YEAR 9 Spring 2026: 30 Mark Assessment Checklist

Flashcards covering key terms and concepts from Year 9 Biology assessment notes.

What is the eyepiece lens in a microscope?

The part of the microscope you look down.

How is magnification defined?

How much bigger something appears compared with its actual size.

What does the objective lens do?

It is the part of the microscope that is closest to the specimen.

What is resolution in the context of a microscope?

The smallest change that can be measured by an instrument, specifically the smallest distance between two points that can be seen as two distinct points.

What is the function of the cell (surface) membrane?

It controls what goes into and out of a cell.

What is a cell wall and its functions?

A tough layer of material around some cells used for protection and support; it is stiff and made of cellulose in plants.

What are chloroplasts?

Green discs containing chlorophyll, found in plant cells, where glucose is made through photosynthesis.

What is the role of the nucleus in a cell?

The cellular structure that contains DNA/chromosomes in a eukaryotic cell.

What do ribosomes do?

They are tiny sub-cellular structures that make proteins.

Define respiration in biological terms.

A series of reactions in all living cells where glucose is broken down to release energy.

What is photosynthesis?

A series of reactions that occur in plants where carbon dioxide and water combine to form glucose and oxygen, requiring sunlight.

What is a biotic factor?

Living components in an ecosystem, including plants, animals, and micro-organisms.

What is an abiotic factor?

Non-living components in an ecosystem, such as temperature, light, and space.

What is adaptation in biology?

Features of an organism that enable it to survive or perform a specific function.

What are stem cells?

Cells that have not undergone differentiation and are undifferentiated.

What are meristems?

Regions of unspecialised cells in plants, capable of cell division.

What is the myelin sheath?

A fatty insulating layer that wraps around nerve cells, allowing electrical impulses to travel quickly.

What is a synapse?

The gap between two neurons where a neurotransmitter diffuses, allowing signals to pass from one neuron to the next.

What is the equation for image size?

Image size = actual size x magnification (I = A x M).

How do you calculate total magnification?

Total magnification = eyepiece lens magnification x objective lens magnification.