CAIE IGCSE BIOLOGY

All living things are made of cells. Tissue: Groups of cells with similar structures working
New cells are produced by the division of existing cells together to perform a shared function
All typical eukaryotic cells (multicellular) have: Organ: Group of tissues working together to perform a
Cell Membrane: controls movement in and out of cells specific function
Cytoplasm: where chemical/metabolic reactions take Organ system: Group of organs with related functions
place working together to perform body functions.
Nucleus: contains DNA, stores genetic information Organism: A human
and controls the activity of the cell
Mitochondria: where aerobic respiration happens Specialised Cells
Ribosome: allows protein synthesis in the cytoplasm
Endoplasmic reticulum: Studded with ribosomes, it Specialised Cells have Specific Functions.
looks rough under the microscope.
A typical animal cell (e.g., the liver cell) has all the above.
Specialised Cells Specific Function Location of Cell
Plant cells especially also have: Movement of
Respiratory Tract,
Vacuole: cell sap to keep cell turgid mucus in the
Ciliated cells Fallopian Tube,
Cell Wall: rigid to hold the shape of the cell, trachea and
Testes
strengthens the cell bronchi
Chloroplasts: contain chlorophyll, which absorbs light Root Hair cells Absorption Roots
energy for photosynthesis Palisade Mesophyll
A typical plant cell (e.g., the palisade cell) has everything Photosynthesis Leaf Cells
cell
above.
Conduction of Everywhere in an
Neurones
electrical impulses organism
Prokaryotes
Transport of Everywhere in an
Red Blood cells
Prokaryotes (Unicellular) DO NOT have mitochondria and a oxygen organism
true nucleus. Sperm and Egg
In their respective
cells/ovum For reproduction
One example of a prokaryote is bacteria. gonads
(gametes)
A bacterial cell only contains a cell wall made of
peptidoglycan, cell membrane, cytoplasm, ribosomes, and
plasmids. 2.5. Magnification
It lacks a nucleus and is represented by a circular
chromosome of DNA. The general formula is represented in this way:
Plasmids are small, circular rings of DNA in the cytoplasm
size of drawing image I
with extra genes outside the chromosomal DNA. M agnification = = =
size of specimen actual
​ ​ ​

A
Other Forms in Magnification Formula

Actual size = image size ÷ magnification

Image size = magnification x actual size

Unit Conversions (μm - micrometre)

1cm = 10mm
1mm = 1000μm
1μm = 0.001mm

Magnification does NOT have any units (‘x 50’ or ‘x 5000’)

Syllabus 2.1.3: You must be able to identify the Tip: This comes out frequently in all three
cell structures in diagrams and images of papers
plant, animal and bacterial cells

2.4. Levels of Organisation 3. Movement In and Out of

The division of existing cells produces new cells. Cells
Key Terms
3.1. Diffusion
Cells: Building Blocks of Life

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CAIE IGCSE BIOLOGY

Diffusion: Net movement of particles down the concentration In Animals

gradient (high → low) as a result of their random movement.
Increasing solute concentration inside a cell can cause it
to burst (cell lysis) because it has too much water and no
cell wall.

In Plants

Increasing solute concentration inside the cell causes the

cell to become turgid, and the vacuole fills up. The cell
wall can withstand the higher turgor pressure.
Decreasing solute concentration inside the cell causes the
cell to become flaccid, losing water, and the vacuole to get
smaller. The cell body shrinks, pulling away from the cell
wall.
Plants are supported by the water pressure inside the
Energy for diffusion comes from the kinetic energy of the cells pressing outwards on the cell wall.
random movement of molecules and ions.
The diffusion of gases and solutes is important as without
it, molecules that are needed for life, for example, glucose
and oxygen for respiration, would not be able to get to the
places they are required.
Some substances move into and out of cells by diffusion
through the cell membrane.

Factors that influence diffusion (Passive Transport)

Concentration gradient Dialysis Tubing Experiment

Temperature
Surface area to volume ratio Dialysis Tubing (or Visking tubing) is a non-living, partially
Distance permeable membrane made from cellulose.
Pores are small enough to prevent the passage of large
3.2. Osmosis molecules (such as sucrose) but allow smaller molecules
(such as glucose and water) to pass through by
The role of water acts as a solvent in organisms to aid diffusion and osmosis.
with digestion, excretion, and transport.
Knowing the definition of Diffusion, Osmosis and Active
Transport is COMPULSORY!
The cell membrane is partially permeable, allowing small
molecules (like water) through but not larger molecules.

Osmosis: Net movement of water molecules from a region of

higher water potential (dilute solution) to a region of lower
water potential (concentrated solution) through a partially
permeable membrane.

3.4. Active Transport

Active Transport: The movement of particles through a cell
membrane from a lower concentration region to a higher
concentration region (i.e., against a concentration gradient)
Conc. of Solute Conc. of Solute uses energy from respiration.
Condition of the Cell
(In-Cell) (Outside-Cell)
Carrier Proteins or Protein Carriers are also used during
Cell Shrinks active transport.
Low High
(Flaccid/Hypertonic)
Same Same No Change (Isotonic)
High Low Turgid/Hypotonic

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CAIE IGCSE BIOLOGY

Positive Negative
Test for: Solution Process
Result Result
Add Biuret
Biuret
Protein solution to the Purple/Violet Blue
Solution
sample
Add ethanol to
Fats \n the sample and
Cloudy
(Physical Ethanol shake with an N/A
Emulsion
test) equal volume
of water.
Add DCPIP
Vitamin C DCPIP solution to the Colourless Blue
sample
It is embedded in the cell membrane, where it picks up
specific molecules and moves them through the
membrane against their concentration gradient.
Active transport is needed when an organism wants to
optimise the nutrients it can take up - ion uptake by root
hair cells.
Some particles are too large to cross a membrane by
diffusion or active transport. A few very specialised cells
have developed a method for taking up these particles;
the particles are engulfed by the cell surface membrane
flowing around them. This process of phagocytosis is used
by white blood cells.

4. Biological Molecules
4.1. Biological Molecules
Carbohydrates: made from Carbon, Hydrogen and 4.3. Structure of a DNA
Oxygen (CHO)
Fats and Oils: made from Carbon, Hydrogen and Oxygen Chromosomes are made of a molecule called DNA
(CHO) DNA is also called deoxyribonucleic acid.
Proteins: made from Carbon, Hydrogen, Oxygen, Nitrogen
and sometimes Sulfur (CHON{S})

Smaller molecules Larger molecules

Simple sugars Starch, glycogen and cellulose
Fatty acids and glycerol Fats and oils
Amino acids Proteins

4.2. Food Tests

Positive Negative Each chromosome is a very long molecule of tightly coiled

Test for: Solution Process DNA
Result Result
Add Benedict Two strands coiled together to form a double helix
solution into a Each strand contains chemicals called Bases
Reducing Benedict Cross-links between strands are formed by pairs of bases
beaker and Brick Red Blue
Sugars Solution The bases always pair up in the same way:
Heat Up to 70-
80°C A and T
C and G
Add Iodine
Iodine You do NOT need to know the names of the DNA bases
Starch solution to the Blue-Black Brown
Solution for this syllabus.
specimen

[Link] Copyright © 2024 ZNotes Education & Foundation. All Rights Reserved. This document is authorised
for personal use only by Rahmath Bano at 21kschool on 25/09/24.