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Matric (SSC) Biology Syllabus
The Biology syllabus for Matric (SSC) in full: 16 chapters and 60 topics, every one listed below, plus 50 Biology flashcards with answers.
Biology syllabus: all 16 chapters
Expand any chapter to see its topics and sub-topics.
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Introduction to Biology
3 topics- Branches and Importance of Biology
- Levels of Biological Organization
- Careers in Biology
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Solving a Biological Problem
3 topics- Biological Method and Steps
- Hypothesis, Deductions and Experimentation
- Data Organization and Ratio and Proportion
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Biodiversity
4 topics- Concept and Importance of Biodiversity
- Classification and Taxonomic Hierarchy
- Binomial Nomenclature
- Five Kingdom Classification System
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Cells and Tissues
5 topics- Cell Theory and Microscopy
- Structure of Cell and Organelles
- Prokaryotic and Eukaryotic Cells
- Plant and Animal Tissues
- Cell Membrane and Passage of Molecules
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Cell Cycle
4 topics- Interphase
- Mitosis
- Meiosis
- Apoptosis and Necrosis
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Enzymes
3 topics- Characteristics of Enzymes
- Mechanism of Enzyme Action
- Factors Affecting Enzyme Activity
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Bioenergetics
3 topics- Photosynthesis
- Cellular Respiration
- Role of ATP
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Nutrition
4 topics- Nutrients and Balanced Diet
- Nutrition in Plants and Mineral Nutrition
- Human Digestive System
- Disorders of the Gut
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Transport
4 topics- Transport in Plants
- The Human Heart and Blood Vessels
- Blood and Its Components
- Cardiovascular Disorders
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Gaseous Exchange
4 topics- Gaseous Exchange in Plants
- Human Respiratory System
- Mechanism of Breathing
- Respiratory Disorders
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Homeostasis
4 topics- Concept of Homeostasis
- Osmoregulation and Excretion in Plants
- Human Urinary System
- Kidney Disorders and Dialysis
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Coordination and Control
4 topics- Nervous Coordination and the Neuron
- Human Nervous System
- Receptors and the Eye
- Chemical Coordination and Endocrine System
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Support and Movement
4 topics- Human Skeleton
- Joints and Muscles
- Movement and Locomotion
- Disorders of the Skeletal System
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Reproduction
4 topics- Asexual and Sexual Reproduction
- Reproduction in Plants
- Human Reproductive System
- Reproductive Health
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Inheritance
3 topics- Chromosomes and DNA
- Mendelian Inheritance
- Variations and Evolution
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Man and His Environment
4 topics- Levels of Ecological Organization
- Flow of Materials and Energy in Ecosystems
- Biogeochemical Cycles
- Pollution and Conservation of Nature
Matric (SSC) Biology flashcards — 50 questions with answers
Define biology and state the origin of the word.
Biology is the scientific study of living things. It comes from the Greek words 'bios' (life) and 'logos' (study/reasoning).
Name the four main branches of biology that deal with major groups of organisms (kingdom-based divisions).
Zoology (animals), Botany (plants), Microbiology (microorganisms), and the study of fungi/protists; broadly the study of all five kingdoms.
What is the difference between morphology and anatomy?
Morphology is the study of the external form and structure of organisms, while anatomy is the study of their internal structure.
Which branch of biology studies the functions and processes of living organisms (e.g., respiration, digestion)?
Physiology.
Define histology and cytology.
Histology is the study of tissues; cytology is the study of the structure and functions of cells.
Which branch of biology deals with inheritance and the transmission of characters from parents to offspring?
Genetics.
What does the branch 'ecology' study?
Ecology is the study of the interactions between organisms and their environment.
Name three interdisciplinary biology fields and what they combine.
Biochemistry (biology + chemistry), Biophysics (biology + physics), and Biometry/Biostatistics (biology + mathematics/statistics).
List the levels of biological organization in order from smallest to largest, starting at subatomic particles.
Subatomic particles → atoms → molecules → organelles → cell → tissue → organ → organ system → individual (organism) → population → community → ecosystem → biosphere.
What is the difference between a 'population' and a 'community' as biological organization levels?
A population is a group of individuals of the same species in an area; a community is all the populations of different species living together in an area.
Define 'ecosystem' as a level of biological organization.
An ecosystem is a community of living organisms together with the non-living (physical/chemical) environment, interacting as a system.
What is the biosphere?
The biosphere is the part of the Earth (including land, water, and air) where life exists; the sum of all ecosystems.
At which level of organization does life first appear (the smallest living unit)?
The cell is the smallest unit that shows all characteristics of life.
Name two careers in biology related to medicine/health and what they involve.
Physician/medical doctor (diagnoses and treats diseases) and pharmacist (prepares and dispenses medicines). Others include nurse, dentist, and surgeon.
What does an agricultural scientist or agronomist do?
They apply biological knowledge to improve crop production, soil management, and farming practices.
Name a career in biology focused on the environment and one focused on living-system research.
Environmentalist/ecologist (studies and protects the environment) and biotechnologist/research biologist (develops biological products and conducts research).
What is the biological method?
The biological method is a systematic scientific procedure used by biologists to study living things and solve biological problems through observation and experimentation.
List the steps of the biological method in correct order.
1) Observation, 2) Hypothesis (formulation), 3) Deduction, 4) Experimentation, 5) Results/Summarizing results, 6) Theory (and possibly Law/Principle).
What are the two kinds of observations used in the biological method?
Qualitative observations (based on quality/description, e.g., color, smell) and quantitative observations (based on measurable quantities/numbers).
Define a hypothesis and list its key characteristics.
A hypothesis is a tentative, testable proposed explanation for an observation. It must be based on observations, be testable and repeatable, and be capable of being proven right or wrong (falsifiable).
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What is a deduction in the biological method?
A deduction is a logical 'if...then' consequence drawn from a hypothesis, predicting what should be observed if the hypothesis is true.
What is the purpose of experimentation in the biological method?
Experimentation tests the deductions/predictions of a hypothesis to determine whether the hypothesis is supported or rejected.
Differentiate between a theory and a law in science.
A theory is a well-supported, repeatedly tested hypothesis that explains observations; a law (principle) is a uniform/universal statement of fact about how nature behaves that has no known exceptions.
In Bruce and Tatum's study, what is meant by a 'controlled experiment' and a 'control group'?
A controlled experiment compares two groups identical except for one variable. The control group is the standard (unchanged) group used for comparison against the experimental group.
Why must data be organized in biology, and name two common ways to present data.
Data is organized to make it easy to analyze and interpret. Common methods are tables and graphs (e.g., bar graphs, line graphs).
What is a ratio, and how is the ratio of malarial parasites to humans (1 : many) an example used in biology?
A ratio is a comparison of two quantities by division, written as a:b. In malaria studies, ratios compare numbers (e.g., infected to non-infected individuals) to analyze patterns.
State the rule for solving a proportion a/b = c/d.
In a proportion a/b = c/d, the cross products are equal: a × d = b × c. Solve for the unknown using cross multiplication.
If 2 mosquitoes infect 50 people, how many people would 6 mosquitoes infect at the same rate (using proportion)?
2/50 = 6/x → 2x = 300 → x = 150 people.
Define biodiversity.
Biodiversity is the variety and variability of living organisms (the number and types of different species) in a given area or on Earth.
State two reasons why biodiversity is important.
It maintains ecological balance and food chains, and provides resources such as food, medicines, oxygen, and raw materials; it also preserves genetic variety.
What is the difference between an endangered species and an extinct species?
An endangered species is one at high risk of extinction with very few individuals remaining; an extinct species is one that has completely died out with no living members.
Define classification (taxonomy) in biology.
Classification (taxonomy) is the science of identifying, naming, and grouping organisms based on their similarities and differences.
List the taxonomic hierarchy from largest to smallest category.
Kingdom → Phylum (Division in plants) → Class → Order → Family → Genus → Species.
What is a species, the basic unit of classification?
A species is a group of organisms that are structurally similar and can interbreed to produce fertile offspring.
Arrange these in order of decreasing inclusiveness: Order, Kingdom, Family, Class.
Kingdom → Class → Order → Family (Kingdom is largest/most inclusive, Family is smallest of these).
What is binomial nomenclature and who proposed it?
Binomial nomenclature is the system of giving each organism a two-part scientific name (genus + species), proposed by Carolus (Carl) Linnaeus.
State the rules for writing a scientific name in binomial nomenclature.
The name has two parts: genus (first, capitalized) and species (second, lowercase). It is written in Latin and italicized (or underlined when handwritten).
Write the scientific name of humans following binomial rules.
Homo sapiens — genus 'Homo' capitalized, species 'sapiens' lowercase, italicized/underlined.
Why is binomial nomenclature important?
It gives each organism a single, universally accepted name, avoiding confusion caused by different local/common names in different languages and regions.
Who proposed the five-kingdom classification system and in what year?
Robert H. Whittaker proposed the five-kingdom classification system in 1969.
Name the five kingdoms in Whittaker's classification.
Monera, Protista (Protoctista), Fungi, Plantae, and Animalia.
Which kingdom contains prokaryotic organisms, and give an example.
Kingdom Monera contains prokaryotes (no true nucleus), e.g., bacteria and cyanobacteria (blue-green algae).
What types of organisms are placed in Kingdom Protista?
Eukaryotic, mostly unicellular organisms that are neither plants, animals, nor fungi, e.g., Amoeba, Paramecium, and algae like Euglena.
State the mode of nutrition and key feature of Kingdom Fungi.
Fungi are eukaryotic, mostly multicellular, heterotrophic organisms that obtain food by absorption (saprotrophic/parasitic) and have cell walls of chitin, e.g., mushrooms, molds, yeast.
Compare Kingdom Plantae and Kingdom Animalia in mode of nutrition.
Plantae are autotrophic (make food by photosynthesis, have cell walls of cellulose); Animalia are heterotrophic (consume food, no cell walls).
State the three points of the cell theory.
1) All living organisms are made of one or more cells; 2) The cell is the basic structural and functional unit of life; 3) All cells arise from pre-existing cells.
Who is credited with first observing and naming 'cells', and using what specimen?
Robert Hooke first observed and named cells (1665) while examining a thin slice of cork under his microscope.
Differentiate between a light (compound) microscope and an electron microscope.
A light microscope uses visible light and lenses (lower magnification, can view living cells); an electron microscope uses a beam of electrons (much higher magnification and resolution, only non-living/prepared specimens).
Name three organelles and their functions: the powerhouse, the protein factory, and the control center of the cell.
Mitochondrion (produces energy/ATP via respiration), Ribosome (site of protein synthesis), and Nucleus (controls cell activities and stores genetic material/DNA).
State the function of chloroplasts and the rough endoplasmic reticulum.
Chloroplasts carry out photosynthesis (found in plant cells, contain chlorophyll); the rough endoplasmic reticulum (studded with ribosomes) synthesizes and transports proteins.
Matric (SSC) Biology FAQ
What is in the Matric (SSC) Biology syllabus?
Matric (SSC) Biology is split into 16 chapters: Introduction to Biology, Solving a Biological Problem, Biodiversity, Cells and Tissues, Cell Cycle, Enzymes, Bioenergetics, Nutrition, Transport, Gaseous Exchange, Homeostasis and Coordination and Control, and 4 more. Together they contain 60 topics.
How many chapters are in Matric (SSC) Biology?
16 chapters, containing 60 topics. The largest chapter is Cells and Tissues, with 5 topics.
Are there flashcards for Matric (SSC) Biology?
Yes — a 50-card Biology deck, printed in full in the flashcards section of this page and available in the Examius app with spaced repetition. The free plan covers one exam of your choice, including its flashcards; Examius Pro, a one-time purchase, unlocks every other exam and deck.