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Topic 5: Energy, exercise and coordination

5 dot points across 5 inquiry questions. Click any dot point for a focused answer with worked past exam questions where available.

How does the body keep its internal environment constant, and what is the role of the kidney?

The principle of homeostasis and negative feedback, the control of body temperature and blood glucose, and the structure and function of the kidney in osmoregulation and excretion.
An Edexcel A-Level Biology B (Salters-Nuffield) answer on homeostasis and the kidney, covering negative feedback, the control of temperature and blood glucose, and the structure and function of the kidney in excretion and osmoregulation.
10 min answer →

How does muscle structure allow movement, and how is it powered?

The structure of skeletal muscle and the sliding filament model of contraction, the role of ATP and calcium ions, and the difference between slow and fast twitch fibres.
An Edexcel A-Level Biology B (Salters-Nuffield) answer on muscles and movement, covering skeletal muscle structure, the sliding filament model, the role of ATP and calcium ions in contraction, and slow and fast twitch fibres.
9 min answer →

How do nerves and hormones coordinate responses in the body?

The structure of a neurone and the transmission of a nerve impulse, the events at a synapse, the action of hormones, and the differences between nervous and hormonal coordination.
An Edexcel A-Level Biology B (Salters-Nuffield) answer on nervous and hormonal coordination, covering neurone structure, the resting potential and action potential, synaptic transmission, the action of hormones, and how nervous and hormonal coordination differ.
10 min answer →

How do plants capture light energy and use it to make organic molecules?

The light-dependent and light-independent reactions of photosynthesis, the role of chloroplast structure, the products of each stage, and the factors that limit the rate of photosynthesis.
An Edexcel A-Level Biology B (Salters-Nuffield) answer on photosynthesis, covering the light-dependent and light-independent reactions, the structure of the chloroplast, the role of ATP and NADP, and limiting factors.
10 min answer →

How do cells release energy from glucose in aerobic and anaerobic respiration?

The stages of aerobic respiration (glycolysis, the link reaction, the Krebs cycle and oxidative phosphorylation), the role of ATP and the mitochondrion, and anaerobic respiration in animals and yeast.
An Edexcel A-Level Biology B (Salters-Nuffield) answer on respiration, covering glycolysis, the link reaction, the Krebs cycle and oxidative phosphorylation, the role of ATP and the mitochondrion, and anaerobic respiration in animals and yeast.
10 min answer →