CAIE
Cambridge IGCSE™
Combined Science REVISION
NOTES 0653
,Contents
1 Why choose this syllabus?........................................................... 3
2 Syllabus overview .................................................................... 6
Aims 6
Content overview 7
Assessment overview 8
Assessment objectives 9
3 Subject content ..................................................................... 11
Biology 11
Chemistry 24
Physics 35
4 Details of the assessment ................................................................... 44
Core assessment 44
Extended assessment 44
Practical assessment 45
, Glossary of terms used in science papers 50
5 Appendix .................................................................................... 51
Electrical symbols 51
Symbols and units for physical quantities 52
Notes for use in qualitative analysis 53
The Periodic Table 54
Safety in the laboratory 55
Mathematical requirements 55
Presentation of data 56
ICT opportunities 57
Conventions (e.g. signs, symbols, terminology and nomenclature) 57
6 What else you need to know ...................................................... 58
Before you start 58
Making entries 59
After the exam 60
How students and teachers can use the grades 61
Changes to this syllabus for 2023 and 2024 62
, Important: Changes to this syllabus
For information about changes to this syllabus for 2023 and 2024, go to page 62.
The latest syllabus is version 1, published September 2020. There are no significant changes which affect
teaching.
Any textbooks endorsed to support the syllabus for examination from 2019 are still suitable for use with this
syllabus.
Cambridge IGCSE™
Combined Science REVISION
NOTES 0653
,Contents
1 Why choose this syllabus?........................................................... 3
2 Syllabus overview .................................................................... 6
Aims 6
Content overview 7
Assessment overview 8
Assessment objectives 9
3 Subject content ..................................................................... 11
Biology 11
Chemistry 24
Physics 35
4 Details of the assessment ................................................................... 44
Core assessment 44
Extended assessment 44
Practical assessment 45
, Glossary of terms used in science papers 50
5 Appendix .................................................................................... 51
Electrical symbols 51
Symbols and units for physical quantities 52
Notes for use in qualitative analysis 53
The Periodic Table 54
Safety in the laboratory 55
Mathematical requirements 55
Presentation of data 56
ICT opportunities 57
Conventions (e.g. signs, symbols, terminology and nomenclature) 57
6 What else you need to know ...................................................... 58
Before you start 58
Making entries 59
After the exam 60
How students and teachers can use the grades 61
Changes to this syllabus for 2023 and 2024 62
, Important: Changes to this syllabus
For information about changes to this syllabus for 2023 and 2024, go to page 62.
The latest syllabus is version 1, published September 2020. There are no significant changes which affect
teaching.
Any textbooks endorsed to support the syllabus for examination from 2019 are still suitable for use with this
syllabus.
