SYLLABUS
Unit 1: Chemistry of Life (8-11%)
Unit 2: Cell Structure and Formula (10-13%)
Unit 3: Cellular Energetics (12-16%)
Unit 4: Cell Communications and Cell Cycle (10-15%)
Unit 5: Heredity (8-11%)
Unit 6: Gene Expression and Regulation (12-16%)
Unit 7: Natural Selection (13-20%)
Unit 8: Ecology (10-15%)
Test Information
Section I | 60 Questions | 50% of Test | 1hr 30m
Section II | 6 Questions | 50% of Test | 1hr 30m
Unit 1: Chemistry of Life
8-11% Of the Exam
Youll learn about water’s role as the basis of life and the function of macromolecles like lipids and proteins
Topics May Include
The structure of chemical properties of water
the makeup and properties of macromolecles
the structure of DNA & RNA
Topics of the Unit
1.1 Structure of water and Hydrogen Bonding
1.2 Elements of life
1.3 Intro to Biological macromolecules
1.4 Properties of Biological Macromolecules
1.5 Structure and function of biological macromolecules
1.6 Nucleic Acids
Unit 2: Cell Structure and Function
You’ll study the makeup of cells and the fundamentals of evolution
10-13% of The Exam
Topics May Include
Cellular components and functions of those components
Cell interaction with its enviroment
The cell membrane structure and function
Cell regulatory mechanisms like osomosis and selective permability
cellular compartmenalization
Topics of the Unit
2.1 Cell Structure: Subcellular Components
2.2 Cell Structure and Function
2.3 Cell Size
2.4 Plasma Membrane
2.5 Membrane Permability
2.6 Membrane Transport
2.7 Facilitated Diffusion
2.8 Tonicity and Osmoregulation
2.9 Mechanisms of Transport
2.10 Cell Compartmentalization
2.11 Origins of cell Compartmentalization
Unit 3: Cellular Energetics
12-16% Of Exam
You’'ll explore how cells interact with their enviroment and how fundamental biological processes work at the cellular level
Topics may Include
The structure and function of enzymes
The role of energy in living systems
The process of photosynthesis
The process of cellular respiration
Molecular diversity and cellular response to enviromental changes
Topics
3.1: Enzyme Structure
3.2: Enzyme Catalysis
3.3: Enviromental impacts on Enzyme Function
3.4: Cellular Energy
3.5: Photosynthesis
3.6: Cellular Respiration
3.7: Fitness
Unit 4: Cell Communication and Cell Cycle
10-15% of The Exam
You’ll learn how cells grow and reproduce, as well as how cells communicate
Topics may include
The mechanisms of cell communcation
Signal transduction
Cellular responses and feedback mechanisms
The events in a cell cycle
Topics of the Unit
4.1: Cell Communication
4.2: Introduction to signal transduction
4.3: Signal transduction
4.4: Changes in signal transduction pathways
4.5: Feedback
4.6: Cell Cycle
4.7: Regulation of cell cycle
U5: Heredity
8-11% Of Exam
You’ll learn how traits are passed down from one generation to the next
Topics may Include
The process and function of meiosis
The concepts genetic diversity
Mendels law’s and probability
Non-mendelian inheritance
Factors affecting inheritance and gene expression
Topics of the Unit
5.1: Meiosis
5.2: Meiosis and Genetic Diversity
5.3: Mendelin Genetics
5.4: Non Mendelian Genetics
5.5: Enviromental Effects on phenotype
5.6 Chromosomal Inheritance
U6: Gene Expression and Regulation
12-16% of Exam
You’ll study how heredity information passes from parent to offspring and how those traits are expressed
Topics Include
The roles and function of DNA and RNA
The mechanisms of gene expression
How genotype affects phenotype
Mutations, genetic diversity and natural selection
Genetic engineering and biotechnology
Topics of the Unit
6.1: DNA and RNA structure
6.2: Replication
6.3: Transcription and RNA processing
6.4: Translation
6.5: Regulation of Gene Expression
6.6: Gene Expression and Cell Specialization
6.7: Mutation
6.8: Biotechnology
Unit 7: Natural Selection
13-20% of Exam
You’ll learn about Darwin’s theory, the concept of natural selection and evolution
Topics may Include
Evidential support for evolution and common ancestry
The mechanisms of natural selection and speciation
Enviromental and human caused factors in evolution
Charting species ancestry through phylogentic trees and cladograms
Extinction
Models of the origin of life on Earth
Topics of the Exam
7.1: Introduction to Natural Selection
7.2: Natural Selection
7.3 Artifical Selection
7.4: Population Genetics
7.5: Hardy-Weinberg Equallibrium
7.6 Evidence of Evolution
7.7: Common Ancestory
7.8 Continuing Evolution
7.9 Phylogeny
7.10: Speciation
7.11: Extinction
7.12: Variations in Population
7.13: Origins on Earth
Unit 8: Ecosystems
10-15% of Exam
You’ll explore biological concepts at a broader organism level and analyse how populations interact with ecosystems
Topics may include
Communcation and responses to enviromental change
Energy Flow within and across ecosystems
Factors in the growth, density and success of populations
Factors in community and ecosystem dynamics
Invasive species, human interaction and enviromental changes
Topics in this Unit
8.1: Responses to the enviroment
8.2: Energy flow through ecosystems
8.3: Population Ecology
8.4: Effect of density of population
8.5: Community Ecology
8.6: Biodiversity
8.7 Disruptions to Ecosystems