BGCSE Human & Social Biology study guide
BGCSE Human & Social Biology · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
The BGCSE Human and Social Biology examination is a Bahamian secondary-school qualification that assesses how well a candidate understands the human body, its relationship with the environment, and the social and health issues that arise from that relationship. It is typically taken by students near the end of compulsory schooling and is used for progression to further study, for employment, and for entry into health-related training. The BGCSE Human & Social Biology study guide has 8 sections and about 4,237 words.
01Cells and Life Processes
All living things are built from cells, and the cell is the smallest unit that can carry out the seven life processes: nutrition, respiration, excretion, sensitivity, movement, growth and reproduction. Know the difference between plant and animal cells.
365 words, about 2 min02Nutrition and Digestion
Know the seven components of a balanced diet: carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals, water and fibre (roughage). Learn the source, function and deficiency disease for each.
345 words, about 2 min03Respiration
Respiration is the release of energy from food in living cells. It is not breathing.
364 words, about 2 min04Transport and Circulation
In mammals, blood is carried in a double circulation: blood passes through the heart twice per circuit. The right side pumps deoxygenated blood to the lungs; the left side pumps oxygenated blood to the body.
337 words, about 2 min05Excretion
Excretion is the removal of metabolic waste, not the removal of undigested food (egestion). The main excretory organs are the kidneys (urea, excess water and salts), the lungs (carbon dioxide and water vapour) and the skin (sweat: water, salts and a little urea).
338 words, about 2 min06Homeostasis and Coordination
Homeostasis is the maintenance of a constant internal environment. Know two examples in detail: temperature control and blood glucose control.
324 words, about 2 min07Reproduction
Know the difference between sexual and asexual reproduction. Sexual reproduction involves two parents, gametes and fertilisation, and produces variation.
313 words, about 2 min08Growth and Development
Growth is a permanent increase in size or mass; development is the increase in complexity, such as the formation of organs. Know the stages of human development: zygote, embryo, fetus, birth, infancy, childhood, adolescence, adulthood.
1,851 words, about 9 min