1 The diagram shows a root hair cell from a lemon tree and some soil particles. root hair cell air spaces soil particle (a) (i) State one feature, visible in the diagram, which shows that a root hair cell is a plant cell. … [1] (ii) Describe how mineral ions pass from the soil into the root hair cell. … … … … … … [4] (b) The lemon tree has grown in the same soil for many years so the soil now lacks magnesium. Describe and explain the effect on the lemon tree of a lack of magnesium. … … … [2] [Total: 7]

1(a)(i) cell wall or large / central / sap + vacuole ; 1 1(a)(ii) any four from: dissolved in water ; through the cell wall ; carriers in membrane ; through the cell / partially permeable AW + membrane ; by active transport / diffusion ; correct reference to concentration gradient ; using energy (for active transport) ; from (aerobic) respiration (for active transport) ; 4 1(b) yellowing / chlorosis / reduced growth / cannot photosynthesise / make glucose / starch / sugar / carbohydrate ; deficiency of chlorophyll ; 2

1 The diagram shows a photomicrograph of the lower surface of a leaf. B C A (a) (i) Name each of the parts labelled A to C. cell A … cell B … pore C … [3] (ii) In an area affected by air pollution, the surface of the leaf becomes covered with particles. These particles reduce the amount of light entering the leaf and may block all pores of the type labelled C. Explain how this will affect the production of starch by the plant. … … … … … … … … [4] (b) A species of caterpillar, the holly looper, feeds on the leaves of the holly plant. Holly plants produce red berries that are eaten by a species of bird, the song thrush. Song thrushes also eat caterpillars and are eaten by hawks. (i) Use the information above to: • Complete the food web below by writing the name of one species in each box. • Draw arrows between the boxes to show the direction of energy flow between organisms. … … … holly [2] (ii) State, for the food web above, the number of: species that are producers … species that are consumers … trophic levels. … [3] [Total: 12]

1(a)(i) (cell A) epidermis / epidermal ; (cell B) guard ; (pore C) stoma / stomata / stomatal pore ; 3 1(a)(ii) less/no CO2 + entry ; less/no light absorbed by + chlorophyll / chloroplasts ; less/no photosynthesis ; less/no glucose / sugar / carbohydrate + produced ; less/no starch produced ; 4 1(b)(i) all organisms correct ; all arrows correct ; 2 1(b)(ii) (producers) 1 / holly ; (consumers) 3 / holly looper + song thrush + hawk ; (trophic levels) 4 ; 3

2 A farmer is growing a crop of tomato plants. (a) The tomato plants carry out photosynthesis. Describe the process of photosynthesis. … … … … … [3] (b) The farmer grows the tomato plants in a glasshouse instead of in an open field. (i) Suggest reasons why this is an advantage to the farmer. … … … … … [3] (ii) Suggest one disadvantage, other than cost, of growing plants in this way. … … [1] (c) The graph shows how the rate of photosynthesis can vary with light intensity when all other environmental conditions are kept the same. P 0 rate of photosynthesis light intensity 0 Q (i) Explain how this graph shows that light intensity is the limiting factor for photosynthesis at light intensity P but not at light intensity Q. … … … … [2] (ii) Name one environmental condition that could be limiting photosynthesis at light intensity Q. … [1] [Total: 10]

2(a) any three from: light (energy) absorbed / captured AW ; chlorophyll / chloroplasts ; water + carbon dioxide are needed AW ; glucose / carbohydrate / sugar / starch produced ; oxygen produced ; 3 2(b)(i) any three from: more / optimum + growth / tomatoes / yield / photosynthesis ; higher / optimum temperature / glass traps heat ; for enzymes ; protects from bad weather / example ; protects from insect / pests / plant pathogens ; carbon dioxide / light intensity / wavelength + controlled ; 3 2(b)(ii) any one from: have to water / no rain ; increase + pathogens / disease ; pollination may be difficult ; 1 2(c)(i) at P increase light intensity + up (photosynthesis / rate / gradient) ; at Q increase in light intensity + no change (photosynthesis / rate / gradient); 2 2(c)(ii) any one from: carbon dioxide ; temperature ; water / precipitation ; 1

8 (a) Rice, maize and wheat plants are the main carbohydrate source for more than 60% of the human population. Describe how plants like these produce carbohydrates using materials from the environment. … … … … … … … [5] (b) Many scientists predict that, as the world’s human population increases, there will be a shortage of food. Suggest and explain why an increase in human population is predicted to lead to a global human food shortage. … … … … … … … [5] [Total: 10]

8(a) any five from: photosynthesis ; in leaves / green parts of plants / in mesophyll / chloroplasts / using chlorophyll ; using light energy ; water + soil / irrigation / roots / root hair cells ; carbon dioxide + air / through stomata ; produce glucose / C6H12O6 ; starch ; magnesium + from soil + to make chlorophyll ; 5 8(b) any five from: greater demand for food ; not enough land available for farming ; land being used for e.g. building / biofuels / deforestation ; increase in greenhouse gases ; (leads to) climate change ; droughts / floods / salinisation AW ; lack of nutrients in soils monoculture / overcrowding AW ; 5 9(a) any five from: contraction of diaphragm ; diaphragm flattens / moves down ; bones of rib cage pulled upwards / outwards ; external intercostal muscles contract / internal relax ; pressure decreases / volume increases ; air passes through nose / trachea / windpipe / larynx ; through bronchi / bronchioles ; 5

5 An investigation was carried out into the effects of light intensity and carbon dioxide concentration on the rate of photosynthesis. Which graph shows the results of this investigation? 0 0 0 0 light intensity rate of photosynthesis rate of photosynthesis 0 0 light intensity 0 0 rate of photosynthesis light intensity A B light intensity rate of photosynthesis C D high carbon dioxide concentration key intermediate carbon dioxide concentration low carbon dioxide concentration

Answer: A To earn the mark, a student must select the graph that accurately depicts how the rate of photosynthesis increases with light intensity, and how higher carbon dioxide concentrations lead to a higher maximum rate of photosynthesis.

Cambridge O Level Biology · 5090

O-Level Biology (5090) Plant nutrition past paper questions

Revise O-Level Biology (5090) — Plant nutrition 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 2017–2021, each with its marking scheme. Open the full topical bank to filter by subtopic, paper, and year.

Plant nutrition in O-Level Biology 5090 exams, 2020–2025

Across 2020–2025, Plant nutrition accounted for 128 questions worth 798 marks in Cambridge O Level Biology (5090) papers.

By year
Year	Questions	Marks
2020	23	136
2021	24	146
2022	19	94
2023	15	74
2024	22	186
2025	25	162

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Paper 1 · 67 qs
Paper 2 · 31 qs
Paper 3 · 20 qs
Paper 4 · 10 qs

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2021 May/Jun · Paper 2 · Q1 · 7 marks
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2021 Oct/Nov · Paper 2 · Q1 · 12 marks
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2021 Oct/Nov · Paper 2 · Q2 · 10 marks
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2021 May/Jun · Paper 2 · Q8 · 10 marks
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2021 May/Jun · Paper 1 · Q5 · 1 mark
Marking scheme
Mark scheme — 2021 Paper 1 Q5
Answer: A
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