Scientists are developing a new drug. The starting point for the drug is a chemical extracted from a tropical plant. The table shows the mass of the chemical obtained from 100 g of three different parts of the plant.
Table: The mass of the chemical obtained from 100 g of the leaves, roots and seeds of a tropical plant
| Part of plant | Mass of chemical obtained from 100 g of the plant part / g |
|---|---|
| Leaves | 1.4 |
| Roots | 2.1 |
| Seeds | 0.6 |
Which part of the plant gives the greatest mass of chemical from 100 g?
The scientists decide to extract the chemical from the leaves rather than from the roots. Suggest one reason why.
The scientists later find a way to synthesise the chemical in a laboratory. Give two advantages of synthesising the chemical instead of extracting it from the plant.
The synthesised chemical must still be tested and trialled before it can be used as a medicine. Give one reason why.
176 exam-style questions on AQA GCSE Biology 3.1 Communicable diseases, covering 3.1.1 Communicable (infectious) diseases, 3.1.2 Viral diseases, 3.1.3 Bacterial diseases, 3.1.4 Fungal diseases, 3.1.5 Protist diseases, 3.1.6 Human defence systems, 3.1.7 Vaccination, 3.1.8 Antibiotics and painkillers, and 3.1.9 Discovery and development of drugs. Each one has a worked solution and a mark scheme showing where the marks go.