A dog pants heavily after running. Explain how panting after exercise demonstrates four different characteristics of living organisms.
Written & reviewed by James Millett — Biology (Imperial College London), PGCE Science (University of Cambridge).
A dog runs for several minutes and then stops. It pants heavily, its sides rise and fall rapidly, it produces large amounts of heat, and it moves away to find water to drink.
Model answer (4 marks)
Panting increases gas exchange, removing CO₂ – this shows excretion of metabolic waste.
The sides of the dog’s chest rise and fall, which is a clear example of movement.
During exercise the dog uses energy and produces heat, demonstrating respiration.
The dog moves away to find water when thirsty, showing sensitivity to environmental change.
The sides of the dog’s chest rise and fall, which is a clear example of movement.
During exercise the dog uses energy and produces heat, demonstrating respiration.
The dog moves away to find water when thirsty, showing sensitivity to environmental change.
Examiner tips
- Use the exact terminology (excretion, movement, respiration, sensitivity).
- Give one clear example for each characteristic.
- Keep each point short and to the point.
- Use the word ‘demonstrates’ to link the action to the characteristic.
Common mistakes
- Mixing up excretion with respiration or vice versa.
- Failing to mention the removal of CO₂ as waste.
Mark scheme (4 marks)
- Panting increases gas exchange / removal of carbon dioxide, demonstrating excretion (removal of waste products of metabolism from the body)
- The dog's sides rising and falling show movement (an action by an organism causing a change in position or place)
- The dog produces heat / uses energy during exercise, demonstrating respiration (the chemical reactions in cells that break down nutrient molecules and release energy)
- The dog moving away to find water in response to thirst shows sensitivity (the ability to detect and respond to changes in the environment)
Related
- All Pearson Edexcel International GCSE Biology (4BI1) revision notes →
- How to answer a "Explain" question →
- Decode the mark scheme abbreviations →