Biology

1.1 Eukaryotic and prokaryotic cell structures

• Animal cell sub-cellular structures and functions
• Bacterial cell structure
• Plant cell sub-cellular structures and functions

1.2 Specialised cell adaptations

• Ciliated epithelial cells
• Egg cell adaptations
• Sperm cell adaptations

1.3 Development of microscopy

• Microscope technology and electron microscopy

1.4 Number, size and scale

• Number, size and scale in biology

1.5 Quantitative units relating to cells

• Quantitative units in cell biology

1.6 Core Practical

• Core practical: investigating biological specimens with microscopes

1.7 Enzyme action

• Mechanism of enzyme action

1.8 Enzyme denaturation

• Enzyme denaturation

1.9 Factors affecting enzyme activity

• Effects of temperature, substrate concentration and pH on enzymes

1.10 Core Practical

• Core practical: effect of pH on enzyme activity

1.11 Rate calculations

• Rate calculations for enzyme activity

1.12 Enzymes in synthesis and breakdown

• Enzymes as biological catalysts in synthesis and breakdown

1.13B Core Practical

• Core practical: chemical reagents to identify food groups

1.14B Energy in food

• Calorimetry – measuring energy in food

1.15 Transport across membranes

• Diffusion, osmosis and active transport

1.16 Core Practical

• Core practical: investigating osmosis in potatoes

1.17 Osmosis calculations

• Percentage gain and loss of mass in osmosis

2.1 Mitosis and the cell cycle

• Mitosis and stages of the cell cycle

2.2 Importance of mitosis

• Importance of mitosis in growth, repair and asexual reproduction

2.3 Outcome of mitosis

• Mitotic division producing genetically identical diploid cells

2.4 Cancer

• Cancer as uncontrolled cell division

2.5 Growth in organisms

• Growth in animals and plants

2.6 Cell differentiation

• Cell differentiation and specialised cells

2.7 Percentile charts

• Percentile growth charts

2.8 Stem cells and meristems

• Stem cells and meristems

2.9 Stem cells in medicine

• Risks and benefits of stem cells in medicine

2.10B The brain

• Structure and function of the brain

2.11B Brain imaging

• CT and PET scanning of the brain

2.12B Nervous system damage and treatment

• Limitations in treating brain and nervous system damage

2.13 Neurones and synapses

• Sensory, relay and motor neurones and synapses

2.14 Reflex arc

• Reflex arc

2.15B The eye

• Structure and function of the eye

2.16B Eye defects

• Defects of the eye

2.17B Correcting eye defects

• Correction of eye defects

3.1B Asexual reproduction

• Advantages and disadvantages of asexual reproduction

3.2B Sexual reproduction

• Advantages and disadvantages of sexual reproduction

3.3 Meiosis

• Meiotic cell division and gametes

3.4 DNA structure

• DNA structure as a polymer

3.5 Genome and gene

• Genome and gene definitions

3.6 Extracting DNA

• Extraction of DNA from fruit

3.7B DNA and protein structure

• DNA bases, amino acid order and protein shape

3.8B Protein synthesis

• Protein synthesis: transcription and translation

3.9B Non-coding DNA variants

• Genetic variants in non-coding DNA and phenotype

3.10B Coding DNA variants

• Genetic variants in coding DNA and phenotype

3.11B Mendel

• Gregor Mendel and the basis of genetics

3.12 Alleles and inheritance

• Alleles and inherited characteristics

3.13 Genetics terminology

• Key genetics terminology

3.14 Monohybrid inheritance

• Monohybrid inheritance with Punnett squares and pedigrees

3.15 Sex determination

• Determination of sex of offspring

3.16 Outcomes from crosses

• Probabilities, ratios and percentages from monohybrid crosses

3.17B ABO blood groups

• ABO blood group inheritance

3.18B Sex-linked disorders

• Sex-linked genetic disorders

3.19 Polygenic features

• Polygenic phenotypic features

3.20 Causes of variation

• Genetic and environmental causes of variation

3.21 Human Genome Project

• Human Genome Project and applications

3.22 Genetic variation in populations

• Extensive genetic variation within populations

3.23 Mutations and phenotype

• Effects of mutations on phenotype

4.1B Darwin and Wallace

• Darwin and Wallace and theory of evolution

4.2 Natural selection

• Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection

4.3 Resistance and evolution

• Antibiotic resistance as evidence for evolution

4.4 Human evolution from fossils

• Fossil evidence for human evolution

4.5 Stone tools

• Stone tool evidence for human evolution

4.6B Pentadactyl limb

• Pentadactyl limb as evidence for evolution

4.7 Classification

• Three domains and five kingdoms classification

4.8 Selective breeding

• Selective breeding

4.9B Tissue culture

• Tissue culture in plants and medicine

4.10 Genetic engineering

• Genetic engineering – introducing desirable characteristics

4.11 Stages of genetic engineering

• Stages of genetic engineering

4.12B GM crops

• GM crops and Bt insect resistance

4.13B Agricultural solutions

• Agricultural solutions to growing population

4.14 Evaluating genetic engineering

• Evaluating genetic engineering and selective breeding

5.1 Health

• Definition of health (WHO)

5.2 Disease types

• Communicable vs non-communicable diseases

5.3 Disease interactions

• Disease interactions and susceptibilityHigher

5.4 Pathogens

• Pathogens (viruses, bacteria, fungi, protists)

5.5/5.6 Common infections

• Chalara ash dieback (fungi) – cause and airborne spread
• Cholera (bacteria) – cause and water-borne spread
• Ebola (virus) – cause and body-fluid spread
• HIV (virus) – AIDS and spread
• Malaria (protists) – cause and animal vector spread
• Stomach ulcers (Helicobacter) – cause and oral spread
• Tuberculosis (bacteria) – cause and airborne spread

5.7B Virus lifecycle

• Lifecycle of a virus (lytic and lysogenic)

5.8 STIs

• Sexually transmitted infections – Chlamydia and HIV

5.9B Plant physical defences

• Plant physical defences

5.10B Plant chemical defences

• Plant chemical defences

5.11B Plant disease detection

• Detection and identification of plant diseases

5.12 Human non-specific defences

• Human physical and chemical defences

5.13 Immune system

• Specific immune system response

5.14 Immunisation

• Immunisation with inactive pathogen

5.15B Immunisation evaluation

• Advantages, disadvantages and herd immunity

5.16 Antibiotics

• Antibiotics and bacterial infections

5.17B Aseptic techniques

• Aseptic techniques in microbial culture

5.18B Core Practical

• Core practical: antiseptics, antibiotics and plant extracts on microbial cultures

5.19B Cross-sectional area calculations

• Calculating cross-sectional areas of bacterial cultures

5.20 Developing medicines

• Stages of new medicine development

5.21B Monoclonal antibody production

• Production of monoclonal antibodies

5.22B Monoclonal antibody uses

• Uses of monoclonal antibodies

5.23 Non-communicable diseases

• Non-communicable diseases and multifactorial causes

5.24 Lifestyle factors

• Lifestyle factors on non-communicable disease (BMI, alcohol, smoking)

5.25 Cardiovascular treatments

• Treatments for cardiovascular disease

6.1 Photosynthetic producers

• Photosynthetic organisms as producers of biomass

6.2 Photosynthesis

• Photosynthesis as endothermic reaction

6.3 Limiting factors

• Limiting factors on rate of photosynthesis

6.4 Limiting factor interactions

• Interactions of limiting factors

6.5 Core Practical

• Core practical: light intensity and rate of photosynthesis

6.6 Inverse square law

• Inverse square law and light intensity

6.7 Root hair cells

• Root hair cell adaptations

6.8 Xylem and phloem

• Xylem and phloem structure and function

6.9 Transpiration

• Transpiration and stomata

6.10 Translocation

• Translocation of sucrose

6.11B Leaf structure

• Leaf adaptation for photosynthesis and gas exchange

6.12 Water uptake factors

• Environmental factors on water uptake

6.13 Transpiration rate calculations

• Rate calculations for transpiration

6.14B Plant adaptations

• Plant adaptations to extreme environments

6.15B Plant hormones

• Plant hormones, auxins and tropisms

6.16B Commercial plant hormones

• Commercial uses of plant hormones

7.1 Endocrine system

• Hormones and endocrine glands

7.2 Adrenalin

• Adrenalin and fight or flight

7.3 Thyroxine

• Thyroxine and negative feedback

7.4 Menstrual cycle stages

• Stages of the menstrual cycle

7.5 Menstrual cycle hormones

• Hormone interactions in menstrual cycle

7.6 Hormonal contraception

• Hormonal contraception

7.7 Contraception methods

• Evaluation of hormonal and barrier contraception

7.8 ART

• ART, IVF and clomifene

7.9 Homeostasis

• Importance of homeostasis

7.10B Thermo- and osmoregulation

• Thermoregulation and osmoregulation importance

7.11B Skin and thermoregulation

• Skin and thermoregulation

7.12B Thermoregulation responses

• Thermoregulation – shivering, vasoconstriction, vasodilation

7.13 Insulin

• Insulin control of blood glucose

7.14 Glucagon

• Glucagon control of blood glucose

7.15 Type 1 diabetes

• Type 1 diabetes

7.16 Type 2 diabetes

• Type 2 diabetes

7.17 BMI and diabetes

• Body mass and type 2 diabetes correlation

7.18B Urinary system

• Structure of the urinary system

7.19B Nephron

• Nephron structure and function

7.20B ADH

• ADH and water content of blood

7.21B Kidney failure

• Treatments for kidney failure

7.22B Urea

• Urea production from amino acid breakdown

8.1 Transport substances

• Need to transport substances in organisms

8.2 SA:V ratio

• Surface area to volume ratio and exchange surfaces

8.3 Alveoli

• Alveoli adaptations for gas exchange

8.4B Diffusion factors

• Factors affecting rate of diffusion

8.5B Fick's law

• Fick's law and rate of diffusion

8.6 Blood

• Structure and function of blood components

8.7 Blood vessels

• Structure and function of blood vessels

8.8 Heart and circulation

• Structure and function of the heart

8.9 Cellular respiration

• Cellular respiration as exothermic

8.10 Aerobic vs anaerobic

• Aerobic vs anaerobic respiration

8.11 Core Practical

• Core practical: rate of respiration in living organisms

8.12 Cardiac output

• Heart rate, stroke volume, cardiac output

9.1 Levels of organisation

• Levels of ecological organisation

9.2 Abiotic and biotic factors

• Abiotic and biotic factors in communities

9.3 Interdependence

• Interdependence in a community

9.4 Species relationships

• Parasitism and mutualism

9.5 Core Practical

• Core practical: organisms and environment using fieldwork

9.6 Population estimation

• Determining number of organisms from fieldwork data

9.7B Energy transfer

• Energy transfer between trophic levels

9.8B Energy efficiency

• Efficiency of energy transfers between trophic levels

9.9 Human ecosystem interactions

• Human impacts on biodiversity

9.10 Biodiversity

• Maintaining biodiversity benefits

9.11B Food security

• Biological factors affecting food security

9.12 Material cycles

• Material cycling through abiotic and biotic components

9.13 Carbon cycle

• Carbon cycle

9.14 Water cycle

• Water cycle and potable water

9.15 Nitrogen cycle

• Nitrogen cycle and fertilisers

9.16B Indicator species

• Indicator species for pollution

9.17B Decomposition – food preservation

• Decomposition in food preservation

9.18B Decomposition – composting

• Decomposition in composting

9.19B Decay rates

• Rate calculations for decay