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Summary OCR AS/A Level Biology - Module 5 Communication, homeostasis and energy

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This comprehensive OCR A-Level Biology A Module 5 PDF provides detailed, exam-focused notes on Communication, Homeostasis, and Energy, covering all key topics from the OCR A specification. Ideal for A-Level students, teachers, and homeschoolers, this resource includes clear explanations, diagrams, and structured summaries to enhance understanding and revision. Why Use This Document? Exam-Aligned – Matches the OCR A-Level Biology A Module 5 syllabus exactly. Visual Aids – Includes labeled diagrams, reaction pathways, and comparison tables (e.g., myelinated vs. non-myelinated neurones, cyclic vs. non-cyclic photophosphorylation). Concise & Clear – Breaks down complex processes (e.g., Calvin cycle, muscle contraction) into step-by-step bullet points. Practical Focus – Covers required practicals (e.g., spirometry, potometers) and data interpretation (ECGs, RQ calculations). Free PDF Download – Easy access for quick revision or teaching.

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‭ odule 5 communication, homeostasis‬
M ‭negative feedback‬
‭Thermoregulation‬
‭and energy‬
‭5.1.1 - 5.1.2 communication and‬
‭homeostasis‬
‭-‬ h ‭ omeostasis:‬‭maintaining a constant internal environment despite‬
‭changes in external and internal factors‬
‭-‬ ‭negative feedback:‬‭the mechanism that reverses a change, bringing‬
‭the system back to the optimum‬
‭-‬ ‭positive feedback:‬‭the mechanism that increases a‬‭change, taking‬
‭the system further away from the optimum‬
‭-‬ ‭endotherm:‬‭an organism that uses heat from metabolic reacitons to‬
‭maintain body temp‬ ‭endotherm at high temp‬
‭-‬ ‭ectotherm:‬‭an organism that relies on external sources of heat to‬ ‭-‬ ‭vasodilation near the surface of the skin‬
‭maintain body temp‬ ‭-‬ ‭sweat glands release more sweat‬
‭e.g. during exercise‬
‭Why needed?‬
-‭ ‬ e‭ nzyme may denatured‬‭under high temp / extreme pH‬‭levels‬
‭-‬ ‭low temp lead to‬‭low enzyme activity‬‭and‬‭slow metabolic rate‬
‭-‬ ‭regulate blood glucose conc.‬‭and prevent too much‬‭water diffuse in/‬
‭out of the cell‬




‭ .‬ b
1 ‭ lood is directed to the muscles to supply more O‬‭2‬ ‭for respiration‬
‭2.‬ ‭vasodilation to direct blood near the surface of the skin to release‬
‭excess heat‬
‭3.‬ ‭balance achieved between heat loss and excess heat created in the‬
‭muscle‬

,‭endotherm at low temp‬
‭-‬ ‭vasoconstriction near the surface of skin to reduce heat loss to‬
‭positive feedback‬
‭surrounding‬ ‭blood clot‬
‭-‬ ‭erector muscle contract causing hair to stand up to trap air‬ ‭1.‬ p ‭ latelets are activated and releases a chemical, which triggers more‬
‭platelets to be activated‬
‭-‬ ‭skeletal muslce contract and relax involuntarily to create heat in the‬ ‭2.‬ ‭a blood clot can then form at injury site‬
‭muslce‬ ‭3.‬ ‭the body detects the blood clot, negative feedback is applied to stop‬
‭-‬ ‭sweat glands release less sweat‬ ‭activating platelets‬
‭ectotherm‬
‭-‬ ‭they also have thermoregulation mechanism, but not the same as‬
‭endotherm‬

‭blood glucose regulation‬




‭endocrine system‬
‭-‬ ‭glands secrete chemicals into blood to affect specific target organs‬
‭exocrine system‬
‭-‬ ‭glands secrete chemicals into the blood‬

,‭5.2.1 excretion‬ ‭5.2.2 - 5.2.3 liver‬
‭-‬ e‭ xcretion:‬‭the removal and disposal of the body’s‬‭metabolic waste‬
‭products‬
‭functions‬
‭breaking down excess amino acid‬
‭organs involved in excretion‬ ‭1.‬ a‭ mino groups (-NH‬‭2‬‭) are removed‬‭from amino acid, forming‬‭NH‬‭3‬
-‭ ‬ k‭ idney removes urea from excess amino acid via deamination‬ ‭and organic acids‬‭through deamination‬
‭-‬ ‭skin remove sweat that contains salt and urea‬ ‭2.‬ ‭organic acids are respired to give ATP, or converted to carbohydrates‬
‭-‬ ‭lungs remove CO‬‭2‬ ‭via respiration‬ ‭and stored as glycogen‬
‭-‬ ‭liver removes excess amino acid via deamination and bile pigment‬ ‭3.‬ ‭NH‬‭3‬ ‭combines with CO‬‭2‬ ‭to create urea in the ornithine‬‭cycle‬
‭4.‬ ‭urea is released into the blood, and kidney filter the blood to excrete‬
‭CO‬‭2‬ ‭removal during respiration‬ ‭urea as urine‬
1‭ .‬ ‭ O‬‭2‬ ‭diffuse down the conc. gradient from the plasma‬‭to the RBC‬
C ‭alcohol detoxification‬
‭2.‬ ‭CO‬‭2‬ ‭reacts with H‬‭2‬‭O to form H‬‭2‭C ‬ O‬‭3‬ ‭with carbonic anhydrase‬
‭ .‬ e‭ thanol is broken down into ethanal using ethanol dehydrogenase‬
1
‭3.‬ ‭H‭2‬ ‬‭CO‬‭3‬ ‭dissociates to form HCO‬‭3‬‭-‬ ‭and H‬‭+‬ ‭2.‬ ‭ethanal is then converted into acetate using ethanal dehydrogenase‬
‭4.‬ ‭HCO‬‭3‭-‬ ‬ ‭diffuse out of RBC, Cl‬‭-‬ ‭diffuse into RBC (chloride‬‭shift) to‬ ‭3.‬ ‭Co-enzyme A is added to acetate forming Acetyl-CoA, which is used‬
‭balance the charge in the RBC‬ ‭in kerbs cycle‬
‭5.‬ ‭H‭+‬ ‬ ‭react with oxyhaemoglobin by reducing haemoglobin‬‭affinity,‬
‭leading to O‬‭2‬ ‭is release and diffuse into cells for‬‭respiration‬ ‭stores glycogen‬
‭-‬ ‭liver converts excess glucose into glycogen and stores it in the cell‬

‭structure of liver‬

, ‭5.2.4 kidney‬ ‭5.2.8 kidney failure‬
‭-‬ i‭t is used to excrete waste products, e.g. urea, and regulate water‬ ‭-‬ ‭it can be detected by glomerular filtration rate (GFR)‬
‭potential of blood‬
‭-‬ ‭nephron:‬‭the functional unit of kidney‬ ‭health problems‬
‭Too much urea‬
‭-‬ ‭Vomiting and weight loss‬
‭Process of producing urine‬ ‭Too much H‬‭2‬‭O‬
‭-‬ ‭Parts of the body swelling‬
‭Too much electrolytes (ions)‬
‭-‬ ‭Blood become acidic‬
‭-‬ ‭Imbalance of calcium and phosphate causing brittle bones‬
‭-‬ ‭Salt build up causing more H‬‭2‭O ‬ retention‬
‭-‬ ‭K‬‭+‬ ‭ion conc. Increase causing frequency of impulse‬‭from SAN in‬
‭heart decrease, causing arrhythmia and heart attack‬
‭Treatment of kidney failure‬
‭Haemodialysis‬
‭1.‬ P ‭ atient’s blood flows into one side of the dialysis machine, whereas‬
‭the dialysis fluid flows on the other side, they are separated by a‬
‭partially permeable membrane‬
‭2.‬ ‭Waste product, ions, and H‬‭2‭O
‬ will then diffuse across‬‭the membrane,‬
‭leaving the blood‬
‭**rmb as blood will also come out → “heamo”dialysis‬
‭Peritoneal dialysis‬
‭ .‬ D
1 ‭ ialysis fluid flows into the abdominal cavity of the patients‬
‭2.‬ ‭Waste products from the blood will then diffuse into the dialysis‬
‭fluid‬
‭3.‬ ‭The dialysis fluid will then drained out of the abdominal cavity‬
‭through a tube‬
‭Kidney transplant‬
‭1.‬ A
‭ new kidney is implanted into the patient’s body, replacing the‬
‭non-functioning kidney‬
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