Science Fundamentals
What the section tests
Core ideas from biology, chemistry and physics at school-leaving level: cells and body systems, states of matter, elements and compounds, simple chemical reactions, forces and motion, energy, electricity, and the solar system.
Concepts to master
- Biology. Cells are the unit of life; plant cells have a cell wall and chloroplasts, animal cells do not. Know the roles of the heart (circulation), lungs (gas exchange) and digestive system (absorption of nutrients).
- Chemistry. Solids, liquids and gases differ in particle arrangement and energy. An element is one kind of atom; a compound is chemically combined elements. Acids and alkalis neutralise each other.
- Physics. Speed = distance ÷ time. Forces change motion; weight differs from mass. Energy transfers between forms but is conserved. Series circuits share one path; parallel circuits offer more than one.
Traps to watch
- Confusing mass (kilograms, unchanged by location) with weight (a force, newtons, depends on gravity).
- Assuming a moving object always has a force pushing it; constant velocity means balanced forces.
- Mixing up melting (solid to liquid) with dissolving (mixing into a solvent).
- Forgetting to convert units, such as minutes to seconds, in speed calculations.
Rule of thumb
For calculation items, write the formula, list the known values with units, substitute, then check that the units of the answer make sense.
Worked example
A cyclist covers 300 m in 60 s. Speed = 300 ÷ 60 = 5 m/s. If the question asks for km/h, multiply by 3.6 to get 18 km/h.