England · WJEC EduqasSyllabus
Biology syllabus, dot point by dot point
Every dot point in the England Biologysyllabus, with a focused answer for each one. Click any dot point for a worked explainer, past exam questions, and links to related dot points. Written by Claude Opus 4.8, Anthropic's latest AI.
Component 2: Continuity of Life
Module overview →- How do we read, copy and edit genomes, and how are these technologies used?Application of reproduction and genetics: recombinant DNA technology; PCR; gel electrophoresis; DNA profiling and sequencing; genetic screening; and the ethical issues raised.13 min answer →
- How are organisms classified, and how do we measure and compare biodiversity?Classification and biodiversity: the three domains and the taxonomic hierarchy; phylogeny; the species concept; measuring biodiversity using the index of diversity; and genetic diversity.12 min answer →
- How are characteristics inherited, and how do we test whether results fit a genetic ratio?Inheritance: monohybrid and dihybrid crosses; codominance and multiple alleles; sex linkage; epistasis; the use of genetic diagrams; and the chi-squared test.14 min answer →
- How do humans produce gametes, and how is the menstrual cycle controlled?Sexual reproduction in humans: gametogenesis (spermatogenesis and oogenesis); the structure of the gametes; fertilisation; and the hormonal control of the menstrual cycle.12 min answer →
- How do flowering plants reproduce sexually, from pollination to seed formation?Sexual reproduction in plants: the structure of an insect-pollinated flower; gamete formation; pollination and double fertilisation; seed and fruit formation; and adaptations promoting cross-pollination.12 min answer →
- Where does variation come from, and how do natural selection and the Hardy-Weinberg principle explain evolution?Variation and evolution: the sources of genetic variation; natural selection and types of selection; the Hardy-Weinberg principle; genetic drift; and speciation.14 min answer →
Core Concepts
Module overview →- Which chemical compounds build all living things, and how are they made, broken and tested for?Biological compounds: the roles of water and inorganic ions; the structure of carbohydrates, lipids and proteins; condensation and hydrolysis; and the biochemical tests for these molecules.13 min answer →
- How do cells divide to grow, repair and make gametes, and how does meiosis create variation?Cell division: the cell cycle and its control; mitosis and its role in growth and repair; meiosis and the production of genetic variation; and the mitotic index.12 min answer →
- How is a cell membrane built, and how do substances move across it?Cell membranes and transport: the fluid-mosaic model; diffusion and facilitated diffusion; osmosis and water potential; active transport; bulk transport by endocytosis and exocytosis; and the factors affecting the rate of movement.12 min answer →
- How are cells built, and how do their organelles, sizes and organisation suit their functions?Cell structure and organisation: the ultrastructure and functions of eukaryotic organelles; the differences between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells; microscopy and magnification; and the organisation of cells into tissues, organs and systems.13 min answer →
- How do enzymes speed up reactions, and what changes their rate?Enzymes: their role as biological catalysts; the lock-and-key and induced-fit models; the formation of enzyme-substrate complexes; the effects of temperature, pH, substrate concentration and enzyme concentration; and competitive and non-competitive inhibition.12 min answer →
- How is genetic information stored, copied and used to build proteins?Nucleic acids and protein synthesis: the structure of DNA and RNA; semi-conservative replication; the genetic code; transcription and translation; and the role of ATP.13 min answer →
Component 1: Energy for Life
Module overview →- How do human activities damage ecosystems, and how can we conserve them sustainably?Human impact on the environment: the effects of deforestation, agriculture and pollution; eutrophication; the loss of biodiversity; climate change; and conservation and sustainability.12 min answer →
- Why is ATP the universal energy currency of cells, and how is it made and used?The importance of ATP: its structure; its hydrolysis to ADP and inorganic phosphate; why it is a suitable immediate energy currency; and how it is resynthesised by phosphorylation.11 min answer →
- How are microorganisms cultured and counted, and how do bacterial populations grow?Microbiology: the culturing of microorganisms; aseptic technique; the bacterial growth curve; methods of measuring population growth; and the action of antibiotics.12 min answer →
- How does a chloroplast capture light energy and use it to fix carbon dioxide into sugars?Photosynthesis: chloroplast structure; the light-dependent stage (photolysis of water, photophosphorylation and the reduction of NADP); the light-independent stage (the Calvin cycle); and the effect of limiting factors.14 min answer →
- What controls the size of a population, and how does energy and matter flow through an ecosystem?Population size and ecosystems: factors limiting population size; sampling techniques; succession; the flow of energy through trophic levels; and the carbon and nitrogen cycles.13 min answer →
- How is the chemical energy in glucose released and used to make ATP?Respiration: glycolysis, the link reaction, the Krebs cycle and oxidative phosphorylation; the role of NAD and FAD; anaerobic respiration; and respiratory substrates.14 min answer →
Component 3: Requirements for Life (Section B options)
Module overview →- How do bones, joints and muscles work together to produce movement?Option B Human musculoskeletal anatomy: the structure of the skeleton and joints; antagonistic muscle action; the structure of skeletal muscle; the sliding filament theory of contraction; and musculoskeletal injuries.13 min answer →
- How does the body defend itself against pathogens, and how do vaccines and antibiotics help?Option A Immunology and disease: pathogens and disease transmission; non-specific defences; the specific immune response; antibodies; active and passive immunity; vaccination; and antibiotics.14 min answer →
- How is the brain organised, and how do innate and learned behaviours arise?Option C Neurobiology and behaviour: the structure and functions of the human brain; methods of studying the brain; innate and learned behaviour; types of learning; and the role of behaviour in survival.13 min answer →
Practical and Mathematical Skills
Module overview →- How do I design a valid experiment and use statistics to test whether results are significant?Experimental design and statistics: variables, controls, validity and reliability; types of error and uncertainty; the chi-squared test; correlation and causation; and choosing an appropriate statistical test.13 min answer →
- Which mathematical skills are tested across the Eduqas Biology papers, and how do I apply them?Mathematical skills: magnification and scale; surface-area-to-volume ratio; percentages and percentage change; standard form and units; the index of diversity; the Hardy-Weinberg equation; and rates from graphs.13 min answer →
- What practical techniques must I master for the Eduqas Practical Endorsement and the written papers?The Practical Endorsement: the specified practicals and core techniques (microscopy, the biochemical tests, enzyme and membrane investigations, dissection, sampling and respirometry); and how practical skills are assessed on paper.12 min answer →
- How are the Eduqas Biology papers structured and marked, and how do I answer the QER question?The Eduqas exams: the three components and their structure; the assessment objectives and their weightings; the command words; and how to answer the levels-of-response Quality of Extended Response (QER) question.12 min answer →
Component 3: Requirements for Life
Module overview →- How are gas exchange surfaces adapted in mammals, fish, insects and plants?Adaptations for gas exchange: the features of an efficient exchange surface; surface-area-to-volume ratio; gas exchange in mammals, fish (counter-current flow), insects and plants; and ventilation.12 min answer →
- How do organisms obtain and digest their food, and how is the gut adapted for absorption?Adaptations for nutrition: autotrophic and heterotrophic nutrition; the human digestive system; the digestion of carbohydrates, proteins and lipids; and adaptations of the small intestine for absorption.12 min answer →
- How do mammals and plants transport substances around their bodies?Adaptations for transport: the mammalian heart and the cardiac cycle; blood vessels and tissue fluid; haemoglobin and the oxygen dissociation curve; and transport in plants (xylem and phloem).14 min answer →
- How does the kidney filter the blood, conserve water and keep the internal environment constant?Homeostasis and the kidney: the principle of negative feedback; the structure of the nephron; ultrafiltration and selective reabsorption; the role of the loop of Henle; and osmoregulation by ADH.13 min answer →
- How does a neurone carry an electrical impulse, and how is it passed across a synapse?The nervous system: the structure of neurones; the resting and action potentials; the propagation of the nerve impulse; saltatory conduction; synaptic transmission; and the reflex arc.14 min answer →