2015 – 2016

SECONDARY 4 FINAL EXAMINATION

S4 Suggested solution

Section A
1. B D D B D C A C A A
11. B C B D C A A B D A
21. C B C B C A B A A D

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 2015 – 2016
SECONDARY 4 FINAL EXAMINATION

S4 Suggested solution
Section B:
1.
(a) 3 times/12 s = 0.25 times per second or 3/12*60 times/min = 15 times per minute [1]
(b) Contract [1]
Flattened [1]
(c)

Correct drawing (peaks are the same as deep breath; at a higher frequency) [1]
(d) Heart [1]
It beats faster and stronger/harder to increase the blood flow rate [1]
so more oxygenated blood from the lungs can reach the muscles in a shorter period of time. [1]
2.
(a) The leaves changed from a state of stretching out to becoming drooped / wilted. [1]
(b) As the leaves wilt, the surface area of leaves exposing to sunlight will be reduced. [I]
The amount of light energy absorbed by the leaves will be lowered. [I]
The rate of photosynthesis will be reduced. [1]
(c) The strategy is incorrect. Excess fertilisers will lower the water potential of the soil water. [1]
This will reverse or reduce the water potential gradient between the root cells and the soil water. / This
may result in a soil solution with a water potential lower that of the root cells. [1]
The plant either lost water, or cannot absorb water efficiently, to compensate for the water loss (i.e.
water intake is lower than water loss). The leaf cells are still deficient in water and cannot regain their
turgidity. [1]
3.
(a) At light intensities higher than the saturation point, light intensity is no longer the limiting factor for the
HFCC S4 BIO FINAL EXAM-1B P. 1 Go on to the next page
 rate of photosynthesis. [1]
Other factors like carbon dioxide concentration/ temperature/ amount of chlorophyll/ the amount of
enzymes are limiting. [1]
(b) Species A (1)
Indoor area usually has a low light intensity. (1)
Species A has a higher photosynthetic activity than species B under low light intensity, [1]
so it may grow even when placed indoors.
(c) Tina may be wrong. After dawn, the light intensity is still low, especially in indoor/bedroom. [1]
The respiration rate of plants is faster than the photosynthetic rate. [1]
Therefore, the plants will absorb oxygen, rather than producing oxygen. The condition is reversed some
time later (the time interval after dawn depends on plant species and the geographical location) after
dawn. [1]
(Note that at dawn, the sun starts to rise. There is still a period in which the rate of respiration exceeds
the rate of photosynthesis when the light intensity turns from zero to compensation point.)
4.
(a) Cell type A has a thicker cell wall than cell type B/ empty content in cell A but presence of cytoplasm in
cell type B. Accept any other alternative answer. [1]
(b) Cell type A has thickened cell wall [1]
which provides rigidity to the plant [1]
When there is ample supply of water, [1]
cell type B provides turgidity to the plant [1]
(c) Cell type A is responsible for the transport of water and is always filled with water [1]
and thus has a higher water potential than that of cell type B. [1]
There is thus a net movement of water from cell type A into cell type B by osmosis. [1]
Ample supply of water ensures turgidity of cell type B.
(d) It is a hollow tube without cytoplasm and end walls, [1] which reduces resistance to the transport of
water. [1]
(e) Label the cortex [1] and the pith [1] at correct positions.
5.
(a) (i) Any one of the following: (1 mark for feature, 1 mark for explanation) (2m)
Observable feature Explanation
- colourful/large petals/corolla to attract insects to visit anthers /
carpel.
- anthers located inside the to brush against the insects in order to
flower transfer pollen grains to the insects
- stigma located inside the to receive pollen grains stuck on the
flower insects
(ii) Any one of the following: (1 mark for feature, 1 mark for explanation) (2m)
Observable feature Explanation
- anthers hang outside the flower to release pollen grains into the air
- stigmas hang outside the flower to catch pollen grains in the air

HFCC S4 BIO FINAL EXAM-1B P. 2 Go on to the next page

(b) Any two of the following: (1 mark each) (2m)
- Offspring show genetic variations which may help them adapt to changing environmental
conditions.
- Seeds can be dispersed over long distances, thus reducing overcrowding and competition, and
- lowering chance of transmission of diseases and/or pests from parent plants to offspring.
6.
(a) mitotic cell division [1]
After period A, the DNA content returned to its original amount/same amount as the parent cell. [I]
(b) testes in male [1/2] and ovaries in female [1/2] (no mark for sex organs)
(c) DNA replicates in period C. [1] Formation of new organelles/more proteins [1]
(d) haploid cell/gametes [1]
(e) (i) 64 chromosomes [I]
(ii) No. Mules are infertile. [1]
A mule contain one set of chromosomes from a horse and one set from a donkey. [1]
The two sets of homologous chromosomes cannot pair up during metaphase 1 of meiosis and
therefore cannot produce haploid gametes. [1]
7.
(a) avoid blockage of xylem by the air bubble formed [1]

(b) the rate of transpiration is the same as the rate of water absorption / the water absorbed is used for

transpiration only [1]

(c) The experimental set-up can only measure the water uptake but not the water loss. For transpiration, we

should measure the water loss instead. [I]

The shoot has its root and bottom part cut. This will affect the actual rate of water uptake. [1]
(or other acceptable alternatives)
(d) Under condition B, the transpiration rate is higher than that under condition C under the same
temperature and same humidity. [1]
because the air current sweeps/blows away the water vapour around the stomata in the leafy shoot. [1]
This helps maintain a steep concentration gradient of water vapour between the atmosphere and the air
space in the leaf/ becomes steeper [1]
The water vapour diffuses out to the atmosphere at a faster rate [1]
8.
(a) Any three:
 Desirable traits can be retained in the offspring.
 Offspring often benefit from the large amount of food stored in the vegetative parts from parents
for early stage of growth.
 No external agents are required for reproduction. It is a more reliable method of reproduction.
 The rate of reproduction is relatively faster than sexual reproduction.
(b) The vegetative parts often store a large amount of food substances. Humans could quickly reproduce
the plants vegetatively to produce food for commercial purpose. [1]
Humans could select desirable traits and reproduce the plant quickly by means of artificial vegetative
propagation. [1]
HFCC S4 BIO FINAL EXAM-1B P. 3 Go on to the next page
(c) (i) starth
(ii) iodine test: mix the tissue with iodine solution. It turns from brown to blue black.
(d) Increased genetic variation in the new offspring:
(a) Independent assortment of chromosomes during meiosis: During metaphase I, pairs of
homologous chromosomes line up at the middle of the cell but the two members of each
homologous pair separates into daughter cells independently of other homologous pairs. [1]
The independent assortment of chromosomes produces various genetic combinations in the
gametes. [1]
(b) Crossing over (the exchange of genetic materials between non-sister chromatids at chiasma) can
separate and rearrange genes located on the same chromosome. It gives rise to new genetic
combinations in the gametes. [1]
(c) Random fertilization of haploid gametes: When the haploid gametes randomly fuse at fertilization,
there is a recombination of parental genes. The zygote formed will have genetic combinations
different from their parents. [1]

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