England · Pearson EdexcelSyllabus
Combined Science syllabus, dot point by dot point
Every dot point in the England Combined Sciencesyllabus, 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.
Topic 7: Animal coordination, control and homeostasis
Module overview →Topic 1: Key concepts in biology
Module overview →- How are animal, plant and bacterial cells structured, and how do we use a microscope to study them?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.9 min answer →
- How do enzymes control reactions, and how do substances move in and out of cells?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.9 min answer →
Topic 2: Cells and control
Module overview →- How do cells divide for growth, and how is growth measured?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.8 min answer →
- What are stem cells used for, and how does the nervous system carry information?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.9 min answer →
Topic 3: Chemical changes
Module overview →- How do acids react, and how does electrolysis break compounds down?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.9 min answer →
- How reactive are metals, and how are they extracted from their ores?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.9 min answer →
Topic 1: Key concepts in chemistry
Module overview →- What is an atom made of, and how is the periodic table arranged?The structure of the atom, atomic number and mass number, isotopes, electronic configuration, and the arrangement of the periodic table into groups and periods.9 min answer →
- How do atoms join together, and how does bonding explain the properties of a substance?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.9 min answer →
Topic 9: Ecosystems and material cycles
Module overview →- How do organisms interact in an ecosystem, and how are carbon, water and nitrogen recycled?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.9 min answer →
- How are exchange surfaces adapted, and how does the circulatory system transport substances?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.9 min answer →
Topic 10: Electricity and circuits
Module overview →- How do series and parallel circuits behave, and how is electrical power and energy calculated?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.9 min answer →
- What are current, voltage and resistance, and how are they related?Electric current, potential difference and resistance, the equation V = IR, Ohm's law, and the current-voltage characteristics of resistors, filament lamps and diodes.9 min answer →
Topic 3: Conservation of energy
Module overview →- How is energy stored, transferred and conserved?Energy stores and transfers, the conservation of energy, calculating kinetic and gravitational potential energy, and dissipation of energy to the surroundings.9 min answer →
- What is work done, how is power calculated, and what is efficiency?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.9 min answer →
Topic 15: Forces and matter
Module overview →Topic 8: Fuels and Earth science
Module overview →- What are hydrocarbon fuels, and what pollutants does burning them produce?Crude oil and hydrocarbons, fractional distillation, complete and incomplete combustion, the pollutants from burning fuels, and their environmental effects.9 min answer →
- How did the Earth's atmosphere form and change, and why is the climate changing now?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.8 min answer →
Topic 3: Genetics
Module overview →- What is DNA, and how is genetic information passed from parents to offspring?DNA, genes and chromosomes, the genome, sexual and asexual reproduction, meiosis and the production of gametes, and the key genetic terms.9 min answer →
- How do we predict the outcome of a genetic cross, and what causes variation?Monohybrid inheritance and Punnett squares, dominant and recessive alleles, predicting ratios and probabilities, genetic variation and the causes of variation, and mutations.9 min answer →
Topic 5: Health, disease and the development of medicines
Module overview →- What causes communicable diseases, and how does the body defend itself?Communicable diseases and their pathogens, how pathogens spread, the body's defences, the immune response and the role of antibodies, and vaccination.9 min answer →
- What are non-communicable diseases, and how are new medicines developed and tested?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.9 min answer →
Topic 12: Magnetism and the motor effect
Module overview →Topic 2: Motion and forces
Module overview →- How do forces change motion, and what do Newton's laws tell us?Contact and non-contact forces, resultant forces, Newton's first, second and third laws, the equation F = ma, mass and weight, and stopping distances.9 min answer →
- How do we describe and calculate motion using speed, velocity and acceleration?Distance, displacement, speed and velocity, the equations for speed and acceleration, the uniform acceleration equation, and interpreting distance-time and velocity-time graphs.9 min answer →
Topic 4: Natural selection and genetic modification
Module overview →- How does evolution by natural selection happen, and what evidence supports it?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.9 min answer →
- How do humans deliberately change the characteristics of living things?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.9 min answer →
Topic 14: Particle model
Module overview →Topic 6: Plant structures and their functions
Module overview →Topic 6: Radioactivity
Module overview →Topic 7: Rates of reaction and energy changes
Module overview →- Why do reactions take in or give out energy, and how do the groups of the periodic table behave?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.9 min answer →
- How do the elements in groups 1, 7 and 0 react, and what trends do they show?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.9 min answer →
- What controls how fast a reaction goes, and how do we measure rate?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.9 min answer →
Topic 2: States of matter and mixtures
Module overview →Topic 5: Light and the electromagnetic spectrum
Module overview →- What is the electromagnetic spectrum, and what are the uses and dangers of each type?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.9 min answer →
- What are the properties of waves, and how do we calculate wave speed?Transverse and longitudinal waves, the wave quantities (amplitude, wavelength, frequency, period), the wave equation, and reflection and refraction.9 min answer →