DP Biology (last assessment 2024)
Question 17N.3.HL.TZ0.a.ii
| Date | November 2017 | Marks available | [Maximum mark: 2] | Reference code | 17N.3.HL.TZ0.a.ii |
| Level | HL | Paper | 3 | Time zone | TZ0 |
| Command term | Suggest | Question number | a.ii | Adapted from | N/A |
a.ii.
[Maximum mark: 2]
17N.3.HL.TZ0.a.ii
The graph shows the correlation between the cerebral cortex mass and the number of neurons in the cerebral cortex of three groups of mammals (rodents, primates and insectivores). Each point indicates the mean number from different research studies for the species.
[Source: S Herculano-Houzel (2009) Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 3, p 31, Frontiers Research Foundation
http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/neuro.09.031.2009/full]
Suggest advantages of the cerebral cortex containing a high percentage of the brain’s neurons.
[2]
Markscheme
a. more neurons means more synapses/connections
b. higher cognitive ability
c. capacity for information processing increased
OWTTE
[Max 2 Marks]
