PMT

Mark Scheme (Results)

Summer 2021

Pearson Edexcel International Advanced Level

In Biology (WB13) Paper 01
Practical Skills in Biology I
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Summer 2021
Question Paper Log Number 65809
Publications Code WBI13_01_2106_MS
All the material in this publication is copyright
© Pearson Education Ltd 2021
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General Marking Guidance

• All candidates must receive the same treatment. Examiners must mark the first candidate in exactly the same way as they mark the
last.

• Mark schemes should be applied positively. Candidates must be rewarded for what they have shown they can do rather than
penalised for omissions.

• Examiners should mark according to the mark scheme not according to their perception of where the grade boundaries may lie.

• There is no ceiling on achievement. All marks on the mark scheme should be used appropriately.

• All the marks on the mark scheme are designed to be awarded. Examiners should always award full marks if deserved, i.e. if the
answer matches the mark scheme. Examiners should also be prepared to award zero marks if the candidate’s response is not worthy of
credit according to the mark scheme.

• Where some judgement is required, mark schemes will provide the principles by which marks will be awarded and exemplification may
be limited.

• When examiners are in doubt regarding the application of the mark scheme to a candidate’s response, the team leader must be
consulted.

• Crossed out work should be marked UNLESS the candidate has replaced it with an alternative response
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Using the Mark Scheme

Examiners should look for qualities to reward rather than faults to penalise. This does NOT mean giving credit for incorrect or
inadequate answers, but it does mean allowing candidates to be rewarded for answers showing correct application of principles and
knowledge. Examiners should therefore read carefully and consider every response: even if it is not what is expected it may be worthy
of credit.

The mark scheme gives examiners:

• an idea of the types of response expected
• how individual marks are to be awarded
• the total mark for each question
• examples of responses that should NOT receive credit.

/ means that the responses are alternatives and either answer should receive full credit.

( ) means that a phrase/word is not essential for the award of the mark, but helps the examiner to get the sense of the expected answer.
Phrases/words in bold indicate that the meaning of the phrase or the actual word is essential to the answer. ecf/TE/cq (error carried
forward) means that a wrong answer given in an earlier part of a question is used correctly in answer to a later part of the same
question.

Candidates must make their meaning clear to the examiner to gain the mark. Make sure that the answer makes sense. Do not give
credit for correct words/phrases which are put together in a meaningless manner. Answers must be in the correct context.

Quality of Written Communication

Questions which involve the writing of continuous prose will expect candidates to:
• write legibly, with accurate use of spelling, grammar and punctuation in order to make the meaning clear · select and use a form and
style of writing appropriate to purpose and to complex subject matter · organise information clearly and coherently, using specialist
vocabulary when appropriate.

Full marks will be awarded if the candidate has demonstrated the above abilities.
Questions where QWC is likely to be particularly important are indicated (QWC) in the mark scheme, but this does not preclude others.
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Question Answer Additional Guidance Mark

Number
1a An answer that includes five of the following points.

• description of {bacteria grown (on nutrient agar) / Accept microbe

bacterial lawn} / bacterial broth (1)

• filter paper discs soaked in plant extract (placed on

agar) / plant extract placed in well (cut in agar) / plant
extract added to broth (1)

• control variable described (1) e.g. disc size / extract volume /

temperature

• one safety aspect described (1) e.g. flaming / dish lid / use autoclave
/ safe temperature quoted (<32 C)

• incubate for suitable time (1) Accept 24 hours to 1 week

• clear zone around {disc / well} {measured / scored / Accept cloudiness

turbidity measured (1) (5)
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Question Answer Additional Guidance Mark

Number
1(b)(i) A chart with the following
features.

• Y-axis correctly correct linear scale and title

completed (1)

• X-axis correctly bacteria names

completed (1)

• key correctly completed

(1) A,B,C,D and title

(3)
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Question Answer Additional Guidance Mark

Number
1(b)(ii) An answer that includes the following points:

• plant C has the lowest (antimicrobial) effect / affects

only one bacterial species (1)

• plant B has the highest (antimicrobial) effect (1)

• {B / D} affect all 3 species (1)

• data manipulated to support one of the first two e.g. B has a total score of 8 / C has a total score
marking points (1) of 2

(4)

Question Answer Additional Guidance Mark

Number
2(a)(i) An answer that includes the following three points.

• the water content is reduced (1) Accept seeds dried

• the seeds are x-rayed (1)

• the seeds are kept at {low temperature / dry} (1) Accept low oxygen environment

(3)
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Question Answer Additional Guidance Mark

Number
2(a)(ii) An answer that includes the following points.

• the {number of different / variety of} species (of living Accept species richness of an area
organisms) in an area / stated area (1)

• the genetic differences within species of living organisms (1) Accept genetic variety
(2)

Question Answer Additional Guidance Mark

Number
2(b)(i) A description that includes 4 of the following points:

• fixing root tip described (1) e.g. heating with conc. HCl

• stain used (1)

• description of maceration / squashing (1)

• view through high power microscope (1) Accept magnification quoted >/= 100x

• count of number of dividing cells and divide by total number

of cells (1) (4)
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Question Answer Additional Guidance Mark

Number
2(b)(ii) An answer that includes the following points.

• read MI from graph (1) e.g. 5(%)

• rearrange equation
MI = no. of cells in mitosis ÷ total number of cells total number of cells = no. of cells in mitosis
to calculate total number of cells (1) ÷ MI

• substitute values in this equation and correct answer (1) total no. of cells = 14 ÷ 0.05 = 280 / T =
1400 ÷ 5 = 280

correct answer with no working gains 3

accept T = 14 / 5 for 2 (3)

Question Answer Additional Guidance Mark

Number
2(b)(iii) A table drawn showing:

• suitable table (drawn) (1) 2 columns and 6 rows or vice versa

• headings root length with units, mitotic index with units units in cells negates this mark
(1)

• data correctly entered (1)

Root Length Mitotic Index
/ mm (%)
5(.0) 0.0
6(.0) 0.4
8(.0) 0.8
10(.0) 1.4 (3)
12(.0) 1.8
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Question Answer Additional Guidance Mark

Number
2(b)(iv) A description which includes the following points:

• the {treated / aged} seeds have a lower mitotic index than

the untreated seeds (1)

• the longer the treatment the more the mitotic index is

reduced / 14 days more than 4 days (1)

• {optimum / maximum} mitosis occurs in longer roots with Accept mitosis starts later in more aged
greater aging (1) roots

(3)

Question Answer Additional Guidance Mark

Number
2(b)(v) A description which includes the following points:

• experiment repeated (1)

• under the same conditions / described (1)

(2)
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Question Answer Additional Guidance Mark

Number
3a Accept percentage germination (of
• number of grains germinated (1) pollen grains)
(1)

Question Answer Additional Guidance Mark

Number
3b An explanation that includes the following points:

• because it might affect {(pollen grain) germination / enzymes

(involved in germination)} (1)

• it is (thought to be) the optimum for {(pollen grain) germination

/ enzymes (involved in pollen germination)} (1)
(2)
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Question Answer Additional Guidance Mark

Number
3ci A graph with the following features:

• A axes correctly orientated (1)

• L1 axes correctly labelled (1)

• L2 axes with correct units (1)

• P correct plotting on a suitable linear scale

for both axes (1)

• R points joined with ruled straight lines (1)

max 4 for bar chart as loses mp R

(5)
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Questi Answer Additional Guidance Mark

on
Numb
er
3cii A description that includes the following points:

• (all concentrations of) boric acid enhance germination (1)

• germination is higher in 100 mg dm-3 than all other concentrations / Accept optimum between 0
germination shows optimum value at 100 mg dm-3 (1) and 200

Allow consequential error

(2)
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Question Answer Additional Guidance Mark

Number
3di A calculation that includes: Accept values from 211 to 214 for 0 at 2 hrs

• calculation of increase in rate e.g. rate at 0 is 212 ÷ 2 = 106

difference = {130.5 – 106 / 24.5}

• calculation of percentage increase in rate (1) (24.5 ÷ 106) × 100 = 23 (%) ignore decimal
places

130.5 – 106 ÷ 130.5 = 18.8 gets 1

alternatives

1. rate at 0 is 211 ÷ 2 = 105.5

= {130.5 – 105.5 / 25}

(25 ÷ 105.5) × 100 = 23 (%) ignore decimal places

2. rate at 0 is 213 ÷ 2 = 106.5

= {130.5 – 106.5 / 24}

(24 ÷ 106.5) × 100 = 22 (%) ignore decimal places

3. rate at 0 is 214 ÷ 2 = 107

= {130.5 – 107 / 23.5}

(23.5 ÷ 107) × 100 = 22 (%) ignore decimal places

130.5 – 106 ÷ 130.5 = 18.8 gets 1

130.5 – 105.5 ÷ 130.5 = 19.2 gets 1

130.5 – 106.5 ÷ 130.5 = 18.3 gets 1

130.5 – 107 ÷ 130.5 = 18 gets 1

(2)
Correct answer with no working gains 2 marks (2)
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Question Answer Additional Guidance Mark

Number
3dii An answer that includes five of the following points:

• make (100, 200, 300 mg dm-3) boric acid solutions from 500 Ignore serial
mg dm-3 solution by dilution (1)

• control variable identified (1) e.g. pH, sucrose concentration,

temperature, light

• view through high power of microscope (1) Accept magnification quoted >/= 100x

• suitable method for measuring pollen tube length described e.g. stage micrometer and graticule
(1)

• record results every hour for 4 hours (1) (4)

Question Answer Additional Guidance Mark

Number
3(e) An answer that includes the following:

• {both / germination and growth} show optimum at 100 mg dm-3

(1)

• for growth boric acid concentrations above 100 mg dm-3 are (2)
inhibitory whereas for germination all concentrations above
100 mg dm-3 are stimulatory (1)
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