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Edexcel GCSE Combined Science revision notes

Concise notes per spec point, written in plain English with worked examples. AI-generated, admin-verified.

  1. CB1.1Cells: animal, plant, bacterial; organelles, specialisation and microscopy (light vs electron microscopy); calculating magnification
  2. CB1.2Enzymes: lock-and-key model, effect of temperature and pH on rate, denaturation; calculating rate of reaction
  3. CB1.3Transport in cells: diffusion, osmosis (including practical with potato cylinders), active transport; surface area to volume ratios
  4. CB2.1Mitosis and the cell cycle: chromosomes, division stages, growth and repair; cancer as uncontrolled cell division
  5. CB2.2Stem cells: meristems in plants, embryonic and adult stem cells in animals; therapeutic uses, ethical issues
  6. CB2.3The nervous system: CNS, sensory/relay/motor neurones, synapses, the reflex arc
  7. CB3.1Sexual vs asexual reproduction; meiosis; advantages and disadvantages
  8. CB3.2DNA, genes and the genome: structure of DNA (double helix, base pairing), the Human Genome Project
  9. CB3.3Genetic inheritance: alleles, dominant/recessive, genotype/phenotype, monohybrid crosses with Punnett squares, sex determination, sex-linked disorders
  10. CB3.4Variation and mutation: continuous vs discontinuous variation; genetic, environmental and combined causes; effects of mutations
  11. CB4.1Evolution by natural selection; evidence (fossils, antibiotic resistance); speciation
  12. CB4.2Classification: Linnaean system; three-domain system (Woese); evolutionary trees
  13. CB4.3Selective breeding and genetic engineering: principles, examples (insulin, GM crops), benefits and risksHigher
  14. CB5.1Health and disease: communicable vs non-communicable; pathogens (viruses, bacteria, fungi, protists); examples (HIV, TB, cholera, malaria, chalara ash dieback)
  15. CB5.2Body defences: physical and chemical barriers; immune system, antibodies and vaccination; herd immunity
  16. CB5.3Drugs and treatments: aspirin, digitalis, penicillin; preclinical and clinical testing; antibiotic resistance
  17. CB5.4Non-communicable disease: cardiovascular disease, lifestyle factors, BMI, treatment options
  18. CB6.1Photosynthesis: equation, limiting factors (light, CO₂, temperature), inverse-square law, uses of glucose by plants
  19. CB6.2Plant transport: xylem and phloem; transpiration and translocation; factors affecting transpiration rate
  20. CB7.1Hormones and the endocrine system: pituitary as master gland, adrenaline; hormonal vs nervous responses
  21. CB7.2Blood glucose regulation: insulin and glucagon; Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes
  22. CB7.3Hormones in human reproduction: menstrual cycle, contraception, fertility treatments (IVF, clomifene)
  23. CB8.1Surfaces for gas exchange: alveoli, fish gills; calculations of surface area to volume
  24. CB8.2The circulatory system: heart structure and function, blood vessels (arteries, veins, capillaries), blood components and their roles
  25. CB9.1Ecosystems: biotic and abiotic factors, interdependence, sampling with quadrats and transects, calculating biodiversity index
  26. CB9.2Human impact on biodiversity: pollution, eutrophication, deforestation; conservation and reforestation programmes
  27. CB9.3Material cycles: water cycle, carbon cycle, nitrogen cycle (decomposition and nitrogen-fixing bacteria)
  28. CC1.1States of matter and the particle model; physical changes
  29. CC1.2Atomic structure: subatomic particles, mass number, atomic number, isotopes; the development of the atomic model (Dalton, Thomson, Rutherford, Bohr, Chadwick)
  30. CC1.3The periodic table: arrangement, history (Mendeleev), trends in metals/non-metals across periods and down groups
  31. CC1.4Ionic, covalent and metallic bonding; properties of substances explained by structure and bonding
  32. CC1.5Chemical formulae, equations and calculations: relative formula mass, percentage composition, balancing equations, conservation of mass
  33. CC1.6Moles, masses and concentrations of solutions (HT only); limiting reactantsHigher
  34. CC2.1Pure substances and formulations
  35. CC2.2Separation techniques: filtration, crystallisation, simple/fractional distillation, paper chromatography (including Rf calculations)
  36. CC2.3Drinking water: sources, treatment (sedimentation, filtration, chlorination), desalination
  37. CC3.1Acids, alkalis, neutralisation and the pH scale; titrations and indicators; strong vs weak acids (HT)
  38. CC3.2Reactivity series of metals; displacement reactions; oxidation and reduction in terms of oxygen; rusting and prevention
  39. CC3.3Extraction of metals: reduction with carbon (iron, copper); electrolysis (aluminium); biological methods (phytomining, bioleaching)
  40. CC3.4Electrolysis: molten and aqueous electrolytes; predicting products; half-equations (HT)Higher
  41. CC4.1Reversible reactions and dynamic equilibrium; Le Chatelier’s principle; effect of temperature, pressure and concentration on equilibriumHigher
  42. CC4.2Energy changes in reactions: exothermic vs endothermic; reaction profiles; bond-energy calculations
  43. CC5.1Group 1 (alkali metals): trends in reactivity, reactions with water, oxygen and chlorine
  44. CC5.2Group 7 (halogens): trends in reactivity, displacement reactions, properties
  45. CC5.3Group 0 (noble gases): properties and uses; trends in physical properties
  46. CC6.1Rate of reaction: collision theory, activation energy, factors (temperature, concentration, surface area, catalyst); calculating rate from gradients of graphs
  47. CC6.2Catalysts: how they work; enzymes as biological catalysts
  48. CC7.1Hydrocarbons and crude oil: alkanes, fractional distillation, properties of fractions, cracking and alkenes
  49. CC7.2Combustion: complete vs incomplete combustion, products and pollutants (CO, soot, SO₂, NOₓ); acid rain
  50. CC7.3Earth’s atmosphere: evolution from early to current composition; greenhouse gases (CO₂, CH₄, water vapour); the greenhouse effect and climate change
  51. CC8.1Resources and sustainability: finite vs renewable resources; reuse, recycling and life-cycle assessment (LCA)
  52. CC8.2Greenhouse effect, global warming and human impact: evidence, scale of effects, mitigation strategies
  53. CC9.1Tests for ions: flame tests for cations; precipitate tests for metal cations; tests for halide, sulfate, carbonate anions
  54. CC9.2Tests for gases: hydrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxide, ammonia, chlorine
  55. CP1.1Distance, displacement, speed, velocity, acceleration; scalars vs vectors; calculating average speed and acceleration
  56. CP1.2Distance–time and velocity–time graphs: gradient = speed/acceleration; area under v–t graph = distance
  57. CP1.3Equations of motion: v² − u² = 2as; using suvat; falling objects and terminal velocity
  58. CP10.1Permanent and induced magnets; magnetic field patterns; the Earth’s magnetic field
  59. CP10.2Electromagnets: solenoid; uses (relays, doorbells); the motor effect (F = BIL); Fleming’s left-hand rule
  60. CP11.1Induced potential difference (HT): generator effect; ac generators and dynamos; Lenz’s law qualitativelyHigher
  61. CP11.2Transformers (HT): step-up vs step-down; Vp/Vs = Np/Ns; the National GridHigher
  62. CP12.1Density of solids, liquids and gases; ρ = m/V; calculating from regular and irregular shapes (displacement)
  63. CP12.2Specific heat capacity and specific latent heat; heating and cooling curves; ΔE = mcΔθ; ΔE = mL
  64. CP12.3Particle motion in gases (HT): pressure–temperature relationship; pV = constant at constant T (Boyle’s law)Higher
  65. CP13.1Elasticity revisited: linear vs non-linear behaviour; force–extension graphs; calculating energy stored in a spring
  66. CP14.1Sound waves in solids vs gases (HT); seismic P and S waves and what they show about Earth’s interiorHigher
  67. CP15.1Applications across the EM spectrum: radio (broadcast), microwave (cooking, satellites), infrared (heating, remote sensing), visible (vision, fibre optics), UV (sunbeds, sterilisation), X-ray (medical imaging), gamma (cancer treatment, sterilisation)
  68. CP2.1Forces and their interactions: contact and non-contact forces, free-body diagrams, resultant force
  69. CP2.2Newton’s laws: 1st (inertia), 2nd (F = ma), 3rd (action–reaction); examples in lifts, vehicles
  70. CP2.3Stopping distance: thinking + braking distance; factors affecting each; reaction time experiment
  71. CP2.4Momentum: p = mv; conservation of momentum in collisions; force as rate of change of momentum (HT)Higher
  72. CP3.1Energy stores and transfers (kinetic, gravitational potential, elastic, thermal, chemical, nuclear); conservation of energy and dissipation
  73. CP3.2Calculating KE = ½mv² and GPE = mgh; specific heat capacity calculations
  74. CP3.3Efficiency: useful energy out / total energy in; Sankey diagrams; reducing wasted energy
  75. CP4.1Wave properties: transverse vs longitudinal; amplitude, wavelength, frequency, period; wave speed = f × λ
  76. CP4.2Sound: production, hearing range (20 Hz–20 kHz), reflection (echoes); ultrasound (HT)
  77. CP4.3Reflection, refraction (HT), transmission and absorption of waves; ray diagrams
  78. CP5.1The EM spectrum: radio, microwave, infrared, visible, UV, X-ray, gamma; uses and hazards
  79. CP5.2Properties: speed in vacuum (3 × 10⁸ m/s), transverse, can travel through vacuum; emission and absorption
  80. CP5.3Lenses (HT): convex and concave; ray diagrams; magnification = image height / object heightHigher
  81. CP6.1Atomic structure and isotopes; the development of the atomic model
  82. CP6.2Nuclear radiation: alpha, beta, gamma, neutron; ionising power, penetration, deflection in fields; nuclear equations
  83. CP6.3Half-life and activity; calculating half-life from graphs and tables; risks of contamination vs irradiation
  84. CP7.1Work done = force × distance; energy transferred = work done; calculating power
  85. CP7.2Forces and elasticity: Hooke’s law (F = ke); elastic potential energy = ½ke²; spring constant determination
  86. CP8.1Pressure in fluids: P = F/A; pressure in liquids = ρgh; floating and sinking; atmospheric pressure with altitude (HT)Higher
  87. CP8.2Moments, levers and gears: turning effect, principle of moments, balanced beams
  88. CP9.1Charge and current: Q = It; series and parallel circuits; current rules at junctions
  89. CP9.2Potential difference and resistance: V = IR; series adds; parallel reduces; Ohm’s law and IV characteristics
  90. CP9.3Electrical power: P = IV = I²R; energy E = Pt; mains electricity (230 V, 50 Hz); plugs, fuses, earth wire