GCSE Biology – Ecosystems and Material Cycles – 1 – Exam Style Questions with Answers

Water from rivers is treated before it is safe to drink.
During water treatment, the solids in river water are removed by.................
Chlorine is then added to the water to kill ...................

Figure 12 shows the global movement of carbon into or out of the atmosphere.
Calculate the net mass of carbon added to the atmosphere each year
................................... Giga tonnes

A group of pupils investigated the effect of temperature on mould growth on bread.
Figure 8 shows the bread after being kept at different temperatures for seven days
Which is the best estimate of the percentage cover of mould on the bread at 40 °C?

The gardener noticed the compost bin became warm a few days after vegetation was added.
Why did the contents of the compost bin become warm?

Figure 12 shows the mean rate of decomposition for this investigation.
Which leaves would produce compost in the least time?

The mass of the contents of the compost bin at the start was 40 kg.
After 60 days the mass of the contents was 32 kg.
Which is the rate of decay?

Which organisms convert nitrogen to nitrate ions during the nitrogen cycle?

Cycles within Ecosystems
Which part of the river will have the largest number of bloodworms?

Figure 1 shows the water cycle.
What causes the water vapour to condense and form clouds?

A student investigated the decomposition of leaves from different types of tree.
Decomposers in the soil convert

Plants use nitrate ions to make proteins and chlorophyll.
What effects will a low nitrate ion concentration in soils have on plants?

Give the names of the one indicator species which provide evidence for clean water.

The nitrate fertiliser contains the chemical compound potassium nitrate. The hazard
symbol on the bag of potassium nitrate fertiliser is shown in Figure 14.
Which hazard does this symbol represent?

The water cycle is the movement of water through an ecosystem.
Which process is used to obtain freshwater from seawater?