The Higher Human Biology question paper

From session 2026-27 Higher Human Biology has one question paper: Section 1 has 20 marks of multiple choice and Section 2 has 80 marks of restricted-response and extended-response questions.

Question paper	2 hours 30 minutes, 100 marks
Section 1	20 marks of multiple choice
Section 2	80 marks of written answers
Exam day 2027	Wednesday 12 May, 09:00 to 11:30

Section 1

Multiple-choice questions across the whole course, 20 marks. Work each one out before you look at the options: the wrong options are the answers common slips give.

Section 2

Statements, descriptions and explanations, questions on data and on experiments, and two extended responses, 80 marks. The paper includes one data-handling question and one experimental design question, and both extended-response questions offer a choice of topic.

Knowledge and skills

About 70 of the 100 marks are for knowledge and understanding, and about 30 for skills: planning experiments, selecting and presenting information, processing data, predicting, concluding and evaluating.

Try 2 questions

Question 1Section 1 style

Rate of reaction in units. Substrate 1 mmol per litre: none 20, X 10, Y 10. 2: none 33, X 18, Y 16.5. 4: none 50, X 31, Y 25. 8: none 67, X 49, Y 33.5. 16: none 80, X 67, Y 40.
Substrate (mmol l $^{-1}$ )	No inhibitor	Inhibitor X	Inhibitor Y
1	20	10	10
2	33	18	16.5
4	50	31	25
8	67	49	33.5
16	80	67	40

The rate of an enzyme reaction was measured at five substrate concentrations with no inhibitor, with inhibitor X and with inhibitor Y. Rates (units) at 1, 2, 4, 8 and 16 mmol l

^{-1}

of substrate: no inhibitor 20, 33, 50, 67 and 80; inhibitor X 10, 18, 31, 49 and 67; inhibitor Y 10, 16.5, 25, 33.5 and 40. Which conclusion is supported?

Question 2Section 1 style

Blood lipoprotein concentrations in mmol per litre. W: HDL 1.9, LDL 4.0. X: HDL 1.4, LDL 1.8. Y: HDL 1.0, LDL 1.6. Z: HDL 1.6, LDL 2.5.
Adult	HDL (mmol l $^{-1}$ )	LDL (mmol l $^{-1}$ )
W	1.9	4
X	1.4	1.8
Y	1	1.6
Z	1.6	2.5

The table shows the blood HDL and LDL concentrations of four adults. W: HDL 1.9, LDL 4.0 mmol l

^{-1}

. X: HDL 1.4, LDL 1.8. Y: HDL 1.0, LDL 1.6. Z: HDL 1.6, LDL 2.5. Judged only by the ratio of HDL to LDL, which adult has the lowest chance of atherosclerosis?

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Questions people ask

What changed for 2026-27?

The two question papers were replaced by one paper of two sections: 20 marks of multiple choice and 80 marks of written questions, 100 marks in 2 hours 30 minutes. The assignment is now scaled to 25 marks.

Can I use a calculator?

Yes, a calculator may be used.