GCE A/L Biology study plan

Draw and label the mammalian circulatory, gas-exchange and excretory systems from memory, then annotate each structure with its function

Explain how the mammalian heart's pressure changes during the cardiac cycle drive one-way blood flow through the atria, ventricles and valves

Describe the roles of the nephron, loop of Henle and collecting duct in forming urine, and explain how ADH alters water reabsorption

Describe the roles of the nephron, loop of Henle and collecting duct in forming urine, and explain how ADH alters water reabsorption

Define condensation and hydrolysis reactions and relate them to the formation and breakdown of carbohydrates, proteins and lipids

Explain how the mammalian nervous system transmits impulses, including resting potential, action potential and synaptic transmission

Describe how the mammalian endocrine system regulates blood glucose and how negative feedback maintains homeostasis

Compare the structure and function of the four main tissue types found in mammals

Explain how enzyme structure and the lock-and-key and induced-fit models account for the effect of temperature, pH and inhibitors on enzyme activity

Describe the structure of the cell surface membrane and explain how diffusion, osmosis, facilitated diffusion and active transport move substances across it

Describe the structure of roots, stems and leaves and relate each tissue arrangement to its transport or support function

Explain how transpiration pull, cohesion and adhesion move water through the xylem, and how environmental factors alter the rate of transpiration

Explain how the phloem transports assimilates by translocation, including the role of companion cells and the pressure-flow mechanism

Describe how plants acquire mineral ions and water from the soil, and explain how root hair cells increase uptake

Explain how stomata open and close, including the role of guard cells and the effect of light, water stress and humidity

Explain how photosynthesis converts light energy into chemical energy, including the light-dependent and light-independent reactions and the role of chlorophyll

Explain how limiting factors affect the rate of photosynthesis and interpret a rate-versus-light-intensity graph

Describe the stages of mitosis and explain how the cell cycle and checkpoints regulate cell division

Explain how meiosis produces genetic variation through crossing over and independent assortment, and compare meiosis with mitosis

Describe the role of plant growth regulators in controlling growth and development

Explain the structure of DNA and RNA and how the double helix is replicated semi-conservatively

Describe how transcription and translation produce a polypeptide, and explain the roles of mRNA, tRNA and ribosomes

Apply Mendelian inheritance to solve monohybrid and dihybrid crosses, including test crosses and chi-squared analysis

Explain the chromosomal basis of sex determination and the inheritance of sex-linked traits

Describe how gene mutations and chromosome mutations arise and give examples of their effects on phenotype

Describe the structure of bacteria, viruses and fungi and explain how each type of pathogen causes disease

Explain how the innate and adaptive immune responses defend the body, including the roles of phagocytes, B cells and T cells

Explain how vaccination produces immunity and why herd immunity protects unvaccinated individuals

Describe how antibiotics work and explain the emergence of antibiotic resistance through natural selection

Describe how genetic engineering is used to produce human insulin and other useful products

Explain how natural selection and sexual selection drive evolution, and distinguish natural selection from other mechanisms

Explain how the Hardy-Weinberg principle is used to calculate allele and genotype frequencies in a population

Describe the evidence for evolution from fossils, comparative anatomy and molecular biology

Explain how energy and nutrients flow through ecosystems, including food chains, trophic levels and the carbon cycle

Describe how populations interact through competition, predation, parasitism and mutualism, and explain how these interactions affect population size

Explain how the polymerase chain reaction and gel electrophoresis are used to analyse DNA

Describe how enzymes are used in industrial processes and explain the advantages of immobilised enzymes

Explain how ecological sampling methods such as quadrats and transects are used to estimate population size and distribution

Explain the principles of experimental design, including controls, variables and the use of statistical tests to analyse data

Evaluate the ethical and environmental implications of a named biotechnology application