OCR A Level Biology B (Advancing Biology)
OCR A Level Biology B Module 4: Energy, Reproduction and Populations Exam Questions
Free OCR A Level Biology B exam questions for Module 4: Energy, Reproduction and Populations, with a mark scheme for every pack. Covers respiration and ATP, metabolism and exercise, fertility, IVF and ageing, photosynthesis and food production, human population impact and plant reproduction.
Module 4: Energy, Reproduction and Populations exam questions
7 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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A-Level Biology Flashcards for 2027 Onwards
Every answer is written in mark scheme wording, so you learn exactly what examiners give marks for. Then test yourself with the questions on this page.
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About OCR A Level Biology B Module 4: Energy, Reproduction and Populations
Module 4 of OCR A Level Biology B (Advancing Biology) covers how organisms release and capture energy and how populations reproduce and grow. It includes the stages of cellular respiration, metabolism during exercise, human fertility and assisted reproduction, the effects of ageing on the reproductive system, photosynthesis and its link to food production, the environmental impact of a growing human population, and reproduction in flowering plants. The context-led approach means questions might be framed around athletes, IVF clinics or agriculture. Examiners test respiration pathways, hormonal control of the menstrual cycle, limiting factors in crop production, and sampling and biodiversity data.
What you need to know
- 4.1.1 Glycolysis, the link reaction, Krebs cycle and oxidative phosphorylation with chemiosmosis, and anaerobic respiration producing lactate or ethanol.
- 4.1.2 How metabolism changes during exercise, aerobic and anaerobic contributions, oxygen debt, and measuring metabolic rate.
- 4.2.1 Gametogenesis, hormonal control of the menstrual cycle by FSH, LH, oestrogen and progesterone, causes of infertility, and techniques such as IVF and their ethical issues.
- 4.2.2 Changes in the reproductive system with age, including menopause, and treatments such as hormone replacement therapy.
- 4.3.1 Light-dependent and light-independent reactions, limiting factors, and how glasshouse conditions and agriculture increase food production.
- 4.3.2 and 4.4.1 Effects of human population growth on biodiversity, sampling methods and conservation, plus flower structure, pollination, fertilisation and seed formation.
Common mistakes in Module 4: Energy, Reproduction and Populations
- Saying anaerobic respiration produces no ATP. It produces 2 ATP per glucose from glycolysis, far less than aerobic respiration.
- Stating that lactate is broken down in the muscles straight away. Most lactate is carried to the liver and converted back to pyruvate and glucose, which contributes to oxygen debt.
- Saying adding more of any factor always increases photosynthesis. Only increasing the limiting factor increases the rate until another factor becomes limiting.
- Writing that IVF guarantees pregnancy. Success rates are well below 100% and decline with age, which is one reason multiple embryos have sometimes been implanted.
- Confusing pollination with fertilisation. Pollination is the transfer of pollen to a stigma; fertilisation is the fusion of nuclei after the pollen tube reaches the ovule.
Try three Module 4: Energy, Reproduction and Populations exam-style questions
1. A crop receives 1.2 x 10^6 kJ m-2 yr-1 of light energy and has a gross primary productivity of 1.8 x 10^4 kJ m-2 yr-1. Calculate the percentage efficiency of light capture. (2 marks)
Show the mark scheme answer
(1.8 x 10^4 / 1.2 x 10^6) x 100; = 1.5%.
2. Explain why ATP production stops when oxygen is unavailable to the electron transport chain. (3 marks)
Show the mark scheme answer
Oxygen is the final electron acceptor; electrons cannot leave the chain so carriers stay reduced; no protons pumped so no proton gradient for ATP synthase; reduced NAD is not oxidised so Krebs cycle stops.
3. Describe how FSH and LH are used in IVF treatment. (3 marks)
Show the mark scheme answer
FSH injections stimulate several follicles to develop; LH or hCG triggers final egg maturation before collection; eggs fertilised outside the body and embryos placed in the uterus.
Module 4: Energy, Reproduction and Populations FAQs
What does OCR A Level Biology B Module 4 cover?
Cellular respiration, metabolism and exercise, fertility and assisted reproduction, ageing and the reproductive system, photosynthesis and food production, population increase, and plant reproduction.
How is Module 4 assessed in OCR Biology B?
Content from all modules can appear in each of the three A Level papers, often in context-based questions.
How should I learn respiration for Module 4?
Build a flow chart from glucose to ATP, noting where each stage happens and how many ATP, reduced NAD and carbon dioxide are made, then explain each anaerobic alternative.
