1 (a) Nutrition is one of the characteristics of living organisms. Identify the characteristics of living organisms defined as the chemical reactions in cells that break down nutrient molecules and release energy … the ability to detect and respond to changes in the environment. … [2] (b) Fig. 1.1 shows part of the alimentary canal and associated organs. Fig. 1.1 (i) Draw the letter X on Fig. 1.1 to identify the position of the liver. [1] (ii) The arrow shows the direction the food moves as it passes into the small intestine. Complete these sentences about what happens in the small intestine. Large insoluble molecules are broken down by the process of … . Small food molecules are then moved into the blood by the process of … . [2] (c) A student investigates nutrition in plants. Sugar is stored as starch in a leaf. The student puts black paper around a green leaf still attached to the plant. After two days she takes the leaf from the plant and removes the black paper. She then tests the leaf for starch using iodine solution. Fig. 1.2 shows the results. iodine solution turns blue-black iodine solution stays orange-brown starch test clip to hold paper leaf attached to plant black paper strip Fig. 1.2 Explain the results seen in Fig. 1.2 for the area that was covered by black paper. … … … [2] (d) Different plant tissues in the stem have different functions. Name the tissue that transports sugars in the stem. … [1] (e) Starch and sugar are carbohydrates. Table 1.1 shows the mass of carbohydrates in some different food types. Table 1.1 food type mass of carbohydrate in 100 g of food / g bread 40 cake 59 cheese 2 lentils 18 rice 25 tomato 3 (i) Identify the food type that contains the most carbohydrate. … [1] (ii) A man eats 200 g of bread and 50 g of cheese. Calculate the mass of carbohydrate he eats. mass of carbohydrate = … g [2] [Total: 11]

1(a) respiration ; sensitivity ; 2 1(b)(i) centre of X must be on liver ; 1 1(b)(ii) digestion ; absorption ; 2 1(c) no starch is made ; as light is needed for photosynthesis ; 2 1(d) phloem ; 1 1(e)(i) cake ; 1 1(e)(ii) (40 x 2) + (2 x 0.5) ; 81 (g) ; 2 (a) To earn marks, you must correctly identify 'respiration' for the breakdown of nutrient molecules and 'sensitivity' for detecting and responding to changes. (b)(i) You must draw the letter X with its center clearly on the liver in the provided diagram. (b)(ii) You need to state 'digestion' for the breakdown of large molecules and 'absorption' for small molecules moving into the blood. (c) To explain the results, you must state that no starch was made in the covered area and link this to light being necessary for photosynthesis.

1 (a) A blue dye is dissolved in water to make a blue liquid. Fig. 1.1 shows a cut plant stem in a beaker of the blue liquid. leaves plant stem blue liquid Fig. 1.1 The plant stem is left in the blue liquid for 24 hours. (i) Complete the sentences to explain why the leaves turn blue. Choose words from the list. Each word may be used once, more than once or not at all. cortex mesophyll phloem root hair stomata xylem The blue liquid moves up the plant stem in vessels called … . In the leaves, the blue liquid moves out of the vessels into … cells. Water in the blue liquid then diffuses out of the … into the air. [3] (ii) Fig. 1.2 shows the cross-section of the plant stem from Fig. 1.1. A B C D Fig. 1.2 The blue liquid only stains the transport vessels in the stem blue. Identify the letter in Fig. 1.2 that shows these transport vessels. … [1] (b) Plants make their own food. They make large molecules from smaller molecules. (i) The boxes on the left show some large molecules. The boxes on the right show the smaller molecules the large molecules are made from. Draw one straight line from each large molecule to the smaller molecules it is made from. large molecules smaller molecules oil amino acids protein fatty acids and glycerol starch glucose [2] (ii) Oils are stored in the seeds of a plant. A test is used to find the presence of oil in seeds. State the name of this test. … [1] (c) Oil from palm trees has many uses. Fig. 1.3 shows the mass of palm oil used worldwide between 2006 and 2016. 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 35 40 45 50 55 60 year mass of palm oil used worldwide / × 109 kg Fig. 1.3 (i) Use Fig. 1.3 to determine the mass of palm oil used worldwide in 2011. … ×109 kg [1] (ii) Areas of rainforest are removed to plant palm trees for oil. Describe how deforestation affects the animals living in the rainforest. … … … [2] [Total: 10]

1(a)(i) xylem ; mesophyll ; stomata ; 3 1(a)(ii) D ; 1 1(b)(i) oil amino acids protein fatty acids and glycerol starch glucose one correct ; three correct ; 2 1(b)(ii) ethanol (emulsion) ; 1 1(c)(i) 48 (× 109 kg ) ; 1 1(c)(ii) any two from: loss of habitat ; less food OR disruption to food, webs / chains ; less shelter ; migration (of species) ; extinction (of species) ; 2

1 (a) A blue dye is dissolved in water to make a blue liquid. Fig. 1.1 shows a cut plant stem in a beaker of the blue liquid. leaves plant stem blue liquid Fig. 1.1 The plant stem is left in the blue liquid for 24 hours. (i) Complete the sentences to explain why the leaves turn blue. Choose words from the list. Each word may be used once, more than once or not at all. cortex mesophyll phloem root hair stomata xylem The blue liquid moves up the plant stem in vessels called … . In the leaves, the blue liquid moves out of the vessels into … cells. Water in the blue liquid then diffuses out of the … into the air. [3] (ii) Fig. 1.2 shows the cross-section of the plant stem from Fig. 1.1. A B C D Fig. 1.2 The blue liquid only stains the transport vessels in the stem blue. Identify the letter in Fig. 1.2 that shows these transport vessels. … [1] (b) Plants make their own food. They make large molecules from smaller molecules. (i) The boxes on the left show some large molecules. The boxes on the right show the smaller molecules the large molecules are made from. Draw one straight line from each large molecule to the smaller molecules it is made from. large molecules smaller molecules oil amino acids protein fatty acids and glycerol starch glucose [2] (ii) Oils are stored in the seeds of a plant. A test is used to find the presence of oil in seeds. State the name of this test. … [1] (c) Oil from palm trees has many uses. Fig. 1.3 shows the mass of palm oil used worldwide between 2006 and 2016. 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 35 40 45 50 55 60 year mass of palm oil used worldwide / × 109 kg Fig. 1.3 (i) Use Fig. 1.3 to determine the mass of palm oil used worldwide in 2011. … ×109 kg [1] (ii) Areas of rainforest are removed to plant palm trees for oil. Describe how deforestation affects the animals living in the rainforest. … … … [2] [Total: 10]

1(a)(i) xylem ; mesophyll ; stomata ; 3 1(a)(ii) D ; 1 1(b)(i) oil amino acids protein fatty acids and glycerol starch glucose one correct ; three correct ; 2 1(b)(ii) ethanol (emulsion) ; 1 1(c)(i) 48 (× 109 kg ) ; 1 1(c)(ii) any two from: loss of habitat ; less food OR disruption to food, webs / chains ; less shelter ; migration (of species) ; extinction (of species) ; 2

4 (a) A student investigates water loss from the leaves of a plant. The student takes four leaves from the same plant and covers each leaf with petroleum jelly as described in Table 4.1. The petroleum jelly stops water loss from the leaves. The mass of each leaf is recorded and then the leaves are placed on a line for 48 hours as shown in Fig. 4.1. A B C D Fig. 4.1 After 48 hours the mass of each leaf is recorded again. Table 4.1 shows the results. Table 4.1 leaf treatment with petroleum jelly mass at start / g mass after 48 hours / g change in mass / g A both surfaces covered 3.2 3.2 0.0 B lower surface covered 3.3 3.2 0.1 C upper surface covered 3.4 2.8 0.6 D not covered 3.3 2.6 (i) Calculate the change in mass for leaf D. mass = … g [1] (ii) Explain why leaf C lost more mass than leaf B. Include ideas about stomata in your answer. … … … [2] (b) Water is transported from the roots to the leaves in the xylem vessels. Fig. 4.2 shows a cross-section of a root. Fig. 4.2 (i) Use a label line and the letter X to show the position of xylem vessels in Fig. 4.2. [1] (ii) Xylem vessels also transport mineral ions. State the name of the mineral ions needed to make amino acids. … [1] (c) A clinostat can be used to investigate tropic responses in plants. Fig. 4.3 shows a plant growing in a pot placed on its side (plant A) and a plant growing on a clinostat (plant B). The clinostat slowly turns plant B. plant A plant B Clinostat rotating Fig. 4.3 The plants are left to grow in these positions for one week. They receive plenty of light from all directions. (i) Complete the sentences to explain the results. Plant A grows upwards … from gravity. This response is called … . Plant B grows … because each side of the plant experiences the same gravitational force. [3] (ii) Responses in humans are controlled by chemical substances. Place a tick (✓) in one box to show a correct statement about these chemical substances. They are enzymes transported in red blood cells. They are enzymes transported in blood plasma. They are hormones transported in red blood cells. They are hormones transported in blood plasma. [1] [Total: 9]

4(a)(i) 0.7 ; 1 4(a)(ii) any two from: water is lost from the stomata ; more stomata on lower surface (of leaves) ; more water is lost from the lower surface (of leaves) ; 2 4(b)(i) line drawn to cells at centre of root ; 1 4(b)(ii) nitrate ; 1 4(c)(i) away ; (negative) gravitropism ; horizontally ; 3 4(c)(ii) They are enzymes transported in red blood cells. They are enzymes transported in blood plasma. They are hormones transported in red blood cells. They are hormones transported in blood plasma.  ; 1

Cambridge IGCSE Combined Science · 0653

IGCSE Combined Science (0653) Transport in plants past paper questions

Revise IGCSE Combined Science (0653) — Transport in plants with real Cambridge past-paper questions grouped by topic, each shown with its marking scheme. Working one topic at a time targets exactly the skill each question tests.

107 free questions from 2016–2021, each with its marking scheme. Open the full topical bank to filter by subtopic, paper, and year.

Transport in plants in IGCSE Combined Science 0653 exams, 2020–2025

Across 2020–2025, Transport in plants accounted for 106 questions worth 538 marks in Cambridge IGCSE Combined Science (0653) papers.

By year
Year	Questions	Marks
2020	14	74
2021	15	80
2022	16	88
2023	23	110
2024	22	114
2025	16	72

Most-tested subtopics

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Paper 1 · 23 qs
Paper 2 · 32 qs
Paper 3 · 29 qs
Paper 4 · 21 qs
Paper 6 · 1 q

All most-tested Combined Science topics

2021 May/Jun · Paper 3 · Q1 · 11 marks
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2021 Oct/Nov · Paper 3 · Q1 · 10 marks
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2021 Oct/Nov · Paper 3 · Q1 · 10 marks
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2021 May/Jun · Paper 3 · Q4 · 9 marks
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2021 May/Jun · Paper 1 · Q6 · 1 mark
Marking scheme
Mark scheme — 2021 Paper 1 Q6
Answer: B
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