Biology

Course summary

Biology is the science devoted to the study of living organisms and how they interact with the environment. We study life from the molecular level right through to entire ecosystems. Biology is not only fascinating, but it is the first step towards a wide variety of careers including medicine, dentistry and veterinary science. The biology course consists of the following units: 1. Biological molecules – a study of the molecules that make up living organisms and their importance, eg Carbohydrates, Lipids, Proteins, Nucleic Acids, ATP, inorganic ions and Water 2. Cells – studying the structure and function of eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells, developing microscope skills and studying cell transport and recognition leading to an understanding of the immune system. 3. Organisms exchange substances with their environment – looking at how organisms absorb the nutrients they need to survive from their environment by studying gas exchange systems, digestion and absorption, and mass transport in both animals and plants. 4. Genetic information, variation and relationships between organisms – we study the genetic material in cells, protein synthesis, mutations that happen in cell division and how this leads to genetic diversity and adaptations. This then leads to the study of species and biodiversity. The AS course is assessed by 2 written papers each of 1.5 hours, whilst the full A level is assessed by 3, 2 hour papers. 5. Energy transfers in and between organisms (A Level only) – a study of how organisms use the energy from the sun in photosynthesis and how biomass is then used in respiration before analysing the transfer of energy between organisms and how nutrients are recycled. 6. Organisms respond to changes in their internal and external environments (A Level only) – looking at how organisms respond to their environment via the nervous system and endocrine system, looking in-depth at the muscular skeletal system, blood sugar and osmotic balance. 7. Genetics, populations, evolution and ecosystems (A Level only) – a further look at genetics and the frequency of alleles past on looking at speciation and evolution. 8. The control of gene expression (A Level only) – we study the amazing developments of the human genome, the effect of epi-genetics on gene expression and the application of DNA technology in diagnosing and treating human diseases.