Cambridge IGCSE A* Biology

Chapter 1 Characteristics and classification of living organisms

KEY DEFINITION / details

movement  an action by an organism or part of an organism
 causing a change of position or place

respiration  the chemical reactions in cells

 that break down nutrient molecules and release energy for
metabolism

sensitivity  ability to detect or sense stimuli in the internal or external

environment
 and to make appropriate responses

growth  permanent increase in size and dry mass

 by an increase in cell number or cell size or both

excretion  removal from organisms of the waste products of metabolism

(chemical reactions in cells including respiration),
 toxic materials,
 and substances in excess of requirements

nutrition  taking in of materials for energy, growth and development;

 plants require light, carbon dioxide, water and ions;
 animals need organic compounds and ions and usually need
water

species  group of organisms that can reproduce

 to produce fertile offspring

binomial system  naming species as an internationally agreed system

 in which the scientific name of an organism is made up of two
parts
 showing the genus and species

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Cambridge IGCSE A* Biology
Morphology  the study of the form, or outward appearance, of organisms.

Anatomy  the study of their internal structure, as revealed by dissection.

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Chapter 2 Organisation of the organism

KEY DEFINITION / details

tissue  a group of cells with similar structures,
 working together to perform a shared function
 Eg. Bone, nerve, muscle, epidermis, xylem

organ  a structure made up of a group of tissues,

 working together to perform specific functions
 Eg. Stomach, heart, lungs, intestines, brain, eyes

organ system  a group of organs with related functions,

 working together to perform body functions
 Eg. Nervous and circulatory system

Cytoplasm  Jelly-like with particles and organelle in

 Enclosed by the cell membrane
 Function as site of chemical reactions, contains the cell organelle.

Cell membrane  Partially permeable layer that forms a boundary around the
cytoplasm.
 Prevent cell content from escaping,
 Controls what substances enter and leave the cell
Nucleus  Circular/oval structure containing DNA in the form of the
chromosome.
 Control activities of cells, cell development, and division.

Cell wall  Tough non-living layer made of cellulose surrounding the cell
membrane.
 Prevent cells from bursting.
 permeable.
Vacuole  fluid-filled space surrounded by a membrane.
 Contains salts and sugars.
 Help to keep plant cells firm.

Chloroplast  Organelle that contains chlorophyll

 Traps light energy for photosynthesis.

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Cambridge IGCSE A* Biology

Chapter 3 Movement in and out of cells

KEY DEFINITION / details

diffusion  net movement of particles
 from a region of their higher concentration to a region of
their lower concentration
 down a concentration gradient,
 as a result of their random movement

osmosis  net movement of water molecules

 from a region of higher water potential (dilute solution)
 to a region of lower water potential (concentrated solution),
 through a partially permeable membrane

active transport  the movement of particles through a cell membrane

 from a region of lower concentration
 to a region of higher concentration
 using energy from respiration

Hemolysis  rupturing of red blood cells.

Plasmolyzed  the process in which cells lose water in hypertonic solution. Plant
cell loss of turgor pressure.

Isotonic  It has the same osmolarity (solute concentration), as another

solution. has the same water potential as body fluids.

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Chapter 5 Enzymes

KEY DEFINITION / details

catalyst  a substance that increases the rate of a chemical reaction by
reducing activation energy.
 and is not changed by the reaction

enzymes  proteins that function as biological catalysts

 they are highly specific in their action

Chapter 6 Plant nutrition

KEY DEFINITION / details

photosynthesis  the process by which plants manufacture carbohydrates
 from raw materials using energy from light

limiting factor  something present in the environment

 in such short supply that it restricts life processes

Compensation point  no net intake or output of carbon dioxide or oxygen.

 Sugar is produced by photosynthesis exactly compensates for
the sugar broken down by respiration.

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Chapter 7 Human nutrition

KEY DEFINITION / details

ingestion  taking of substances
 e.g. food and drink, into the body through the mouth

mechanical digestion  breakdown of food into smaller pieces

 without chemical change to the food molecules

chemical digestion  breakdown of large, insoluble molecules

 into small, soluble molecules

absorption  movement of small food molecules and ions

 through the wall of the intestine into the blood

assimilation  movement of digested food molecules

 into the cells of the body where they are used,
 becoming part of the cells

egestion  passing out of food that has not been digested or absorbed,
as feces, through the anus

Balanced diet  one that contains all the essential elements that the human
body needs.

Metabolism  the sum of all the chemical reactions in a cell or the body
 these reactions happen all the time.
 These reactions build up molecules and break them down.
 Controlled by enzymes.
Kwashiorkor  Protein-energy malnutrition. Protein deficiency.

Marasmus  Due to very poor diet with inadequate carbohydrate intake

as well as lack of protein.
 Acute form of malnutrition

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Cambridge IGCSE A* Biology
Chapter 8 Transport in plants

KEY DEFINITION / details

transpiration  loss of water vapour from plant leaves
 by evaporation of water at the surfaces of the mesophyll cells
followed
 by diffusion of water vapour through the stomata

translocation  movement of sucrose and amino acids in phloem:

 from regions of production (source)
 to regions of storage OR to regions where they are used in
respiration or growth (sink)

Source  where it is made or stored (eg potato, carrot)

Sink  part of plant that is using or storing it.

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Chapter 10 Diseases and immunity

KEY DEFINITION / details

Pathogen  disease-causing organism

Transmissible  disease in which the pathogen

disease  can be passed from one host to another

Active immunity  defense against a pathogen

 by antibody production in the body

Immune response  a biological reaction that happens within the body of organisms
in order to destroy pathogens such as antigen-antibody
interaction.

Antigen  substances found on the surface of a pathogen that can

stimulate an immune response.
 include toxins, chemicals, bacteria, viruses, or other substances
that come from outside the body.

Antibody  Y-shaped protein that is produced by lymphocytes.
 Specific protein that bind to specific antigens

First line of defense  Consists of the physical and chemical barriers that prevents
pathogens from entering the body.
 Non-specific and very general.

Second line of  Non-specific defense mechanism.

defense  Eg. Phagocytosis and inflammatory response.

Third line of  Specific adaptive response

defense  Produced specific antibodies in response to specific antigen.

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Cambridge IGCSE A* Biology
Chapter 12 Respiration

KEY DEFINITION / details

aerobic respiration  chemical reactions in cells
 that use oxygen to break down nutrient molecules to
release energy

anaerobic respiration  chemical reactions in cells

 that break down nutrient molecules to release energy
without using oxygen

Chapter 13 Excretion in humans

KEY DEFINITION / details

deamination  the removal of the nitrogen-containing part of amino acids
 to form urea

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Cambridge IGCSE A* Biology
Chapter 14 Coordination and response

KEY DEFINITION / details

synapse  a junction between two neurones

sense organs  groups of receptor cells

 responding to specific stimuli: light, sound, touch, temperature
and chemicals

hormone  chemical substance,

 produced by a gland and carried by the blood,
 which alters the activity of one or more specific target organs

homeostasis  maintenance of a constant internal environment

gravitropism  response in which parts of a plant

 grow towards or away from gravity

phototropism  a response in which parts of a plant

 grow towards or away from the direction from which light is
coming

Chapter 15 Drugs

KEY DEFINITION / details

drug  any substance taken into the body

 that modifies or affects chemical reactions in the body

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Cambridge IGCSE A* Biology
Chapter 16 Reproduction

KEY DEFINITION
asexual reproduction  process resulting in the production of genetically identical
offspring
 from one parent

sexual reproduction  process involving the fusion of the nuclei of two gametes
(sex cells)
 to form a zygote
 and the production of offspring that are genetically
different from each other

fertilisation  fusion of gamete nuclei

pollination  transfer of pollen grains from the anther to the stigma

self-pollination  transfer of pollen grains from the anther of a flower to the

stigma
 of the same flower or different flower
 on the same plant

cross-pollination  transfer of pollen grains from the anther of a flower to the

stigma
 of a flower on a different plant of the same species

sexually  infection that is transmitted

transmitted  via body fluids through sexual contact
infection

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Cambridge IGCSE A* Biology
Chapter 17 Inheritance

KEY DEFINITION
inheritance  transmission of genetic information
 from generation to generation

chromosome  thread-like structure of DNA,

 carrying genetic information in the form of genes

gene  length of DNA that codes for a protein

allele  a version of a gene

haploid nucleus  nucleus containing a single set of unpaired chromosomes,

 e.g. in gametes

diploid nucleus  nucleus containing two sets of chromosomes,

 e.g. in body cells

mitosis  nuclear division

 giving rise to genetically identical cells

meiosis  reduction division

 in which the chromosome number
 is halved from diploid to haploid resulting in genetically
different cells

genotype  genetic make-up of an organism in terms of the alleles

present

phenotype  observable features of an organism

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Cambridge IGCSE A* Biology
homozygous  having two identical alleles of a particular gene

heterozygous  having two different alleles of a particular gene

dominant  allele that is expressed if it is present

recessive  allele that is only expressed

 when there is no dominant allele of the gene present

sex-linked  characteristic in which the gene responsible is located on a

characteristic sex chromosome
 and that this makes it more common in one sex than in the
other

Chapter 18 Variation and selection

KEY DEFINITION
variation  differences between individuals
 of the same species

gene mutation  a change in the base sequence of DNA

adaptive feature  inherited feature

 that helps an organism to survive and reproduce
 in its environment

fitness  the probability of an organism

 surviving and reproducing in the environment in which it is found

adaptation  process, resulting from natural selection,

 by which populations become more suited to their environment
over many generations

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Cambridge IGCSE A* Biology
Chapter 19 Organisms and their environment

KEY DEFINITION
food chain  showing the transfer of energy
 from one organism to the next, beginning with a producer

trophic level  the position of an organism in a food chain, food web, pyramid
of numbers or pyramid of biomass

food web  a network of interconnected food chains

producer  an organism that makes its own organic nutrients,

 usually using energy from sunlight,
 through photosynthesis

consumer  an organism that gets its energy

 by feeding on other organisms

herbivore  an animal that gets its energy

 by eating plants

carnivore  an animal that gets its energy

 by eating other animals

decomposer  an organism that gets its energy

 from dead or waste organic material

population  a group of organisms of one species,

 living in the same area, at the same time

community  all of the populations of different species in an ecosystem

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Cambridge IGCSE A* Biology
ecosystem  a unit containing the community of organisms and their
environment
 interacting together, e.g. a decomposing log, or a lake

Chapter 20 Biotechnology and genetic engineering

KEY DEFINITION
genetic engineering  changing the genetic material of an organism
 by removing, changing or inserting individual genes

Chapter 21 Human influences on ecosystems

KEY DEFINITION
sustainable resource  one which is produced as rapidly
 as it is removed from the environment
 so that it does not run out

sustainable  development providing for the needs

development  of an increasing human population
 without harming the environment

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Cambridge IGCSE A* Biology
Command words

KEY DEFINITION
Analyse  examine in detail to show meaning, and identify elements and
the relationship between them
Balance  students need to balance chemical equation

Calculate  students should use numbers given in the question to work

out the answer.

Choose  select from a range of alternatives.

Compare  this requires the students to describe the similarities

and/or differences between things, not just write about
one.
 YOU NEED TO COMMENT ON BOTH similarities and
differences.
 Use comparative terms such as ‘longer, fewer, faster’ or one
has while other lacks something.
 Eg. Xylem/phloem, translocation/transpiration
Comment  Give an informed opinion.

Consider  Review and respond to given information.

Define  specify the meaning of something.

 Precise meaning.

Describe  students may be asked to recall some facts, events or

process in an accurate way.
 Be careful between describing a biological structure and
describing the function of that structure.
 Structure is something you can label on diagram and function

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is the job or role of that structure.
 Eg. Process or pathway
 *not the same as describing graph*
Design / plan  set out how something will be done.
 3 variables.
 Control

Determine  use given data or information to obtain and answer.

 Not the same as measure. Either you should explain how an
experiment should be set up to take measurement or how
you should make a calculation from some result or data given
in a table or graph.
Evaluate  students should use the information supplied, as well as
their knowledge and understanding, to consider evidence for
and against when making a judgement.
 To put forward advantages and disadvantages. Pro/cons.
 Eg. Different forms of contraceptives.
Explain  students should make something clear or state the reasons
for something happening.
 Give scientific reason why or how.
 Use ‘because, due to, since, considering, by cause of’

Justify  use evidence from the information supplied to support an

answer.

Outline  not the same as describe.

 Give the main important points without any details.
 General description without detail. Summary.

Suggest  this term is used in questions where students need to apply

their knowledge and understanding to a new situation.
 Often 1 mark.

State / give / name  Recall a fact, definition or equation.

 Short answer.

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