Basque PAU Biology study plan

Define the properties of water (cohesion, specific heat, solvent capacity) and explain how each property supports cellular function in at least five written examples.

Classify carbohydrates and lipids by structure and function, drawing the glycosidic and ester bonds formed in condensation reactions.

Describe the induced-fit model of enzyme action and distinguish competitive from non-competitive inhibition using a sketched rate-versus-substrate-concentration graph.

Calculate the effect of temperature and pH on enzyme activity from a given data table and justify the optimum values in writing.

Explain the difference between catabolism and anabolism, listing three specific coupled reactions in the cell.

Compare DNA and RNA structure (sugars, bases, strands) and explain how base-pairing rules enable semiconservative replication.

Describe transcription, RNA processing and translation step by step, identifying the enzymes and RNA types involved at each stage.

Decode a given DNA sequence into mRNA and a polypeptide using the genetic code table, and predict the effect of a single base substitution.

Classify mutations (silent, missense, nonsense, frameshift) and explain which are most likely to alter protein function.

Outline the genetic code's key properties (degeneracy, universality, non-overlapping) and explain why each matters.

Solve monohybrid and dihybrid crosses using Punnett squares and the product rule, including sex-linked and codominant traits.

Distinguish complete dominance, incomplete dominance and codominance with one worked example each.

Analyse pedigree problems to determine the mode of inheritance and calculate genotype probabilities for offspring.

Explain linkage and crossing-over, and calculate recombination frequencies from given testcross data.

Describe the phases of mitosis and meiosis and contrast them in a comparison table, noting where chromosome number changes.

Label and state the function of each organelle in a eukaryotic cell from memory, distinguishing plant, animal and prokaryotic features.

Explain membrane structure (fluid mosaic model) and compare diffusion, facilitated diffusion, osmosis and active transport with examples.

Trace the flow of energy in aerobic respiration through glycolysis, the Krebs cycle and oxidative phosphorylation, naming the ATP yield at each stage.

Describe the light-dependent and light-independent reactions of photosynthesis and explain how they are coupled.

Explain the role of the cell cycle checkpoints and how loss of control leads to uncontrolled division.

Compare the structure of bacteria, viruses and other acellular agents, and explain why viruses are not considered living by some criteria.

Describe the lytic and lysogenic cycles of bacteriophages and the replication cycle of an animal virus.

Explain innate versus adaptive immunity, including the roles of macrophages, B cells, helper T cells and cytotoxic T cells.

Distinguish active from passive immunity and natural from artificial immunity, giving one example of each.

Outline the main tools of biotechnology (restriction enzymes, PCR, plasmids, CRISPR) and explain one applied use in medicine or agriculture.

Compare asexual and sexual reproduction in terms of genetic variation and fitness, giving examples from plants, animals and microorganisms.

Describe the human reproductive cycle, gametogenesis and fertilisation, and explain the role of hormones in each.

State the Hardy-Weinberg conditions and solve problems calculating allele and genotype frequencies.

Explain natural selection, genetic drift, gene flow and mutation as mechanisms of evolutionary change, and distinguish them with examples.

Interpret evidence for evolution (fossils, homologous structures, molecular data) and explain speciation through reproductive isolation.

Describe energy flow and nutrient cycling in ecosystems, including trophic levels, productivity and the role of decomposers.

Analyse population growth models (exponential and logistic) and explain the factors that regulate population size.

Evaluate measures of biodiversity and explain the causes and consequences of biodiversity loss.

Assess the human impact of pollution, deforestation, overfishing and climate change on ecosystems, citing specific mechanisms.

Propose and justify conservation measures for a described ecosystem, weighing ecological and economic factors.

Complete two full-length timed practice papers under exam conditions and record the score for each domain.

Identify the three weakest domains from the practice results and re-study them using condensed notes.

Re-solve every previously incorrect problem from weeks 1-7 without notes.

Memorise and self-test the key definitions, formulas and diagrams from all seven domains.

Draft a one-page exam strategy covering time allocation, question order and how to handle unfamiliar data-based questions.