Back to England Combined Science
England · Pearson EdexcelQ&A
Combined ScienceQ&A by dot point
A short Q&A bank for every England Combined Science syllabus dot point. Each question and answer is drawn directly from our worked dot-point page, so you can scan key concepts before opening the long-form answer.
Topic 7: Animal coordination, control and homeostasis
Topic 1: Key concepts in biology
- Eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells, the sub-cellular structures of animal, plant and bacterial cells, specialised cells, and using a light microscope with the magnification equation.2Q&A pairs
- Enzymes as biological catalysts, the lock and key model, the effect of temperature, pH and substrate concentration on enzyme activity, and movement of substances by diffusion, osmosis and active transport.2Q&A pairs
Topic 2: Cells and control
- The cell cycle and mitosis, the role of mitosis in growth, repair and asexual reproduction, growth in animals and plants, and the use of percentile charts to monitor growth.2Q&A pairs
- Stem cells in animals and plants and their uses, the structure of the nervous system, the reflex arc, and the structure and function of neurones.2Q&A pairs
Topic 3: Chemical changes
- Acids, alkalis and the pH scale, neutralisation, the reactions of acids with metals, bases and carbonates, making soluble salts, and electrolysis of molten compounds and solutions.2Q&A pairs
- The reactivity series, displacement reactions, oxidation and reduction, the extraction of metals by reduction with carbon or electrolysis, and the link between reactivity and extraction method.2Q&A pairs
Topic 1: Key concepts in chemistry
- The structure of the atom, atomic number and mass number, isotopes, electronic configuration, and the arrangement of the periodic table into groups and periods.2Q&A pairs
- Ionic, covalent and metallic bonding, how each type of bond forms, the structures they produce, and how bonding explains the properties of ionic compounds, simple molecules, giant covalent structures and metals.2Q&A pairs
Topic 9: Ecosystems and material cycles
- Levels of organisation in an ecosystem, abiotic and biotic factors, interdependence and competition, the carbon, water and nitrogen cycles, and the effect of human activity on biodiversity.2Q&A pairs
- The need for exchange surfaces and a transport system, the structure of the lungs and gas exchange, and the human circulatory system including the heart and blood.2Q&A pairs
Topic 10: Electricity and circuits
- Series and parallel circuits, how current and potential difference are shared in each, the equations for electrical power and energy, and the UK mains supply.2Q&A pairs
- Electric current, potential difference and resistance, the equation V = IR, Ohm's law, and the current-voltage characteristics of resistors, filament lamps and diodes.2Q&A pairs
Topic 3: Conservation of energy
- Energy stores and transfers, the conservation of energy, calculating kinetic and gravitational potential energy, and dissipation of energy to the surroundings.2Q&A pairs
- Work done by a force, the equation for power, the calculation and meaning of efficiency, and the difference between renewable and non-renewable energy resources.2Q&A pairs
Topic 15: Forces and matter
Topic 8: Fuels and Earth science
- Crude oil and hydrocarbons, fractional distillation, complete and incomplete combustion, the pollutants from burning fuels, and their environmental effects.2Q&A pairs
- The evolution of the Earth's early atmosphere, the present composition of the atmosphere, the greenhouse effect, and the evidence and consequences of human-caused climate change.2Q&A pairs
Topic 3: Genetics
- DNA, genes and chromosomes, the genome, sexual and asexual reproduction, meiosis and the production of gametes, and the key genetic terms.2Q&A pairs
- Monohybrid inheritance and Punnett squares, dominant and recessive alleles, predicting ratios and probabilities, genetic variation and the causes of variation, and mutations.2Q&A pairs
Topic 5: Health, disease and the development of medicines
- Communicable diseases and their pathogens, how pathogens spread, the body's defences, the immune response and the role of antibodies, and vaccination.2Q&A pairs
- Non-communicable diseases and their risk factors, the effect of lifestyle on health, the development and testing of new drugs, and the stages of clinical trials.4Q&A pairs
Topic 12: Magnetism and the motor effect
Topic 2: Motion and forces
- Contact and non-contact forces, resultant forces, Newton's first, second and third laws, the equation F = ma, mass and weight, and stopping distances.2Q&A pairs
- Distance, displacement, speed and velocity, the equations for speed and acceleration, the uniform acceleration equation, and interpreting distance-time and velocity-time graphs.2Q&A pairs
Topic 4: Natural selection and genetic modification
- Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection, the role of variation and mutation, evidence from fossils and antibiotic resistance, and how new species form.2Q&A pairs
- Selective breeding and its uses and risks, genetic engineering and the steps involved, the use of genetically modified organisms, and the benefits and concerns of GM technology.2Q&A pairs
Topic 14: Particle model
Topic 6: Plant structures and their functions
Topic 6: Radioactivity
Topic 7: Rates of reaction and energy changes
- Exothermic and endothermic reactions, energy level (reaction profile) diagrams, activation energy, and the trends in reactivity of group 1, group 7 and group 0 elements.2Q&A pairs
- The properties and reactions of the group 1 alkali metals, the group 7 halogens and their displacement reactions, and the group 0 noble gases, with the trends down each group.2Q&A pairs
- The factors that affect the rate of reaction, collision theory, the effect of a catalyst, and methods of measuring and calculating rate from experimental data.2Q&A pairs
Topic 2: States of matter and mixtures
Topic 5: Light and the electromagnetic spectrum
- The electromagnetic spectrum and its order, the properties of electromagnetic waves, the uses of each type of radiation, and the dangers of the higher-energy waves.2Q&A pairs
- Transverse and longitudinal waves, the wave quantities (amplitude, wavelength, frequency, period), the wave equation, and reflection and refraction.2Q&A pairs