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3.1 Communicable diseases

3.1 Communicable diseases

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Question 16

Name one chemical barrier the human body uses to defend itself against pathogens.

An investigator researched the antimicrobial activity of lysozyme, a chemical barrier found in human tears, against a species of bacterium.

The investigator used the following method:

  1. Prepare four test tubes, each containing 15 cm315\text{ cm}^315 cm3 of sterile nutrient broth.
  2. Add lysozyme extract to adjust the concentrations to 0%0\%0%, 2%2\%2%, 4%4\%4%, and 8%8\%8%.
  3. Add 1 cm31\text{ cm}^31 cm3 of a liquid culture of the bacterium to each test tube.
  4. Take a 0.1 cm30.1\text{ cm}^30.1 cm3 sample from each test tube immediately (at 0 hours) and record the number of live bacterial colonies.
  5. Incubate the test tubes at 37∘C37^\circ\text{C}37∘C for 12 hours.
  6. Take another 0.1 cm30.1\text{ cm}^30.1 cm3 sample from each test tube at 12 hours and record the number of live bacterial colonies.

Table 1 shows the results of this investigation.

Time in hoursNumber of live bacteria at lysozyme concentration
0%2%4%8%
0640640640648
12400Y8018
a.

Name one chemical barrier (other than lysozyme in tears) the human body uses to defend itself against pathogens.

[1]
b.

What fraction of the bacteria present at 0 hours for 4% lysozyme concentration survived for 12 hours? Give your answer in its simplest form.

[1]
c.

How many more bacteria were killed at 8% lysozyme concentration than at 0% lysozyme concentration in 12 hours? Complete the following steps:

  • Calculate the number of bacteria killed at 8%
  • Calculate the number of bacteria killed at 0%
  • Calculate how many more bacteria were killed at 8% than at 0%
[3]
d.

A student calculated value Y in Table 1 to be 240. Suggest how the student calculated this value.

[1]
Markscheme

3.1 Communicable diseases Questions

  1. GCSE
  2. /Biology
  3. /3.1 Communicable diseases

25 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.

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