AS Level Biology

The Cambridge AS Level Biology curriculum (syllabus 9700) provides a comprehensive foundation across key biological topics including cell structure, biological molecules, enzymes, cell membranes and transport, the mitotic cell cycle, nucleic acids and protein synthesis, transport in plants and mammals, gas exchange, infectious diseases, immunity, and biodiversity . It is assessed through three compulsory components—Paper 1 (Multiple Choice, 1 hour 15 minutes), Paper 2 (AS Level Structured Questions, 1 hour 15 minutes), and Paper 3 (Advanced Practical Skills, 2 hours)—which together test knowledge and understanding, handling and evaluating information, and experimental skills . The syllabus emphasizes developing scientific enquiry skills through practical investigations, with key concepts including cells as the units of life, biochemical processes, DNA as the molecule of heredity, natural selection, and organisms in their environment . The curriculum for 2025-2027 includes topics such as the roles of genes in determining phenotype (using examples like TYR gene and albinism, HBB gene and sickle cell anemia), gene control (including the lac operon), natural and artificial selection (including the Hardy-Weinberg principle), classification and biodiversity (using Simpson's index of diversity), conservation strategies, and genetic technology applied to medicine and agriculture.

Subject

BIology

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