General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) Combined Science Syllabus

Combined Science syllabus — full chapter and topic list

Expand any chapter to see its topics and sub-topics. This is the whole examinable outline for Combined Science in General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE), not a summary of it.

1. 1

   Biology: Cells and Organisation

   3 topics

   • Cell biology
     • Eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells
     • Cell specialisation and differentiation
     • Microscopy and magnification
     • Mitosis and the cell cycle
   • Transport in cells
     • Diffusion, osmosis and active transport
     • Surface area to volume ratio
   • Organisation and digestion
     • Enzymes and digestion
     • The heart and circulatory system
     • Plant tissues and transport
2. 2

   Biology: Health, Disease and Bioenergetics

   3 topics

   • Communicable disease
     • Pathogens and transmission
     • Human defences and the immune system
     • Vaccination and drug development
   • Non-communicable disease
     • Risk factors and lifestyle
     • Cancer
   • Photosynthesis and respiration
     • Photosynthesis and limiting factors
     • Aerobic and anaerobic respiration
3. 3

   Biology: Homeostasis, Inheritance and Ecology

   3 topics

   • Homeostasis and response
     • The nervous system and reflexes
     • Hormonal coordination
   • Inheritance and variation
     • DNA, genes and genetic crosses
     • Variation and evolution
     • Natural selection and genetic engineering
   • Ecology
     • Ecosystems and adaptation
     • Biodiversity and human impact
     • Carbon and water cycles
4. 4

   Chemistry: Atomic Structure and Bonding

   3 topics

   • Atomic structure and the periodic table
     • Structure of the atom and isotopes
     • Electronic structure
     • Development of the periodic table
     • Groups and trends
   • Bonding and structure
     • Ionic, covalent and metallic bonding
     • States of matter and properties
     • Nanoparticles
   • Quantitative chemistry
     • Conservation of mass and the mole
     • Reacting masses and concentration
5. 5

   Chemistry: Reactions and Analysis

   3 topics

   • Chemical changes
     • Reactivity series and displacement
     • Acids, bases and neutralisation
     • Electrolysis
   • Energy and rates
     • Exothermic and endothermic reactions
     • Rate of reaction and collision theory
     • Reversible reactions and equilibrium
   • Chemistry of the atmosphere and resources
     • Crude oil and hydrocarbons
     • The atmosphere and climate change
     • Using Earth's resources
6. 6

   Physics: Energy, Forces and Motion

   3 topics

   • Energy
     • Energy stores and transfers
     • Conservation and efficiency
     • Energy resources
   • Forces
     • Scalars, vectors and resultant forces
     • Newton's laws of motion
     • Forces and elasticity
   • Motion
     • Distance-time and velocity-time graphs
     • Acceleration and stopping distances
7. 7

   Physics: Electricity, Waves and Particles

   3 topics

   • Electricity
     • Current, potential difference and resistance
     • Series and parallel circuits
     • Mains electricity and power
   • Particle model and magnetism
     • Density and changes of state
     • Magnetism and electromagnetism
   • Waves and radiation
     • Transverse and longitudinal waves
     • The electromagnetic spectrum
     • Atomic structure and radioactivity

Combined Science flashcards for General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE)

23 of 74 cards from the Combined Science deck — real questions with worked answers.

1. What are the main differences between a prokaryotic and a eukaryotic cell?

   Prokaryotic cells (e.g. bacteria) are smaller, have no nucleus (DNA is a free single loop plus plasmids), and lack membrane-bound organelles. Eukaryotic cells (animal, plant, fungal) are larger, have a true nucleus and membrane-bound organelles such as mitochondria.

2. List the sub-cellular structures found in a plant cell but NOT in an animal cell.

   Cell wall (made of cellulose), permanent vacuole containing cell sap, and chloroplasts containing chlorophyll.

3. What is the equation for magnification, and how do you rearrange it for image size?

   $\text{magnification} = \dfrac{\text{image size}}{\text{real size}}$. Rearranged: $\text{image size} = \text{magnification} \times \text{real size}$.

4. Define diffusion and give two factors that increase its rate.

   Diffusion is the net movement of particles from a region of higher concentration to a region of lower concentration (down a concentration gradient). Rate increases with a steeper concentration gradient, higher temperature, and a larger surface area.

5. What is osmosis?

   Osmosis is the diffusion of water molecules from a region of higher water potential (dilute solution) to a region of lower water potential (concentrated solution) across a partially permeable membrane.

6. How does active transport differ from diffusion?

   Active transport moves substances against the concentration gradient (low to high concentration) and requires energy from respiration; diffusion is passive, moves down the gradient, and needs no energy.

7. Name the products of the complete digestion of starch, proteins and lipids.

   Starch is digested to glucose (sugars); proteins to amino acids; lipids to fatty acids and glycerol.

8. Which enzymes digest carbohydrates, proteins and lipids, and what do they produce?

   Amylase (carbohydrase) breaks starch into sugars; protease breaks proteins into amino acids; lipase breaks lipids into fatty acids and glycerol.

9. Describe the food test for reducing sugars and a positive result.

   Add Benedict's solution and heat in a water bath at about $75\,^{\circ}\text{C}$. A positive result changes blue to green, yellow, orange or brick-red depending on sugar concentration.

10. What is the role of bile in digestion, and where is it made and stored?

    Bile is made in the liver and stored in the gall bladder. It neutralises stomach acid (alkaline) and emulsifies fats into small droplets, increasing surface area for lipase to work faster.

11. Distinguish between communicable and non-communicable diseases.

    Communicable (infectious) diseases are caused by pathogens and can spread between organisms (e.g. measles, malaria). Non-communicable diseases cannot be transmitted and are often linked to lifestyle or genetics (e.g. cancer, heart disease).

12. Name the four main types of pathogen and give a disease caused by each.

    Bacteria (e.g. Salmonella, gonorrhoea), viruses (e.g. measles, HIV), fungi (e.g. rose black spot), protists (e.g. malaria).

13. How do white blood cells defend the body against pathogens?

    By phagocytosis (engulfing and digesting pathogens), producing antibodies that target specific antigens, and producing antitoxins to neutralise toxins.

14. How does vaccination make a person immune to a disease?

    A vaccine introduces small quantities of dead or inactive pathogen. This stimulates white blood cells to produce antibodies and memory cells, so on later infection the body responds quickly enough to destroy the pathogen before illness develops.

15. Give four lifestyle risk factors for non-communicable disease and one disease each is linked to.

    Smoking (lung cancer/cardiovascular disease), excess alcohol (liver disease), poor diet/obesity (type 2 diabetes), lack of exercise (cardiovascular disease). Carcinogens and ionising radiation also increase cancer risk.

16. What is the word and balanced symbol equation for photosynthesis?

    Carbon dioxide + water $\rightarrow$ glucose + oxygen (using light energy). $$\ce{6CO2 + 6H2O ->[light] C6H12O6 + 6O2}$$

17. Name the three factors that can limit the rate of photosynthesis.

    Light intensity, carbon dioxide concentration, and temperature. (Amount of chlorophyll can also be a factor.)

18. Write the word and symbol equation for aerobic respiration.

    Glucose + oxygen $\rightarrow$ carbon dioxide + water (releasing energy). $$\ce{C6H12O6 + 6O2 -> 6CO2 + 6H2O}$$

19. What are the products of anaerobic respiration in muscle cells and in yeast?

    In animal muscle cells: lactic acid. In yeast (fermentation): ethanol and carbon dioxide.

20. Define homeostasis.

    Homeostasis is the regulation of the internal conditions of a cell or organism to maintain a stable internal environment, in response to internal and external changes, ensuring optimum conditions for function and enzyme action.

21. Describe how blood glucose concentration is reduced when it is too high.

    The pancreas detects high blood glucose and secretes insulin. Insulin causes body cells, especially liver and muscle, to take up glucose; the liver converts excess glucose into glycogen for storage, lowering blood glucose.

22. Compare nervous and hormonal (endocrine) coordination.

    Nervous responses use electrical impulses along neurones, are very fast, short-lived and act on precise areas. Hormonal responses use chemicals carried in the blood, are slower, longer-lasting and often act on larger areas.

23. Trace the path of a reflex arc from stimulus to response.

    Stimulus $\rightarrow$ receptor $\rightarrow$ sensory neurone $\rightarrow$ relay neurone (in the CNS/spinal cord) $\rightarrow$ motor neurone $\rightarrow$ effector (muscle or gland) $\rightarrow$ response. Synapses connect the neurones.

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