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• In this course students will learn exactly what they need to know for their biology exams. Students will learn about:
• UNIT 1: The nature and variety of living organisms.
• The seven characteristics of living organisms.
• How to describe the common features shown by eukaryotic organisms: plants, animals, fungi, and protoctists.
• How to describe the common features shown by prokaryotic organisms such as bacteria.
• The term pathogen and know that pathogens may include fungi, bacteria, protoctists or viruses.
• UNIT 2: Structure and functions in living organisms
• How to describe the levels of organisation in organisms: organelles, cells, tissues, organs and systems.
• How to describe cell structures, including the nucleus, cytoplasm, cell membrane, cell wall, mitochondria, chloroplasts, ribosomes and vacuole.
• How to describe the functions of the nucleus, cytoplasm, cell membrane, cell wall, mitochondria, chloroplasts, ribosomes and vacuole.
• The similarities and differences in the structure of plant and animal cells.
• How to explain the importance of cell differentiation in the development of specialised cells.
• The advantages and disadvantages of using stem cells in medicine.
• How to identify the chemical elements present in carbohydrates, proteins and lipids (fats and oils).
• How to describe the structure of carbohydrates, proteins and lipids as large molecules made up from smaller basic units: starch, protein, lipids
• The role of enzymes as biological catalysts in metabolic reactions.
• How temperature changes can affect enzyme function, including changes to the shape of active site.
• How enzyme function can be affected by changes in pH altering the active site.
• The processes of diffusion, osmosis and active transport by which substances move into and out of cells.
• How factors affect the rate of movement of substances into and out of cells
• Understand the process of photosynthesis and its importance in the conversion of light energy to chemical energy
• Know the word equation and the balanced chemical symbol equation for photosynthesis
• Understand how varying carbon dioxide concentration, light intensity and temperature affect the rate of photosynthesis
• Describe the structure of the leaf and explain how it is adapted for photosynthesis
• Understand that plants require mineral ions for growth, and that magnesium ions are needed for chlorophyll and nitrate ions are needed for amino acids
• Understand that a balanced diet should include appropriate proportions of carbohydrate, protein, lipid, vitamins, minerals, water and dietary fibre
• Identify the sources and describe the functions of carbohydrate, protein, lipid (fats and oils), vitamins, mineral ions, water and dietary fibre
• Understand how energy requirements vary with activity levels, age and pregnancy
• Describe the structure and function of the human alimentary canal, including the mouth, oesophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestineand pancreas
• Understand how food is moved through the gut by peristalsis
• Understand the role of digestive enzymes, including the digestion of starch, protein and lipids
• Understand that bile is produced by the liver and stored in the gall bladder
• Understand the role of bile in neutralising stomach acid and emulsifying lipids
• Understand how the small intestine is adapted for absorption, including the structure of a villus
• Understand how the process of respiration produces ATP in living organisms
• Know that ATP provides energy for cells
• Describe the differences between aerobic and anaerobic respiration
• Know the word equation and the balanced chemical symbol equation for aerobic respiration in living organisms
• Know the word equation for anaerobic respiration in plants and in animals
• Understand the role of diffusion in gas exchange
• Understand gas exchange (of carbon dioxide and oxygen) in relation to respiration and photosynthesis
• Understand how the structure of the leaf is adapted for gas exchange
• Describe the role of stomata in gas exchange
• Understand how respiration continues during the day and night, but that the net exchange of carbon dioxide and oxygen depends on the intensity of light
• Describe the structure of the thorax, including the ribs, intercostal muscles, diaphragm, trachea, bronchi, bronchioles, alveoli and pleural membranes
• Understand the role of the intercostal muscles and the diaphragm in ventilation
• Explain how alveoli are adapted for gas exchange by diffusion between air in the lungs and blood in capillaries
• Understand the biological consequences of smoking in relation to the lungs and the circulatory system, including coronary heart disease
• Understand why simple, unicellular organisms can rely on diffusion for movement of substances in and out of the cell
• Understand the need for a transport system in multicellular organisms
• Describe the role of phloem in transporting sucrose and amino acids between the leaves and other parts of the plant
• Describe the role of xylem in transporting water and mineral ions from the roots to other parts of the plant
• Understand how water is absorbed by root hair cells
• Understand that transpiration is the evaporation of water from the surface of a plant
• Understand how the rate of transpiration is affected by changes in humidity, wind speed, temperature and light intensity
• Describe the composition of the blood: red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets and plasma
• Understand the role of plasma in the transport of carbon dioxide, digested food, urea, hormones and heat energy
• Understand how adaptations of red blood cells make them suitable for the transport of oxygen, including shape, no nucleus and the presence of haemoglobin
• Understand how the immune system responds to disease using white blood cells, illustrated by phagocytes ingesting pathogens and lymphocytes
• Understand how vaccination results in the manufacture of memory cells, which enable future antibody production to the pathogen to occur sooner
• Understand how platelets are involved in blood clotting, which prevents blood loss and the entry of micro-organisms
• Describe the structure of the heart and how it functions
• Explain how the heart rate changes during exercise and under the influence of adrenaline
• Understand how factors may increase the risk of developing coronary heart disease
• Understand how the structure of arteries, veins and capillaries relate to their function
• Understand the general structure of the circulation system, including the blood vessels to and from the heart and lungs, liver and kidneys
• Understand the origin of carbon dioxide and oxygen as waste products of metabolism and their loss from the stomata of a leaf
• Know the excretory products of the lungs, kidneys and skin (organs of excretion)
• Understand how the kidney carries out its roles of excretion and osmoregulation
• Describe the structure of the urinary system, including the kidneys, ureters, bladder and urethra
• Describe the structure of a nephron, including the Bowman’s capsule and glomerulus, convoluted tubules, loop of Henle and collecting duct
• Describe ultrafiltration in the Bowman’s capsule and the composition of the glomerular filtrate
• Understand how water is reabsorbed into the blood from the collecting duct
• Understand why selective reabsorption of glucose occurs at the proximal convoluted tubule
• Describe the role of ADH in regulating the water content of the blood
• Understand that urine contains water, urea and ions
• Understand how organisms are able to respond to changes in their environment
• Understand that homeostasis is the maintenance of a constant internal environment, and that body water content and body temperature are both examples
• Understand that a co-ordinated response requires a stimulus, a receptor and an effector
• Understand that plants respond to stimuli
• Describe the geotropic and phototropic responses of roots and stems
• Understand the role of auxin in the phototropic response of stems
• Describe how nervous and hormonal communication control responses and understand the differences between the two systems
• Understand that the central nervous system consists of the brain and spinal cord and is linked to sense organs by nerves
• Understand that stimulation of receptors in the sense organs sends electrical impulses along nerves into and out the CNS results in rapid responses
• Understand the role of neurotransmitters at synapses
• Describe the structure and functioning of a simple reflex arc illustrated by the withdrawal of a finger from a hot object
• Describe the structure and function of the eye as a receptor
• Understand the function of the eye in focusing on near and distant objects, and in responding to changes in light intensity
• Describe the role of the skin in temperature regulation, with reference to sweating, vasoconstriction and vasodilation
• Understand the sources, roles and effects of the following hormones: adrenaline, insulin, testosterone, progesterone and oestrogen
• Understand the sources, roles and effects of the following hormones: ADH, FSH and LH
• PAST PAPER EXAM QUESTION WALKTHROUGHS