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Unit 4: Variation, Inheritance and Applications

4 dot points across 4 inquiry questions. Click any dot point for a focused answer with worked past exam questions where available.

How is our knowledge of genetics applied in biotechnology and medicine?

Genetic engineering, the polymerase chain reaction and gene technology, gene therapy, cloning, and the Human Genome Project.
A focused answer to WJEC A-Level Biology Unit 4, covering genetic engineering and recombinant DNA, the polymerase chain reaction and gene probes, gene therapy, cloning, and the Human Genome Project with its ethical issues.
11 min answer →

How are characteristics inherited, and how does evolution happen?

Monohybrid and dihybrid inheritance, sex linkage, the sources of variation, natural selection and speciation.
A focused answer to WJEC A-Level Biology Unit 4, covering monohybrid and dihybrid crosses, codominance and sex linkage, the sources of genetic variation, natural selection, and the formation of new species.
11 min answer →

How do humans and flowering plants reproduce sexually?

Gametogenesis and the menstrual cycle in humans, fertilisation, and sexual reproduction and the life cycle in flowering plants.
A focused answer to WJEC A-Level Biology Unit 4, covering gametogenesis and the structure of gametes, the hormonal control of the menstrual cycle, fertilisation, and sexual reproduction in flowering plants.
11 min answer →

How do muscles and the skeleton work together to produce movement?

The structure of skeletal muscle, the sliding filament theory of contraction, the role of ATP and calcium, and the role of the skeleton and joints.
A focused answer to WJEC A-Level Biology Unit 4, covering the structure of skeletal muscle and the sarcomere, the sliding filament theory, the roles of ATP and calcium ions, and how the skeleton and antagonistic muscles produce movement.
11 min answer →