Every AS Level Biology topic, with free past-paper-style questions and full mark schemes. Pick a chapter to practise its questions, or generate a complete 9700-format paper in seconds, from easy warm-ups to A*-level "brutal" papers.
Generate a free Biology paper →Paper 1 · Multiple Choice (AS · 40 questions · 1h 15m); Paper 2 · AS Structured Questions (AS · 60 marks · 1h 15m); Paper 3 · Advanced Practical Skills (AS · 2 practical questions · 2h).
A mixed set from across the syllabus. Questions marked A* challenge come from the hardest bank.
Phagocytes are part of the non-specific immune response.
1 Macrophages present antigens to lymphocytes.
2 Phagocytes produce antibodies.
3 Neutrophils are short-lived and engulf pathogens.
Which statements are correct?
Answer: B
An image is 67 mm long at magnification × 2500. What is the actual length in μm?
Answer: B
Discs of beetroot are placed in sucrose solutions of different concentrations for 24 hours. The percentage change in mass is shown.
| sucrose / mol dm−3 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 0.8 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| % change in mass | +9 | +3 | −3 | −9 | −15 |
Explain the change in mass in 0.8 mol dm−3 sucrose solution in terms of water potential.
Estimate the concentration of sucrose with the same water potential as the beetroot cells.
A cell has water potential −1300 kPa when fully turgid with pressure potential 433 kPa. Calculate its solute potential.
Beetroot pigment leaks out of cells at high temperature. Explain why, with reference to membrane structure.
| Part | Answer and marking points | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| (a) | solution has lower (more negative) water potential than cells; water leaves by osmosis down the water potential gradient through partially permeable membrane solution has lower water potential B1 water moves out by osmosis B1 through partially permeable membrane, down gradient B1 | 3 |
| (b) | 0.30 0.27–0.33 B1 | 1 |
| (c) | −1733 kPa ψ = ψs + ψp C1 −1733 A1 | 2 |
| (d) | phospholipids gain kinetic energy, membrane more fluid; proteins denature leaving gaps; pigment escapes from vacuole phospholipid bilayer more fluid/permeable B1 membrane proteins denatured B1 pigment (betalain) leaks through tonoplast and cell membrane B1 | 3 |
The fluid mosaic model describes cell membrane structure.
Describe the roles of cholesterol and glycoproteins in membranes.
Explain why the membrane is called a fluid mosaic.
| Part | Answer and marking points | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| (a) | stability/fluidity; cell recognition cholesterol regulates fluidity/stability B1 glycoproteins in cell recognition/cell signalling B1 | 2 |
| (b) | molecules move; proteins scattered phospholipids and proteins can move (fluid) B1 proteins scattered among phospholipids (mosaic) B1 | 2 |
An enzyme has a maximum rate of reaction (Vmax) of 40 µmol min−1 and a Michaelis–Menten constant (Km) of 2 mmol dm−3.
Explain what is meant by Vmax and by Km.
State the rate at a substrate concentration of 2 mmol dm−3.
Explain what a low Km value indicates about the enzyme.
Describe and explain the effect of a competitive inhibitor on Vmax and Km.
Describe how a non-competitive inhibitor differs in its effect.
Enzymes can be immobilised in alginate beads. Suggest two advantages of using immobilised enzymes in industry.
| Part | Answer and marking points | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| (a) | Vmax: maximum rate when all active sites occupied; Km: substrate concentration at half Vmax Vmax: the maximum rate, when all active sites are occupied (saturated) B1 Km: the substrate concentration at which the rate is half Vmax B1 | 2 |
| (b) | 20 µmol min−1 20 µmol min−1 B1 | 1 |
| (c) | high affinity for substrate; reaches half Vmax at low concentration high affinity for its substrate B1 the enzyme–substrate complex forms readily even at low substrate concentration B1 | 2 |
| (d) | Km increases, Vmax unchanged; inhibitor similar shape, binds active site; overcome by high substrate Km increases B1 Vmax unchanged B1 the inhibitor has a similar shape to the substrate and competes for the active site B1 at high substrate concentration the substrate out-competes the inhibitor so Vmax is still reached B1 | 4 |
| (e) | binds elsewhere (allosteric), changes active site shape; Vmax decreases, Km unchanged binds at a site other than the active site, changing its shape B1 Vmax is reduced (and cannot be overcome by more substrate) while Km is unchanged B1 | 2 |
| (f) | reused; product not contaminated; more stable to temperature/pH Any 2 of: enzyme can be reused / easily recovered; the product is not contaminated with enzyme; more stable over a wider range of temperature and pH B2 | 2 |
Tuberculosis and malaria are infectious diseases.
Name the pathogen that causes TB and describe how it is transmitted.
Describe how malaria is transmitted.
| Part | Answer and marking points | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| (a) | Mycobacterium tuberculosis; droplets Mycobacterium tuberculosis (or M. bovis) B1 airborne droplets from coughing/sneezing B1 | 2 |
| (b) | Plasmodium; Anopheles mosquito vector Plasmodium (protoctist) B1 transmitted by female Anopheles mosquito when it takes a blood meal B1 | 2 |
No. They are original questions written to match the AS Level Biology 9700 syllabus and the style of real Cambridge papers, so you can practise beyond the past papers you have already done.
Yes. Every question on these pages has its answer, and every generated paper comes with a full Cambridge-style mark scheme you can download as a PDF.
Yes. Choose the paper (Paper 1 Multiple Choice, Paper 2 AS Structured Questions, Paper 3 Advanced Practical Skills), the topics, the marks and the difficulty, and the generator builds a fresh paper with the same number and style of questions as the real exam.
Riyaz Shaikh has mentored IGCSE, IB and A Level students for 15+ years, one-on-one, online and in Mumbai. The hardest questions on this site are the ones he uses to find a student's weak points.
Meet Riyaz →Original Cambridge-style practice questions written for mentorriyaz.in. These are not Cambridge past paper questions, and this site is not affiliated with or endorsed by Cambridge University Press & Assessment. Updated 2026-11-04. Paper generator · mentorriyaz.in