THE KENYA NATIONAL EXAMINATION COUNCIL

Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education

231/1 BIOLOGY Paper 1

Nov. 2024 - 2 Hours

Name: ………………………………………………….. Index NO: …………………

Student’s Signature: ……………………………… Date: …………………………

MARKING SCHEMES

1. (a) Flowering plants can be divided in two groups; monocotyledons and dicotyledons. Complete the
table below to state the differences between these two types of flowering
(2marks)
Plants

Difference Monocotyledons Dicotyledons

Pattern of leave veins Parallel Branched/reticulate/network;

Number of petals present 3/multiples of 3 4 or 5/multiples ;

(b) Explain why division Pteridophyta considered more advanced than division Bryophyta
(2marks)
Posses clearly defined vascular system;(xylem and phloem).
Highly differentiated into roots, stems and leaves;
Fertilization pteridophytes is independent of water availability;

2. Sometimes teeth develop dental decay. Describe how dental decay develops. (3marks)
Bacteria(in mouth); change or respire sugar/named sugar(in food). To acid/ lactic acid; acid
dissolves / attacks enamel/ teeth dentine.

3. (a) Explain why each of the following steps is carried out during preparation of slides for
microscopic preparation. (3marks)
i. Fixation
To conserve the specimen hence it can be reused;

ii. Cutting thin section

For easy illumination/Allow light to pass through;

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iii. Staining
Create contrast hence better view;

4. The photograph below shows a gorilla with her baby.

Gorilla have characteristics that are only found in mammals and not in any other vertebrate group.

State:
(i) One mammalian characteristic visible in the above photograph. (1mark)
Mammary glands (suckling young ones 2 pinnae
Body covered with hair

(ii) Two mammalian characteristics not visible in the photograph. (2marks)

Presence of sweat glands
Double circulatory system
Alveoli for gaseous exchange

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5. (a) What is BMR? (1mark)

Minimum amount of energy that is required to maintain metabolism when organism is at rest;

(b) Explain why Rat eats more food than Elephant? (2marks)
Rat has a large surface to volume ration; hence it loses more heat to the environment; to
replace the heat lost the rat eats more. (Accept the converse)

6. Arteries are made of three layers. The innermost layer is endothelium. Differentiate the composition
of the middle layer and the outer layer. (2marks)
Middle layer is composed of elastic fibres and smooth muscles; while the outer layer is formed
of elastic muscular fibres (collagen fibres);
7. (a) Define the term Immunity (1mark)
Capacity of the organism to detect and to defend itself against foreign antigen.

(b) Explain the events that leads to allergic reactions (3marks)

Harmless antigen triggering immune response; body over secrets; antibodies resulting to
antigen antibody reaction; histamine released increased permeability of the cell hence take
water swells; burst anaphylaxis occur as an effect;

8. State two uses of digested food in the bodies of animals. (2marks)

Growth
Repair
Protection
Energy production

9. Two similar leaves are set up in test-tubes as shown below.

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After a few hours, which colour would be hydrogen carbonate indicator solution be in each tube?
(2marks)

A- Purple
B- Yellow

10. Which organelles are present in large numbers in cells that produce Insulin? Give a reason for your
answer. (2marks)
Rough endoplasmic reticulum; to transport the Insulin as protein.
Golgi bodies; for transport of the secretion/insulin.

11. (a) Define Oxygen debt (1mark)

Extra amount of oxygen needed to get rid off lactic acid formed when the Oxygen supply is less
than demand.

(b) State mechanism by Oxygen debt is paid back (1mark)

Breathing rate increases
Deep ventilation
Increase heartbeat rate;

12. Define the following terms (2marks)

(a) Phyllotaxy
Arrangement of leaves along the stem;

(b) Taxonomy
Branch of biology that deals with classification.

13. Name two processes that bring about the translocation of manufactured food. (2marks)
Active transport; cytoplasmic streaming.
Diffusion;
Mass flow;

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14. The diagram shows a villus. The arrows show the direction of flow within vessels associated with the
villus.

(a) Which vessel caries blood to the liver? (1mark)

D/ Hepatic portal vein;

(b) Name 2 substances transported to the liver by the vessel named in (a) above.(2marks)
Amino acid glucose.
15. State why the following processes are essential in living Organisms.
(i) Irritability (1mark)
Enable organism to perceive changes in environment and act on them appropriately;

(ii) Reproduction (1mark)

Sustains or perpetuates the species so that they do not become extinct;

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16. The herbivorous mammalian species were introduced into an ecosystem at the same time and in
equal numbers. The graph below represents their populations during the first seven years. Study the
graph and answer the questions that follow.

(a) Which species has a better competitive ability? (1mark)

Species A

(b) Give reason for your answer; (1mark)

The rate of multiplication/growth in A is faster than of species B;

17. Toxoplasma is a single –celled organism that has no cell wall and no chlorophyll. Gases are
exchanged across the cell membrane of Toxoplasma.
Name:
(i) The gas produced by Toxoplasma Carbon (iv) Oxide; (1mark)

(ii) The process that produce the gas ( Aerobic) Respiration; (1mark)

(iii) The method of removal of the gas (Simple ) Diffusion; (1mark)

18. What is the significance of diffusion to plant pollination? (1mark)

The insects that carry out pollination are attracted by smell from flowers; this may lead to
pollination;

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19. A researcher investigated the population growth of fish for fish farming. The researcher stocked a
farmer’s lake with a small number of these fish and recorded the number of fish over the next five
years. The researcher’s results showed that the population of fish had increased exponentially.

(i) Use the axes to show the exponential growth in the population of fish. Label the axes and
draw a suitable curve. (3marks)

20. Single-celled Organisms with cell walls do not have contractile vacuoles. Suggest why.
(2marks)
Cell walls; inelastic/do not stretch/rigid/inflexible keep shape of cell; cells are turgid/ have high
turgor pressure; resist any increase in volume/ pressure;
These cells do not absorb excess water; the cells will not burst (any two)

21. Describe what is meant by the term sustainable resource, using forests as an example.
(2marks)
Renewable/self-renewing/regenerates eg produced as rapidly as it removed resource does not/
will not run out/become exhausted; replanting/reseeding/regrowing eg pollarding/

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22. Rhabdostyla lives in freshwater habitats, such as pond, lakes and rivers where solute concentration is
low. Rhabdostyla has a contractile vacuole that fills with water and empties at intervals as shown in.
The contractile vacuole removes excess water.

Explain , using the term water potential, Rhabdostyla needs to remove excess water.
(3marks)
Water enters by osmosis; down a water potential; gradient/ high(er) to low(er) water potential;
through partially permeable membrane needs to remove water to prevent bursting;

23. State the significance of the following adaptation in a leaf. (1mark)

(a) Thinless
To reduce distance travelled by light to reach photosynthetic;

(b) Presence of air spaces (1mark)

To create intermolecular air spaces to aid in air circulation;

(c) Stomata. (1mark)

To regulate gas exchange between the plant and environment and control of water loss

24. The diagram below shows a section of a long pea pod, the fruit of a pea plant.

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Name the parts of the original pea flower from which structures A and B have developed.

(2marks)

A – Ovary;

B – Ovule;

25. (a) Which organ produces urea? (1mark)

Liver

(b)Name two organs that removes excretory products from the blood? (2marks)

Kidney;

Lung;

26. Name the root zone characterized by rapid and active absorption of water. (1mark)
Zone of cell differentiation;

27. Explain the difference between self-pollination and cross pollination. (2marks)
Self pollination – Transfer of pollen grains from the anther to the stigma of the same flower;

Cross pollination – Transfer of pollen grains from the anther of one flower to the stigma of
another flower but of the same species;

28. When blood is flowing through a vena, which main blood vessel will it flow through next?
(1mark)
Pulmonary artery;

29. The diagram below represents a stage in the development of human foetus

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(a) State one function of each of the structures labeled A and B (2marks)
A – Has umbilical vein and artery to supply foetus with nutrients and removal of waste
products;

B – Protects embryo from shock; regulates temperature of developing embryo; suspends

and supports embryo;

(b) A part from the size of the foetus what else from the diagram illustrates that birth was going to
occure in the near future. (1marks)
Foetus head is turned towards the cervix;

30. Name the sites through which transpiration takes place in a plant. (3marks)
-Stomata;
- Cuticle;
- Lenticel;

31. (i) Explain the role of enzymes in respiration. (1mark)

They catalyze reactions / speed up rate of respiration;

(ii) Give a word equation for aerobic respiration. (2marks)

Glucose + Oxygen → Water + Carbon (iv) Oxide + Energy

(iii) Explain two disadvantages of anaerobic respiration. (2marks)

-Less energy produced in anaerobic respiration since food is partially oxidized while in
aerobic respiration food is completely oxidized;
- Ethanol produced in plants poisons the tissues while lactic acid produced in animals
causes muscles fatigue/ muscle cramp and may stop muscle contraction;
- Some metabolic wastes accumulate in cells affecting cellular functions, such
intermediate wastes are not produced in aerobic respiration;

32. Give two reasons for loss of energy from one trophic level to another in a food chain.
(2marks)
- Through excretion; eg. Urination and sweating
- Through respiration;
- Insufficient utilization of food resources; (wastage) e.g by defecation.

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