CIE A Level Biology

Topic Questions

Syllabus Edition

First teaching 2020

Last exams 2024

|

9.1 The Gas Exchange System

11 mark

Goblet, squamous epithelial and ciliated cells are found in various structures that make up the human lung.

Where are these cells located?

  Goblet Squamous Epithelial Ciliated
A pulmonary vein alveolus trachea
B bronchus bronchiole trachea
C trachea alveolus bronchiole
D bronchiole pulmonary vein bronchus

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21 mark

Which fact about alveoli and blood capillaries does not lead to an increased efficiency of gaseous exchange in the lungs?

  • The walls of the capillaries and alveoli are coated in surfactant

  • The walls of the capillaries and alveoli are very thin

  • Capillaries and alveoli have a large total surface area

  • The blood flow slows as it passes through pulmonary capillaries

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31 mark

Goblet cells and ciliated epithelium are both found in which structures in the breathing system?

  bronchioles bronchi  trachea
A Y Y N
B Y N N
C N N Y
D N Y Y

Key: Y = both found N = both not found

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41 mark

Correctly label the structures in the human respiratory system.

q4-cie-9-1

  1 2 3 4
A bronchus trachea vein bronchiole
B bronchiole alveoli vein bronchus
C trachea alveoli bronchus bronchiole
D trachea alveoli bronchiole bronchus

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51 mark

What is the function of elastic fibres in the lungs?

  • They increase in the walls of alveoli as a result of the release of the enzyme elastase

  • They prevent the walls of the alveoli from collapsing as air is breathed in

  • They allow the walls of stretched alveoli to recoil as air is breathed out.

  • They increase in the walls of the alveoli as emphysema develops.

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61 mark

Which row correctly describes the pulmonary artery?

  blood carried lumen size muscle in walls
A oxygenated small thick
B oxygenated large thin
C deoxygenated small thick
D deoxygenated large thin

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71 mark

Which row correctly gives the approximate diameters of the alveolus, trachea, bronchus and bronchiole within a human lung? 

  alveolus (mm) trachea (mm) bronchiole (mm) bronchus (mm)
A 0.25 12 0.50 18
B 0.25 18 0.50 12
C 0.50 12 0.25 18
D 0.50 18 0.25 12

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81 mark

Which function is paired with the incorrect cell or tissue?

  function cell / tissue
A destroys bacteria by producing enzymes goblet cells
B reinforces the trachea cartilage
C constricts bronchioles smooth muscle
D moves mucus over the surface of the trachea ciliated

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91 mark

What are the correct functions of the named tissues of the gas exchange system?

 

smooth muscle

cartilage

ciliated epithelium

elastic fibres

A

controls the air flow to and from the alveoli

supports small bronchioles

traps bacteria and dirt in the air

allows the trachea to stretch

B

contacts to increase air flow

prevents choking

secretes mucus

supports the trachea

C

changes the diameter of bronchioles

keeps airways open

moves mucus out of airways

enables alveoli expand during inhalation

D

traps bacteria and dirt in the air

prevents trachea from collapsing when coughing

keeps a layer of mucus lining in the air ways

causes elastic recoil when exhaling

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101 mark

The diagram shows a cross-section of a bronchus wall (not to scale).

screenshot-2023-05-14-103858

Which row correctly labels the diagram?

 

1

2

3

4

A

smooth muscle

elastic fibres

phagocyte

squamous endothelium

B

cartilage

smooth muscle

goblet cell

ciliated epithelium

C

smooth muscle

elastic fibres

phagocyte

ciliated epithelium

D

cartilage

smooth muscle

goblet cell

squamous endothelium

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11 mark

The diagram shows specialised tissues in a magnified section of a human lung.

screenshot-2023-05-14-112529

Where can HCO3- ions, carbonic anhydrase and lysosomes be found in high proportions?

 

HCO3- ions

carbonic anhydrase

lysosomes

A

4

2

5

B

5

3

6

C

6

4

1

D

3

1

4

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21 mark

What is the correct order for the events that occur during mucus secretion from goblet cells in the trachea?

1

secretion of a glycoprotein

2

addition of a carbohydrate to protein

3

separation of a vesicle from the Golgi apparatus

4

fusion of the vesicle with the plasma membrane

  • 3 → 2 → 4 → 1

  • 4 → 1 → 3 → 2

  • 2 → 3 → 4 → 1

  • 4 → 1 → 2 → 3

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31 mark

A bronchus wall is shown in the photomicrograph. 

screenshot-2023-05-14-113344

What is the function of tissue X?

  • widens the airway after an allergic reaction

  • contracts to constrict the airway

  • provides support to stop the airway from collapsing

  • produces mucus to trap bacteria and dust climbing

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41 mark

The efficiency of gas exchange was the same in all four people.

tidal volume(dm3) = volume of lung after inhalation(dm3) – volume of lung after exhalation(dm3)

Which person absorbed most oxygen during four minutes of normal breathing?

person

tidal volume / dm3

total lung volume / dm3

breathing rate / breaths per minute

A

0.6

6.4

14

B

0.6

6.0

15

C

0.5

6.4

16

D

0.4

5.8

17

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51 mark

During an asthma attack, extra mucus is produced and tubes within the gas exchange system narrow.

Which of the following responses occur during an asthma attack?

1

Exocytosis in goblet cells increases

2

Activity of ciliated epithelium increases

3

Smooth muscles respire faster

  • 1 and 2

  • 1 and 3

  • 2 and 3

  • 1, 2 and 3

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61 mark

Which of the following organelles do goblet cells have large quantities of?

1

secretory vesicles

2

rough endoplasmic reticulum

3

mitochondria

4

lysosomes

  • 1 and 3 only

  • 2 and 4 only

  • 1, 2 and 3 only

  • 2, 3 and 4 only

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71 mark

The alveoli walls are damaged by a disease. 

What effect does this have on the surface area and volume of the lungs?

 

volume

surface area

A

no change

no change

B

no change

decreased

C

decreased

decreased

D

increased

decreased

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81 mark

If an asthmatic person inhales an allergen the following occurs:

  • goblet cells that line the bronchi and bronchioles secrete excess mucus
  • bronchi and bronchioles become narrow and inflamed

What effect do these responses have on gaseous exchange?

1

increase the diffusion distance from the alveoli into the blood

2

increase the risk of developing a lung infection

3

decrease the diffusion gradient for oxygen in the lungs

  • 1 and 2

  • 1 and 3

  • 2 and 3

  • 1, 2 and 3

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91 mark

Some research has suggested that there is a positive correlation between smoking and the risk of developing lung cancer. The results of two studies of men between 1950 and 1998 are shown in the graphs below.

screenshot-2023-05-14-114637

Which statement is not supported by the data in the graphs?

  • The data for men 60-74 between 1950 to 1970 suggests that lung cancer takes up to 20 years to develop

  • Deaths from lung cancer in men 35-59 decreased by 50 % over the period of the study

  • The number of men aged 35-59 who were smokers decreased by approximately 60 % over the period of the study

  • Deaths from lung cancer in men 60-74 increased up to 1970

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101 mark

Emphysema is a lung disease that results in the alveoli being unable to return to their original shape after inhalation. Stages in the development of emphysema are shown in the diagram below.

screenshot-2023-05-14-115528

What correctly identifies 1, 2 and 3?

 

1

2

3

A

phagocytes

alveoli

elastase

B

phagocytes

bronchiole

ligase

C

lymphocytes

alveoli

elastase

D

lymphocytes

bronchiole

ligase

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11 mark

Haemoglobin can bind to oxygen, carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide.

1

Oxygen

2

carbon dioxide

3

carbon monoxide

Which gases bind to the same site?

  • 1 and 2

  • 1 and 3

  • 2 and 3

  • 1, 2 and 3

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21 mark

Which row correctly describes a bronchiole?

 

diameter (mm)

collagen and elastic fibres

site of gas exchange

cilia

A

0.25

no

yes

yes

B

0.5

no

no

no

C

1

yes

no

yes

D

20

yes

no

yes

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31 mark

The trachea and alveoli are key structures in the human gas exchange system. Which tissues are present in each?

   

cartilage

epithelium with goblet cells

smooth muscle

A

trachea

alveoli

Y

N

Y

N

Y

N

B

trachea

alveoli

Y

N

Y

Y

N

Y

C

trachea

alveoli

Y

N

Y

N

Y

Y

D

trachea

alveoli

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Key: Y=present N=absent

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41 mark

The diagram shows a section of a specialised type of epithelium.

screenshot-2023-05-14-104858

Where can this epithelium be found in the respiratory system?

 

bronchus

all bronchioles

trachea

A

B

X

C

X

D

X

Key: = present, X= absent

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51 mark

A scientist looks at the wall of a bronchus under an electron microscope. What would they see?

1

exocytotic vesicles

2

cartilage cells

3

ciliated cells

  • 1 and 2

  • 1 and 3

  • 2 and 3

  • 1, 2 and 3

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61 mark

Which of the following does not lead to a maximised uptake of oxygen in the lungs?

  • Binding of the first oxygen molecule increases haemoglobin’s affinity for other oxygen molecules

  • Up to eight oxygen atoms can be bound to one haemoglobin molecule

  • Dissociation of carbon dioxide from carboxyhaemoglobin allows more haemoglobin to be available for oxygen binding

  • Oxyhaemoglobin formation increases the capacity of red blood cells to transport oxygen

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71 mark

Why do bronchioles have a folded inner lining?

  • to trap foreign particles

  • to increase the surface area

  • to allow for expansion during breathing

  • to facilitate gaseous exchange

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81 mark
 

highest affinity                →       lowest affinity

A

oxygen

carbon dioxide

carbon monoxide

B

oxygen

carbon monoxide

carbon dioxide

C

carbon monoxide

carbon dioxide

oxygen

D

carbon monoxide

oxygen

carbon dioxide

What is the correct order of binding affinity to haemoglobin?

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91 mark

A cross-section of a bronchus is shown in the photomicrograph.

screenshot-2023-05-14-110944

What is the function of X and Y

 

X

Y

A

trap dust and dirt

secrete mucus

B

secrete mucus

prevent collapse of the airway

C

waft dust and dirt upwards

constrict airway

D

support the airway

dilate airway

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101 mark

A student was asked to describe the differences between four microscope slides of sections taken from different parts of the gas exchange system.

slide 1

not present: glands, cartilage
 present: few ciliated epithelial cells, smooth muscle

slide 2

present: goblet cells, incomplete cartilage rings, glands, smooth muscle, ciliated epithelial cells

slide 3

present: goblet cells, plates of cartilage, ciliated epithelial cells, glands, smooth muscle 

slide 4 not present: goblet cells, cartilage, glands, smooth muscle 
present: squamous epithelial cells

Which is the correct identification of the parts of the gas exchange system?

 

slide 1

slide 2

slide 3

slide 4

A

bronchiole

trachea

bronchus

alveolus

B

bronchus

trachea

alveolus

bronchiole

C

bronchiole

bronchus

trachea

alveolus

D

alveolus

bronchiole

trachea

bronchus

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