AQA GCSE Combined Science: Trilogy Biology Paper 2 (Foundation), June 2025: Question 1
9 marks · Low Demand difficulty · Short Answer
Identify key facts about blood glucose regulation by insulin and state two ways to reduce the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.
Practise this questionQuestion
Question text
01 The concentration of glucose in the blood can be controlled.
01.1 A person drinks a glucose solution.
What happens to the person’s blood glucose concentration soon after drinking
the glucose solution?
[1 mark]
Tick ( ) one box.
Blood glucose concentration decreases.
Blood glucose concentration stays the same.
Blood glucose concentration increases.
01.2 Insulin controls blood glucose concentration.
Which organ produces insulin?
[1 mark]
Tick ( ) one box.
Pancreas
Pituitary
Stomach 3
01.3 Organs affected by insulin are called target organs.
Which two organs are target organs for insulin?
[2 marks]
Tick ( ) two boxes.
Liver
Lung
Muscle
*02Ovary*
Spinal cord
01.4 Complete the sentences.
Choose answers from the box.
[2 marks]
DNA glucose glycogen urea
Insulin causes cells to take in .
The storage molecule made inside the cells is4 .
01.5 Complete the sentence.
Choose the answer from the box.
[1 mark]
increase stay the same decrease
Insulin causes blood glucose concentration to .
01.6 Type 2 diabetes is caused when the body cells no longer respond to insulin.
Give two ways to reduce the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.
Do not refer to insulin in your answer.
[2 marks]
Mark scheme
Show the mark scheme
Question 1
AO /
Question Answers Extra information Mark
Spec. Ref.
01.1 blood glucose concentration 1 AO2
increases 4.5.3.2
AO /
Spec. Ref.
01.2 pancreas 1 AO1
4.5.3.2
AO /
Spec. Ref.
01.3 liver 1 AO1
4.5.3.1
4.5.3.2
muscle
AO /
Spec. Ref.
01.4 must be in this order
glucose 1 AO1
4.5.3.2
glycogen 1
AO /
Spec. Ref.
01.5 decrease 1 AO2
4.5.3.2
AO /
Spec. Ref.
01.6 any two from: 2 AO1
4.5.3.2
• eat less carbohydrate / sugar
or
if neither mark awarded
a low / controlled
allow 1 mark for calorie
carbohydrate / sugar diet
controlled diet or reduced
calorie diet
• eat less fat
ignore references to healthy /
balanced diet or diet unqualified
• lose (body) mass / weight
or
maintain healthy weight
• (more) exercise allow examples of (increased)
exercise
allow stop smoking
allow named drug treatment
eg metformin
ignore take medicine / drug /
insulin
ignore pancreas transplant
Total Question 1 9
How to answer it
Control of Blood Glucose & Diabetes
This foundation-tier question assesses your essential recall of Topic 4.5.3 (Hormonal Control in Humans):
- The effect of eating/drinking sugar on blood glucose levels.
- Which endocrine gland releases insulin (the pancreas).
- The target organs of insulin (liver and muscle) and how glucose is stored as glycogen.
- The net effect of insulin on blood glucose concentration.
- Risk factors and lifestyle modifications that help prevent Type 2 diabetes.
Effect of Drinking Glucose Solution
Identifying short-term changes in blood glucose levels
✅ Correct Answer
Tick: Blood glucose concentration increases.
💡 Key Knowledge
Glucose is a simple soluble sugar. When drunk, it is rapidly absorbed through the walls of the small intestine directly into the bloodstream, raising blood sugar levels.
Organ Producing Insulin
Endocrine glands and hormone production
✅ Correct Answer
Tick: Pancreas
🧠 Exam Technique
The pancreas monitors blood glucose directly using specialized receptor cells and secretes insulin (when glucose is high) or glucagon (when glucose is low).
❌ Common Error
Don't confuse the pituitary gland (the "master gland" in the brain) with the pancreas. The pituitary does not produce insulin.
Target Organs for Insulin
Selecting the specific tissues that respond to insulin
✅ Correct Answer
Tick exactly two boxes:
- Liver [1 mark]
- Muscle [1 mark]
💡 Key Knowledge
A target organ has specific protein receptors on its cell membranes that bind to a specific hormone. Liver and muscle cells take up excess glucose and convert it to glycogen.
🧠 Exam Technique
The question says "Tick two boxes". If you tick more than two, examiners will deduct marks for extra incorrect choices.
Cell Uptake and Storage Molecule
Completing sentences using terms from the box
✅ Correct Answers
Insulin causes cells to take in glucose . [1 mark]
The storage molecule made inside the cells is glycogen . [1 mark]
❌ Common Error: The "G-word" Confusion
- Glucose: small, soluble sugar absorbed into blood.
- Glycogen: insoluble storage carbohydrate made in liver/muscle cells.
- Glucagon: hormone that increases blood glucose (not listed here).
Overall Effect of Insulin
Understanding negative feedback
✅ Correct Answer
Insulin causes blood glucose concentration to decrease . [1 mark]
💡 Key Knowledge
Because insulin prompts cells to absorb glucose from the blood and turn it into storage glycogen, the concentration of glucose remaining in the blood falls back to normal.
Reducing the Risk of Type 2 Diabetes
Lifestyle changes and disease prevention
✅ Correct Answers (Any two from)
- Eat less carbohydrate / sugar (or follow a low-carbohydrate / low-sugar diet) [1 mark]
- Eat less fat [1 mark]
- Lose weight / lose body mass (or maintain a healthy weight) [1 mark]
- Do (more) exercise [1 mark]
🧠 Top Examiner Tip
Always give specific dietary advice. Writing simply "eat a healthy diet" or "balanced diet" is too vague and scores 0 marks. You must state what to eat less of (e.g. less sugar, less carbohydrate, or less fat).
❌ Common Errors & Disallowed Answers
- "Take insulin" — explicitly banned by the question stem ("Do not refer to insulin"). Furthermore, Type 2 diabetes involves insulin resistance, not an absolute lack of insulin.
- "Pancreas transplant" — not a standard preventive measure for Type 2 diabetes.
Topics
Biology · B5: Homeostasis and Response
Question and mark scheme from the AQA GCSE Combined Science: Trilogy examination, Biology Paper 2 (Foundation), June 2025. QuestionVault is an independent revision resource; questions remain the copyright of the awarding body.