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People with diabetes cannot always control the concentration of glucose in their blood - Edexcel - GCSE Biology Combined Science - Question 1 - 2023 - Paper 2
Question 1
People with diabetes cannot always control the concentration of glucose in their blood. (a) Two people eat identical meals. One person has diabetes, the other pers... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:People with diabetes cannot always control the concentration of glucose in their blood - Edexcel - GCSE Biology Combined Science - Question 1 - 2023 - Paper 2
Step 1
Calculate the maximum increase in the concentration of glucose in the blood of the person with diabetes.
Answer
To determine the maximum increase, we first identify the highest glucose concentration from the graph for the person with diabetes. The graph indicates that the peak concentration is 18 mmol per dm³, and the initial concentration before eating was 9 mmol per dm³. Thus, the maximum increase is calculated as:
Step 2
Explain why water moved out of the red blood cells of the person with diabetes.
Answer
Water moves out of the red blood cells of the person with diabetes due to osmosis. This occurs because:
- The concentration of glucose in the blood (plasma) is higher than the concentration inside the red blood cells.
- Water moves from an area of higher water potential (inside the cell) to an area of lower water potential (in the blood) across a partially permeable membrane.
- As a result, water exits the cells, leading to potential dehydration of the red blood cells.