Year 10 Science - Biology & Physics - Semester 1 2025 Summary

Transmission of Heritable Characteristics

• Involves DNA and genes.
• Topics:
  • Structure of DNA.
  • Mitosis & Meiosis.
  • Punnett Squares.
  • Pedigrees.

Theory of Evolution by Natural Selection

• Explains the diversity of living things.
• Supported by scientific evidence.
• Topics:
  • Variation.
  • Natural Selection & Evolution.

Motion of Objects

• Can be described and predicted using the laws of physics.
• Topics:
  • Linear Motion.
  • Newton’s Laws.

Energy Conservation

• Explained by describing energy transfers and transformations.
• Topics:
  • Energy.

DNA and Genes

• Describe the structure and function of DNA
• State who discovered DNA and how
• State the base pair rule and identify the four nitrogenous bases
• Explain the relationship between DNA, genes and chromosomes
• State the function of DNA
• Draw and label a diagram of DNA

Mitosis and Meiosis

• Explain the process of mitosis and meiosis

Punnett Squares

• Explain the process of inheritance in terms of genes
• Define allele, homozygous, heterozygous, dominant, recessive, genotype, phenotype
• Use a Punnett square to determine possible genotype and phenotype ratios
• State the genotype and phenotype from a scenario
• Distinguish between dominant and recessive characteristics using appropriate symbols
• Predict genotype and phenotype frequencies for autosomal and sex-linked traits

Pedigrees

• Draw a pedigree chart using appropriate symbols
• Identify relationships between individuals on a pedigree
• Determine whether a pedigree is tracking an autosomal or sex-linked trait
• Determine whether a pedigree is tracking at autosomal dominant or autosomal recessive

Variation

• Identify sources of variation
• Describe how mutations, sexual reproduction and meiosis lead to variation in a population

Natural Selection & Evolution

• Define natural selection and evolution
• Outline the 7 principles of natural selection
• Identify the 7 principles of natural selection in a scenario
• Describe how fossils and comparative anatomy provide evidence for evolution

Linear Motion

• Understand the difference between Vector and Scalar Quantities, including distance and displacement.
• Compare speed and velocity
• Compare distance and time
• Calculate speed, distance and time from a given formula
• Use distance/time graphs to calculate speed
• Describe motion from a distance/time graph
• Calculate the velocity using a given formula
• Describe motion from a displacement/ time graph
• Calculate velocity from a displacement time graph
• Define Acceleration
• Use an appropriate calculation to calculate acceleration
• Identify whether an object is accelerating or decelerating based on the acceleration value
• Understand that the value of acceleration due to gravity is $9.8 ms^{-2}$
• Determine the type of motion from a ticker timer tape
• Calculation velocity and acceleration from a ticker timer tape

Newton’s Laws

• State that all forces are measured in Newtons (N)
• Calculate net force from an image and indicate whether object will remain in place or change direction
• Explain Newtons 1st Law of Motion relates to balanced forces and apply the concept to everyday situations.
• Define and explain inertia
• Compare mass and weight
• Use $F=MG$ to calculate force, mass or acceleration due to gravity
• Explain Newtons 2nd law as an acceleration due to unbalanced forces and apply this to everyday situations
• Use newtons 2nd law to predict how a force affects movement of an object
• Describe the relationship between net force, mass and acceleration
• Calculate net force and describe acceleration from an image
• Recognise and apply Newton’s 3rd law to describe the effect of interactions between objects
• Pair and predict action and reaction forces

Energy

• State the law of conservation of energy
• Define energy transfer, energy transformation, kinetic energy, potential energy
• Identify forms of kinetic energy: light, heat, sound, mechanical, electrical
• Identify forms of potential energy: chemical, gravitational, elastic
• Calculate Potential ($E<em>p$) and Kinetic Energy ($E</em>k$) using everyday examples
• Identify the relationship between $E<em>p$, $E</em>k$ and Mechanical Energy ($E_m$)
• Identify forms of useful energy and wasted energy in a system
• Describe how energy can be ‘lost’ from a system