Cameroon GCE O-Level Human Biology study guide
Cameroon GCE O-Level Human Biology · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
The Cameroon GCE Ordinary Level Human Biology examination is a school-leaving qualification awarded by the Cameroon General Certificate of Education Board. It is taken by Form Five candidates and by private candidates who have completed an equivalent secondary course, and it is normally used to progress into the science stream at High School or into para-medical training. The Cameroon GCE O-Level Human Biology study guide has 11 sections and about 4,539 words.
01Cell biology, cell division and organisation of the human body
Cell questions in the Human Biology paper ask you to name organelles and link each to a function, compare plant and animal cells, and explain why cells are small. Cell division questions ask for the sequence and outcome of mitosis and meiosis and why each matters.
438 words, about 2 min02Nutrition, digestion and enzymes
Balanced diet and deficiency diseases, the alimentary canal, mechanical and chemical digestion, enzyme properties and the effects of temperature and pH, and absorption in the villi. Data questions giving an enzyme's rate against temperature or pH are common and always ask for an explanation of the graph's shape, not just its reading.
426 words, about 2 min03Transport: blood, blood vessels and the heart
Blood composition and function, the structure-function link for arteries, veins and capillaries, the heart's chambers and valves, the cardiac cycle and the double circulation. Labelling the heart and tracing blood flow are frequent tasks, along with explaining why the left ventricle is thickest.
390 words, about 2 min04Respiration and gaseous exchange
The equations and sites of aerobic and anaerobic respiration, alveolar structure, the breathing mechanism, lung volumes, and the distinction between breathing and respiration. Data questions comparing inhaled and exhaled air, and questions on the effects of smoking, are frequent.
421 words, about 2 min05Excretion and homeostasis (kidneys, skin, temperature and water balance)
The difference between excretion and egestion, the nephron and urine formation, skin structure, and negative feedback control of temperature and water balance. Expect questions on dialysis, glucose in urine as a sign of diabetes, and data on sweat rate and urine concentration.
417 words, about 2 min06Coordination and control: nervous system, sense organs and hormones
Neurone structure, the reflex arc, brain regions, the eye and accommodation, and hormones with their feedback control. Questions regularly compare nervous with hormonal control and ask you to correct defective vision.
408 words, about 2 min07Support, movement and the skeleton
Functions of the skeleton, names and numbers of bones and vertebrae, long bone structure, synovial joints and antagonistic muscle action. Label-the-joint and explain-the-movement questions are standard, and marks are usually lost on tendon and ligament confusion.
402 words, about 2 min08Reproduction, growth and development
The male and female reproductive systems, gamete structure, the menstrual cycle and its hormones, fertilisation, implantation, the placenta and gestation, plus growth curves and puberty. Diagram questions on the reproductive systems and the cycle graph are common.
445 words, about 2 min09Health, disease, immunity and hygiene
Definitions of health and disease, pathogens and vectors, transmission routes, the body's three lines of defence, immunity and vaccination, and hygiene measures. Expect questions interpreting disease data and explaining why antibiotics fail against viruses.
368 words, about 2 min10Genetics, inheritance and variation
DNA, genes and chromosomes; monohybrid inheritance and Punnett squares; sex determination and sex-linked conditions; mutation; and continuous versus discontinuous variation. Genetic cross questions carry easy marks that are lost through careless ratio writing.
429 words, about 2 min11Ecology, environment and human impact
Ecosystem structure, food chains and webs, energy flow, nutrient cycling, and human impact on the environment. Questions typically ask you to interpret pyramids and to explain pollution consequences as an ordered sequence of events.
395 words, about 2 min