blood leave through one major vessel?

Oct/Nov 2015

Which chamber of the heart would nicotine, absorbed into the blood in the lungs of a cigarette smoker, enter first?

Oct/Nov 2015

Which gives the order of contractions in one heart beat?

Oct/Nov 2016

Two people completed a brief session of exercise on a treadmill. Both people ran on the treadmill for the same length of time and at the same speed. The graph displays the pulse rates of these two people before, while and after the exercise period. Which statement about the graph is correct?

Oct/Nov 2016

The diagram illustrates the heart from the outside. The left coronary artery is obstructed at the point marked X. How would this blockage affect the heart first?

Oct/Nov 2016

Fig. 4.1 shows a cross-section through a heart linked to a device called an LV Assist Device.

Oct/Nov 2016

The graph illustrates how the blood pressure in the heart's left ventricle changes. In which time interval is the left atrium contracting?

Oct/Nov 2017

How do the following activities affect pulse rate, compared with resting pulse rate?

Oct/Nov 2017

The graph illustrates how the blood pressure in the left ventricle of the heart changes. In which period is the left atrium contracting?

Oct/Nov 2017

Which of these structures would be the first one to receive nicotine that has been absorbed into the blood from tobacco smoke?

Oct/Nov 2017

The diagram shows a cross-section of the human heart. Which indicates that blood is pumped out of the heart at different pressures on its way to the lungs and to the body?

Oct/Nov 2018

The diagram shows a cross-section of the human heart. Which feature indicates that blood leaves the heart at different pressures when it travels to the lungs and to the body?

Oct/Nov 2018

Hypoplastic left heart failure is a rare cardiac condition in which the lower left chamber of the heart has developed abnormally and is far smaller than usual. The immediate effect of this condition is reduced blood flow to which blood vessel?

Oct/Nov 2019

Which risk is significantly raised by the nicotine found in cigarette smoke?

Oct/Nov 2019

Which row identifies possible causes of coronary heart disease?

Oct/Nov 2020

The graph illustrates a person's pulse rate across a time interval during which they rest, ride an exercise bike, and then rest once more. At what point did the person cease pedalling?

Oct/Nov 2020

The diagram illustrates a simplified human circulatory system. Which structure is the heart?

Oct/Nov 2021

The diagram illustrates the pressures on the left side of the heart during one heartbeat. At the time labelled X, which valves are open and which are closed?

Oct/Nov 2021

The diagram illustrates the pressures on the left side of the heart during a single heartbeat. At the moment labelled X, which valves are open and which are closed?

Oct/Nov 2021

The diagram illustrates the circulatory system in a fish. Both human lungs and fish gills provide a large surface area for gas exchange.

Oct/Nov 2021

Certain people are born with a rare heart disorder in which the lower left chamber of the heart has not developed normally and is much smaller than usual. As a direct effect of this disorder, blood flow to which blood vessel is reduced below the normal level?

Oct/Nov 2022

In some people, a rare heart condition means that the heart’s lower left chamber has failed to develop correctly and is far smaller than usual. As a direct consequence of this condition, blood flow into which blood vessel is reduced below the normal level?

Oct/Nov 2022

The diagram illustrates the heart’s internal arrangement and the blood vessels connected to it.

Oct/Nov 2022

Two individuals completed a brief session of exercise on a treadmill. Both people ran on the treadmill for the same length of time and at the same speed. The graph illustrates the pulse rates of these two individuals before, during and after the exercise period. Which interpretation of the graph is correct?

Oct/Nov 2023

A ventricular septal defect is an opening in the septum separating the left ventricle and right ventricle of the heart. Which statement describes how blood flow through the heart is affected in a person with a ventricular septal defect?

Oct/Nov 2024

A student measures the thickness of the walls of the four chambers in a heart. The results are $15\text{ mm}$, $9\text{ mm}$, $3\text{ mm}$ and $3\text{ mm}$. Which row gives the correct chamber measurements for the heart?

Oct/Nov 2025

Fig. 5.1 presents a model of the human circulatory system. Diagram labels: blood vessel Z, lungs, body cells, pump, direction of blood flow. Fig. 5.2 presents a heart with a labelled 'hole in heart'.

Oct/Nov 2025