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EnglandBiology

Core Concepts

6 dot points across 6 inquiry questions. Click any dot point for a focused answer with worked past exam questions where available.

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.
A focused answer to the Eduqas Biology Core Concepts statement on biological compounds. Covers water and inorganic ions, the structure of carbohydrates, lipids and proteins, condensation and hydrolysis, and the biochemical food tests.
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.
A focused answer to the Eduqas Biology Core Concepts statement on cell division. Covers the cell cycle and its checkpoints, the stages of mitosis, meiosis and the sources of variation it creates, and the mitotic index calculation.
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.
A focused answer to the Eduqas Biology Core Concepts statement on membranes. Covers the fluid-mosaic model, simple and facilitated diffusion, osmosis and water potential, active transport, endocytosis and exocytosis, and the factors that affect the rate of transport.
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.
A focused answer to the Eduqas Biology Core Concepts statement on cell structure. Covers eukaryotic organelles and the secretory pathway, prokaryotic cells, microscopy and resolution, magnification calculations, and the organisation of cells into tissues and organs.
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.
A focused answer to the Eduqas Biology Core Concepts statement on enzymes. Covers enzymes as catalysts, the lock-and-key and induced-fit models, the four rate factors, denaturation, 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.
A focused answer to the Eduqas Biology Core Concepts statement on nucleic acids. Covers the structure of DNA and RNA, semi-conservative replication, the genetic code, transcription and translation, and the role of ATP.
13 min answer →