Sexual Reproduction in Flowering Plants - Worksheets, Questions and Revision

10 original exam-style questions - 4 pages of questions with a full mark scheme - free printable PDF.

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This topic is chapter 1 of IGCSE Biology Practice Book.

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1.1 Sexual Reproduction in Flowering Plants

EDEXCEL 4BI1 · Calculator allowed · about 55 minutes

Total Marks

Name: _______________________________ Date: ____ / ____ / ______

Answer ALL questions. Show all your working.

In an experiment, 40 out of 50 cress seeds germinated after 7 days. Calculate the percentage of seeds that germinated.

(Total for Question 1 is 3 marks)

Define pollination.

(Total for Question 2 is 2 marks)

State what the ovary and the ovule each develop into after fertilisation has taken place.

(i)The ovary develops into the .....(1)

(ii)The ovule develops into the .....(1)

(Total for Question 3 is 2 marks)

Insect-pollinated flowers and wind-pollinated flowers have very different adaptations for the same purpose: getting pollen from one flower to another. For each feature below, describe how it typically differs between an insect-pollinated flower and a wind-pollinated flower.

(a)Petals(2)

(b)Stigma(2)

(c)Pollen(2)

(d)Nectar(2)

(Total for Question 4 is 8 marks)

Define fertilisation in a flowering plant.

(Total for Question 5 is 2 marks)

Name and describe one method by which seeds may be dispersed by wind, and one method by which seeds may be dispersed by animals.

(a)Wind dispersal(2)

(b)Animal dispersal(2)

(Total for Question 6 is 4 marks)

State three conditions needed for a seed to germinate, and briefly explain why each is needed.

(a)Water(2)

(b)Oxygen(2)

(c)A suitable (warm/optimum) temperature(2)

(Total for Question 7 is 6 marks)

Describe what happens between a pollen grain landing on a stigma and fertilisation taking place.

(Total for Question 8 is 3 marks)

Explain why it is advantageous for a plant to disperse its seeds away from the parent plant.

(Total for Question 9 is 3 marks)

A student wants to investigate the effect of temperature on the percentage of cress seeds that germinate. Describe how the student could carry out this investigation, including how she should try to make it a fair test.

(Total for Question 10 is 5 marks)

Mark scheme · 1.1 Sexual Reproduction in Flowering Plants

Question 1

M1 forms the fraction 40/50
M1 multiplies by 100
A1 80% cao
Answer: 80%

Question 2

B1 the transfer of pollen
B1 from the anther (of one flower) to the stigma (of the same or another flower of the same species)
Answer: The transfer of pollen from an anther to a stigma

Question 3

(i) B1 fruit
(i) Answer: Fruit
(ii) B1 seed
(ii) Answer: Seed

Question 4

(a) B1 insect-pollinated: large, brightly coloured, and often scented, to attract pollinating insects
(a) B1 wind-pollinated: small and dull-coloured (e.g. green or brown), usually with no scent, since there is no insect to attract
(a) Answer: Insect: large, bright, scented. Wind: small, dull, unscented
(b) B1 insect-pollinated: small and sticky, positioned inside the flower
(b) B1 wind-pollinated: large, feathery, and exposed, hanging outside the flower to catch airborne pollen
(b) Answer: Insect: small, sticky, inside flower. Wind: large, feathery, exposed
(c) B1 insect-pollinated: produced in small quantities, with grains that are often spiky or sticky, so they cling to an insect's body
(c) B1 wind-pollinated: produced in very large quantities, with grains that are light and smooth, so they can be carried easily by the wind
(c) Answer: Insect: small amount, spiky/sticky. Wind: huge amount, light/smooth
(d) B1 insect-pollinated: nectar is present, as a sugary food reward that attracts pollinating insects
(d) B1 wind-pollinated: nectar is absent, since there is no insect to reward or attract
(d) Answer: Insect: nectar present. Wind: nectar absent

Question 5

B1 the fusion of the nucleus of a male gamete (from a pollen grain) with the nucleus of a female gamete (the egg cell in an ovule)
B1 to form a zygote
Answer: Fusion of a male gamete nucleus with a female gamete nucleus to form a zygote

Question 6

(a) B1 names a valid wind-dispersed example, e.g. dandelion or sycamore/ash
(a) B1 correct adaptation described, e.g. dandelion seeds have a fluffy 'parachute' structure that catches the wind and carries the seed away from the parent plant; or sycamore/ash fruits have a wing-shaped structure that makes them spin and glide on the wind
(a) Answer: e.g. dandelion: fluffy parachute structure carried by the wind
(b) B1 names a valid animal-dispersed example, e.g. burdock/goosegrass (hooked fruit) or a berry-producing plant such as blackberry
(b) B1 correct adaptation described, e.g. burdock fruits have hooks that catch on an animal's fur and are carried away before falling off; or berries are eaten by animals and the seeds pass through the digestive system unharmed, being deposited elsewhere in the animal's droppings
(b) Answer: e.g. burdock: hooked fruit catches on fur; or berries eaten and seeds excreted elsewhere

Question 7

(a) B1 water is needed
(a) B1 correct reason: activates enzymes inside the seed and allows the stored food reserves to be broken down and used (mobilised) for growth
(a) Answer: Water: activates enzymes so stored food reserves can be used
(b) B1 oxygen is needed
(b) B1 correct reason: needed for (aerobic) respiration, which releases the energy the germinating seed needs for growth
(b) Answer: Oxygen: needed for respiration to release energy for growth
(c) B1 a suitable/warm temperature is needed
(c) B1 correct reason: the enzymes involved in germination work fastest within a particular temperature range; too cold and reactions are too slow, too hot and enzymes may be denatured
(c) Answer: Suitable temperature: enzymes work best in an optimum range

Question 8

B1 the pollen grain germinates and grows a pollen tube, which grows down through the style towards the ovary
B1 the male gamete nucleus travels down inside the pollen tube
B1 when the tube reaches an ovule, the male nucleus fuses with the female (egg cell) nucleus, which is fertilisation
Answer: A pollen tube grows down the style, carrying the male nucleus to an ovule, where it fuses with the egg cell nucleus

Question 9

B1 reduces competition between the seedlings and the parent plant (and between the seedlings themselves) for a named resource, e.g. light, water, minerals/nutrients, or space
B1 explains that this means more resources are available per seedling, so more seedlings are likely to survive and grow to maturity
B1 a second distinct benefit, e.g. allows the species to colonise new areas, or reduces the spread of disease between crowded seedlings
Answer: Reduces competition for resources near the parent plant, and allows colonisation of new areas

Question 10

B1 identifies the independent variable (temperature) and a method of varying it, e.g. placing dishes of seeds in incubators or water baths set to several different named temperatures
B1 identifies the dependent variable: the number (or percentage) of seeds that have germinated, measured after a fixed, stated number of days
B1 states a valid control variable, e.g. the same number of seeds used in each dish
B1 states a second valid control variable, e.g. the same amount of water, the same type/batch of seed, the same amount of light, or the same type of dish
B1 states a way of improving reliability, e.g. using a reasonably large sample of seeds per dish and/or repeating each temperature and taking a mean
Answer: Vary temperature (independent), measure % germinating (dependent), keep other variables constant, use a large/repeated sample

Sexual Reproduction in Flowering Plants - Worksheets, Questions and Revision

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