Cambridge A-level Biology Year 13 revision

Topic 12: Energy and respiration

It builds on what you learned at AS Level in Biological molecules, and takes it further.

There are 3 parts: we start with respiration, and finish with the practical on the rate of respiration in yeast (required practical 9).

1. 12.1Respiration31 questions
2. 12.2Respiratory substrates and the respiratory quotient25 questions
3. 12.3Practical: the rate of respiration in yeast (required practical 9)18 questions

Topic 13: Photosynthesis

It builds on what you learned at AS Level in Cell structure, and takes it further.

There are 3 parts: we start with photosynthesis, and finish with the practical on rate of photosynthesis and dehydrogenase activity in chloroplasts.

1. 13.1PhotosynthesisFree 44 questions
2. 13.2Practical: chromatography of photosynthetic pigments (Rf values)15 questions
3. 13.3Practical: rate of photosynthesis and dehydrogenase activity in chloroplasts43 questions

Topic 14: Homeostasis

It builds on what you learned at AS Level in Transport in mammals, and takes it further.

There are 7 parts: we start with principles of homeostasis and negative feedback, and finish with plant responses.

1. 14.1Principles of homeostasis and negative feedbackFree 30 questions
2. 14.2The liver: structure, deamination, urea and the ornithine cycle28 questions
3. 14.3The kidney: nephron structure, ultrafiltration and selective reabsorption26 questions
4. 14.4Control of blood water potential50 questions
5. 14.5Control of blood glucose69 questions
6. 14.6Practical: dilution series and colorimetric calibration curve for glucose concentration41 questions
7. 14.7Plant responses: leaf abscission, stomatal closure, seed germination, apical dominance and fruit ripening40 questions

Topic 15: Control and coordination

There are 8 parts: we start with the endocrine system and mechanisms of hormone action, and finish with plant hormones.

1. 15.1The endocrine system and mechanisms of hormone action35 questions
2. 15.2Neurones: sensory, relay and motor neurones, and the myelin sheath21 questions
3. 15.3Nervous coordination31 questions
4. 15.4Synapses: cholinergic synapses, neuromuscular junctions, summation and drugs22 questions
5. 15.5Reflex arcs and simple reflexes37 questions
6. 15.6Skeletal muscle35 questions
7. 15.7Stimuli, receptors and plant responsesFree 34 questions
8. 15.8Plant hormones: auxins, gibberellins, cytokinins, ethene and abscisic acidFree 41 questions

Topic 16: Inheritance

It builds on what you learned at AS Level in The mitotic cell cycle and Nucleic acids and protein synthesis, and takes it further.

There are 7 parts: we start with meiosis, crossing over and independent assortment, and finish with the lac operon.

1. 16.1Meiosis, crossing over and independent assortmentFree 34 questions
2. 16.2InheritanceFree 33 questions
3. 16.3Autosomal linkage and epistasis26 questions
4. 16.4Chi-squared test for genetic crosses22 questions
5. 16.5MutationsFree 23 questions
6. 16.6Transcription factors and control of transcriptionFree 31 questions
7. 16.7The lac operon35 questions

Topic 17: Selection and evolution

It builds on what you learned at AS Level in Nucleic acids and protein synthesis, and takes it further.

There are 6 parts: we start with sources of variation, and finish with evolution and speciation.

1. 17.1Sources of variation: genetic and environmental, continuous and discontinuous variation29 questions
2. 17.2Types of natural selection: stabilising, directional and disruptive31 questions
3. 17.3Populations and Hardy–Weinberg35 questions
4. 17.4Genetic drift, founder effect and population bottlenecks28 questions
5. 17.5Artificial selection and selective breeding23 questions
6. 17.6Evolution and speciation32 questions

Topic 18: Classification, biodiversity and conservation

There are 6 parts: we start with populations in ecosystems, and finish with sustainable management of ecosystems.

1. 18.1Populations in ecosystems70 questions
2. 18.2Ecological sampling: random sampling, quadrats, transects and mark-release-recapture75 questions
3. 18.3Statistical tests in ecology: Spearman's rank, t-test and Simpson's index of diversity23 questions
4. 18.4Practical: effect of an environmental factor on the distribution of a species28 questions
5. 18.5Climate change and its effects on ecosystems73 questions
6. 18.6Sustainable management of ecosystems: forestry, fisheries and conservation72 questions

Topic 19: Genetic technology

It builds on what you learned at AS Level in Nucleic acids and protein synthesis, and takes it further.

There are 8 parts: we start with recombinant DNA technology, and finish with ethical, social and economic issues of genetic technologies and GM organisms.

1. 19.1Recombinant DNA technology: restriction enzymes, vectors and transformation of organisms65 questions
2. 19.2The polymerase chain reaction (PCR)27 questions
3. 19.3Gel electrophoresis and DNA profiling (genetic fingerprinting)24 questions
4. 19.4DNA sequencing methods and bioinformaticsFree 38 questions
5. 19.5Genome projects22 questions
6. 19.6DNA probes, genetic screening and personalised medicine35 questions
7. 19.7Gene therapy25 questions
8. 19.8Ethical, social and economic issues of genetic technologies and GM organisms30 questions

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