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Date November 2018 Marks available 1 Reference code 18N.3.HL.TZ0.5
Level Higher level Paper Paper 3 Time zone TZ0 / no time zone
Command term State Question number 5 Adapted from N/A

Question

The diagram (not to scale) represents the average brain volume of six species of mammal. The mammals are arranged in rank order of body mass.

Compare and contrast the rank order of body mass and brain volume in the six species of mammals.

[2]
a.

Predict the difference that would be seen if the cerebral cortex of a human and a gorilla were compared.

[1]
b.

State one function of each of the following areas of the brain.

Broca’s area

[1]
c.i.

State one function of each of the following areas of the brain.

Nucleus accumbens

[1]
c.ii.

State one function of each of the following areas of the brain.

Medulla oblongata

[1]
c.iii.

Markscheme

similarity:

a. as body size increases, brain volume increases for smaller mammals
OR
«weak» positive correlation ✔

 

contrast:

b. humans do not fit the trend/are the exception ✔

a.

a. human cortex has a larger total volume/is larger than gorilla’s ✔

b. human cortex has more folding/area «to accommodate within the cranium» ✔

b.

speech production/language processing ✔

c.i.

cognitive processing of motivation/pleasure/reward
OR
modulates the effects of «the neurotransmitter» dopamine
OR
involved in learning ✔

c.ii.

swallowing/breathing/heart rate/digestion/sneezing/coughing/vomiting ✔

c.iii.

Examiners report

[N/A]
a.
[N/A]
b.
[N/A]
c.i.
[N/A]
c.ii.
[N/A]
c.iii.

Syllabus sections

Option A: Neurobiology and behaviour » Option A: Neurobiology and behaviour (Core topics) » A.2 The human brain
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Option A: Neurobiology and behaviour » Option A: Neurobiology and behaviour (Core topics)
Option A: Neurobiology and behaviour

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