Question bank › IGCSE Biology › Structure and functions in living organisms

Hormones

Answer on paper first, then reveal the mark scheme one mark at a time.

1Grade 1–3Triple only3 marks

Complete the table to show the gland that secretes (releases) each hormone.

Hormone	Gland that secretes it
insulin	(a) ............
adrenaline	(b) ............
ADH	(c) ............

[3]

(a) pancreas; accept islets (of Langerhans); reject liver(1)
(b) adrenal gland(s); reject kidney(1)
(c) pituitary (gland); accept posterior pituitary; reject hypothalamus(1)
Answer: (a) pancreas (b) adrenal glands (c) pituitary gland
Examiner tip: Adrenal glands sit on top of the kidneys — writing 'kidney' does not score.

2Grade 6–76 marks

Two people, A and B, each drank a glucose solution at time 0. Their blood glucose concentration was measured for 3 hours. The graph shows the results.

(a) State the time at which person A had the highest blood glucose concentration. [1]

(b) Explain the change in blood glucose concentration of person A between 45 and 120 minutes. [3]

(c) Person B has type 1 diabetes. Use the graph to explain how the results for person B differ from those for person A. [2]

(a) 45 minutes (unit needed)(1)
(b) (rise in glucose detected and) pancreas secretes insulin(1)
(b) insulin causes the liver / muscles to convert glucose to glycogen; accept cells take up more glucose; reject glucagon for glycogen(1)
(b) blood glucose falls (from 8.0) back to normal / to 5.0 mmol per dm³ by 120 minutes(1)
(c) B's blood glucose rises higher (to 14.0 mmol per dm³) / peaks later (60 min) and stays high / does not return to normal (still 11.0 at 180 min)(1)
(c) (because B's pancreas) produces little or no insulin, so glucose is not converted to glycogen / not taken up by cells(1)
Answer: (a) 45 min (b) pancreas secretes insulin; liver/muscles convert glucose to glycogen; glucose falls back to 5.0 mmol per dm³ (c) B rises higher (14.0) and stays high (11.0 at 180 min) because little or no insulin is produced
Examiner tip: Glucose is converted to GLYCOGEN — writing 'glucagon' in place of glycogen loses the mark.

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