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2.1Principles of organisation

AQA GCSE Biology (8461), Higher tier · Organisation

Practise Principles of organisation. 11 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.

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Quick recall

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Living organisms are organised into different levels. Name the organ system that the stomach is part of.
digestive system
The liver is part of the digestive system.
Name the substance made in the liver that helps with the digestion of fats.
bile
Multicellular organisms are organised into cells, tissues, organs and organ systems. Name the organ system that pumps blood around the body.
circulatory system
Muscle cells need a supply of glucose and oxygen for respiration. Several organ systems work together to supply these substances and to remove waste. Name the organs that take oxygen into the body.
lungs
Complete the flow chart to show the levels of organisation in the plant transport system.
xylem cell → ____________ (tissue) → ____________ (organ) → roots, stem and leaves (organ system)
xylem (tissue); stem / root / leaf (organ)

Sample questions

Written for this site in the style of AQA exam questions. They are not taken from real past papers.

Question 1Easy4 marks
Living organisms are organised into different levels.
(a) Which shows the levels of organisation in the correct order, from smallest to largest?
Tick (✓) one box.[1]
  • cell → tissue → organ → organ system → organism
  • tissue → cell → organ → organism → organ system
  • cell → organ → tissue → organ system → organism
  • organ → tissue → cell → organ system → organism
(b) What is a tissue?[1]
(c) Which of these is an organ?
Tick (✓) one box.[1]
  • Digestive system
  • Heart
  • Muscle cell
  • Muscle tissue
(d) Name the organ system that the stomach is part of.[1]
Show the answer and mark scheme
(a) Answer: cell → tissue → organ → organ system → organism
(b)
  • a group of cells with a similar structure and function
(c) Answer: Heart
(d) Answer: digestive system
  • digestive (system)
Question 2Medium6 marks
Plants and animals are made of cells, tissues, organs and organ systems.
(a) Give the level of organisation of each of these structures.
Choose from: cell, tissue, organ, organ system.
  • a leaf
  • palisade mesophyll
  • a guard cell
  • the roots, stem and leaves working together to transport substances
[4]
(b) The stomach contains muscular tissue, glandular tissue and epithelial tissue.
Explain why the stomach is described as an organ.[2]
Show the answer and mark scheme
(a) Answer: leaf – organ; palisade mesophyll – tissue; guard cell – cell; roots, stem and leaves – organ system
  • leaf – organ
  • palisade mesophyll – tissue
  • guard cell – cell
  • roots, stem and leaves – organ system
(b)
  • it is made of several different tissues
  • which work together to carry out a specific function, e.g. digesting food
Question 3Hard6 marks
The skin is the largest organ of the human body. It contains epithelial tissue, glandular tissue (sweat glands), fat tissue and nervous tissue.
(a) Explain why the skin is described as an organ.[2]
(b) Suggest one function of the fat tissue in the skin.[1]
(c) A single-celled organism does not have tissues, organs or organ systems.
Explain why large multicellular organisms need their cells to be organised into tissues, organs and organ systems.[3]
Show the answer and mark scheme
(a)
  • it is made of several different tissues
  • which work together to carry out specific functions, e.g. protection / controlling body temperature
(b)
  • insulation / reducing heat loss / an energy store
(c)
  • large organisms have a small surface area : volume ratio / many cells are far from the surface
  • so diffusion across the body surface is not enough to supply all the cells
  • they need specialised exchange organs, e.g. lungs / small intestine, and a transport system, e.g. the circulatory system
  • specialised tissues and organs can each carry out one function efficiently / organs work together in organ systems

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