Pearson Edexcel GCSE Biology Specification
Overview Exam 2025 Questions and Answers
What are the fundamental units of living organisms? - ANS Cells, which may be part of highly
adapted structures like tissues, organs, and organ systems.
How do living organisms interact within ecosystems? - ANS They form populations,
communities, and interact with the environment and humans.
What is the significance of photosynthesis in life on Earth? - ANS It allows green plants and
algae to fix carbon dioxide and produce organic compounds and oxygen.
What role do organic compounds play in living organisms? - ANS They are used as fuels in
cellular respiration for necessary chemical reactions.
How do chemicals cycle in ecosystems? - ANS They continually cycle through the natural
world.
What influences the characteristics of a living organism? - ANS Its genome and interaction
with the environment.
What process accounts for biodiversity and the relationships among organisms? -
ANS Evolution by natural selection.
Pg. 1 Copyright © 2025 Jasonmcconell. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
,What are the main sub-cellular structures found in animal cells? - ANS Nucleus, cell
membrane, mitochondria, and ribosomes.
What additional structures are present in plant cells compared to animal cells? - ANS Cell
wall, chloroplasts, and vacuole.
What are the key sub-cellular structures found in bacteria? - ANS Chromosomal DNA,
plasmid DNA, cell membrane, ribosomes, and flagella.
How are sperm cells specialized for their function? - ANS They have an acrosome, haploid
nucleus, mitochondria, and a tail.
What adaptations do egg cells have to support their function? - ANS Nutrients in the
cytoplasm, a haploid nucleus, and changes in the cell membrane after fertilization.
What is a key feature of ciliated epithelial cells? - ANS They have cilia that help move
substances across their surface.
How has electron microscopy improved our understanding of cell structures? - ANS It allows
us to see cell structures and organelles with more clarity and detail.
What is the mechanism of enzyme action? - ANS Enzymes work by binding to substrates at
the active site, leading to a chemical reaction.
What can cause enzymes to become denatured? - ANS Changes in temperature, pH, or
substrate concentration that alter the shape of the active site.
How do temperature and pH affect enzyme activity? - ANS They can increase or decrease the
rate of enzyme reactions depending on optimal conditions.
Pg. 2 Copyright © 2025 Jasonmcconell. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
,What is the importance of enzymes as biological catalysts? - ANS They facilitate the synthesis
and breakdown of carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, sugars, amino acids, fatty acids, and glycerol.
What are some chemical reagents used to identify biological macromolecules? -
ANS Reagents for starch, reducing sugars, proteins, and fats.
How can the energy in food be measured? - ANS Using calorimetry.
What are the three main methods of substance transport into and out of cells? -
ANS Diffusion, osmosis, and active transport.
What is a core practical related to osmosis? - ANS Investigating osmosis in potatoes.
How do you calculate percentage gain and loss of mass in osmosis? - ANS By comparing the
initial and final mass of the specimen.
What are the stages of mitosis in the cell cycle? - ANS Interphase, prophase, metaphase,
anaphase, telophase, and cytokinesis.
What is the importance of mitosis? - ANS Mitosis is important for growth, repair, and asexual
reproduction.
What is produced during mitosis? - ANS Two daughter cells, each with identical sets of
chromosomes to the parent cell, resulting in two genetically identical diploid body cells.
What causes cancer in relation to cell division? - ANS Cancer is caused by changes in cells
that lead to uncontrolled cell division.
Pg. 3 Copyright © 2025 Jasonmcconell. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
, How does cell division differ in animals and plants? - ANS In animals, it involves cell division
and differentiation; in plants, it involves cell division, elongation, and differentiation.
Why is cell differentiation important? - ANS It is crucial for the development of specialized
cells.
What are percentiles charts used for? - ANS To monitor growth.
What is the function of embryonic stem cells? - ANS They can differentiate into any cell type
in the body.
What are the potential benefits and risks of using stem cells in medicine? - ANS Benefits
include potential treatments for diseases; risks involve ethical concerns and possible tumor
formation.
What are the main structures of the brain? - ANS Cerebellum, cerebral hemispheres, and
medulla oblongata.
How can difficulties in accessing brain tissue be overcome? - ANS By using CT scanning and
PET scanning to investigate brain function.
What are some limitations in treating brain damage and disease? - ANS Challenges include
treating spinal injuries and brain tumors.
What are sensory receptors and their functions? - ANS They detect stimuli and transmit
electrical impulses through sensory neurones, relay neurones, and motor neurones.
What is a reflex arc? - ANS A neural pathway that controls a reflex action, involving sensory,
relay, and motor neurones.
Pg. 4 Copyright © 2025 Jasonmcconell. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Overview Exam 2025 Questions and Answers
What are the fundamental units of living organisms? - ANS Cells, which may be part of highly
adapted structures like tissues, organs, and organ systems.
How do living organisms interact within ecosystems? - ANS They form populations,
communities, and interact with the environment and humans.
What is the significance of photosynthesis in life on Earth? - ANS It allows green plants and
algae to fix carbon dioxide and produce organic compounds and oxygen.
What role do organic compounds play in living organisms? - ANS They are used as fuels in
cellular respiration for necessary chemical reactions.
How do chemicals cycle in ecosystems? - ANS They continually cycle through the natural
world.
What influences the characteristics of a living organism? - ANS Its genome and interaction
with the environment.
What process accounts for biodiversity and the relationships among organisms? -
ANS Evolution by natural selection.
Pg. 1 Copyright © 2025 Jasonmcconell. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
,What are the main sub-cellular structures found in animal cells? - ANS Nucleus, cell
membrane, mitochondria, and ribosomes.
What additional structures are present in plant cells compared to animal cells? - ANS Cell
wall, chloroplasts, and vacuole.
What are the key sub-cellular structures found in bacteria? - ANS Chromosomal DNA,
plasmid DNA, cell membrane, ribosomes, and flagella.
How are sperm cells specialized for their function? - ANS They have an acrosome, haploid
nucleus, mitochondria, and a tail.
What adaptations do egg cells have to support their function? - ANS Nutrients in the
cytoplasm, a haploid nucleus, and changes in the cell membrane after fertilization.
What is a key feature of ciliated epithelial cells? - ANS They have cilia that help move
substances across their surface.
How has electron microscopy improved our understanding of cell structures? - ANS It allows
us to see cell structures and organelles with more clarity and detail.
What is the mechanism of enzyme action? - ANS Enzymes work by binding to substrates at
the active site, leading to a chemical reaction.
What can cause enzymes to become denatured? - ANS Changes in temperature, pH, or
substrate concentration that alter the shape of the active site.
How do temperature and pH affect enzyme activity? - ANS They can increase or decrease the
rate of enzyme reactions depending on optimal conditions.
Pg. 2 Copyright © 2025 Jasonmcconell. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
,What is the importance of enzymes as biological catalysts? - ANS They facilitate the synthesis
and breakdown of carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, sugars, amino acids, fatty acids, and glycerol.
What are some chemical reagents used to identify biological macromolecules? -
ANS Reagents for starch, reducing sugars, proteins, and fats.
How can the energy in food be measured? - ANS Using calorimetry.
What are the three main methods of substance transport into and out of cells? -
ANS Diffusion, osmosis, and active transport.
What is a core practical related to osmosis? - ANS Investigating osmosis in potatoes.
How do you calculate percentage gain and loss of mass in osmosis? - ANS By comparing the
initial and final mass of the specimen.
What are the stages of mitosis in the cell cycle? - ANS Interphase, prophase, metaphase,
anaphase, telophase, and cytokinesis.
What is the importance of mitosis? - ANS Mitosis is important for growth, repair, and asexual
reproduction.
What is produced during mitosis? - ANS Two daughter cells, each with identical sets of
chromosomes to the parent cell, resulting in two genetically identical diploid body cells.
What causes cancer in relation to cell division? - ANS Cancer is caused by changes in cells
that lead to uncontrolled cell division.
Pg. 3 Copyright © 2025 Jasonmcconell. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
, How does cell division differ in animals and plants? - ANS In animals, it involves cell division
and differentiation; in plants, it involves cell division, elongation, and differentiation.
Why is cell differentiation important? - ANS It is crucial for the development of specialized
cells.
What are percentiles charts used for? - ANS To monitor growth.
What is the function of embryonic stem cells? - ANS They can differentiate into any cell type
in the body.
What are the potential benefits and risks of using stem cells in medicine? - ANS Benefits
include potential treatments for diseases; risks involve ethical concerns and possible tumor
formation.
What are the main structures of the brain? - ANS Cerebellum, cerebral hemispheres, and
medulla oblongata.
How can difficulties in accessing brain tissue be overcome? - ANS By using CT scanning and
PET scanning to investigate brain function.
What are some limitations in treating brain damage and disease? - ANS Challenges include
treating spinal injuries and brain tumors.
What are sensory receptors and their functions? - ANS They detect stimuli and transmit
electrical impulses through sensory neurones, relay neurones, and motor neurones.
What is a reflex arc? - ANS A neural pathway that controls a reflex action, involving sensory,
relay, and motor neurones.
Pg. 4 Copyright © 2025 Jasonmcconell. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
