Respiration: past paper questions
Real questions on respiration
The newest 20 of 35 written questions, plus 19 multiple-choice. Open one to see it on the real paper.
- 5129/21 · October/November 2025 · Q4b(ii)[1]
Use the graph to determine the duration of the exercise period. min
See it on the paper → - 5129/21 · October/November 2025 · Q4b(iii)[1]
Calculate the increase in the student’s breathing rate caused by the exercise. breaths / min
See it on the paper → - 5129/21 · October/November 2025 · Q4b(iv)[2]
The line on the graph in Fig. 4.1 is incomplete. Draw on the graph to continue the line from 6 to 10 minutes to show how the student’s breathing rate changes.
See it on the paper → - 5129/22 · May/June 2025 · Q7[3]
Draw three straight lines from the box on the left in Fig. 7.1 to three boxes on the right to make three correct sentences about aerobic respiration. … takes place in animal cells only. … releases energy from food. … takes place in the mitochondria of cells. Aerobic respiration … … results in carbon dioxide production....
See it on the paper → - 5129/21 · October/November 2024 · Q15[2]
Fig. 15.1 shows the breathing rates of three female students and three male students before and after running 400 m. 30 before running 400 m immediately after running 400 m 20 breathing rate breaths / min 0 female 1 female 2 female 3 male 1 male 2 10 male 3 student Place a tick (3) in two boxes in Table 15.1 to identif...
See it on the paper → - 5129/21 · May/June 2024 · Q8c(i)[2]
Energy is transferred from the energy store in the body of the builder by .
See it on the paper → - 5129/22 · May/June 2024 · Q14[4]
The boxes on the left contain descriptions of processes which occur in living organisms. The boxes on the right contain the names of processes which occur in living organisms. Draw one straight line from each box on the left to a box on the right to link the description to its name. description of process name of proce...
See it on the paper → - 5129/21 · October/November 2023 · Q8a[2]
During exercise, the heart rate increases. State two reasons why there is an increase in heart rate during exercise. reason reason
See it on the paper → - 5129/21 · October/November 2023 · Q8b(i)[1]
State the maximum heart rate of the student before training for three weeks. maximum heart rate = beats / min
See it on the paper → - 5129/21 · October/November 2023 · Q8b(ii)[2]
Describe two effects, shown in Fig. 8.1, of the training on the heart rate of the student.
See it on the paper → - 5129/31 · October/November 2023 · Q1a(iv)[2]
State two variables that the student needs to keep constant to make the investigation a fair test. variable variable
See it on the paper → - 5129/31 · October/November 2023 · Q1b(ii)[1]
Record the volume of air exhaled by the friend. volume of air = cm 3
See it on the paper → - 5129/21 · May/June 2023 · Q1b[3]
Use words or phrases from the list to complete the sentences about aerobic respiration in humans. carbon dioxide less carbon monoxide liver lungs lactic acid more Each word or phrase may be used once, more than once or not at all. During aerobic respiration, energy is transferred from the chemical energy store in gluco...
See it on the paper → - 5129/22 · May/June 2023 · Q14[3]
Draw three lines from the box on the left to the boxes on the right to make three sentences that are correct for anaerobic respiration in humans. … occurs only in the liver. … occurs during vigorous exercise. … produces carbon dioxide. Anaerobic respiration in humans … … produces lactic acid. … releases less energy tha...
See it on the paper → - 5129/21 · October/November 2022 · Q17a(ii)[2]
Describe two other similarities between respiration and complete combustion of methane. similarity similarity
See it on the paper → - 5129/21 · October/November 2022 · Q17b[1]
Incomplete combustion of methane produces carbon monoxide. State an adverse effect of carbon monoxide.
See it on the paper → - 5129/22 · October/November 2022 · Q10a(i)[1]
Identify the energy in the animal which is transferred, during respiration, to thermal energy. Tick (3) one box. chemical elastic electrical kinetic light
See it on the paper → - 5129/22 · October/November 2022 · Q11b(i)[2]
Energy for these activities is supplied by respiration. Complete the word equation for aerobic respiration. + +
See it on the paper → - 5129/22 · October/November 2022 · Q11b(ii)[1]
State one difference between aerobic and anaerobic respiration.
See it on the paper → - 5129/22 · May/June 2022 · Q7a[3]
State the three environmental conditions that seeds need to germinate.
See it on the paper →
What examiners said
Most candidates knew that more oxygen is required during exercise and this is why the heart rate increases. More able candidates also explained that the increased heart rate allows more glucose to be supplied to the muscles for more energy release and also allows more carbon dioxide to be removed from the body.
— Examiner report, October/November 2023, 5129/21 Q8(a) (Cambridge)
Most candidates interpreted the line graph correctly to record the maximum heart rate before the period of training.
— Examiner report, October/November 2023, 5129/21 Q8(b)(i) (Cambridge)
Most candidates recognised that the three-week training program resulted in a lower overall heart rate for the student. Only the more able candidates were able to describe other trends in the data. Candidates need to practice data analysis skills. In this question, candidates should refer to the time from the x-axis and the corresponding heart rates from the y-axis. This way they will observe that...
— Examiner report, October/November 2023, 5129/21 Q8(b)(ii) (Cambridge)
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