Cell Structure and Microscopy — Free MYP4 Biology Practice Questions
1QuestionDifferences Between Prokaryotic and Eukaryotic CellConcept Practice
2 marks~3 minCriterion A
Diagrams of a prokaryotic cell and a eukaryotic cell are provided below.
a
Identify one structural feature visible in Diagram B that is absent in Diagram A, and state the biological term for it. [1]
b
Explain how the presence of membrane-bound organelles in eukaryotic cells, but not in prokaryotic cells, affects the organisation of cellular processes. [1]
Solutions
2QuestionCell Membrane and Fluid Mosaic ModelAssessment Practice
2 marks~3 minCriterion D
Liposome-based drug delivery systems exploit the fluid mosaic model by engineering phospholipid vesicles that fuse with target cell membranes to release chemotherapy agents directly into cancer cells.
a
Outline how knowledge of the fluid mosaic model makes liposome-based drug delivery possible. [1]
b
Discuss one ethical issue arising from the use of liposome-based cancer therapies in healthcare systems. [1]
Solutions
3QuestionTransport Mechanisms (Diffusion, Osmosis, Active Transport)Concept Practice
2 marks~3 minCriterion A
A drop of blue dye is placed at the centre of a beaker of still water at minutes. After one hour, the dye is observed to have spread throughout the beaker.
a
Describe the process by which the dye spreads through the water, using appropriate biological terminology. [1]
b
Explain how the concentration gradient of the dye changes between minutes and minutes. [1]
Solutions
4QuestionSpecialized Cells and Their AdaptationsAssessment Practice
2 marks~3 minCriterion A
A diagram of a palisade mesophyll cell shows three labeled features: (i) numerous chloroplasts arranged near the cell membrane, (ii) a large central vacuole, and (iii) a thin cell wall.
a
Identify one structural adaptation shown in the diagram and state its function in photosynthesis. [1]
b
Explain how the large central vacuole and the thin cell wall work together to maximise the efficiency of photosynthesis in this cell. [1]
Solutions
5QuestionCalculating Magnification and Image SizeConcept Practice
2 marks~3 minCriterion A
A pathologist examines a stained biopsy slide using a light microscope at ×400 magnification. The image of a suspected cancer cell measures 2.8 mm across on the slide.
a
Calculate the actual diameter of the cell. Show your working. [1]
b
A normal epithelial cell has an actual diameter of 5 µm. The pathologist observes that the cancer cell is significantly larger and more irregular in shape. Explain how these two observations together help the pathologist determine the stage of cancer and guide treatment decisions. [1]
Solutions
6QuestionSurface Area to Volume Ratio in CellsAssessment Practice
2 marks~3 minCriterion D
Nanoparticles (diameter 10–200 nm) are engineered to deliver chemotherapy drugs directly to tumour cells, minimising damage to healthy tissue.
a
State one reason why a high surface area to volume ratio is important for the drug release rate of a nanoparticle. [1]
b
Discuss one limitation of using nanoparticles as drug-delivery vehicles in the human body. [1]
Solutions
7QuestionSurface Area to Volume Ratio in CellsConcept Practice
2 marks~3 minCriterion A
Amoeba is a single-celled organism approximately 0.5 mm in diameter. Because of its small size, it relies entirely on diffusion to obtain oxygen, with no specialised transport systems.
Explain how the large surface area to volume ratio of Amoeba enables efficient diffusion of oxygen across its cell membrane. [2]
Explain how the large surface area to volume ratio of Amoeba enables efficient diffusion of oxygen across its cell membrane. [2]
Solutions
8QuestionStructure and Function of Animal and Plant CellsAssessment Practice
2 marks~3 minCriterion D
Researchers developing an artificial pancreas implant study the structure and function of insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas. Beta cells contain secretory vesicles that store insulin and abundant mitochondria that supply energy for insulin release. They detect rising blood glucose and respond by secreting insulin through exocytosis.
Discuss how knowledge of beta cell structure and function assists researchers in designing an artificial pancreas implant, and identify one limitation of using donated human beta cells in such a device. [2]
Discuss how knowledge of beta cell structure and function assists researchers in designing an artificial pancreas implant, and identify one limitation of using donated human beta cells in such a device. [2]
Solutions
9QuestionUsing Light Microscopes and Staining TechniquesConcept Practice
2 marks~3 minCriterion A
A student uses a light microscope with a eyepiece lens and a low-power objective lens to observe a prepared slide of onion epidermal cells.
a
State the total magnification produced when using these two lenses together. [1]
b
The student notices the image blurs whenever they adjust the slide. Explain how stage clips prevent this problem, linking their function to image quality. [1]
Solutions
10QuestionTransport Mechanisms (Diffusion, Osmosis, Active Transport)Assessment Practice
2 marks~3 minCriterion A
Salting and sugaring are traditional food preservation methods used worldwide. When fish is packed in salt or fruit is cooked with high concentrations of sugar to make jam, the surrounding solution becomes hypertonic relative to bacterial cells present on the food.
a
Explain how osmosis prevents bacterial growth in salted or sugared food. [1]
b
Identify one limitation of using salt or sugar as a food preservative and explain why this limitation reduces the method's effectiveness. [1]
Solutions
11QuestionUsing Light Microscopes and Staining TechniquesConcept Practice
2 marks~3 minCriterion A
A student prepares a human cheek cell slide, stains it with methylene blue, and views it under a light microscope. The cell appears pale blue overall, with a thin outer boundary and a distinctly darker, rounded structure at its centre.
a
Identify the dark-stained structure visible at the centre of the cell. [1]
b
Explain why this structure stains more darkly than the surrounding cytoplasm when methylene blue is applied. [1]
Solutions
12QuestionCell Theory and the Basis of LifeAssessment Practice
2 marks~3 minCriterion D
A clinician suspects a patient has an active viral infection affecting epithelial tissue. A colleague suggests using a swab of dead, shed skin cells for diagnostic testing rather than a biopsy of living tissue.
Using cell theory, explain why dead skin cells are unsuitable for detecting an active viral infection. [1]
Evaluate one consequence for the patient if diagnosis relies solely on dead tissue samples. [1]
Using cell theory, explain why dead skin cells are unsuitable for detecting an active viral infection. [1]
Evaluate one consequence for the patient if diagnosis relies solely on dead tissue samples. [1]
Solutions
13QuestionStructure and Function of Animal and Plant CellsConcept Practice
2 marks~3 minCriterion A
The diagram below shows a labelled plant cell.
a
Describe the structure of the central vacuole. [1]
b
Explain how the central vacuole contributes to the structural support of a plant cell. [1]
Solutions
14QuestionMicroscopy and Cell Observation TechniquesAssessment Practice
2 marks~3 minCriterion A
A micrograph of a plant cell includes a scale bar representing , which measures in the image. A chloroplast in the same image measures in length.
(a) Calculate the actual length of the chloroplast in micrometres (). [2]
(a) Calculate the actual length of the chloroplast in micrometres (). [2]
Solutions
15QuestionStructure and Function of Cell OrganellesConcept Practice
2 marks~3 minCriterion A
The electron micrograph below shows an animal cell. Arrow X points to an organelle with a highly folded inner membrane.
a
Identify the organelle indicated by arrow X. [1]
b
Explain how the folded inner membrane of this organelle is related to its function in the cell. [1]
Solutions
16QuestionUsing Light Microscopes and Staining TechniquesAssessment Practice
2 marks~3 minCriterion D
A forensic scientist collects a cheek-cell sample from a crime scene and prepares a stained slide using methylene blue to visualise nuclei for suspect identification.
Identify one ethical issue that could arise if the staining technique produces unreliable results in this forensic context. [1]
Discuss how a specific limitation of the staining procedure could compromise the reliability of the evidence. [1]
Identify one ethical issue that could arise if the staining technique produces unreliable results in this forensic context. [1]
Discuss how a specific limitation of the staining procedure could compromise the reliability of the evidence. [1]
Solutions
17QuestionStructure and Function of Animal and Plant CellsConcept Practice
2 marks~3 minCriterion A
The diagram below shows an animal cell with three labelled structures: the cell membrane, nucleus, and cytoplasm.
a
Identify the structure responsible for regulating the movement of substances into and out of the cell. [1]
b
Explain how this structure controls which substances enter and exit the cell. [1]
Solutions
18QuestionSpecialized Cells and Their AdaptationsAssessment Practice
2 marks~3 minCriterion D
Goblet cells lining the airways secrete mucus that traps pathogens and debris. In cystic fibrosis (CF), a mutation in the CFTR gene causes goblet cells to produce abnormally thick, sticky mucus that obstructs airways and promotes chronic infection.
a
Describe one way that understanding goblet cell adaptation in CF has led to a real-world medical application. [1]
b
Discuss one ethical issue raised by genetic screening for cystic fibrosis, considering more than one perspective. [1]
Solutions
19QuestionTransport Mechanisms (Diffusion, Osmosis, Active Transport)Concept Practice
2 marks~3 minCriterion A
A student observes a plant cell under a light microscope. The diagram shows the cell surrounded by a solution with a lower water potential than the cell's cytoplasm.
a
Identify the structure that acts as a selectively permeable barrier, regulating the movement of substances into and out of the cell. [1]
b
The cell is transferred to a solution with an even lower water potential. Explain the direction of net water movement across this structure and the transport mechanism responsible. [1]
Solutions
20QuestionDifferences Between Prokaryotic and Eukaryotic CellAssessment Practice
3 marks~5 minCriterion C
The bar graph below shows the typical size ranges of prokaryotic cells (1–5 µm) and eukaryotic cells (10–100 µm).
a
State one difference in size between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells, as shown in the graph. [1]
b
Explain how the presence of membrane-bound organelles relates to the larger size of eukaryotic cells. [1]
c
A student claims that compartmentalisation alone explains why eukaryotic cells can sustain larger volumes. Evaluate this claim, considering one additional factor that contributes to the ability of eukaryotic cells to function at larger sizes. [1]
Solutions
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