Cambridge IGCSE Biology Syllabus Overview

These flashcards cover key vocabulary and concepts related to the Cambridge IGCSE Biology syllabus, useful for exam preparation.

Cambridge IGCSE

Cambridge International General Certificate of Secondary Education.

ISO 9001:2015

An internationally recognized standard for quality management systems.

Cambridge Pathway

A flexible educational framework from age 5 to 19 designed to prepare students for success.

Curriculum alignment

The practice of ensuring that curriculum, teaching, learning, and assessment are closely related.

Assessment objectives (AOs)

Criteria that outline the expected skills and knowledge that candidates should demonstrate in exams.

Core syllabus

The fundamental content that all candidates are expected to know.

Extended syllabus

Additional content that builds upon the Core syllabus for candidates aiming for higher grades.

Biological catalysts

Substances that speed up chemical reactions in living organisms, primarily enzymes.

Transpiration

The process of water vapor loss from plant leaves.

Photosynthesis

The process by which green plants use sunlight to synthesize foods from carbon dioxide and water.

Osmosis

The movement of water molecules through a selectively permeable membrane from an area of lower solute concentration to an area of higher solute concentration.

Gene

A segment of DNA that contains the information to produce a specific protein.

Allele

An alternative form of a gene that may produce a distinguishable phenotype.

Mutation

A change in the DNA sequence that may lead to variations in traits.

Natural selection

The process whereby organisms better adapted to their environment tend to survive and produce more offspring.

Biodiversity

The variety of life in the world or in a particular habitat or ecosystem.

Antibiotic resistance

The ability of bacteria to resist the effects of an antibiotic.

Stomata

Small openings on the surface of leaves that allow gas exchange.

Enzymes

Proteins that act as biological catalysts, speeding up chemical reactions in the body.

Excretion

The process of removing waste products from the body.

Aerobic respiration

The process of producing cellular energy involving oxygen.

Anaerobic respiration

The process of producing cellular energy without oxygen.

Homeostasis

The regulation of an organism's internal environment to maintain stable conditions.

Trophic levels

The hierarchical levels in an ecosystem, comprising producers, primary consumers, secondary consumers, etc.