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GCSEEduqas
Biology
Exam Questions
Animal and plant cells: key structures and functionsNewProkaryotic vs eukaryotic cellsNewUsing a light microscope safely and correctlyNewMagnification: calculating and using scale barsNewBiological drawings: rules for clear, labelled cell diagramsNewSpecified practical: Observe plant and animal cells and draw what you seeNewCell differentiation and specialised cellsNewStem cells: what they are and why they matter (benefits and risks)NewMitosis: growth, repair and cell replacementNewEnzymes as biological catalystsNewEnzyme action: lock-and-key and active site ideasNewFactors affecting enzyme activity (temperature, pH, concentration)NewSpecified practical: Investigate factors affecting enzyme actionNewAerobic respiration: purpose and word equationNewAnaerobic respiration in humans vs yeast (products and energy)NewComparing aerobic and anaerobic respiration (efficiency and outcomes)NewDigestion as breaking down insoluble food into soluble moleculesNewWhy the body needs glucose, amino acids, fatty acids and glycerolNewSpecified practical: Food tests for starch, glucose and proteinNew
Diffusion: what it is and why it happensNewOsmosis: water movement and partially permeable membranesNewActive transport: moving substances against a concentration gradientNewSurface area to volume ratio: why size matters for exchangeNewExchange surfaces: features that speed up diffusionNewOsmosis in living tissue: predicting and explaining mass changeNewSpecified practical: Osmosis in potato chips (solute concentration investigation)NewGas exchange in humans: alveoli structure and functionNewBreathing and ventilation: how air moves in and outNewThe heart: structure, chambers and blood flow pathwayNewBlood vessels: arteries, veins and capillaries (structure meets function)NewBlood components: plasma, red cells, white cells, plateletsNewCoronary heart disease: links to lifestyle and riskNewSpecified practical: Observe artery and vein tissue under a microscope and drawNewXylem: transporting water and minerals (adaptations of vessels)NewPhloem and translocation: moving sugars around the plantNewRoot hair cells: absorption and active transport of mineral ionsNewLeaf structure: labelling a transverse section (T.S. leaf)NewStomata and guard cells: controlling gas exchange and water lossNewTranspiration: what it is and what affects itNewPotometers: investigating transpiration rate safelyNew
Defining health and disease (physical, mental and social factors)NewPathogens: bacteria, viruses, fungi and protists (how they cause disease)NewTransmission routes: direct contact, water, air and vectorsNewPreventing spread: hygiene, isolation and vaccinationNewThe immune system: barriers and basic defence mechanismsNewWhite blood cells: phagocytosis and antibody productionNewVaccination: how it works and herd immunity basicsNewEvaluating vaccination decisions: evidence, risk and media influenceNewAntibiotics: what they treat (and what they don’t)NewAntibiotic resistance: how it develops and how to reduce itNewMRSA: why resistant strains are dangerous and control measuresNewAseptic technique: safe culturing, plating and incubating microbesNewSpecified practical: Investigate the effect of antibiotics on bacterial growthNewDeveloping medicines: preclinical testing and clinical trialsNewSide effects, placebos and managing risk in drug testingNewNon-communicable diseases: what they are and why they’re increasingNewLifestyle factors and disease rates (diet, exercise, alcohol, smoking, UV)NewCardiovascular disease: causes and preventionNewTreatments for cardiovascular disease (statins, stents, lifestyle change)NewCancer: risk factors and the role of mutations (core idea)New
The nervous system: CNS, PNS and basic rolesNewNeurones: sensory, relay and motor (structure and function)NewSynapses: how signals pass between neurones (core idea)NewReflexes: reflex arc and why reflexes are fastNewMeasuring reaction time: accuracy, repeatability and biasNewSpecified practical: Investigate factors affecting reaction timesNewThe endocrine system: glands and hormones overviewNewNegative feedback: the key idea behind homeostasisNewBlood glucose control: insulin and glucagonNewDiabetes: Type 1 vs Type 2 and managing blood sugarNewThermoregulation: keeping core temperature stableNewThe kidneys: removing urea and balancing water and saltsNewFiltration and selective reabsorption in the nephron (core pathway)NewADH and osmoregulation: dilute vs concentrated urineNewOsmotic challenges: what happens to cells when body fluids changeNewSpecified practical: Dissection of a mammalian kidneyNewPlant hormones: auxin and tropisms (phototropism and gravitropism)NewGibberellins and ethene: effects on growth and ripeningNewUsing plant hormones in agriculture and horticultureNew
Photosynthesis: what happens and why it mattersNewChlorophyll and chloroplasts: trapping light energyNewPhotosynthesis as an endothermic reaction (energy in)NewThe photosynthesis word equation (and what each substance means)NewLimiting factors: light intensity, carbon dioxide and temperatureNewInterpreting limiting factor graphs (spotting what’s limiting)NewInverse square law (light intensity with distance) in photosynthesis contextsNewUsing glucose made in photosynthesis (respiration, storage, building biomass)NewSpecified practical: Investigate factors affecting the rate of photosynthesisNew
Levels of organisation: organism to ecosystemNewPopulations and communities: what the terms mean in exam questionsNewAbiotic vs biotic factors: examples and impactsNewCompetition and interdependence in ecosystemsNewFood chains and food webs: energy transfer pathwaysNewTrophic levels and pyramids (numbers, biomass, energy)NewBiomass: what it shows and how it changes through a food chainNewDecomposers: the role of microbes and detritivoresNewDecomposition: factors that affect rate (temperature, oxygen, moisture)NewSpecified practical: Investigate factors affecting decompositionNewSampling: quadrats, random sampling and avoiding biasNewDistribution: transects and identifying change across a habitatNewSpecified practical: Investigate abundance and distribution of a speciesNewBiodiversity: what it is and why it mattersNewMeasuring biodiversity: species richness and comparing habitatsNewThe carbon cycle: stores, transfers and human impactsNewThe water cycle: processes and how humans affect itNewPollution, land use and climate effects on biodiversityNewConservation strategies: local and global protection (and data issues)NewBiological control and invasive species: benefits, risks and changing practiceNewFood security: population, changing diets, pests, sustainability and costNewIncreasing yields with fewer resources: GM, farming practices and trade-offsNew
The genome: what it means and why it mattersNewDNA basics: genes, alleles and chromosomes (how they link)NewGene expression: genes coding for proteins (core idea)NewMutations: what they are and how they can affect phenotypeNewSpecified practical: Simple DNA extraction from living materialNewSexual vs asexual reproduction: similarities and differencesNewGametes and fertilisation: forming a zygoteNewMitosis vs meiosis: what each is for (core comparison)NewInheritance key terms: genotype, phenotype, dominant, recessiveNewMonohybrid crosses: using genetic diagrams to predict offspringNewSex determination: XX/XY inheritance (core model)NewVariation: genetic, environmental and a mix of bothNewContinuous vs discontinuous variation (and how to spot each)NewNatural selection: variation, competition, survival and reproductionNewEvidence for evolution: fossils, antibiotic resistance, selective pressuresNewDarwin and Wallace: developing the theory of natural selectionNewSelective breeding: steps, benefits and drawbacksNewGenetic engineering: what it is and the basic process stepsNewGM: benefits, risks and ethical considerations in farming and medicineNew
