Appearance
Heredity and evolution — Short response
Conceptual Understanding
Explain core models, definitions and relationships before using them in context.
Explain how mitosis and meiosis differ in their main roles. Include the type of cells each process mainly produces and how chromosome number in the products compares with a typical body cell.
2 marks
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In two or three sentences, explain the difference between genotype and phenotype. Include one reason phenotype is not always explained by genotype alone.
2 marks
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Describe the three core ingredients natural selection requires in a population: variation, inheritance and differential survival or reproduction.
3 marks
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Give two types of evidence that scientists use to infer common ancestry, and briefly state the pattern each evidence type can show.
2 marks
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Applied Reasoning
Use the same ideas to reason through scenarios, evidence, claims or investigations.
Same two biological parents can have full siblings who look different for some inherited traits. In two or three short sentences, explain one main reason this can happen, using ideas about meiosis and/or fertilisation.
2 marks
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In a species of plant, allele A (tall) is dominant over allele a (short). A tall plant is crossed with a short plant. Among many offspring, about half are tall and half are short. State the most likely genotype of the tall parent and explain how the offspring ratio supports your answer.
2 marks
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A population of insects shows heritable variation in body colour. After a habitat change, one colour is easier to avoid predators than others. In three short sentences, explain how natural selection could make that advantageous colour more common in the population over generations. Do not rely on insects “trying” or “wanting” to change.
3 marks
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Scientists argue that today’s species are related through common ancestry. Give two different types of evidence, such as fossils, comparative anatomy, DNA, or biogeography. For each evidence type, add one sentence saying what pattern scientists look for and why that pattern supports shared ancestry.
2 marks
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A student claims that a skin cell mutation in one parent will automatically be passed to their children. Use the difference between body cells and gametes to explain why this claim is usually wrong.
2 marks
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In pea plants, allele T (tall) is dominant over t (short). Two heterozygous tall plants (Tt) are crossed. State the expected genotype ratio among many offspring and explain in one or two sentences how segregation supports that ratio.
2 marks
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A student says: “Your genes decide your phenotype, full stop.” In two or three sentences, improve that statement by naming one way the environment can affect how a trait appears while genes still matter.
2 marks
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Compare artificial selection with natural selection in two or three short sentences. For each, say who or what mainly determines which individuals reproduce, and name one example context (such as crop breeding or a wild population facing predators).
2 marks
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