Pearson Edexcel GCSE Combined Science · B5

Health, disease and the development of medicines

50 revision questions with answers for B5 Health, disease and the development of medicines in Pearson Edexcel GCSE Combined Science (spec 1SC0). Practise with flashcards, a topic quiz, a random quiz across the course, 5 crosswords, or read every question and answer below. Not official Pearson material.

All 50 questions and answers

Question 1 · Spec B5.1
How does the WHO definition describe health?
Answer:
Complete physical, mental and social well-being, rather than merely absence of disease.
Question 2 · Spec B5.2
Distinguish communicable and non-communicable diseases.
Answer:
Communicable diseases can spread between organisms; non-communicable diseases cannot be transmitted in this way.
Question 3 · Spec B5.4
What is a pathogen? Name four groups.
Answer:
A disease-causing agent; the groups studied are bacteria, viruses, fungi and protists.
Question 4 · Spec B5.3
How can one disease increase susceptibility to another?
Answer:
It may weaken immune defences or damage tissues, making another infection or condition more likely.
Question 5 · Spec B5.5
What causes cholera, and what is its main symptom?
Answer:
A bacterium; it causes severe diarrhoea and associated water loss.
Question 6 · Spec B5.6
How is cholera spread?
Answer:
By ingesting water or food contaminated with the bacteria, often from faecal contamination.
Question 7 · Spec B5.6
How can cholera transmission be reduced?
Answer:
Provide clean drinking water, effective sewage treatment and good hygiene.
Question 8 · Spec B5.5
What type of pathogen causes tuberculosis, and what can it damage?
Answer:
A bacterium that can damage lung tissue.
Question 9 · Spec B5.6
How is tuberculosis commonly transmitted?
Answer:
Through airborne droplets or particles released by an infectious person.
Question 10 · Spec B5.6
How can tuberculosis spread be reduced?
Answer:
Identify and treat infections and reduce exposure through ventilation and limiting close contact during infectious periods.
Question 11 · Spec B5.5
What causes Chalara ash dieback, and what are its symptoms?
Answer:
A fungus; symptoms include leaf loss and lesions on the bark.
Question 12 · Spec B5.6
How does ash dieback spread?
Answer:
Airborne fungal spores can spread between trees.
Question 13 · Spec B5.6
Why can controlling movement of infected plants help limit ash dieback?
Answer:
It reduces transport of the pathogen into new areas.
Question 14 · Spec B5.5
What causes malaria, and which tissues can be damaged?
Answer:
A protist; it can damage blood cells and the liver.
Question 15 · Spec B5.6
Why is the mosquito a vector rather than the malaria pathogen?
Answer:
It carries and transmits the protist that causes the disease.
Question 16 · Spec B5.6
Give two ways to reduce malaria transmission.
Answer:
Prevent mosquito breeding and use mosquito nets or other methods that reduce bites.
Question 17 · Spec B5.5
Which cells does HIV attack?
Answer:
White blood cells involved in immune defence.
Question 18 · Spec B5.5
How can HIV infection lead to AIDS?
Answer:
Progressive destruction of immune cells severely weakens defence against infections and some cancers.
Question 19 · Spec B5.8
How can HIV be transmitted?
Answer:
Through sexual contact or exchange of infected body fluids, including contaminated blood.
Question 20 · Spec B5.8
Which pathogen group causes chlamydia, and how is it transmitted?
Answer:
Bacteria; transmission occurs through sexual contact.
Question 21 · Spec B5.8
How can condom use reduce STI transmission?
Answer:
It forms a barrier that reduces contact and exchange of potentially infected fluids.
Question 22 · Spec B5.12
How does skin protect against pathogens?
Answer:
It forms a physical barrier that prevents many pathogens entering the body.
Question 23 · Spec B5.12
What is mucus's defensive role?
Answer:
It traps pathogens and particles on surfaces such as the airways.
Question 24 · Spec B5.12
How do cilia help protect the respiratory system?
Answer:
They move pathogen-containing mucus towards the throat for removal or swallowing.
Question 25 · Spec B5.12
What do lysozymes do?
Answer:
These enzymes, present in secretions such as tears, damage bacterial cell walls.
Question 26 · Spec B5.12
How does stomach hydrochloric acid defend the body?
Answer:
Its low pH kills many swallowed pathogens.
Question 27 · Spec B5.13
What is an antigen?
Answer:
A molecule recognised by the immune system that can trigger a specific immune response.
Question 28 · Spec B5.13
How do antibodies help defend against a pathogen?
Answer:
They bind to specific matching antigens and help the immune system deal with the pathogen.
Question 29 · Spec B5.13
What are memory lymphocytes?
Answer:
Long-lived immune cells formed after antigen exposure that enable a faster response to the same antigen.
Question 30 · Spec B5.13
Why is a secondary immune response usually faster and stronger?
Answer:
Memory lymphocytes recognise the antigen and rapidly produce large amounts of the correct antibody.
Question 31 · Spec B5.14
How can an inactive pathogen in a vaccine provide protection?
Answer:
Its antigens stimulate antibody and memory-cell production without causing the full disease.
Question 32 · Spec B5.14
Why can high immunisation coverage reduce transmission?
Answer:
Fewer susceptible hosts interrupt transmission chains and reduce exposure of others.
Question 33 · Spec B5.16
Why can antibiotics target bacteria without directly killing human cells?
Answer:
They inhibit bacterial processes or structures that differ from those of the host cells.
Question 34 · Spec B5.16
Why do antibiotics not treat viral infections?
Answer:
Viruses lack the bacterial structures and processes targeted by antibiotics and reproduce using host cells.
Question 35 · Spec B5.20
Name the main stages of medicine development.
Answer:
Discovery, development, preclinical testing and clinical testing.
Question 36 · Spec B5.20
What is assessed in preclinical testing?
Answer:
Effects on cells, tissues and suitable animals, including toxicity and potential effectiveness before human trials.
Question 37 · Spec B5.20
What is assessed during clinical trials?
Answer:
Safety, effectiveness and a suitable dose in human volunteers and patients.
Question 38 · Spec B5.20
What do toxicity, efficacy and dose mean?
Answer:
Harmful effects, effectiveness and the amount of medicine administered, respectively.
Question 39 · Spec B5.20
Why include a placebo group in a trial?
Answer:
It allows comparison with people receiving no active medicine, helping isolate the treatment's effect.
Question 40 · Spec B5.20
Why use a double-blind trial?
Answer:
Neither participants nor investigators know allocation during the trial, reducing expectation and observer bias.
Question 41 · Spec B5.23
Why can a non-communicable disease have several risk factors?
Answer:
Genes, lifestyle and environmental influences can interact rather than a single factor determining the outcome.
Question 42 · Spec B5.24
How can energy intake and activity influence obesity risk?
Answer:
Regular intake exceeding expenditure can increase body mass; activity increases energy expenditure.
Question 43 · Spec B5.24
State the BMI equation.
Answer:
BMI = mass in kilograms / height in metres squared.
Question 44 · Spec B5.24
Calculate BMI for a 72 kg adult who is 1.8 m tall.
Answer:
BMI = 72 / 1.8² = 22.2, to one decimal place.
Question 45 · Spec B5.24
A waist is 84 cm and hips 100 cm. Find waist:hip ratio.
Answer:
84 / 100 = 0.84.
Question 46 · Spec B5.24
How can excessive alcohol consumption affect health?
Answer:
It increases the risk of liver damage and liver disease.
Question 47 · Spec B5.24
How does smoking affect cardiovascular disease risk?
Answer:
It damages the cardiovascular system and increases the risk of conditions such as coronary heart disease.
Question 48 · Spec B5.25
Give a benefit and limitation of long-term cardiovascular medication.
Answer:
It can reduce risk or control disease, but requires continued use and may cause side effects.
Question 49 · Spec B5.25
How can surgery treat narrowed coronary arteries?
Answer:
Stents can hold arteries open; bypass surgery provides another route for blood, although procedures carry risks.
Question 50 · Spec B5.25
Why might lifestyle changes be recommended alongside other cardiovascular treatments?
Answer:
Exercise, a suitable diet and stopping smoking can reduce risk factors and support long-term health.

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