2 Classification
2.1 Concept and use of a classification system
1. "Understand that organisms can be classified into groups by the features they share."
2. "Describe a species as a group of organisms that can reproduce to produce fertile
offspring."
3. "Describe the binomial system of 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."
image size
4. Use the formula magnification = actual size
2.2 Features of organisms
5. State the main features used to place all organisms into one of the five kingdoms:
Animal, Plant, Fungus, Prokaryote, Protoctist
→ Main features of all animals:
• they are multicellular
• their cells contain a nucleus but no cell walls or chloroplasts
• they feed on organic substances made by other living things
→ Main features of all plants:
• they are multicellular
• their cells contain a nucleus, chloroplasts and cellulose cell walls
• they all feed by photosynthesis
→ Main features of all fungi (e.g. moulds, mushrooms, yeast)
• usually multicellular
• cells have nuclei and cell walls not made from cellulose
• do not photosynthesize but feed by saprophytic (on dead or decaying
material) or parasitic (on live material) nutrition
→ Main features of all protoctists (e.g. Amoeba, Paramecium, Plasmodium)
• most are unicellular but some are multicellular
• all have a nucleus, some may have cell walls and chloroplasts
, • meaning some protoctists photosynthesise and some feed on organic
substances made by other living things
→ Main features of all prokaryotes (bacteria, blue-green algae)
• often unicellular
• cells have cell walls (not made of cellulose) and cytoplasm but no
nucleus or mitochondria
6. "State the main features used to place organisms into groups within the animal
kingdom, limited to:
(a) the main groups of vertebrates: mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish
(b) the main groups of arthropods: myriapods, insects, arachnids, crustaceans"
→ Vetebrates have a spinal column and a skull
→ All vertebrates have a backbone
, → Arthropods have a hard exoskeleton and jointed legs.
→ Invertebrates do not possess a backbone
7. "State the main features used to place organisms into groups within the plant
kingdom, limited to ferns and flowering plants (dicotyledons and monocotyledons) "
→ Ferns
• Have leaves called fronds
• Do not produce flowers but instead reproduce by spores produced on
the underside of fronds
→ Flowering plants
8. "State that the main features of viruses, limited to protein coat and genetic material."
9. "Understand that viruses can only replicate in living cells."
, 3 Movement into and out of cells
3.1 Diffusion and osmosis
10. "Describe the role of water as a solvent in organisms with reference to digestion,
excretion and transport"
→ Water helps substances to move
11. "State that diffusion and osmosis are important to the functioning of cells."
12. "Understand that the energy for diffusion and osmosis comes from the kinetic
energy of random movement of molecules and ions."
13. "Understand diffusion as the net movement of molecules or ions from a region of
their higher concentration to a region of their lower concentration (i.e. down a
concentration gradient), as a result of their random movement."
14. "Understand osmosis as the net movement of water molecules from a region of
higher water potential to a region of lower water potential, through a partially
permeable membrane."
15. "Understand that plants are supported by the pressure of water inside the cells
pressing outwards on the cell wall."
3.2 Active transport
16. "Understand active transport as the movement of molecules or ions into or out of a
cell through the cell membrane, from a region of their lower concentration to a
region of their higher concentration (i.e. against a concentration gradient), using
energy released during respiration."
4 Biological molecules
4.1 Biological molecules
17. "List the chemical elements that make up:
(a) carbohydrates - Carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen
(b) lipids (fats and oils) - Carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen
(c) proteins - Carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, and nitrogen (sometimes sulfur or
phosphorus)
(d) DNA - Carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen, and phosphorous"
2.1 Concept and use of a classification system
1. "Understand that organisms can be classified into groups by the features they share."
2. "Describe a species as a group of organisms that can reproduce to produce fertile
offspring."
3. "Describe the binomial system of 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."
image size
4. Use the formula magnification = actual size
2.2 Features of organisms
5. State the main features used to place all organisms into one of the five kingdoms:
Animal, Plant, Fungus, Prokaryote, Protoctist
→ Main features of all animals:
• they are multicellular
• their cells contain a nucleus but no cell walls or chloroplasts
• they feed on organic substances made by other living things
→ Main features of all plants:
• they are multicellular
• their cells contain a nucleus, chloroplasts and cellulose cell walls
• they all feed by photosynthesis
→ Main features of all fungi (e.g. moulds, mushrooms, yeast)
• usually multicellular
• cells have nuclei and cell walls not made from cellulose
• do not photosynthesize but feed by saprophytic (on dead or decaying
material) or parasitic (on live material) nutrition
→ Main features of all protoctists (e.g. Amoeba, Paramecium, Plasmodium)
• most are unicellular but some are multicellular
• all have a nucleus, some may have cell walls and chloroplasts
, • meaning some protoctists photosynthesise and some feed on organic
substances made by other living things
→ Main features of all prokaryotes (bacteria, blue-green algae)
• often unicellular
• cells have cell walls (not made of cellulose) and cytoplasm but no
nucleus or mitochondria
6. "State the main features used to place organisms into groups within the animal
kingdom, limited to:
(a) the main groups of vertebrates: mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish
(b) the main groups of arthropods: myriapods, insects, arachnids, crustaceans"
→ Vetebrates have a spinal column and a skull
→ All vertebrates have a backbone
, → Arthropods have a hard exoskeleton and jointed legs.
→ Invertebrates do not possess a backbone
7. "State the main features used to place organisms into groups within the plant
kingdom, limited to ferns and flowering plants (dicotyledons and monocotyledons) "
→ Ferns
• Have leaves called fronds
• Do not produce flowers but instead reproduce by spores produced on
the underside of fronds
→ Flowering plants
8. "State that the main features of viruses, limited to protein coat and genetic material."
9. "Understand that viruses can only replicate in living cells."
, 3 Movement into and out of cells
3.1 Diffusion and osmosis
10. "Describe the role of water as a solvent in organisms with reference to digestion,
excretion and transport"
→ Water helps substances to move
11. "State that diffusion and osmosis are important to the functioning of cells."
12. "Understand that the energy for diffusion and osmosis comes from the kinetic
energy of random movement of molecules and ions."
13. "Understand diffusion as the net movement of molecules or ions from a region of
their higher concentration to a region of their lower concentration (i.e. down a
concentration gradient), as a result of their random movement."
14. "Understand osmosis as the net movement of water molecules from a region of
higher water potential to a region of lower water potential, through a partially
permeable membrane."
15. "Understand that plants are supported by the pressure of water inside the cells
pressing outwards on the cell wall."
3.2 Active transport
16. "Understand active transport as the movement of molecules or ions into or out of a
cell through the cell membrane, from a region of their lower concentration to a
region of their higher concentration (i.e. against a concentration gradient), using
energy released during respiration."
4 Biological molecules
4.1 Biological molecules
17. "List the chemical elements that make up:
(a) carbohydrates - Carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen
(b) lipids (fats and oils) - Carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen
(c) proteins - Carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, and nitrogen (sometimes sulfur or
phosphorus)
(d) DNA - Carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen, and phosphorous"
