Practise Adaptations. 14 exam-style questions plus unlimited generated ones on this subtopic, at up to four difficulty levels, with full mark schemes and a progress tracker. Free, no account needed.
Written for this site in the style of AQA exam questions. They are not taken from real past papers.
Question 1Easy4 marks
Organisms have adaptations that enable them to survive in the conditions in which they normally live.
(a) Which is a behavioural adaptation? Tick (✓) one box.[1]
A hedgehog hibernates during the winter.
A polar bear has a thick layer of fat.
A cactus stores water in its stem.
A desert rat produces very concentrated urine.
(b) Which is a functional adaptation? Tick (✓) one box.[1]
A camel has long eyelashes.
An Antarctic fish makes antifreeze proteins in its blood.
Penguins huddle together in cold weather.
A cactus has spines instead of leaves.
(c) Bacteria that live near deep-sea vents are extremophiles. Give two extreme conditions that these bacteria are adapted to.[2]
Show the answer and mark scheme
(a)Answer: A hedgehog hibernates during the winter.
(b)Answer: An Antarctic fish makes antifreeze proteins in its blood.
(c)
high temperature
high pressure
no light
high concentrations of dissolved chemicals / minerals
Question 2Medium7 marks
Cacti are plants that live in hot deserts where there is very little rain.
(a) Cacti have spines instead of broad, flat leaves. Explain how this helps a cactus to survive in the desert.[2]
(b) The stem of a cactus is thick and swollen. Suggest why.[1]
(c) The stem is covered by a thick layer of wax. Explain how this helps the cactus to survive.[1]
(d) Some cacti have long roots that grow deep into the ground. Others have shallow roots that spread over a wide area. Suggest how each type of root helps a cactus to obtain water.[2]
(e) The stem of a cactus is green. Suggest why this is important for the cactus.[1]
Show the answer and mark scheme
(a)
smaller surface area (for evaporation) / fewer stomata
(so) less water is lost by transpiration / evaporation
(b)
it stores water
(c)
it reduces water loss by evaporation / it is waterproof
(d)
deep roots reach water far below the surface
shallow, widespread roots absorb rainwater quickly over a large area (before it evaporates)
(e)
the stem photosynthesises / contains chlorophyll, because the spines cannot photosynthesise (so the stem must make glucose)
Question 3Hard8 marks
A small rodent lives in a hot, dry desert. During the day the air temperature can reach 45 °C, and at night it can fall to 10 °C. There is very little rain and there are few plants. Owls and snakes hunt the rodents. Some features of the rodent are listed:
it stays in a deep burrow during the day and comes out to feed at night
its kidneys produce a very small volume of very concentrated urine
its faeces are very dry
it obtains almost all its water from the seeds it eats and from respiration
it has large ears with many blood vessels close to the surface
it has sandy-coloured fur.
(a) Explain how the features of the rodent adapt it to survive in the desert.[6]
(b) Suggest why having large ears could be a disadvantage to the rodent when it comes out at night.[2]
Show the answer and mark scheme
(a)
staying in a burrow during the day avoids the highest temperatures; the burrow is cooler and more humid, so less water is lost by evaporation (behavioural)
feeding at night when it is cooler reduces water loss and the risk of overheating
very concentrated urine / a small volume of urine conserves water (functional)
dry faeces mean less water is lost in egestion
getting water from seeds and respiration means it does not need to drink, as there is little water available
large ears give a large surface area; blood close to the surface transfers heat to the surroundings, cooling the rodent (structural)
sandy fur camouflages it against the sand, so it is less likely to be seen by owls or snakes
Marked with levels of response: the full level descriptors are in the app.
(b)
large surface area so more heat is lost when the air is cold (10 °C)
(so) it must respire more / use more food to keep its body temperature constant