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🇵🇰 Cambridge AS and A Level · subject
Cambridge AS and A Level Biology (9700) Syllabus
Every chapter and topic of Biology (9700) examined in Cambridge AS and A Level — 13 chapters, 45 topics, plus 61 flashcards written against it.
Biology (9700) syllabus — full chapter and topic list
Expand any chapter to see its topics and sub-topics. This is the whole examinable outline for Biology (9700) in Cambridge AS and A Level, not a summary of it.
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Cell Structure
3 topics- Eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells
- Microscopy
- Viruses
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Biological Molecules
5 topics- Carbohydrates
- Lipids
- Proteins
- Water and inorganic ions
- Biochemical tests
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Enzymes
3 topics- Mode of enzyme action
- Factors affecting enzyme activity
- Enzyme inhibitors
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Cell Membranes and Transport
3 topics- Fluid mosaic model
- Passive transport
- Active transport, endocytosis and exocytosis
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The Mitotic Cell Cycle
3 topics- Chromosomes and DNA replication
- Mitosis and the cell cycle
- Cancer and uncontrolled cell division
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Nucleic Acids and Protein Synthesis
3 topics- Structure of DNA and RNA
- DNA replication
- Protein synthesis
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Transport in Plants and Mammals
3 topics- Xylem and water transport
- Phloem and translocation
- The mammalian circulatory system
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Gas Exchange and Infectious Disease
3 topics- Gas exchange in mammals
- Infectious diseases
- Antibiotics and antibiotic resistance
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Immunity
3 topics- Cells of the immune system
- Antibodies and the immune response
- Active and passive immunity
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Energy and Respiration
4 topics- ATP and energy transfer
- Aerobic respiration
- Anaerobic respiration
- Respiratory substrates and RQ
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Photosynthesis
3 topics- Light-dependent reactions
- Light-independent reactions (Calvin cycle)
- Limiting factors and chloroplast structure
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Homeostasis and Coordination
4 topics- Control of blood glucose
- The kidney and osmoregulation
- Nervous coordination
- Hormonal control and plant responses
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Inheritance, Selection and Evolution
5 topics- Meiosis and genetic variation
- Monohybrid and dihybrid inheritance
- Genetic technology
- Natural selection and evolution
- Biodiversity and conservation
Biology (9700) flashcards for Cambridge AS and A Level
21 of 61 cards from the Biology (9700) deck — real questions with worked answers.
List three structures found in a eukaryotic cell that are absent in a prokaryotic cell.
Membrane-bound nucleus, membrane-bound organelles (e.g. mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi), and 80S ribosomes.
Compare the size and type of ribosomes in prokaryotic versus eukaryotic cells.
Prokaryotic cells have smaller 70S ribosomes; eukaryotic cells have larger 80S ribosomes (mitochondria and chloroplasts contain 70S).
What molecule forms the cell wall of bacteria (prokaryotes)?
Peptidoglycan (murein), a polymer of sugars and amino acids.
How is the genetic material organised in a prokaryotic cell?
As a single circular DNA molecule that is not associated with histone proteins, located in a region called the nucleoid; plasmids may also be present.
State the function of the rough endoplasmic reticulum (RER).
It has ribosomes on its surface and synthesises, folds and transports proteins, especially those for secretion or membranes.
State the function of the smooth endoplasmic reticulum (SER).
It synthesises, stores and transports lipids and steroids; it has no ribosomes on its surface.
What is the function of the Golgi apparatus?
It modifies, processes (e.g. adds carbohydrates to make glycoproteins), sorts and packages proteins and lipids into vesicles for secretion or transport, and forms lysosomes.
Describe the structure and function of a mitochondrion.
It has a double membrane; the inner membrane is folded into cristae and surrounds the matrix. It is the site of aerobic respiration, producing ATP.
Why are chloroplasts and mitochondria described as semi-autonomous organelles?
They contain their own circular DNA and 70S ribosomes, so they can make some of their own proteins and replicate independently.
State the function of lysosomes.
They contain hydrolytic (digestive) enzymes used to break down old organelles, ingested material (phagocytosis) and, on cell death, the cell itself (autolysis).
What are the roles of microtubules formed by the centrioles?
They form the spindle fibres during nuclear division and make up the structure of cilia and flagella (9+2 arrangement).
Where are the nucleolus located and what does it produce?
The nucleolus is inside the nucleus and it manufactures ribosomal RNA (rRNA) and assembles ribosomes.
State the equation used to calculate the actual size of a specimen from a drawing.
Actual size = image size / magnification (magnification = image size / actual size).
Convert 1 millimetre into micrometres and into nanometres.
1 mm = 1000 micrometres (um); 1 micrometre = 1000 nanometres (nm), so 1 mm = 1,000,000 nm.
Define magnification and resolution.
Magnification is how many times larger an image is than the actual object. Resolution is the ability to distinguish two separate points as separate; it is the minimum distance apart two objects can be to appear distinct.
Why does an electron microscope have a higher resolution than a light microscope?
Electrons have a much shorter wavelength than light, so smaller objects/closer points can be resolved.
State the approximate maximum resolution of a light microscope and a transmission electron microscope.
Light microscope: about 200 nm (0.2 micrometres). Transmission electron microscope: about 0.5 nm.
Compare the images produced by a transmission electron microscope (TEM) and a scanning electron microscope (SEM).
TEM passes electrons through a thin section to give a 2D high-resolution internal image; SEM scans the surface to give a 3D image of lower resolution.
State two limitations of using an electron microscope to study cells.
Specimens must be dead (viewed in a vacuum) so living processes cannot be seen, and complex preparation can produce artefacts; images are also only in black and white (false colour added later).
List the four main structural components of a virus (where present).
Nucleic acid (DNA or RNA), a protein coat called a capsid, sometimes a lipid envelope, and attachment/glycoprotein spikes for binding to host cells.
Why are viruses described as acellular and as obligate parasites?
They have no cell structure (no cytoplasm, membranes or organelles) and cannot reproduce on their own; they must use a host cell's machinery to replicate.
Planning Biology (9700) for Cambridge AS and A Level
Biology (9700) is about 22% of the Cambridge AS and A Level syllabus by topic count — 45 of 201 topics, spread over 13 chapters. At roughly 45 minutes per topic plus 12 minutes per sub-topic, a first pass runs to about 35 hours.
The heaviest chapters are Biological Molecules (5 topics), Inheritance, Selection and Evolution (5 topics), Energy and Respiration (4 topics) . Front-load those while your energy is high; the short chapters are better revision filler later.
Work top-down: read the chapter, then tick topics off individually rather than marking the whole chapter done. Sub-topics are where silent gaps hide.
Biology (9700) (Cambridge AS and A Level) FAQ
What is in the Cambridge AS and A Level Biology (9700) syllabus?
Biology (9700) is split into 13 chapters — Cell Structure, Biological Molecules, Enzymes, Cell Membranes and Transport, The Mitotic Cell Cycle and Nucleic Acids and Protein Synthesis, and 7 more, containing 45 topics and 0 sub-topics in total.
How many chapters are there in Biology (9700) for Cambridge AS and A Level?
13 chapters. Biology (9700) accounts for about 22% of the topics in the whole Cambridge AS and A Level syllabus (45 of 201).
How long should I spend on Biology (9700) for Cambridge AS and A Level?
Budget around 35 hours for a first pass through Biology (9700) — about 45 minutes per topic plus 12 minutes per sub-topic across its 45 topics. Add revision cycles on top.
Are there flashcards for Cambridge AS and A Level Biology (9700)?
Yes — a 61-card Biology (9700) deck. Sample cards are printed on this page, and the full deck is free in the Examius app with spaced repetition scheduling.