BRAINCAKE

Edexcel GCSE Combined Science

Edexcel Combined Science (1SC0)14 topics321 lessons

Edexcel GCSE Combined Science revision for Edexcel Combined Science (1SC0): 14 topics and 321 short lessons, each with R.E.C.I.P.E. recall steps and a quiz. The topics follow the Edexcel specification.

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1. Key concepts in biology

53 lessons

  1. Core practical: Microscopes, magnification and scientific drawings
  2. Core practical: The effect of pH on enzyme activity
  3. Core practical: Osmosis in potatoes
  4. Sub-cellular structures in animal, plant and bacterial cells
  5. Specialised cells: sperm, egg and ciliated epithelial cells
  6. How microscope technology has changed our view of cells
  7. Number, size and scale, and estimation
  8. Units for cells: milli, micro, nano and pico
  9. How enzymes work: the active site and specificity
  10. Denaturing of enzymes
  11. Effects of temperature, substrate concentration and pH
  12. Rate calculations for enzyme activity
  13. Enzymes as biological catalysts in synthesis and breakdown
  14. Transport into and out of cells: diffusion, osmosis and active transport
  15. Calculating percentage gain and loss of mass in osmosis
  16. How Mendeleev arranged the elements in his periodic table
  17. How Mendeleev used his table to predict undiscovered elements
  18. Metals and non-metals in the periodic table and their atomic structure
  19. Electronic configurations of the first 20 elements
  20. Electronic configuration and position in the periodic table
  21. Ionic bonding and dot and cross diagrams
  22. Ions
  23. Protons, neutrons and electrons in simple ions
  24. Formation of ions in ionic compounds
  25. The endings -ide and -ate in compound names
  26. Formulae of ionic compounds
  27. Ionic lattice structure
  28. Formation of a covalent bond
  29. Covalent bonding and molecules
  30. Size of atoms and small molecules
  31. Dot and cross diagrams of simple molecules
  32. Types of substance and their properties
  33. Properties of ionic compounds
  34. Properties of simple molecular substances
  35. Graphite and diamond
  36. Structures of graphite and diamond
  37. Uses of graphite and diamond
  38. Properties of fullerenes and graphene
  39. Poly(ethene) and simple polymers
  40. Properties of metals
  41. Limitations of models and representations
  42. Properties of metals and non-metals
  43. Relative formula mass and percentage by mass
  44. Empirical formulae from masses
  45. Empirical and molecular formulae
  46. Finding the empirical formula of magnesium oxide
  47. The law of conservation of mass
  48. Calculating reacting masses
  49. Concentration of solutions in g/dm3
  50. The mole and the Avogadro constant
  51. Calculations with moles and particles
  52. Limiting reactants and the mass of product
  53. Deducing stoichiometry from masses

2. Cells and control

31 lessons

  1. Mitosis and the cell cycle
  2. Why mitosis is important
  3. Mitosis makes identical diploid cells
  4. Cancer and uncontrolled cell division
  5. Growth in animals and plants
  6. The importance of cell differentiation
  7. Percentile charts and growth
  8. Stem cells and meristems
  9. Stem cells in medicine: benefits and risks
  10. Neurones, receptors and synapses
  11. The reflex arc
  12. Interpreting paper chromatograms
  13. Core practical: inks, chromatography and simple distillation
  14. Making water potable
  15. Newton's second law
  16. Weight, mass and W = m × g
  17. Measuring weight
  18. Weight and gravitational field strength
  19. Core practical: force, mass and acceleration
  20. Circular orbits and changing velocity
  21. Centripetal force
  22. Inertial mass
  23. Newton's third law
  24. Momentum
  25. Examples of momentum in collisions
  26. Force as change in momentum over time
  27. Measuring human reaction times
  28. Stopping distance
  29. Factors affecting stopping distance
  30. Factors affecting a driver's reaction time
  31. Dangers of large decelerations and estimating forces on the road

3. Genetics

31 lessons

  1. Meiosis and gametes
  2. The structure of DNA
  3. Genome and genes
  4. Extracting DNA from fruit
  5. Alleles and differences in inherited characteristics
  6. Genetics key terms
  7. Monohybrid inheritance, Punnett squares and pedigrees
  8. How the sex of offspring is determined
  9. Calculating outcomes from crosses and pedigrees
  10. Multiple genes and phenotype
  11. Causes of genetic variation
  12. The Human Genome Project
  13. Genetic variation and mutations
  14. Effects of mutations on the phenotype
  15. Acids and alkalis as sources of ions
  16. The pH scale
  17. Dilute and concentrated solutions
  18. Strong and weak acids
  19. Bases and the reactions of bases with acids
  20. Alkalis as soluble bases
  21. Reactions of acids with metals, oxides, hydroxides and carbonates
  22. Core practical: Preparing pure, dry hydrated copper sulfate crystals
  23. Acid-alkali titration to prepare a pure, dry salt
  24. Movement of ions during electrolysis
  25. Electrolysis of copper chloride and sodium chloride solutions
  26. Electrolysis of molten binary ionic compounds
  27. Half equations at the electrodes
  28. Oxidation and reduction as loss or gain of electrons
  29. Reduction at the cathode and oxidation at the anode
  30. Electrolysis of copper sulfate with copper electrodes and purifying copper
  31. Core Practical: Electrolysis of copper sulfate solution

4. Natural selection and genetic modification

17 lessons

  1. Charles Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection
  2. Resistant organisms and antibiotic resistance
  3. Evidence for human evolution from fossils
  4. Evidence for human evolution from stone tools
  5. Three domains and five kingdoms
  6. Selective breeding
  7. Describe genetic engineering as a process which involves modifying the genome of an organism to introduce desirable characteristics
  8. Describe the main stages of genetic engineering including the use of: a restriction enzymes b ligase c sticky ends d vectors
  9. Evaluate the benefits and risks of genetic engineering and selective breeding in modern agriculture and medicine, including practical and ethical implications
  10. Deduce the relative reactivity of some metals, by their reactions with water, acids and salt solutions
  11. Recall that the extraction of metals involves reduction of ores
  12. Explain how a metal’s relative resistance to oxidation is related to its position in the reactivity series
  13. Evaluating data from a life cycle assessment
  14. Reversible reactions
  15. Making ammonia and dynamic equilibrium
  16. Conditions for the Haber process
  17. Predicting changes in the position of equilibrium

5. Health, disease and the development of medicines

21 lessons

  1. Health as complete well-being
  2. Communicable and non-communicable diseases
  3. Why one disease raises the risk of others
  4. Pathogens
  5. Common infections
  6. How pathogens spread and how to stop them
  7. Sexually transmitted infections: chlamydia and HIV
  8. Physical barriers and chemical defences
  9. The specific immune system and antibodies
  10. Immunisation with an inactive pathogen
  11. Antibiotics and bacterial infections
  12. Developing new medicines
  13. Non-communicable diseases and their causes
  14. Lifestyle factors and non-communicable disease
  15. Treatments for cardiovascular disease
  16. Electromagnetic waves are transverse and travel at the same speed in a vacuum
  17. Core Practical: Refraction in a rectangular glass block
  18. Groupings of the electromagnetic spectrum
  19. The electromagnetic spectrum
  20. Harmful effects of electromagnetic radiation
  21. Uses of electromagnetic radiation

6. Plant structures and their functions

30 lessons

  1. Photosynthetic organisms as producers
  2. The photosynthesis reaction
  3. Limiting factors of photosynthesis
  4. Interactions between limiting factors
  5. Core practical: light intensity and photosynthesis
  6. Light intensity, distance and the inverse square law
  7. Root hair cells: adaptations for absorption
  8. Xylem and phloem: structure and function
  9. Transpiration and the stomata
  10. Translocation of sucrose
  11. Environmental factors and water uptake
  12. Calculating the rate of transpiration
  13. Displacement reactions of the halogens
  14. Why the noble gases are inert
  15. Uses of the noble gases
  16. Patterns in the noble gases
  17. How the atomic model has changed
  18. Beta-minus decay
  19. Beta plus decay
  20. Effects of radioactive decay on nuclei
  21. Gamma radiation and nuclear rearrangement
  22. Balancing nuclear equations
  23. How the activity of a source decreases
  24. The becquerel as the unit of activity
  25. Half-life
  26. Random decay and predicting half-life
  27. Half-life calculations and graphs
  28. Dangers of ionising radiation
  29. Safety precautions and medical exposure
  30. Contamination and irradiation

7. Animal coordination, control and homeostasis

17 lessons

  1. Hormones, endocrine glands and target organs
  2. Adrenalin and the fight or flight response
  3. Thyroxine and negative feedback
  4. The menstrual cycle
  5. Hormones in the control of the menstrual cycle
  6. Hormonal contraception
  7. Evaluate hormonal and barrier methods of contraception
  8. Explain the use of hormones in Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) including IVF and clomifene therapy
  9. Explain the importance of maintaining a constant internal environment in response to internal and external change
  10. Explain how the hormone insulin controls blood glucose concentration
  11. Explain how blood glucose concentration is regulated by glucagon
  12. Explain the cause of type 1 diabetes and how it is controlled
  13. Type 2 diabetes: cause and control
  14. Body mass, BMI and type 2 diabetes
  15. Exothermic changes and reactions
  16. Endothermic changes and reactions
  17. Bond breaking and bond making

8. Exchange and transport in animals

26 lessons

  1. Transporting substances in animals
  2. Exchange surfaces and transport systems
  3. Alveoli and gas exchange
  4. Structure and function of blood
  5. Structure and function of blood vessels
  6. The heart and circulatory system
  7. Cellular respiration, aerobic and anaerobic
  8. Aerobic and anaerobic respiration compared
  9. Core practical: rate of respiration
  10. Heart rate, stroke volume and cardiac output
  11. Fractions from crude oil and their uses
  12. How the fractions differ
  13. Oxides of nitrogen from engines
  14. Hydrogen compared with petrol as a car fuel
  15. Fossil fuels from crude oil and natural gas
  16. Cracking alkanes to make alkenes
  17. Why cracking is necessary
  18. Volcanoes and the early atmosphere
  19. Earth's early atmosphere
  20. How condensation formed the oceans
  21. How the oceans reduced carbon dioxide
  22. Plants and the rise of oxygen
  23. The test for oxygen
  24. The greenhouse effect
  25. Evidence for human activity causing climate change
  26. Today's atmosphere and the effects of increased greenhouse gases

9. Ecosystems and material cycles

12 lessons

  1. Levels of organisation in an ecosystem
  2. Abiotic and biotic factors
  3. Interdependence in a community
  4. Parasitism and mutualism
  5. Core practical: quadrats and belt transects
  6. Estimating population size from quadrat data
  7. Positive and negative human interactions with ecosystems: fish farming and non-indigenous species
  8. Benefits of maintaining biodiversity, conservation and reforestation
  9. How materials cycle through the abiotic and biotic parts of an ecosystem
  10. The carbon cycle and the role of decomposers
  11. The water cycle and the production of potable water
  12. How nitrates become available to plants: the nitrogen cycle, fertilisers and crop rotation

10. Electricity and circuits

42 lessons

  1. Structure of the atom
  2. Circuit diagrams and symbols
  3. Series and parallel circuits
  4. Using a voltmeter
  5. Potential difference and energy
  6. Energy, charge and potential difference
  7. Using an ammeter to measure current
  8. Current as a flow of charge
  9. The charge, current and time equation
  10. Current in a closed circuit
  11. Current at a junction
  12. Resistance and the variable resistor
  13. Potential difference, current and resistance (V = IR)
  14. Resistors in series and in parallel
  15. Calculations in series circuits
  16. Designing series circuits for testing and measuring
  17. Core practical: potential difference, current and resistance
  18. Current and potential difference for resistors, lamps and diodes
  19. Resistance of a light-dependent resistor (LDR)
  20. Resistance of a thermistor
  21. Investigating resistance in circuit devices
  22. Heating effect of an electric current
  23. Energy dissipated by a current doing work against resistance
  24. Collisions between electrons and ions in the lattice
  25. Reducing unwanted energy transfer in low resistance wires
  26. Advantages and disadvantages of the heating effect
  27. Energy transferred, current, potential difference and time
  28. Power as energy transferred per second
  29. Power, energy transferred and time taken
  30. Power, potential difference and current
  31. Electrical power: P = IV and P = I²R
  32. Energy transfers in domestic devices
  33. Direct and alternating voltage
  34. Direct current
  35. Alternating current
  36. UK mains supply
  37. Live and neutral wires
  38. Earth wire, fuses and circuit breakers
  39. Switches and fuses in the live wire
  40. Potential differences of the mains wires
  41. Dangers of a live to earth connection
  42. Power ratings of domestic appliances

11. Magnetism and the motor effect

13 lessons

  1. Magnetic poles: attraction and repulsion
  2. Uses of permanent and temporary magnetic materials
  3. Permanent and induced magnets
  4. Magnetic fields around magnets
  5. Plotting magnetic fields with a compass
  6. The compass and the Earth's magnetic core
  7. Magnetic field around a current
  8. Strength of the field around a wire
  9. Solenoids and electromagnets
  10. Force on a current-carrying conductor
  11. Interacting magnetic fields
  12. Fleming's left-hand rule
  13. Force on a conductor in a magnetic field (F = B I l)

12. Electromagnetic induction

6 lessons

  1. Factors affecting induced potential difference, and how the induced field opposes the change
  2. Transformers and induction between circuits
  3. A transformer can change the size of an alternating voltage
  4. Why electricity is transmitted at high voltage in the national grid
  5. Step-up and step-down transformers in the national grid
  6. The transformer power equation

13. Particle model

15 lessons

  1. Kinetic theory and the states of matter
  2. The density equation
  3. Core practical: the densities of solids and liquids
  4. Density and the states of matter
  5. Changes of state and conservation of mass
  6. Heating, internal energy and changes of state
  7. Specific heat capacity and specific latent heat
  8. Calculating thermal energy changes
  9. Calculating energy for a change of state
  10. Reducing unwanted energy transfer
  11. Core practical: specific heat capacity of water and melting ice
  12. Gas pressure and particle motion
  13. Gas temperature, particle speed and pressure
  14. Absolute zero
  15. Kelvin and Celsius scales

14. Forces and matter

7 lessons

  1. Forces needed to change the shape of an object
  2. Elastic and inelastic distortion
  3. Linear elastic distortion and the spring constant
  4. Work done in stretching a spring
  5. Linear and non-linear force-extension relationships
  6. Core practical: force, extension and work done for a spring
  7. Calculating stored energy and converting units