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CAIE A Level Biology 9700

Cell structure questions

Exam-style questions on Cell structure, ordered from foundation to challenge. Pick one, write your answer the way you would in the exam, and it comes back marked against the mark scheme, point by point.

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Written by Markquill to follow the Cambridge International syllabus. Markquill is independent and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Cambridge International.

  1. Define4 marksStandardA student calibrates an eyepiece graticule using a stage micrometer. The stage micrometer has divisions that are 0.01 mm apart. At the magnification being used, 40 eyepiece graticule divisions match 100 stage…
  2. Explain4 marksStandardAcinar cells in the pancreas secrete large quantities of digestive enzymes. Electron micrographs of these cells show extensive rough endoplasmic reticulum (rough ER) and a prominent Golgi apparatus. Explain why a cell…
  3. Describe5 marksStandardA student uses a light microscope to observe a specimen of onion epidermis. She calibrates the eyepiece graticule using a stage micrometer that has a scale of 1 mm divided into 100 divisions. She determines that at the…
  4. Describe4 marksStandardAn electron micrograph of a eukaryotic cell reveals several structures with distinctive features. For each of the following features, name the organelle and describe how the feature relates to the organelle's function…
  5. Outline5 marksStandardA student examines electron micrographs of two different cells. Cell A has a rigid outer layer, many disc-shaped structures that appear green, and a large central sac occupying most of the cell volume. Cell B has no…
  6. Explain4 marksStandardA student uses a light microscope with an eyepiece graticule and a stage micrometer to measure onion epidermal cells. The stage micrometer has 100 divisions per mm. The student calibrates the eyepiece graticule: 50…
  7. Explain4 marksStandardA student obtained a photomicrograph of onion root tip cells. The image includes a scale bar that is labeled as 20 μm. On the printed photomicrograph, the scale bar measures 10 mm in length. A particular cell in the…
  8. Describe4 marksStandardA student is examining a thin section of a plant cell using both a light microscope and a transmission electron microscope. Describe how the resolution and magnification of these two types of microscope differ, and…
  9. Describe4 marksStandardA student uses a light microscope to observe a section of liver tissue and sees what appears to be a single large structure. When the same tissue is viewed using a transmission electron microscope, the student sees…
  10. Explain4 marksStandardA student calibrates the eyepiece graticule of a light microscope using a stage micrometer. They then use the calibrated microscope to measure the length of onion epidermis cells. Later, the same cells are viewed using…
  11. Describe4 marksStandardPancreatic acinar cells secrete large quantities of digestive enzymes. Describe how the structure of these cells is adapted to this function, referring to specific organelles.
  12. Describe4 marksStandardA pancreatic acinar cell secretes large amounts of digestive enzymes. Describe the roles of the rough endoplasmic reticulum and the Golgi apparatus in the secretion of these proteins.
  13. Outline5 marksStandardA biologist compares electron micrographs of a plant leaf mesophyll cell and a human liver cell. The presence of various organelles and structures in each cell is recorded in the table below. Structure/organelle Plant…
  14. Describe5 marksStandardA student uses a light microscope to measure the width of a plant cell. The student has an eyepiece graticule with 50 divisions and a stage micrometer with 100 divisions per mm. The student aligns the scales and finds…
  15. Explain4 marksStandardA student observes a plant cell using a light microscope. The actual length of the cell is 50 μm. The student draws the cell with a length of 80 mm on paper. (a) Define the term magnification. (b) Define the term…
  16. Outline5 marksStandardTable 1 compares some features of a typical prokaryotic bacterial cell and a typical eukaryotic animal cell. Feature Prokaryotic cell Eukaryotic cell Diameter 1–5 µm 10–100 µm Nucleus No membrane-bound nucleus; DNA in…
  17. Define4 marksStandardA student views a stained liver cell under a light microscope and uses an eyepiece graticule to measure its length. The eyepiece graticule is calibrated using a stage micrometer. The cell's image on a photomicrograph…
  18. Compare5 marksStandardA microbiologist examines two cell samples using an electron microscope: Sample A from a liver biopsy and Sample B from a culture of Escherichia coli. In Sample A, ribosomes are observed both attached to the rough…
  19. Compare5 marksStandardA student examines electron micrographs of a typical plant cell and identifies two types of ribosomes: 80S ribosomes in the cytoplasm and attached to the rough endoplasmic reticulum, and 70S ribosomes inside…
  20. Explain5 marksStandardA student is comparing the capabilities of a light microscope and a transmission electron microscope (TEM) for viewing cellular structures. The following table shows some specifications: Microscope type Maximum…
  21. Explain4 marksStandardThe table below shows four structural features of a typical plant cell, as observed using an electron microscope. Structural feature Function Cell wall composed of cellulose microfibrils Provides mechanical strength…
  22. Explain5 marksStandardA student observes onion epidermal cells using a light microscope. The table shows the typical resolution limits for a light microscope and a transmission electron microscope (TEM). Microscope Resolution limit Light…
  23. Explain4 marksStandardA student examines a photomicrograph of a dividing plant cell. The photomicrograph includes a scale bar labelled 10 µm, which measures 25 mm on the printed image. The student measures the length of a chromosome arm in…
  24. Compare5 marksStandardThe table below shows some features of a prokaryotic cell (bacterium) and a eukaryotic cell (an animal cell). For each feature, describe one similarity and one difference between the two cell types. Feature Prokaryotic…
  25. Explain4 marksStandardA student used a light microscope to observe onion epidermal cells. She drew one cell and measured its length in the drawing as 60 mm. The actual length of the cell is 0.2 mm. (a) Define the term magnification. (b)…
  26. Explain4 marksStandardA researcher isolates a microscopic particle from a hot spring. The particle is approximately 1.5 μm in diameter. It possesses a cell wall containing peptidoglycan, circular DNA, and 70S ribosomes. No nucleus or…
  27. Explain5 marksStandardA student prepared a temporary mount of onion epidermal cells and observed them using a light microscope with a resolution of 200 nm. The same cell type was also observed using a transmission electron microscope (TEM)…
  28. Compare5 marksStandardA biologist extracts cells from two different organisms and records the presence (+) or absence (−) of the following components: Component Cell P Cell Q Cell wall + − Chloroplasts + − Large permanent vacuole + −…
  29. Compare5 marksStandardA biologist is comparing two cells, Cell P and Cell Q, using microscopy and biochemical tests. The following table shows some of their characteristics. Feature Cell P Cell Q Diameter 2 µm 15 µm Ribosomes present 70S…
  30. Describe4 marksStandardA scientist isolates a small, unicellular organism from a geothermal hot spring. It has the following characteristics: Diameter approximately 2 μm. Surrounded by a cell wall containing peptidoglycan. Contains a single…
  31. Describe4 marksStandardA student views a thin section of onion root tip using both a light microscope (LM) and a transmission electron microscope (TEM). The LM image shows cell outlines and nuclei, while the TEM image reveals the internal…
  32. Outline5 marksStandardOutline the differences between the ribosomes found in eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells. In your answer, refer to the sedimentation coefficient (80S or 70S), the locations where each type is found, and their function.
  33. Explain5 marksChallengeA student is investigating the resolution of microscopes. They calibrate an eyepiece graticule using a stage micrometer and measure that their light microscope can just distinguish two points that are 200 nm apart. For…
  34. Explain5 marksChallengeA student uses a light microscope to observe a stained section of animal tissue. She calibrates an eyepiece graticule using a stage micrometer. The micrometer has 100 divisions per mm. She measures the length of a cell…
  35. Describe6 marksChallengeA student prepares a temporary mount of onion epidermis and views it under a light microscope. The microscope is fitted with an eyepiece graticule that has 100 divisions. The student also has a stage micrometer that…
  36. Explain6 marksChallengeA particle isolated from a hot spring is found to be approximately 0.5 µm in diameter. Analysis reveals a cell wall composed of peptidoglycan, a region of circular DNA not enclosed within a membrane, and numerous…
  37. Explain7 marksChallengeA student uses a light microscope with an eyepiece graticule and a stage micrometer. The stage micrometer has 100 divisions in 1 mm. The student aligns the graticule and micrometer and finds that 50 graticule divisions…
  38. Outline7 marksChallengeA student compares electron micrographs of a plant leaf cell and a bacterium, Escherichia coli. Outline the differences between the ribosomes of these two cell types, including their size, subunit composition, and…
  39. Compare5 marksChallengeThe table below shows some features of a bacterial cell (a prokaryote) and a leaf palisade cell (a eukaryote). Feature Bacterial cell Leaf palisade cell Size (typical diameter) 2 µm 50 µm Nucleus Absent (nucleoid…
  40. Outline7 marksChallengeA researcher isolates ribosomes from three different sources and determines their sedimentation coefficients: Source X: 70S ribosomes Source Y: 80S ribosomes Source Z: 70S ribosomes Source X is a bacterial culture…
  41. Explain5 marksChallengeA student examines a photomicrograph of a plant cell taken using a light microscope. The photomicrograph includes a scale bar labelled '10 µm'. The student measures the length of the scale bar on the print as 20 mm…
  42. Explain5 marksChallengeTable 1 shows the typical maximum resolution and the wavelength of the radiation used for a light microscope and a transmission electron microscope (TEM). Microscope type Wavelength of radiation used / nm Maximum…
  43. Describe7 marksChallengeA pancreatic acinar cell secretes large quantities of digestive enzymes. Describe how the structure and function of the rough endoplasmic reticulum (RER) and Golgi apparatus enable this cell to produce and release…
  44. Describe5 marksChallengeTable 1 shows some structural features of three organelles found in eukaryotic cells. Feature Organelle P Organelle Q Organelle R Double membrane yes yes no Contains its own DNA yes no no Contains 70S ribosomes yes no…
  45. Describe6 marksChallengeA student prepared a temporary mount of onion epidermal cells and observed them under a light microscope. The student also studied a transmission electron micrograph (TEM) of a mitochondrion from a similar cell…
  46. Describe6 marksChallengeA student prepares a temporary mount of onion epidermal cells and observes them using a light microscope. Her eyepiece graticule has 100 divisions. She places a stage micrometer (1 mm divided into 100 divisions) on the…
  47. Compare6 marksChallengeAn electron micrograph of a eukaryotic cell reveals the following organelles: a large permanent vacuole, chloroplasts, a cell wall, centrioles, and mitochondria. A student viewing the micrograph claims that the cell…
  48. Outline5 marksChallengeA student states: 'Prokaryotic cells and eukaryotic cells are similar in that both have a cell surface membrane, 80S ribosomes, and a nucleus.' Outline the inaccuracies in this statement by comparing the three features…
  49. Explain7 marksChallengePlasma cells are white blood cells that secrete large quantities of antibodies (proteins) into the blood. Electron micrographs of plasma cells show an extensive network of rough endoplasmic reticulum (rough ER) and a…
  50. Explain7 marksChallengeA student prepared a temporary mount of Bacillus subtilis cells and viewed them under a light microscope at a total magnification of ×400. She then obtained a transmission electron micrograph of the same bacterium at a…
  51. Explain5 marksChallengeA student prepared a temporary mount of onion epidermal cells and observed them using a light microscope. The student took a photomicrograph on which a scale bar was added. On the print, the scale bar measures 40 mm in…
  52. Explain6 marksChallengeA microbiologist isolates a particle from a patient's respiratory sample. Analysis shows the particle is 0.08 µm in diameter, contains RNA but no DNA, has a protein coat surrounded by a phospholipid bilayer, and does…
  53. Describe6 marksChallengeA student prepared a temporary mount of an onion root tip and observed cells using a light microscope. A separate sample of the same root tip was viewed using a transmission electron microscope (TEM). The light…
  54. Describe5 marksChallengeThe table below provides descriptions of five structures found in eukaryotic cells. For each structure (A–E), identify the organelle or cell structure and describe its function. Structure Description A A…
  55. Explain5 marksChallengeA student prepared a temporary mount of onion epidermal cells and viewed them using a light microscope. A photomicrograph was taken and printed with a scale bar of length 10 mm that represents an actual length of 25…
  56. Describe6 marksChallengeA student makes a temporary preparation of onion epidermal cells for viewing with a light microscope. The eyepiece graticule has 100 divisions. The stage micrometer has 100 divisions per mm. Describe how the student…
  57. Define7 marksChallengeA student makes a temporary mount of onion epidermal cells and observes them using a light microscope. She calibrates an eyepiece graticule with a stage micrometer that has 100 divisions, each 10 µm apart. When the two…
  58. Explain5 marksChallengeA student observed two cell types, X and Y, using an electron microscope. The table below shows the structures observed in each cell type. Structure Cell X Cell Y Nucleus absent present Ribosomes 70S 80S Mitochondria…
  59. Outline6 marksChallengeA student examines two cells, Cell A and Cell B, using an electron microscope. The table below shows the presence (+) or absence (-) of various structures in each cell. Structure Cell A Cell B Cell wall + - Chloroplast…