OCR A Level Biology B (Advancing Biology)
OCR A Level Biology B Module 3: Cell Division, Development and Disease Control Exam Questions
Free OCR A Level Biology B exam questions for Module 3: Cell Division, Development and Disease Control, with a mark scheme for every pack. Covers mitosis, differentiation and stem cells, meiosis and development, evolution and classification, pathogens, immunity, cancer and respiratory disease.
Module 3: Cell Division, Development and Disease Control exam questions
8 question packs of real past exam questions, each with its mark scheme. Do not stop after a few: answer as many as you can without notes, then mark every answer with the mark scheme. The more questions you do, the more quickly you will spot how examiners ask about each idea.
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About OCR A Level Biology B Module 3: Cell Division, Development and Disease Control
Module 3 of OCR A Level Biology B (Advancing Biology) links cell division and development with disease. It covers the cell cycle, mitosis and differentiation, stem cells, meiosis, growth and development, evolution and classification, pathogenic microorganisms, the immune system, control of communicable diseases, cancer and its treatment, and respiratory diseases. Questions are often set in medical contexts, such as interpreting lung function data or evaluating a vaccination programme. Examiners test the stages of mitosis and meiosis, mitotic index, specific and non-specific immunity, antibiotic resistance, how mutations in proto-oncogenes and tumour suppressor genes cause cancer, and how lung disease affects gas exchange.
What you need to know
- 3.1.1 The cell cycle, stages of mitosis, the mitotic index, cell differentiation, and embryonic and adult stem cells with their potential uses in medicine.
- 3.1.2 Meiosis and how crossing over and independent assortment create variation, and growth and development measured over time.
- 3.1.3 Natural selection, evidence for evolution, the taxonomic hierarchy, binomial naming, and molecular evidence used in modern classification.
- 3.2.1 Bacteria, viruses, fungi and protoctists as pathogens, how they cause disease and how they are transmitted.
- 3.2.2 and 3.2.3 Non-specific defences, phagocytosis, T and B lymphocytes, antibodies, active and passive immunity, vaccination programmes, antibiotics and antibiotic resistance.
- 3.3.1 and 3.3.2 Mutations in proto-oncogenes and tumour suppressor genes, benign and malignant tumours, cancer treatments, and how respiratory diseases affect lung function measures such as FEV1 and FVC.
Common mistakes in Module 3: Cell Division, Development and Disease Control
- Saying cancer is caused by cells dividing faster than normal only. Cancer results from mutations that cause uncontrolled cell division and loss of normal controls such as apoptosis.
- Mixing up the effects of oncogenes and tumour suppressor genes. Oncogenes are mutated proto-oncogenes that are permanently switched on; tumour suppressor genes become inactivated.
- Describing herd immunity as everyone being vaccinated. Herd immunity occurs when enough of the population is immune that transmission is unlikely, protecting those who are not immune.
- Saying that in passive immunity memory cells are produced. Passive immunity uses antibodies from another source, so no memory cells form and protection is short-lived.
- Confusing FEV1 with FVC. FEV1 is the volume exhaled in the first second of a forced breath; FVC is the total volume forcibly exhaled.
Try three Module 3: Cell Division, Development and Disease Control exam-style questions
1. In a root tip squash, 18 of 240 cells were in mitosis. Calculate the mitotic index. (1 mark)
Show the mark scheme answer
18 / 240 = 0.075 (7.5%).
2. Describe the role of T helper cells in the specific immune response. (3 marks)
Show the mark scheme answer
Bind to antigens presented by antigen-presenting cells; release cytokines; stimulate clonal selection and expansion of B cells into plasma cells; activate T killer cells and phagocytes.
3. Explain why emphysema reduces the efficiency of gas exchange. (3 marks)
Show the mark scheme answer
Elastin in alveolar walls is damaged; alveoli break down into fewer, larger air spaces, reducing surface area; loss of elastic recoil makes exhalation harder so the concentration gradient is reduced.
Module 3: Cell Division, Development and Disease Control FAQs
What does OCR A Level Biology B Module 3 cover?
Cell division and differentiation, meiosis, growth and development, evolution and classification, pathogens, the immune system, controlling communicable diseases, cancer and respiratory diseases.
How is Module 3 assessed in OCR Biology B?
Content from all modules can be assessed in each of the three A Level papers, often within medical or data-based contexts.
Which data skills come up in this module?
Expect to calculate mitotic index, interpret lung function graphs and spirometer data, and evaluate data on vaccination uptake or disease incidence.
