WJEC GCSE Biology: Response and regulation (Unit 2) overview
An overview of the response and regulation content in WJEC GCSE Biology Unit 2 (sections 2.5 and 2.6), mapping the nervous system and reflexes, the eye, hormones and blood glucose, temperature regulation, plant responses, and the kidney, and how they are examined.
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Jump to a section
This module covers how living things detect changes and keep their internal conditions steady. It draws together two sections of WJEC Biology Unit 2: section 2.5 Response and regulation and section 2.6 Kidneys and homeostasis. This page maps the module and links to a focused answer page for each topic.
The response and regulation content
- The nervous system and reflexes
- Stimuli, receptors and effectors, the central nervous system, neurons and impulses, and the reflex arc. See The nervous system and reflexes.
- The eye and focusing
- The structure and function of the parts of the eye, accommodation, and the correction of long and short sight. See The eye and focusing.
- Hormones and blood glucose
- Hormones as chemical messengers, the main hormones, the control of blood glucose by insulin and glucagon, and diabetes. See Hormones and blood glucose.
- Homeostasis and temperature regulation
- Homeostasis as a constant internal environment, the thermoregulatory centre, and sweating, shivering, vasodilation and vasoconstriction. See Homeostasis and temperature regulation.
- Plant responses and tropisms
- Phototropism and gravitropism, and the role of the plant hormone auxin. See Plant responses and tropisms.
- The kidney and homeostasis
- The structure of the kidney and nephron, ultrafiltration, selective reabsorption, water balance by ADH, and treating kidney failure. See The kidney and homeostasis.
How this module is examined
This content is assessed on Unit 2, a written paper of 1 hour 45 minutes, worth 80 marks and 45% of the qualification, tiered at Foundation and Higher. Expect short answer, structured, data response and extended writing questions, including diagrams of the reflex arc, the eye and the nephron, and graphs of blood glucose.
How to study this module
Response and regulation rewards exact recall and clear cause-and-effect reasoning.
- Learn the reflex arc. Receptor, sensory neuron, relay neuron, motor neuron, effector, in order.
- Label the eye and nephron. Practise the structures and their functions until they are automatic.
- Learn the antagonistic pairs. Insulin and glucagon, vasodilation and vasoconstriction, high and low ADH.
- Master accommodation. The ciliary muscles, suspensory ligaments and lens shape for near and far.
- Explain auxin. How auxin builds up on the shaded side so a shoot bends towards the light.
For the official specification
WJEC publishes the full specification, past papers and mark schemes at wjec.co.uk. Always revise from the current specification and WJEC's own past papers.
Sources & how we know this
- WJEC GCSE Biology specification (from 2016) — WJEC (2016)