IGCSE Biology (9–1) 0970 · Topic 14

Coordination and response: past paper questions

274 real questionsasked in 10 of the last 10 exam series2019–2026usually: State, Describe, Complete, Draw, Explain

Real questions on coordination and response

The newest 20 of 146 written questions, plus 128 multiple-choice. Open one to see it on the real paper.

0970/31 · May/June 2026 · Q6a(i)[1]
(i) Describe the effect of adrenaline on the eye. doce .......... .......... .......... [1]
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0970/31 · May/June 2026 · Q6a(ii)[1]
(ii) State one other stimulus that would cause the same effect as the one shown in Figure 6.1. doce .......... .......... .......... [1]
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0970/31 · May/June 2026 · Q6a(iii)[2]
State two other effects of adrenaline on the body.
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0970/31 · May/June 2026 · Q6b(i)[3]
(i) State the letter in Figure 6.2 that identifies the gland that releases the hormone: adrenaline .......... INSUIIN ee testosterone ..........
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0970/31 · May/June 2026 · Q6b(ii)[1]
(ii) State the type of gland that releases hormones. doce .......... .......... .......... [1]
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0970/31 · May/June 2026 · Q6c[3]
The box on the left contains the word ‘Hormones’. The boxes on the right contain some sentence endings. Draw lines to make three correct sentences about hormones. are chemical substances. are responsible for reflex actions. Hormones are transported through neurones. have effects that last longer than nervous control. h...
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0970/31 · May/June 2026 · Q7a[1]
Some people with diabetes are unable to produce their own insulin. State the function of insulin.
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0970/32 · May/June 2026 · Q4a(i)[3]
4 (a) (i) The box on the left shows the beginning of a sentence about the nervous system. The boxes on the right show some sentence endings. Draw three straight lines to make three correct sentences about the nervous system. The nervous system carries chemical substances in the blood. coordinates a response to stimuli....
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0970/32 · May/June 2026 · Q4a(ii)[2]
State the names of the two parts of the central nervous system (CNS).
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0970/32 · May/June 2026 · Q4b[2]
Table 4.1 shows structures that are involved in a reflex arc. The structures are not in the correct order. Table 4.1 A_ | effector B motor neurone C | receptor D | relay neurone E sensory neurone Identify the order that an electrical impulse travels in a reflex arc. Write the letters from Table 4.1 in the boxes provide...
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0970/32 · May/June 2026 · Q4c[1]
State the name of the junction between two neurones.
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0970/32 · May/June 2026 · Q7a[1]
Insulin is a hormone produced in humans. State the effect of insulin in the human body.
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0970/41 · May/June 2026 · Q4d[2]
Adrenaline is also released during the race and increases heart rate. Describe two other effects of adrenaline that enable efficient respiration.
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0970/41 · May/June 2026 · Q6b(i)[3]
Using the information in Table 6.1, calculate the percentage decrease in the skin temperature of the finger between a warm environment and a cold environment. Give your answer to the appropriate number of decimal places.
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0970/41 · May/June 2026 · Q6b(ii)[2]
One of the roles of the skin is to help to control the internal temperature of the body. Describe how a change in the internal body temperature is detected.
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0970/41 · May/June 2026 · Q6c[1]
The control of internal body temperature is an example of homeostatic control by negative feedback. State the name of one other example of homeostatic control.
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0970/61 · May/June 2026 · Q1a(i)[1]
Figure 1.2 shows part of the thermometer from step 14. Record the temperature shown on the thermometer in the space provided. 50 40 30 20 Figure 1.2 Figure 1.3 shows the time taken for the liquid in each test-tube to become the same colour as the liquid in test-tube 1. test-tube 2 test-tube 4 test-tube 8 Figure 1.3
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0970/32 · October/November 2025 · Q4b[5]
Complete the sentences about the endocrine system using words from the list. Each word may be used once, more than once or not at all. digestion homeostasis muscles external neurones glands insulin phagocytosis glucose internal testosterone tissues The endocrine system contains organs called . These organs produce horm...
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0970/31 · May/June 2025 · Q4a[3]
Complete the sentence to describe sense organs. Sense organs are groups of cells responding to specific such as light, , touch,
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0970/31 · May/June 2025 · Q4b[2]
Fig. 4.1 shows the eye responding to a change in the environment. before after Fig. 4.1 Describe and explain the changes to the eye shown in Fig. 4.1.
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What examiners said

A mixture of responses was seen here, with few being awarded full marks. Weaker responses gave a range of answers in the third gap, with taste, hearing and other senses stated.
— Examiner report, May/June 2025, 0970/31 Q4(a) (Cambridge)

Many knew the role of the pupil. Most candidates realised that the amount of light had changed.
— Examiner report, May/June 2025, 0970/31 Q4(b) (Cambridge)

Candidates should be careful when labelling diagrams. ‘X’s were seen frequently on the fovea, lens and retina.
— Examiner report, May/June 2025, 0970/31 Q4(c)(i) (Cambridge)

Practise this topic

Answer these questions online and get each one marked against the official mark scheme, with what you missed and how to fix it.

Practise these questions

In the syllabus

14.1 Coordination and response

State that electrical impulses travel along neurones
Describe the mammalian nervous system in terms of: (a) the central nervous system (CNS) consisting of the brain and the spinal cord (b) the peripheral nervous system (PNS) consisting of the nerves outside of the brain and spinal cord
Describe the role of the nervous system as coordination and regulation of body functions
Identify in diagrams and images sensory, relay and motor neurones
Describe a simple reflex arc in terms of: receptor, sensory neurone, relay neurone, motor neurone and effector
Describe a reflex action as a means of automatically and rapidly integrating and coordinating stimuli with the responses of effectors (muscles and glands)
Describe a synapse as a junction between two neurones
Describe the structure of a synapse, including the presence of vesicles containing neurotransmitter molecules, the synaptic gap and receptor proteins
Describe the events at a synapse as: (a) an impulse stimulates the release of neurotransmitter molecules from vesicles into the synaptic gap (b) the neurotransmitter molecules diffuse across the gap (c) neurotransmitter molecules bind with receptor proteins on the next neurone (d) an impulse is then stimulated in the next neurone
State that synapses ensure that impulses travel in one direction only

14.2 Sense organs

Describe sense organs as groups of receptor cells responding to specific stimuli: light, sound, touch, temperature and chemicals
Identify in diagrams and images the structures of the eye, limited to: cornea, iris, pupil, lens, retina, optic nerve and blind spot
Describe the function of each part of the eye, limited to: (a) cornea – refracts light (b) iris – controls how much light enters the pupil (c) lens – focuses light on to the retina (d) retina – contains light receptors, some sensitive to light of different colours (e) optic nerve – carries impulses to the brain
Explain the pupil reflex, limited to changes in light intensity and pupil diameter
Explain the pupil reflex in terms of the antagonistic action of circular and radial muscles in the iris
Explain accommodation to view near and distant objects in terms of the contraction and relaxation of the ciliary muscles, tension in the suspensory ligaments, shape of the lens and refraction of light
Describe the distribution of rods and cones in the retina of a human
Outline the function of rods and cones, limited to: (a) greater sensitivity of rods for night vision (b) three different kinds of cones, absorbing light of different colours, for colour vision
Identify in diagrams and images the position of the fovea and state its function

14.3 Hormones

Describe a hormone as a chemical substance, produced by a gland and carried by the blood, which alters the activity of one or more specific target organs
Identify in diagrams and images specific endocrine glands and state the hormones they secrete, limited to: (a) adrenal glands and adrenaline (b) pancreas and insulin (c) testes and testosterone (d) ovaries and oestrogen
Describe adrenaline as the hormone secreted in ‘fight or flight’ situations and its effects, limited to: (a) increased breathing rate (b) increased heart rate (c) increased pupil diameter
Compare nervous and hormonal control, limited to speed of action and duration of effect
State that glucagon is secreted by the pancreas
Describe the role of adrenaline in the control of metabolic activity, limited to: (a) increasing the blood glucose concentration (b) increasing heart rate

14.4 Homeostasis

Describe homeostasis as the maintenance of a constant internal environment
State that insulin decreases blood glucose concentration
Explain the concept of homeostatic control by negative feedback with reference to a set point
Describe the control of blood glucose concentration by the liver and the roles of insulin and glucagon
Outline the treatment of Type 1 diabetes
Identify in diagrams and images of the skin: hairs, hair erector muscles, sweat glands, receptors, sensory neurones, blood vessels and fatty tissue
Describe the maintenance of a constant internal body temperature in mammals in terms of: insulation, sweating, shivering and the role of the brain
Describe the maintenance of a constant internal body temperature in mammals in terms of vasodilation and vasoconstriction of arterioles supplying skin surface capillaries

14.5 Tropic responses

Describe gravitropism as a response in which parts of a plant grow towards or away from gravity
Describe phototropism as a response in which parts of a plant grow towards or away from the direction of the light source
Investigate and describe gravitropism and phototropism in shoots and roots
Explain phototropism and gravitropism of a shoot as examples of the chemical control of plant growth
Explain the role of auxin in controlling shoot growth, limited to: (a) auxin is made in the shoot tip (b) auxin diffuses through the plant from the shoot tip (c) auxin is unequally distributed in response to light and gravity (d) auxin stimulates cell elongation

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