Y8 Science Exam Revision Guide (long)

Cells, Tissues and Organ Systems

What are cells?

- Cells are the basic building blocks of life. The human body is made up of trillions of cells that work
together to keep us alive.

What are tissues?

- Tissues are groups of similar cells that work together to perform a specific function. There are four
main types of tissues in the human body: epithelial, connective, muscle, and nervous.

What are organs?

- Organs are structures made up of tissues that carry out a particular function. Examples of organs
include the heart, lungs, liver, and stomach.

What is an organ system?

- Organ systems are groups of organs that work together to perform major functions in the body.
The main organ systems are the circulatory, respiratory, digestive, excretory, nervous, endocrine,
reproductive, integumentary, skeletal, and muscular systems.

What is the relationship between cells, tissues, organs and organ systems?
- Cells form tissues, tissues form organs, and organs work together in organ systems to keep the
body functioning.
Digestive System

What is mechanical digestion?

- Mechanical digestion is the physical breakdown of large pieces of food into smaller pieces by the
teeth, tongue, and stomach churning. This increases the surface area for chemical digestion.

What is chemical digestion?

- Chemical digestion is when enzymes break down food into smaller molecules that can be absorbed
and used by the cells of the body. For example, carbohydrates are broken down into glucose, fats
into fatty acids and glycerol, and proteins into amino acids.

What are the main functions of the digestive system?

- The digestive system has two main functions:

- To mechanically and chemically break down food into nutrients

- To absorb nutrients from food into the bloodstream

Draw and label a flow diagram of the human digestive tract.

mouth, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, rectum, anus

What types of nutrients are converted from and to during chemical digestion?
- Carbohydrates are broken down into glucose.

- Fats are broken down into fatty acids and glycerol.

- Proteins are broken down into amino acids.

What organs are involved in the human digestive system?

- Mouth, esophagus, stomach, small intestine (duodenum, jejunum, ileum), large intestine, rectum,
anus, liver, gallbladder, pancreas
What are the functions of the liver?

- The liver has many functions including:

- Producing bile to help break down fats

- Filtering and cleaning blood

- Metabolizing and breaking down toxins and medications

- Storing vitamins, minerals, and iron

- Regulating blood sugar

What are some common problems related to the digestive system?

- Ulcers

- Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD/acid reflux)

- Gallstones

- Diarrhea

- Constipation

Circulatory System
What is the structure and function of the different parts of the heart?

- Atriums - Upper chambers that receive blood from the veins and pump it to the ventricles

- Ventricles - Lower chambers that pump blood out of the heart

- Valves - Flaps that prevent backflow of blood by closing after ventricular contraction

What are the major heart vessels and what are their functions?

- Arteries - Thick, muscular vessels that carry oxygenated blood AWAY from the heart to the rest of
the body

- Veins - Thinner vessels that return deoxygenated blood to the heart

- Pulmonary arteries - Carry deoxygenated blood from the heart to the lungs

- Pulmonary veins - Carry freshly oxygenated blood from the lungs back to the heart
What are the main veins and arteries of the heart? What are their functions?

- Aorta - The largest artery in the body. It carries oxygenated blood from the left ventricle to the
body.

- Vena cava - Large veins that return deoxygenated blood from the body to the right atrium.

- Coronary arteries - Supply oxygenated blood to the heart muscle itself.

- Pulmonary artery - Carries deoxygenated blood from the right ventricle to the lungs.

- Pulmonary vein - Carries oxygenated blood from the lungs to the left atrium.

Sheep Heart Dissection

What tools are used in a sheep heart dissection?

- Scalpel

- Scissors

- Forceps

- Pins

- Gloves

- Dissection tray

Describe the method for a sheep heart dissection.

- First make a Y-shaped incision from the top arteries down each ventricle to open up the heart.

- Use pins to hold open the flaps.

- Identify the major external and internal structures:

- Atria, ventricles, valves

- Aorta, pulmonary artery, vena cava, coronary arteries

- Endocardium, myocardium, pericardium layers

What are important lab safety rules for a dissection?

- Wear goggles and gloves

- Use tools carefully

- Clean up properly when finished

- Follow teacher’s instructions

- Dispose of materials as instructed

- Wash hands thoroughly

Respiratory System

What is cellular respiration?

- Cellular respiration is the process by which cells use oxygen to break down food molecules like
glucose to produce energy in the form of ATP.

What organs are involved in the respiratory system? What are their functions?

- Nose and nasal cavity – Filters, warms, and humidifies air.

- Pharynx – Passageway for air and food.

- Larynx – Contains vocal cords for speech.

- Trachea – Airway to lungs lined with cilia to remove dust/debris.

- Lungs – Where gas exchange occurs in alveoli.

- Diaphragm – Muscle involved in breathing.

Draw a flow diagram showing the flow of air through the respiratory system.

[Air flow from nose/mouth → pharynx → larynx → trachea → bronchi → bronchioles → alveoli]

Explain the flow of blood to and from the lungs.

- Deoxygenated blood travels from the heart to the lungs through the pulmonary arteries. At the
alveoli, gas exchange occurs - carbon dioxide diffuses out of the blood into the lungs and oxygen
diffuses into the blood from the lungs. Now oxygenated, the blood travels back to the heart through
the pulmonary veins.
What are some common respiratory diseases and disorders?

- Asthma

- Chronic bronchitis

- Emphysema

- Pneumonia

- Lung cancer

- Cystic fibrosis

- Common cold

- Tuberculosis

Excretory System

What is the excretory system?

- The excretory system removes waste and excess water from the body and helps maintain the
chemical balance of fluids and electrolytes in the body.

What organs are involved in the excretory system? What are their functions?
- Kidneys – Filter blood, produce urine, and regulate fluid/electrolyte balance

- Ureters – Carry urine from kidneys to bladder

- Bladder – Stores urine until urination

- Urethra – Tube that carries urine out of body

What are some common diseases and disorders of the excretory system?

- Kidney stones

- Urinary tract infections

- Kidney failure/disease

- Bladder cancer

- Incontinence
Energy
What is energy transfer? Give an example.

- Energy transfer is the movement of energy from one object or system to another. For example,
when you sit in front of a fireplace, energy is transferred in the form of heat from the fire to your
body.

What is energy transformation? Give an example.

- Energy transformation is when energy changes from one form to another. For example, when you
eat food, chemical energy stored in the food is transformed into thermal energy and kinetic energy
in your body.

What is the law of conservation of energy?

- The law of conservation of energy states that energy cannot be created or destroyed - it can only
be transformed from one form to another. The total energy in a closed system remains constant.

Sound and Light

Define compression and rarefaction.

- Compression - the region in a longitudinal wave where particles are close together.

- Rarefaction - the region where particles are spread apart.

What are transverse and longitudinal waves?

- Transverse waves - waves with vibration perpendicular to the direction the wave travels. Light
waves are transverse.

- Longitudinal waves - waves with vibration parallel to the direction of travel. Sound waves are
longitudinal.

Define frequency. How is it measured?

- Frequency - the number of wave cycles that pass a point in one second. Measured in Hertz (Hz).

Define wavelength. How is it measured?

- Wavelength - the distance between corresponding points on adjacent wave cycles. Measured in
meters (m).
What is the relationship between frequency and wavelength?

- Frequency x Wavelength = Wave Speed

So for a given wave speed, as frequency increases, wavelength decreases.

How does sound travel differently through solid, liquid and gas mediums?

- Sound travels the fastest through solids, then liquids, then gases. It travels slower through less
dense mediums.

Give definitions and examples of transparent, translucent and opaque materials.

- Transparent - Light passes through completely. Example: glass

- Translucent - Some light passes through. Example: frosted glass

- Opaque - No light passes through. Example: wood

What is reflection? What is the law of reflection?

- Reflection is when light bounces off a surface.

- The law of reflection states that the angle of incidence equals the angle of reflection.

What is refraction? What is the law of refraction?

- Refraction is when light changes speed and direction when passing between materials.

- The law of refraction relates angles and speeds of light in the two materials.

Compare reflection and refraction.

Reflection | Refraction

| Light bounces off surface | Light bends when entering new medium |

| Speed and medium stay the same | Speed and medium changes |

| Angle of incidence = angle of reflection | Angle depends on refractive indices |

Define potential and kinetic energy. Give examples of each.

- Potential energy - stored energy due to position or structure. Example: Energy stored in a
compressed spring.

- Kinetic energy - energy of motion. Example: The energy of a moving object.

What is the relationship between potential and kinetic energy?

- Potential energy can be converted into kinetic energy and vice versa. For example, potential energy
stored in a dam is converted to kinetic energy in the moving water.

What is the speed of light in a vacuum? How does it compare to the speed of sound?

- Speed of light in a vacuum is 300,000,000 m/s.

- Much faster than speed of sound in air (~343 m/s).

Define the following terms related to reflection:

- Incident ray - incoming ray that hits the surface

- Reflected ray - ray bouncing off the surface

- Angle of incidence - angle between incident ray and normal

- Angle of reflection - angle between reflected ray and normal

- Normal - perpendicular line drawn to the surface

Compare convex and concave lenses. Give examples of their uses.

- Convex lenses - converge light, used in magnifying glasses.

- Concave lenses - diverge light, used in reducing glasses.