Specification points

Edexcel International GCSE (9–1) Biology (Modular) 4XBI1

204 points in 6 topics, with Edexcel's codes and titles.

Codes and titles are read by a script from Edexcel's published specification and have not been checked by a person. What each point covers is in the specification itself: Edexcel’s specification.

1 The nature and variety of living organisms

1a Characteristics of living organisms
1.1 Characteristics shared by living organisms
1b Variety of living organisms
1.2 Features of eukaryotic organisms
1.3 Features of prokaryotic organisms
1.4 Pathogens

2 Structure and functions in living organisms: Part 1

2a Level of organisation
2.1 Levels of organisation in organisms
2b Cell structure
2.2 Cell structures
2.3 Functions of cell structures
2.4 Plant and animal cells compared
2.5B Cell differentiation and specialised cells
2.6B Stem cells in medicine
2c Biological molecules
2.7 Elements in carbohydrates, proteins and lipids
2.8 Structure of carbohydrates, proteins and lipids
2.9 Practical: food tests
2.10 Enzymes as biological catalysts
2.11 Effect of temperature on enzymes
2.12 Practical: temperature and enzyme activity
2.13 Effect of pH on enzymes
2.14B Practical: pH and enzyme activity
2d Movement of substances into and out of cells
2.15 Diffusion, osmosis and active transport
2.16 Factors affecting movement into and out of cells
2.17 Practical: diffusion and osmosis
2e Nutrition
2.18 Photosynthesis and energy conversion
2.19 Equations for photosynthesis
2.20 Factors affecting the rate of photosynthesis
2.21 Leaf structure and photosynthesis
2.22 Mineral ions for plant growth
2.23 Practical: requirements of photosynthesis
2.24 A balanced diet
2.25 Sources and functions of dietary components
2.26 Energy requirements and activity, age and pregnancy
2.27 The human alimentary canal
2.28 Peristalsis
2.29 Digestive enzymes
2.30 Production and storage of bile
2.31 Role of bile
2.32 Absorption in the small intestine
2.33B Practical: energy content of food
2f Respiration
2.34 Respiration and ATP
2.35 ATP as the energy source for cells
2.36 Aerobic and anaerobic respiration compared
2.37 Equations for aerobic respiration
2.38 Word equations for anaerobic respiration
2.39 Practical: respiration in germinating seeds
2g Gas exchange
2.40B Diffusion in gas exchange
2.41B Gas exchange, respiration and photosynthesis
2.42B Leaf adaptations for gas exchange
2.43B Stomata and gas exchange
2.44B Net gas exchange in plants, day and night
2.45B Practical: light and net gas exchange in leaves
2.46 Structure of the thorax
2.47 Intercostal muscles, diaphragm and ventilation
2.48 Adaptations of alveoli for gas exchange
2.49 Effects of smoking
2.50 Practical: breathing and exercise

3 Structure and functions in living organisms: Part 2

3h Transport
3.1 Diffusion in unicellular organisms
3.2 Need for transport systems in multicellular organisms
3.3 Phloem and translocation
3.4 Xylem and transport of water
3.5B Water uptake by root hair cells
3.6B Transpiration
3.7B Factors affecting the rate of transpiration
3.8B Practical: environmental factors and transpiration
3.9 Composition of blood
3.10 Role of plasma
3.11 Adaptations of red blood cells
3.12 Immune response of white blood cells
3.13B Vaccination and memory cells
3.14B Platelets and blood clotting
3.15 Structure and function of the heart
3.16 Heart rate, exercise and adrenaline
3.17 Risk factors for coronary heart disease
3.18 Arteries, veins and capillaries
3.19 General structure of the circulatory system
3i Excretion
3.20 Waste gases lost from leaves
3.21 Excretory organs and products in humans
3.22B Kidney: excretion and osmoregulation
3.23B Structure of the urinary system
3.24B Structure of a nephron
3.25B Ultrafiltration and glomerular filtrate
3.26B Water reabsorption in the collecting duct
3.27B Selective reabsorption of glucose
3.28B ADH and blood water content
3.29B Composition of urine
3j Co-ordination and response
3.30 Responding to environmental change
3.31 Homeostasis
3.32 Stimulus, receptor and effector
3.33 Plant responses to stimuli
3.34 Geotropism and phototropism
3.35 Auxin and phototropism
3.36 Nervous and hormonal communication compared
3.37 The central nervous system
3.38 Nerve impulses and rapid responses
3.39 Neurotransmitters and synapses
3.40 The reflex arc
3.41 Structure and function of the eye
3.42 Focusing and response to light intensity
3.43 Skin and temperature regulation
3.44 Adrenaline, insulin, testosterone, progesterone and oestrogen
3.45B ADH, FSH and LH

4 Reproduction and inheritance

4a Reproduction
4.1 Sexual and asexual reproduction compared
4.2 Fertilisation and development of the embryo
4.3 Insect- and wind-pollinated flowers
4.4 Pollen tube growth, seeds and fruit
4.5 Practical: conditions for germination
4.6 Food reserves in germinating seeds
4.7 Asexual reproduction in plants
4.8 Male and female reproductive systems
4.9 Oestrogen and progesterone in the menstrual cycle
4.10B FSH and LH in the menstrual cycle
4.11 Role of the placenta
4.12 Protection of the embryo by amniotic fluid
4.13 Hormones and secondary sexual characteristics
4b Inheritance
4.14 Genomes and genes
4.15 Chromosomes and genes in the nucleus
4.16B Structure of DNA
4.17B Structure of RNA
4.18B Protein synthesis: transcription and translation
4.19 Alleles and inherited differences
4.20 Genetic terms: dominant, recessive, genotype, phenotype
4.21B Codominance
4.22 Polygenic inheritance
4.23 Monohybrid inheritance and genetic diagrams
4.24 Family pedigrees
4.25 Probabilities in monohybrid crosses
4.26 Sex chromosomes
4.27 Sex determination at fertilisation
4.28 Mitosis
4.29 Uses of mitosis
4.30 Meiosis and haploid gametes
4.31 Random fertilisation and variation
4.32 Diploid and haploid chromosome numbers in humans
4.33 Genetic and environmental variation
4.34 Mutation
4.35B Effect of DNA changes on phenotype
4.36B Effects of mutations on phenotype
4.37B Causes of increased mutation rates
4.38 Darwin’s theory of evolution by natural selection
4.39 Antibiotic resistance in bacteria

Edexcel International GCSE (9–1) Biology (Modular) 4XBI1

1 The nature and variety of living organisms

2 Structure and functions in living organisms: Part 1

3 Structure and functions in living organisms: Part 2

4 Reproduction and inheritance

5 Ecology and the environment

6 Use of biological resources