NSSCAS Biology 8223 study plan

Draw and label a generalized eukaryotic cell and a prokaryotic cell from memory, then annotate each organelle with its function and one structural adaptation

Compare light and electron micrographs by explaining how magnification and resolution differ, and calculate magnification and actual size from given measurements

Classify a list of 20 biological molecules as carbohydrate, lipid, protein or nucleic acid and justify each with structural features

Describe the formation and breakdown of glycosidic, ester and peptide bonds, naming the reactants, products and type of reaction

Perform a qualitative Benedict's, iodine, emulsion and Biuret test sequence on paper for four unknown samples and state the expected observations

Explain enzyme action using the lock-and-key and induced-fit models, and describe how active site shape determines specificity

Predict and justify the effect of temperature, pH, substrate concentration and a named competitive inhibitor on rate of reaction using graph sketches

Compare diffusion, facilitated diffusion, osmosis and active transport in terms of energy requirement, membrane proteins and direction of movement

Calculate water potential of plant tissue from a serial dilution experiment and identify the isotonic point from plotted data

Interpret a transport experiment involving a partially permeable membrane and explain each result with reference to water potential gradients

Describe the stages of mitosis and meiosis in order, stating what happens to chromosomes, centromeres and nuclear envelope at each stage

Compare mitosis and meiosis in a table covering number of divisions, crossing over, independent assortment and genetic outcome

Explain semi-conservative DNA replication, naming the enzymes involved and the role of complementary base pairing

Transcribe and translate a given DNA sequence into mRNA and a polypeptide, and identify the effect of a substitution, deletion and insertion mutation

Explain how the genetic code is degenerate and non-overlapping, and why this reduces the effect of point mutations

Relate the structure of arteries, veins and capillaries to their functions, including wall thickness, lumen size and presence of valves

Describe the cardiac cycle in sequence, linking pressure and volume changes to valve opening and closing

Interpret an ECG or pressure trace by identifying systole, diastole and the source of the heart sounds

Explain translocation and transpiration in plants with reference to xylem and phloem structure and the evidence for each mechanism

Calculate cardiac output and interpret data on heart rate and stroke volume changes during exercise

Compare the gas exchange surfaces of a mammal, a fish and an insect, linking each structure to a named feature that maintains a diffusion gradient

Explain countercurrent flow in fish gills and predict how gas exchange efficiency changes if flow becomes parallel

Describe the four stages of aerobic respiration, stating the location, inputs and outputs of each

Compare aerobic and anaerobic respiration in mammals and yeast, including ATP yield and the fate of pyruvate

Interpret data from a respirometer or oxygen electrode experiment and calculate the rate of respiration

Explain the light-dependent and light-independent reactions, naming the reactants, products and site of each

Interpret absorption spectra and action spectra and explain why they do not fully coincide

Describe the roles of auxin and gibberellin in plant growth responses and interpret tropism experiments

Explain how negative feedback regulates blood glucose concentration, naming the hormones, target organs and opposing pathways

Compare nervous and hormonal coordination in a table covering transmission speed, duration and mode of travel

Describe energy flow through a food chain and construct a pyramid of numbers, biomass and energy, explaining why they may differ in shape

Explain the carbon and nitrogen cycles, naming the processes and the organisms responsible for each step

Interpret population growth curves and identify density-dependent and density-independent limiting factors

Evaluate two named conservation strategies using criteria such as cost, sustainability and effect on biodiversity

Analyse a data set on a species decline and propose a reasoned conservation measure with justification

Complete two full timed past-paper-style practice sets under exam conditions and mark them against your own criteria

Identify your three weakest domains from practice results and re-teach each using a one-page summary sheet

Practise at least 15 data-handling and calculation questions covering magnification, water potential, cardiac output and respiration rates

Write model answers for six extended-response questions, each structured with a clear point-per-mark approach

Build a final one-page formula and definitions sheet covering all ten domains