This is a complete revision guide for Edexcel GCSE (9-1) Biology. Use this well and a grade 9 in Biology exam is well within reach. These comprehensive yet succinct notes are compiled with class notes, practice questions, equations, diagrams and images. As for the sources, I have used lessons, revision guides, official Edexcel GCSE (9-1) Biology books, past papers and other recommended readings.
All the topics are covered in these notes. It’s easy to read and follow. Therefore, this is one of the best materials you will ever find for Edexcel GCSE (9-1) Biology subject.
Following topics are included in these notes:
- Topic 1 – Key Concepts in Biology
- 1. Functions of sub-cellular structures in animal cells.
- 2. Functions of sub-cellular structures in plant cells.
- 5. Describe how egg cells are adapted to their function.
- 6. Describe how ciliated epithelial cells are adapted to their function.
- 7. Milli, Micro, Nano and Picometer…
- 8. What is the equation for magnification?
- 9. Explain the mechanism of enzyme action.
- 10. Explain the effects of temperature, substrate concentration and pH on enzyme activity
- 11. Core Practical: Investigate the effect of pH on enzyme activity.
- 12. Explain the importance of enzymes as biological catalysts in the synthesis of carbohydrates, proteins and lipids and their breakdown.
- 13. Core Practical: Investigate the use of chemical reagents to identify starch, reducing sugars, proteins and fats.
- 14. Explain how the energy contained in food can be measured using calorimetry.
- 15. Explain how substances are transported into and out of cells, by diffusion, osmosis and active transport.
- 16. Core Practical: Investigate osmosis in potatoes
- Topic 2 – Cells and Control
- 1. Describe mitosis as part of the cell cycle.
- 2. Describe the importance of mitosis in multicellular organisms.
- 3. Describe the division of a cell by mitosis.
- 4. Describe cancer.
- 5. Cell division and differentiation in animals.
- 7. Describe the function of embryonic stem cells, stem cells in animals and meristems in plants
- 8. Discuss the potential benefits and risks associated with the use of stem cells in medicine.
- 9. Describe the structures and functions of the brain including the cerebellum, cerebral hemispheres and medulla oblongata.
- 11. Explain some of the limitations in treating damage and disease in the brain and other parts of the nervous system.
- 12. Explain the structure and function of sensory receptors, sensory neurones, relay neurones in the CNS, motor neurones and synapses in the transmission of electrical impulses, including the axon, dendron, myelin sheath and the role of neurotransmitters.
- 13. Explain the structure and function of a reflex arc including sensory, relay and motor neurones.
- 14. Explain the structure and function of the eye as a sensory receptor including the role of the cornea and lens, iris, and rod and cone cells in the retina
- 15. Describe defects of the eye including cataracts, long-sightedness, short-sightedness and colour blindness.
- 16. Explain how cataracts, long-sightedness and short-sightedness can be corrected.
- Topic 3 – Genetics
- 1. Explain some of the advantages and disadvantages of asexual reproduction.
- 2. Explain some of the advantages and disadvantages of sexual reproduction.
- 3. Explain the role of meiotic cell division.
- 4. Describe DNA as a polymer made up of…
- 5. Describe genome and gene.
- 6. Explain how DNA can be extracted from fruit.
- 7. Explain how the order of bases in a section of DNA decides…
- 8. Describe the stages of protein synthesis; transcription and translation.
- 9. Describe how genetic variants in the non-coding DNA of a gene can affect…
- 10. Describe how genetic variants in the coding DNA of a gene can affect phenotype.
- 11. Describe the work of Mendel in discovering the basis of genetics.
- 12. Explain why there are differences in the inherited characteristics as a result of alleles.
- 13. Explain the terms: chromosome, gene, allele, dominant, recessive, homozygous, heterozygous, genotype, phenotype, gamete and zygote.
- 18. Explain how sex-linked genetic disorders are inherited.
- 19. State that most phenotypic features are the result of…
- 20. Describe the causes of variation that influence phenotype.
- 21. Discuss the outcomes of the Human Genome Project and its potential applications within medicine.
- 22. State that there is usually extensive genetic variation within a…
- 23. State that most genetic mutation
- Topic 4 – Natural Selection and Genetic Modification
- 1. Describe the work of Darwin and Wallace in the development of the theory of evolution by natural selection and explain the impact of these ideas on modern biology.
- 2. Explain Darwin’s theory of evolution by natural selection.
- 3. Explain how the emergence of resistant organisms supports Darwin’s theory of evolution including antibiotic resistance in bacteria.
- 4. Describe the evidence for human evolution, based on fossils.
- 5. Describe the evidence for human evolution based on stone tools, including the development of stone tools over time and how these can be dated from their environment.
- 6. Describe how the anatomy of the pentadactyl limb provides scientists with evidence for evolution.
- 7. Describe how genetic analysis has led to the suggestion of the three domains rather than the five kingdoms classification method.
- 8. Explain selective breeding and its impact on food plants and domesticated animals.
- 9. Describe the process of tissue culture and its advantages in medical research and plant breeding programmes
- 10. Define genetic engineering.
- 11. Describe the main stages of genetic engineering.
- 12. Explain the advantages and disadvantages of genetic engineering to produce GM organisms including the modification of crop plants, including the introduction of genes for insect resistance from Bacillus thuringiensis into crop plants.
- 13. Explain the advantages and disadvantages of agricultural solutions to the demands of a growing human population, including use of fertilisers and biological control.
- 14. Evaluate the benefits and risks of genetic engineering and selective breeding in modern agriculture and medicine, including practical and ethical implications.
- Topic 5 – Health, Disease and Development of Medicines
- 1. Define health.
- 2. Describe the difference between communicable and non-communicable diseases.
- 3. Explain why the presence of one disease can lead to a higher susceptibility to other diseases.
- 4. Define a pathogen.
- 5. Disease – Pathogen – Symptoms – How it spreads – How to reduce:
- 7. Explain how sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are spread and how this spread can be reduced or prevented:
- 8. Describe how some plants defend themselves against attack from pests and pathogens by physical barriers.
- 9. Describe how plants defend themselves against attack from pests and pathogens by producing chemicals, some of which can be used to treat human diseases or relieve symptoms.
- 10. Describe different ways plant diseases can be detected and identified, in the lab and in the field.
- 11. Describe how the physical barriers and chemical defences of the human body provide protection from pathogens.
- 12. Explain the role of the specific immune system of the human body in defence against disease.
- 13. Explain the body’s response to immunisation using an inactive form of a pathogen.
- 14. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of immunisation, including the concept of herd immunity.
- 15. Explain that antibiotics can only be used to treat bacterial infections because…
- 16. Explain the aseptic techniques used in culturing microorganisms in the laboratory.
- 17. Core Practical: Investigate the effects of antiseptics, antibiotics or plant extracts on microbial cultures.
- 18. Describe that the process of developing new medicines, including antibiotics, has many stages.
- 19. Describe the production of monoclonal antibodies.
- 21. Describe that many non-communicable human diseases are caused by…
- 22. Explain the effect of lifestyle factors on non-communicable diseases.
- 23. Evaluate some different treatments for cardiovascular disease:
- Topic 6 – Plant Structures and their Functions
- 1. Define photosynthetic organisms.
- 2. Define photosynthesis in plants and algae.
- 3. Explain the effect of temperature, light intensity and carbon dioxide concentration as limiting factors on the rate of photosynthesis.
- 4. Explain the interactions of temperature, light intensity and carbon dioxide concentration in limiting the rate of photosynthesis.
- 5. Core Practical: Investigate the effect of light intensity on the rate of photosynthesis.
- 6. Explain how the rate of photosynthesis is directly proportional to light intensity, and light intensity being inversely proportional to the distance from a light source, including the use of the inverse square law calculation.
- 7. Explain how the structure of the root hair cells is adapted to absorb water and mineral ions.
- 8. Explain how the structures of the xylem and phloem are adapted to their function in the plant.
- 9. Explain how water and mineral ions are transported through the plant by transpiration, including the structure and function of the stomata.
- 10. Describe how sucrose is transported around the plant by translocation.
- 11. Explain how the structure of a leaf is adapted for photosynthesis and gas exchange.
- 12. Explain the effect of environmental factors on transpiration.
- 13. Demonstrate an understanding of rate calculations for transpiration.
- 14. Explain how plants are adapted to survive in extreme environments.
- 15. Explain how plant hormones control and coordinate plant growth and development, including the role of auxins in phototropisms and gravitropisms.
- 16. Describe the commercial uses of auxins, gibberellins and ethene in plants.
- Topic 7 – Animal coordination, Control and Homeostasis
- 1. Describe where hormones are produced and how they are transported from endocrine glands to their target organs.
- 2. Explain how adrenalin is produced by the adrenal glands to prepare the body for fight or flight.
- 3. Explain how thyroxine controls metabolic rate as an example of negative feedback.
- 4. Describe the stages of the menstrual cycle.
- 5. Explain the interactions of oestrogen, progesterone, FSH and LH in the control of the menstrual cycle.
- 6. Explain how hormonal contraception influences the menstrual cycle and prevents pregnancy.
- 7. Evaluate hormonal and barrier methods of contraception.
- 8. Explain the use of hormones in Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) including IVF and clomifene therapy.
- 9. Explain the importance of maintaining a constant internal environment in response to internal and external change.
- 10. Explain the importance of homeostasis (osmoregulation, thermoregulation, blood glucose regulation).
- 11. Explain how thermoregulation takes place, with reference to the function of the skin (role of dermis, epidermis and hypothalamus).
- 12. Explain how thermoregulation takes place.
- 16. Explain the cause of type 2 diabetes and how it is controlled.
- 17. Evaluate the correlation between body mass and type 2 diabetes including waist:hip calculations and BMI.
- 18. Describe the structure of the urinary system.
- 20. Explain the effect of ADH on the permeability of the collecting duct in regulating the water content of the blood.
- 21. Describe the treatments for kidney failure, including dialysis and kidney transplants.
- 22. Urea is produced from…
- Topic 8 – Exchange and Transport in Animals
- 1. Describe the need to transport substances into and out of a range of organisms.
- 2. Explain the need for exchange surfaces and a transport system in multicellular organisms including the calculation of surface area : volume ratio.
- 3. Explain how alveoli are adapted for gas exchange by diffusion between air in the lungs and blood in capillaries.
- 4. Describe the factors affecting the rate of diffusion.
- 5. State Fick’s law.
- 7. Explain how the structure of the blood vessels is related to their function.
- 8. Explain how the structure of the heart and circulatory system is related to its function, including the role of the major blood vessels, the valves and the relative thickness of chamber walls.
- 9. Define cellular respiration.
- 10. Compare the process of aerobic respiration with the process of anaerobic respiration.
- 11. Core Practical: Investigate the rate of respiration in living organisms.
- 12. What is the cardiac output equation?
- Topic 9 – Ecosystems and Material Cycles
- 1. Describe the different levels of organisation from individual organisms, populations, communities, to the whole ecosystem.
- 2. Explain how communities can be affected by abiotic and biotic factors
- 3. Describe the importance of interdependence in a community.
- 4. Describe how the survival of some organisms is dependent on other species, including parasitism and mutualism.
- 5. Core Practical: Investigate the relationship between organisms and their environment using field-work techniques, including quadrats and belt transects.
- 6. Explain how some energy is transferred to less useful forms at each trophic level.
- 7. Calculate the efficiency of energy transfers between trophic levels and percentage calculations of biomass.
- 9. Explain how and the benefits of maintaining local and global biodiversity, including the conservation of animal species and the impact of reforestation.
- 10. Describe the biological factors affecting levels of food security.
- 11. Describe how different materials cycle through the abiotic and biotic components of an ecosystem.
- 12. Explain the carbon cycle.
- 15. Explain the nitrogen cycle.
- 16. Evaluate the use of indicator species as evidence to assess the level of pollution, in polluted water, clean water, air quality.
- 17. Explain the effects of temperature, water content and oxygen availability on the rate of decomposition in food preservation.
- 18. Explain the effects of temperature, water content and oxygen availability on the rate of decomposition in composting.
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