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Edexcel A-level Biology specifications: 9BN0 and 9BI0

Pearson Edexcel publishes two different A-level Biologies, and the code on the front of your past papers says which you sit. Biology A (Salters-Nuffield), 9BN0, teaches through contexts such as heart disease and forensics. Biology B, 9BI0, works through the topics in a conventional order. Each is three papers, and each has its own core practicals. Both are mapped below, statement by statement, in separate halves, with the lessons that teach each statement. Do not read across from one half to the other, because the two number their statements differently. The AS versions are 8BN0 and 8BI0.

Where the gaps are: Biology B 2 Cells, Viruses and Reproduction of Living Things · Biology B 8 Origins of Genetic Variation

Jump to: Biology A (Salters-Nuffield) · Biology B

Biology A (Salters-Nuffield) 8BN0/9BN0

The context-led route. Each row is one numbered statement, the level at which the specification is cross-referenced and assessed. Where we teach one sub-part of a statement, i) to iv), and not another, the row says so and names the sub-part. The short label on each row is ours, written to help you find your way, because this specification numbers its statements without titling them. The statement itself is the board's. We checked it on 21 August 2026, against the specification, Issue 4 (November 2018).

1 Lifestyle, Health and Risk

Ref	Specification heading	Taught in	Coverage
1.1	Why animals have a heart and circulation	The heart and cardiac cycle, Surface area to volume ratio: why size limits diffusion	Covered
1.2	Water as a transport solvent, and its dipole	Water and inorganic ions	Covered
1.3	Structure of capillaries, arteries and veins	Blood vessels, tissue fluid and lymph	Covered
1.4	The cardiac cycle and the mammalian heart	The heart and cardiac cycle, Dissection and biological drawing	Covered
1.5	The course of atherosclerosis	Cholesterol, atheroma and what a risk factor means	Covered
1.6	Blood clotting and its role in CVD	Cholesterol, atheroma and what a risk factor means	Covered
1.7	Risk factors for cardiovascular disease	Cholesterol, atheroma and what a risk factor means, Diet, energy and how to read a health claim	Covered
1.8	Interpreting illness and mortality data	Diet, energy and how to read a health claim, Variables and controls: what an experiment can show, Handling data: units, scales, rates and uncertainty	Covered
1.9	Evaluating the design of health-risk studies	Diet, energy and how to read a health claim, Variables and controls: what an experiment can show, Averages, spread and the null hypothesis	Covered
1.10	Perception of risk against actual risk	Diet, energy and how to read a health claim	Covered
1.11	Energy budgets, energy imbalance and obesity	Diet, energy and how to read a health claim, Regulation of blood glucose and diabetes mellitus	Covered
1.12	Mono-, di- and polysaccharides and energy	Carbohydrate structure and function, Qualitative biochemical tests, and what they do not tell you, Colorimetry, dilution series and calibration curves	Covered
1.13	Condensation, glycosidic bonds and hydrolysis	Carbohydrate structure and function	Covered
1.14	Triglycerides, ester bonds, saturation	Lipids: triglycerides, phospholipids and ester bonds	Covered
1.15	Blood cholesterol, HDL, LDL and causation	Cholesterol, atheroma and what a risk factor means	Covered
1.16	Using knowledge of diet and lifestyle to cut CHD risk	Diet, energy and how to read a health claim, Cholesterol, atheroma and what a risk factor means	Covered
1.17	Ethics of using invertebrates in research	Variables and controls: what an experiment can show	Covered
1.18	Benefits and risks of CVD treatments	Cholesterol, atheroma and what a risk factor means	Covered

2 Genes and Health

Ref	Specification heading	Taught in	Coverage
2.1	Gas exchange surfaces, Fick's law and the lung	Surface area to volume ratio: why size limits diffusion, Gas exchange in mammals: lungs and ventilation, Diffusion and osmosis	Covered
2.2	Cell membranes and the fluid mosaic as a model	Membrane structure and the fluid mosaic model, Investigating membrane permeability	Covered
2.3	Osmosis as the movement of free water molecules	Diffusion and osmosis, Water relations of plant tissue: osmosis and transpiration, Non-living models of diffusion, osmosis and surface area	Covered
2.4	Passive and active transport, endo- and exocytosis	Diffusion and osmosis, Active transport, co-transport and bulk transport	Covered
2.5	Mononucleotides and the DNA double helix	DNA and RNA structure	Covered
2.6	Transcription and translation	The genetic code and transcription, Translation and protein synthesis	Covered
2.7	The nature of the genetic code	The genetic code and transcription	Covered
2.8	What a gene is	The genetic code and transcription	Covered
2.9	Amino acids, polypeptides and protein structure	Protein structure and function, Haemoglobin and oxygen dissociation curves	Covered
2.10	Enzyme action, specificity and location	Enzyme action and specificity, Cofactors, coenzymes and where enzymes work, Factors affecting enzyme rate: temperature, pH and concentration, Measuring the rate of an enzyme-controlled reaction	Covered
2.11	DNA replication and Meselson and Stahl	DNA replication	Covered
2.12	Replication errors, mutation and cystic fibrosis	DNA replication, Mutation, gene expression and cancer, Genome analysis, genetic screening and gene therapy	Covered
2.13	Genetic terms and monohybrid pedigree analysis	Monohybrid inheritance and genetic diagrams	Covered
2.14	How the cystic fibrosis mutation impairs three systems	Mutation, gene expression and cancer, Genome analysis, genetic screening and gene therapy	Covered
2.15	Uses and implications of genetic screening	Genome analysis, genetic screening and gene therapy	Covered
2.16	Social and ethical issues of genetic screening	Genome analysis, genetic screening and gene therapy	Covered

3 Voice of the Genome

Ref	Specification heading	Taught in	Coverage
3.1	All organisms are made of cells with common features	Eukaryotic cell structure and organelles, Prokaryotic cells and viruses	Covered
3.2	Ultrastructure of eukaryotic cells	Eukaryotic cell structure and organelles, Optical microscopy and calibrated measurement	Covered
3.3	rER and Golgi in protein transport	Eukaryotic cell structure and organelles, Cofactors, coenzymes and where enzymes work	Covered
3.4	Ultrastructure of prokaryotic cells	Prokaryotic cells and viruses	Covered
3.5	Recognising organelles in electron micrographs	Eukaryotic cell structure and organelles, Microscopy, magnification and resolution, Optical microscopy and calibrated measurement	Covered
3.6	Specialisation of mammalian gametes	Gametes, fertilisation and early development	Covered
3.7	Fertilisation in mammals	Gametes, fertilisation and early development	Covered
3.8	Loci, linkage and sex linkage	Dihybrid inheritance, linkage, epistasis and the chi-squared test, Monohybrid inheritance and genetic diagrams	Covered
3.9	Meiosis and the sources of genetic variation	Meiosis and the sources of genetic variation	Covered
3.10	Mitosis and the cell cycle	The cell cycle and mitosis, Preparing biological material: squashes, sections and mounts	Covered
3.11	Stem cells, potency and their use in therapy	Stem cells and cell potency, Cell specialisation and biological organisation	Covered
3.12	Differential gene expression and the lac operon	Control of gene expression, Cell specialisation and biological organisation	Covered
3.13	Cells into tissues, organs and systems	Cell specialisation and biological organisation	Covered
3.14	Genotype, environment and epigenetic modification	Control of gene expression, Continuous and discontinuous variation	Covered
3.15	Polygenic inheritance and continuous variation	Continuous and discontinuous variation	Covered

4 Biodiversity and Natural Resources

Ref	Specification heading	Taught in	Coverage
4.1	The variety of life and the threat to it	Measuring biodiversity, The carbon cycle and climate change, Conservation in situ and ex situ	Covered
4.2	Biodiversity, endemism and the two indices	Measuring biodiversity	Covered
4.3	Niche and adaptation	Populations and their limits, Natural selection: variation, selection and allele frequency	Covered
4.4	Natural selection leading to adaptation and evolution	Natural selection: variation, selection and allele frequency, Evidence for evolution, resistance and genetic drift	Covered
4.5	Hardy-Weinberg and reproductive isolation	Population genetics and Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, Speciation and reproductive isolation	Covered
4.6	Classification, the species concept and three domains	Classification, phylogeny and molecular evidence, The five kingdoms, species concepts and viruses	Covered
4.7	Ultrastructure of plant cells	Eukaryotic cell structure and organelles	Covered
4.8	Recognising plant organelles in electron micrographs	Eukaryotic cell structure and organelles, Microscopy, magnification and resolution, Optical microscopy and calibrated measurement	Covered
4.9	Starch, cellulose and cellulose microfibrils	Carbohydrate structure and function	Covered
4.10	Microfibrils, secondary thickening and plant fibres	Carbohydrate structure and function, Xylem and the transpiration stream	Covered
4.11	Sclerenchyma, xylem vessels and phloem compared	Xylem and the transpiration stream, Phloem translocation and the mass-flow hypothesis, Cell specialisation and biological organisation, Optical microscopy and calibrated measurement, Preparing biological material: squashes, sections and mounts	Covered
4.12	Water and inorganic ions in plants	Water and inorganic ions, Xylem and the transpiration stream, Nutrient cycles: nitrogen, phosphorus and eutrophication	Covered
4.13	The development of drug testing protocols	Diet, energy and how to read a health claim, Antibodies, vaccination and the four kinds of immunity, Mutation, gene expression and cancer	Covered
4.14	Conditions required for bacterial growth	Industrial biotechnology and fermentation, Populations and their limits, Prokaryotic cells and viruses, Aseptic technique and the effect of antimicrobials	Covered
4.15	Plant fibres and starch for sustainability	Carbohydrate structure and function	Covered
4.16	Evaluating zoos and seed banks in conservation	Conservation in situ and ex situ	Covered

5 On the Wild Side (A-level only)

Ref	Specification heading	Taught in	Coverage
5.1	Ecosystem, community, population and habitat	Populations and their limits	Covered
5.2	Biotic and abiotic control of numbers and distribution	Populations and their limits, Succession and environmental change, Field sampling, distribution and behavioural response	Covered
5.3	Niche, distribution and abundance	Populations and their limits, Field sampling, distribution and behavioural response	Covered
5.4	Succession from colonisation to climax	Succession and environmental change, Field sampling, distribution and behavioural response	Covered
5.5	The overall reaction of photosynthesis	Chloroplast structure and the light-dependent reactions, The Calvin cycle	Covered
5.6	ADP phosphorylation and ATP hydrolysis	Glycolysis, ATP and the link reaction, The Krebs cycle and oxidative phosphorylation	Covered
5.7	The light-dependent reactions	Chloroplast structure and the light-dependent reactions, Chromatography and the separation of pigments, Measuring respiration and photosynthesis rates	Covered
5.8	The light-independent reactions and their products	The Calvin cycle, Measuring respiration and photosynthesis rates	Covered
5.9	Chloroplast structure and photosynthesis	Chloroplast structure and the light-dependent reactions	Covered
5.10	Gross and net primary productivity	Limiting factors and primary productivity	Covered
5.11	Efficiency of biomass and energy transfer	Limiting factors and primary productivity	Covered
5.12	Evidence for climate change and its causes	The carbon cycle and climate change	Covered
5.13	Anthropogenic causes and the greenhouse effect	The carbon cycle and climate change	Covered
5.14	Extrapolation and models of future climate change	Handling data: units, scales, rates and uncertainty, Variables and controls: what an experiment can show, The carbon cycle and climate change	Covered
5.15	Effects of climate change on plants and animals	The carbon cycle and climate change	Covered
5.16	Temperature, enzyme rate and its impact on organisms	Factors affecting enzyme rate: temperature, pH and concentration, Thermoregulation in endotherms and ectotherms, The carbon cycle and climate change, Measuring the rate of an enzyme-controlled reaction	Covered
5.17	Evolution as a change in allele frequency	Natural selection: variation, selection and allele frequency, Evidence for evolution, resistance and genetic drift, Population genetics and Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium	Covered
5.18	The scientific community validating new evidence	Evidence for evolution, resistance and genetic drift, Genome analysis, genetic screening and gene therapy, Classification, phylogeny and molecular evidence	Covered
5.19	Isolation, gene flow and speciation	Speciation and reproductive isolation	Covered
5.20	Why conclusions can depend on who reaches them	Cholesterol, atheroma and what a risk factor means, Diet, energy and how to read a health claim, Variables and controls: what an experiment can show, The carbon cycle and climate change	Covered
5.21	The carbon cycle applied to reducing atmospheric CO₂	The carbon cycle and climate change, Managing ecosystems sustainably	Covered
5.22	Reforestation and sustainable resources	Managing ecosystems sustainably, Conservation in situ and ex situ, The carbon cycle and climate change	Covered

6 Immunity, Infection and Forensics (A-level only)

Ref	Specification heading	Taught in	Coverage
6.1	Determining the time of death of a mammal	Succession and environmental change, Muscles and movement: the sliding-filament model, The carbon cycle and climate change	Covered
6.2	Micro-organisms in decomposition and the carbon cycle	The carbon cycle and climate change, Nutrient cycles: nitrogen, phosphorus and eutrophication	Covered
6.3	DNA profiling for identity and relationship	Genome analysis, genetic screening and gene therapy, Recombinant DNA technology	Covered
6.4	The polymerase chain reaction	Recombinant DNA technology	Covered
6.5	Bacteria and viruses compared	Prokaryotic cells and viruses	Covered
6.6	How TB and HIV infect human cells	Infectious disease: transmission and control, Pathogens and non-specific defences, Prokaryotic cells and viruses	Covered
6.7	Non-specific responses to infection	Pathogens and non-specific defences	Covered
6.8	Antigens, antibodies and the immune response	The specific immune response, Antibodies, vaccination and the four kinds of immunity, Pathogens and non-specific defences	Covered
6.9	B cells and T cells in the immune response	The specific immune response	Covered
6.10	One gene giving more than one protein	The genetic code and transcription, Control of gene expression	Covered
6.11	Routes of entry and the body's barriers	Pathogens and non-specific defences, Infectious disease: transmission and control	Covered
6.12	Natural, artificial, active and passive immunity	Antibodies, vaccination and the four kinds of immunity	Covered
6.13	The evolutionary race between pathogens and hosts	Antibodies, vaccination and the four kinds of immunity, Infectious disease: transmission and control, Evidence for evolution, resistance and genetic drift	Covered
6.14	Bacteriostatic and bactericidal antibiotics	Evidence for evolution, resistance and genetic drift, Aseptic technique and the effect of antimicrobials	Covered
6.15	Hospital acquired infections and codes of practice	Evidence for evolution, resistance and genetic drift	Covered

7 Run for your Life (A-level only)

Ref	Specification heading	Taught in	Coverage
7.1	Muscles, tendons, skeleton and ligaments in movement	Muscles and movement: the sliding-filament model, Gas exchange in mammals: lungs and ventilation	Covered
7.2	Sliding filament contraction of skeletal muscle	Muscles and movement: the sliding-filament model	Covered
7.3	The overall reaction of aerobic respiration	Glycolysis, ATP and the link reaction, The Krebs cycle and oxidative phosphorylation, Measuring respiration and photosynthesis rates	Covered
7.4	Glycolysis in aerobic and anaerobic respiration	Glycolysis, ATP and the link reaction, Anaerobic respiration and the respiratory quotient	Covered
7.5	The link reaction and the Krebs cycle	Glycolysis, ATP and the link reaction, The Krebs cycle and oxidative phosphorylation	Covered
7.6	Oxidative phosphorylation and chemiosmosis	The Krebs cycle and oxidative phosphorylation	Covered
7.7	The fate of lactate	Anaerobic respiration and the respiratory quotient	Covered
7.8	Myogenic cardiac muscle, conduction and the ECG	The heart and cardiac cycle	Covered
7.9	Cardiac output, ventilation and their control	The heart and cardiac cycle, Gas exchange in mammals: lungs and ventilation, Organisation of the nervous system	Covered
7.10	Muscle fibre structure and the two fibre types	Muscles and movement: the sliding-filament model	Covered
7.11	Negative and positive feedback	Hormonal communication and negative feedback	Covered
7.12	Homeostasis and thermoregulation during exercise	Thermoregulation in endotherms and ectotherms, Hormonal communication and negative feedback, Organisation of the nervous system	Covered
7.13	The consequences of too much and too little exercise	Cholesterol, atheroma and what a risk factor means, Diet, energy and how to read a health claim, Regulation of blood glucose and diabetes mellitus, Variables and controls: what an experiment can show, Exercise, sports medicine and performance-enhancing drugs	Covered
7.14	Medical technology in sport: keyhole surgery and prostheses	Exercise, sports medicine and performance-enhancing drugs	Covered
7.15	Ethics of performance-enhancing substances	Exercise, sports medicine and performance-enhancing drugs	Covered
7.16	Genes switched by transcription factors and hormones	Control of gene expression, Hormonal communication and negative feedback	Covered

8 Grey Matter (A-level only)

Ref	Specification heading	Taught in	Coverage
8.1	Sensory, relay and motor neurones, and myelination	Organisation of the nervous system, The action potential and its propagation	Covered
8.2	Effectors responding to a stimulus, and the pupil	Receptors: transduction and the reflex arc, Organisation of the nervous system	Covered
8.3	Conduction of the action potential	The action potential and its propagation	Covered
8.4	Synapses and neurotransmitters	The synapse: transmission, and why it runs one way	Covered
8.5	Rods, rhodopsin and generating an optic-nerve impulse	Receptors: transduction and the reflex arc	Covered
8.6	Phytochrome and IAA in plant responses	Plant responses: tropisms, auxins and the classic experiments, Control of gene expression	Covered
8.7	Nervous and hormonal coordination	Hormonal communication and negative feedback, Organisation of the nervous system	Covered
8.8	Regions of the human brain	Organisation of the nervous system	Covered
8.9	MRI, fMRI, PET and CT in brain investigation	Brain imaging, development and learning	Covered
8.10	The critical period in visual development	Brain imaging, development and learning	Covered
8.11	Animal models in brain research	Brain imaging, development and learning	Covered
8.12	Ethics of using animals in medical research	Brain imaging, development and learning	Covered
8.13	Learning by habituation	Brain imaging, development and learning	Covered
8.14	Brain chemical imbalances and new drugs	The synapse: transmission, and why it runs one way, Stem cells and cell potency	Covered
8.15	Drugs acting on synaptic transmission	The synapse: transmission, and why it runs one way	Covered
8.16	Genome sequencing and personalised medicine	Genome analysis, genetic screening and gene therapy	Covered
8.17	Drugs produced using genetically modified organisms	Pharming, recombinant medicines and synthetic biology, Recombinant DNA technology, Industrial biotechnology and fermentation	Covered
8.18	Risks and benefits of genetically modified organisms	Recombinant DNA technology, Pharming, recombinant medicines and synthetic biology, Cloning in plants and animals	Covered
8.19	Investigating nature and nurture in brain development	Continuous and discontinuous variation, Brain imaging, development and learning	Covered

Biology B 8BI0/9BI0

The route in conventional topic order. Each row is one roman-numeral statement with the sub-topic it sits under, because the numerals restart in every sub-topic and neither part identifies a statement on its own. Keyed this way, a heading is never shown as taught when one of the statements under it is not. The short label on each row is the board's own sub-topic heading. We checked it on 21 August 2026, against the specification, Issue 4 (November 2018).

1 Biological Molecules

Ref	Specification heading	Taught in	Coverage
1.1 i	Carbohydrates	Carbohydrate structure and function	Covered
1.1 ii	Carbohydrates	Carbohydrate structure and function	Covered
1.1 iii	Carbohydrates	Carbohydrate structure and function, Digestion and absorption in the human gut, Qualitative biochemical tests, and what they do not tell you	Covered
1.1 iv	Carbohydrates	Carbohydrate structure and function	Covered
1.2 i	Lipids	Lipids: triglycerides, phospholipids and ester bonds	Covered
1.2 ii	Lipids	Lipids: triglycerides, phospholipids and ester bonds	Covered
1.2 iii	Lipids	Lipids: triglycerides, phospholipids and ester bonds	Covered
1.2 iv	Lipids	Lipids: triglycerides, phospholipids and ester bonds, Membrane structure and the fluid mosaic model	Covered
1.3 i	Proteins	Protein structure and function	Covered
1.3 ii	Proteins	Protein structure and function	Covered
1.3 iii	Proteins	Protein structure and function	Covered
1.3 iv	Proteins	Protein structure and function	Covered
1.3 v	Proteins	Protein structure and function	Covered
1.4 i	DNA and protein synthesis	DNA and RNA structure	Covered
1.4 ii	DNA and protein synthesis	DNA replication	Covered
1.4 iii	DNA and protein synthesis	The genetic code and transcription	Covered
1.4 iv	DNA and protein synthesis	DNA and RNA structure, Translation and protein synthesis	Covered
1.4 v	DNA and protein synthesis	DNA and RNA structure, Translation and protein synthesis	Covered
1.4 vi	DNA and protein synthesis	The genetic code and transcription, Translation and protein synthesis	Covered
1.4 vii	DNA and protein synthesis	The genetic code and transcription	Covered
1.4 viii	DNA and protein synthesis	Mutation, gene expression and cancer, DNA replication	Covered
1.4 ix	DNA and protein synthesis	DNA replication, Monohybrid inheritance and genetic diagrams	Covered
1.5 i	Enzymes	Enzyme action and specificity, Protein structure and function	Covered
1.5 ii	Enzymes	Enzyme action and specificity	Covered
1.5 iii	Enzymes	Enzyme action and specificity	Covered
1.5 iv	Enzymes	Factors affecting enzyme rate: temperature, pH and concentration, Measuring the rate of an enzyme-controlled reaction	Covered
1.5 v	Enzymes	Factors affecting enzyme rate: temperature, pH and concentration, Measuring the rate of an enzyme-controlled reaction	Covered
1.5 vi	Enzymes	Enzyme inhibition and metabolic control	Covered
1.5 vii	Enzymes	Cofactors, coenzymes and where enzymes work, Digestion and absorption in the human gut	Covered
1.6 i	Inorganic ions	Water and inorganic ions, Xylem and the transpiration stream	Covered
1.7 i	Water	Water and inorganic ions	Covered

2 Cells, Viruses and Reproduction of Living Things

Ref	Specification heading	Taught in	Coverage
2.1 i	Eukaryotic and prokaryotic cell structure and function	Cell specialisation and biological organisation	Covered
2.1 ii	Eukaryotic and prokaryotic cell structure and function	Cell specialisation and biological organisation	Covered
2.1 iii	Eukaryotic and prokaryotic cell structure and function	Prokaryotic cells and viruses, Eukaryotic cell structure and organelles	Covered
2.1 iv	Eukaryotic and prokaryotic cell structure and function	Prokaryotic cells and viruses	Covered
2.1 v	Eukaryotic and prokaryotic cell structure and function	Eukaryotic cell structure and organelles	Covered
2.1 vi	Eukaryotic and prokaryotic cell structure and function	Microscopy, magnification and resolution, Optical microscopy and calibrated measurement	Covered
2.1 vii	Eukaryotic and prokaryotic cell structure and function	Microscopy, magnification and resolution, Plan diagrams and tissue sections, The cell cycle and mitosis, Optical microscopy and calibrated measurement, Preparing biological material: squashes, sections and mounts	Covered
2.2 i	Viruses	The five kingdoms, species concepts and viruses, Prokaryotic cells and viruses	Covered
2.2 ii	Viruses	Prokaryotic cells and viruses	Covered
2.2 iii	Viruses	The five kingdoms, species concepts and viruses, Prokaryotic cells and viruses	Covered
2.2 iv	Viruses	Infectious disease: transmission and control	Concept covered; the board's example is not: The 2014 Ebola outbreak in West Africa, which is the board's named illustration.
2.2 v	Viruses	Antibodies, vaccination and the four kinds of immunity	Covered
2.3 i	Eukaryotic cell cycle and division	The cell cycle and mitosis	Covered
2.3 ii	Eukaryotic cell cycle and division	The cell cycle and mitosis, Preparing biological material: squashes, sections and mounts	Covered
2.3 iii	Eukaryotic cell cycle and division	The cell cycle and mitosis, Cloning in plants and animals, Preparing biological material: squashes, sections and mounts	Covered
2.3 iv	Eukaryotic cell cycle and division	Meiosis and the sources of genetic variation	Covered
2.3 v	Eukaryotic cell cycle and division	Meiosis and the sources of genetic variation	Covered
2.3 vi	Eukaryotic cell cycle and division	Mutation, gene expression and cancer	Covered
2.3 vii	Eukaryotic cell cycle and division	Meiosis and the sources of genetic variation	Covered
2.4 i	Sexual reproduction in mammals	Gametes, fertilisation and early development	Covered
2.4 ii	Sexual reproduction in mammals	Gametes, fertilisation and early development	Covered
2.4 iii	Sexual reproduction in mammals	Gametes, fertilisation and early development	Covered
2.5 i	Sexual reproduction in plants	Sexual reproduction in flowering plants	Covered
2.5 ii	Sexual reproduction in plants	Sexual reproduction in flowering plants	Covered
2.5 iii	Sexual reproduction in plants	Sexual reproduction in flowering plants	Covered

3 Classification and Biodiversity

Ref	Specification heading	Taught in	Coverage
3.1 i	Classification	Classification, phylogeny and molecular evidence	Covered
3.1 ii	Classification	Classification, phylogeny and molecular evidence, The five kingdoms, species concepts and viruses, Speciation and reproductive isolation	Covered
3.1 iii	Classification	The five kingdoms, species concepts and viruses, Speciation and reproductive isolation, Classification, phylogeny and molecular evidence	Covered
3.1 iv	Classification	Recombinant DNA technology, Classification, phylogeny and molecular evidence	Covered
3.1 v	Classification	Classification, phylogeny and molecular evidence, Genome analysis, genetic screening and gene therapy	Covered
3.1 vi	Classification	Classification, phylogeny and molecular evidence	Covered
3.1 vii	Classification	Classification, phylogeny and molecular evidence, The five kingdoms, species concepts and viruses	Covered
3.2 i	Natural selection	Natural selection: variation, selection and allele frequency	Covered
3.2 ii	Natural selection	Populations and their limits, Natural selection: variation, selection and allele frequency	Covered
3.2 iii	Natural selection	Speciation and reproductive isolation	Covered
3.2 iv	Natural selection	Evidence for evolution, resistance and genetic drift, Infectious disease: transmission and control	Covered
3.3 i	Biodiversity	Measuring biodiversity, Field sampling, distribution and behavioural response	Covered
3.3 ii	Biodiversity	Conservation in situ and ex situ, Measuring biodiversity	Covered
3.3 iii	Biodiversity	Conservation in situ and ex situ	Covered

4 Exchange and Transport

Ref	Specification heading	Taught in	Coverage
4.1 i	Surface area to volume ratio	Surface area to volume ratio: why size limits diffusion, Non-living models of diffusion, osmosis and surface area	Covered
4.1 ii	Surface area to volume ratio	Surface area to volume ratio: why size limits diffusion, The heart and cardiac cycle	Covered
4.2 i	Cell transport mechanisms	Membrane structure and the fluid mosaic model	Covered
4.2 ii	Cell transport mechanisms	Diffusion and osmosis	Covered
4.2 iii	Cell transport mechanisms	Membrane structure and the fluid mosaic model, Diffusion and osmosis	Covered
4.2 iv	Cell transport mechanisms	Active transport, co-transport and bulk transport, Membrane structure and the fluid mosaic model, Diffusion and osmosis, Investigating membrane permeability, Water relations of plant tissue: osmosis and transpiration	Covered
4.2 v	Cell transport mechanisms	Active transport, co-transport and bulk transport	Covered
4.2 vi	Cell transport mechanisms	Glycolysis, ATP and the link reaction	Covered
4.3 i	Gas exchange	Gas exchange in mammals: lungs and ventilation, Gas exchange in insects, fish and plants, Surface area to volume ratio: why size limits diffusion, Dissection and biological drawing	Covered
4.3 ii	Gas exchange	Gas exchange in insects, fish and plants, Transpiration and stomatal control	Covered
4.4 i	Circulation	The heart and cardiac cycle, Blood vessels, tissue fluid and lymph, Dissection and biological drawing	Covered
4.4 ii	Circulation	The heart and cardiac cycle	Covered
4.4 iii	Circulation	The heart and cardiac cycle	Covered
4.4 iv	Circulation	The heart and cardiac cycle, Organisation of the nervous system	Covered
4.4 v	Circulation	The heart and cardiac cycle	Covered
4.4 vi	Circulation	Plan diagrams and tissue sections, Blood vessels, tissue fluid and lymph, Preparing biological material: squashes, sections and mounts	Covered
4.4 vii	Circulation	Blood vessels, tissue fluid and lymph, Haemoglobin and oxygen dissociation curves, The specific immune response	Covered
4.4 viii	Circulation	Cholesterol, atheroma and what a risk factor means	Covered
4.4 ix	Circulation	Cholesterol, atheroma and what a risk factor means, Diet, energy and how to read a health claim	Covered
4.5 i	Transport of gases in the blood	Haemoglobin and oxygen dissociation curves	Covered
4.5 ii	Transport of gases in the blood	Haemoglobin and oxygen dissociation curves	Covered
4.5 iii	Transport of gases in the blood	Haemoglobin and oxygen dissociation curves, Muscles and movement: the sliding-filament model	Covered
4.5 iv	Transport of gases in the blood	Haemoglobin and oxygen dissociation curves	Covered
4.6 i	Transfer of materials between the circulatory system and cells	Blood vessels, tissue fluid and lymph	Covered
4.6 ii	Transfer of materials between the circulatory system and cells	Blood vessels, tissue fluid and lymph	Covered
4.7 i	Transport in plants	Cell specialisation and biological organisation, Xylem and the transpiration stream, Phloem translocation and the mass-flow hypothesis, Preparing biological material: squashes, sections and mounts	Covered
4.7 ii	Transport in plants	Xylem and the transpiration stream	Covered
4.7 iii	Transport in plants	Xylem and the transpiration stream	Covered
4.7 iv	Transport in plants	Transpiration and stomatal control, Water relations of plant tissue: osmosis and transpiration	Covered
4.7 v	Transport in plants	Phloem translocation and the mass-flow hypothesis	Covered

5 Energy for Biological Processes (A-level only)

Ref	Specification heading	Taught in	Coverage
5.1 i	Aerobic respiration	Glycolysis, ATP and the link reaction, Thermoregulation in endotherms and ectotherms	Covered
5.1 ii	Aerobic respiration	Glycolysis, ATP and the link reaction, The Krebs cycle and oxidative phosphorylation	Covered
5.2 i	Glycolysis	Glycolysis, ATP and the link reaction	Covered
5.3 i	Link reaction and Krebs cycle	Glycolysis, ATP and the link reaction, The Krebs cycle and oxidative phosphorylation	Covered
5.3 ii	Link reaction and Krebs cycle	Glycolysis, ATP and the link reaction, The Krebs cycle and oxidative phosphorylation	Covered
5.4 i	Oxidative phosphorylation	The Krebs cycle and oxidative phosphorylation, Eukaryotic cell structure and organelles	Covered
5.4 ii	Oxidative phosphorylation	The Krebs cycle and oxidative phosphorylation	Covered
5.4 iii	Oxidative phosphorylation	The Krebs cycle and oxidative phosphorylation	Covered
5.4 iv	Oxidative phosphorylation	The Krebs cycle and oxidative phosphorylation	Covered
5.4 v	Oxidative phosphorylation	The Krebs cycle and oxidative phosphorylation, Eukaryotic cell structure and organelles	Covered
5.5 i	Anaerobic respiration	Anaerobic respiration and the respiratory quotient	Covered
5.5 ii	Anaerobic respiration	Anaerobic respiration and the respiratory quotient	Covered
5.5 iii	Anaerobic respiration	Anaerobic respiration and the respiratory quotient	Covered
5.5 iv	Anaerobic respiration	Anaerobic respiration and the respiratory quotient, Measuring respiration and photosynthesis rates	Covered
5.6 i	Photosynthetic pigments	Chloroplast structure and the light-dependent reactions, Limiting factors and primary productivity, Measuring respiration and photosynthesis rates	Covered
5.6 ii	Photosynthetic pigments	Chloroplast structure and the light-dependent reactions, Chromatography and the separation of pigments	Covered
5.7 i	Photosynthesis	Chloroplast structure and the light-dependent reactions, Eukaryotic cell structure and organelles	Covered
5.7 ii	Photosynthesis	Chloroplast structure and the light-dependent reactions	Covered
5.7 iii	Photosynthesis	Chloroplast structure and the light-dependent reactions	Covered
5.7 iv	Photosynthesis	The Calvin cycle	Covered
5.7 v	Photosynthesis	The Calvin cycle	Covered
5.7 vi	Photosynthesis	The Calvin cycle	Covered
5.7 vii	Photosynthesis	The Calvin cycle	Covered
5.7 viii	Photosynthesis	Limiting factors and primary productivity	Covered

6 Microbiology and Pathogens (A-level only)

Ref	Specification heading	Taught in	Coverage
6.1 i	Microbial techniques	Industrial biotechnology and fermentation, Aseptic technique and the effect of antimicrobials	Covered
6.1 ii	Microbial techniques	Industrial biotechnology and fermentation, Aseptic technique and the effect of antimicrobials	Covered
6.1 iii	Microbial techniques	Industrial biotechnology and fermentation, Aseptic technique and the effect of antimicrobials	Covered
6.1 iv	Microbial techniques	Industrial biotechnology and fermentation	Covered
6.1 v	Microbial techniques	Populations and their limits, Industrial biotechnology and fermentation, Aseptic technique and the effect of antimicrobials	Covered
6.2 i	Bacteria as pathogens	Pathogens and non-specific defences	Covered
6.2 ii	Bacteria as pathogens	Pathogens and non-specific defences	Covered
6.3 i	Action of antibiotics	Prokaryotic cells and viruses, Evidence for evolution, resistance and genetic drift, Aseptic technique and the effect of antimicrobials	Covered
6.4 i	Antibiotic resistance	Evidence for evolution, resistance and genetic drift, Prokaryotic cells and viruses	Covered
6.4 ii	Antibiotic resistance	Evidence for evolution, resistance and genetic drift, Infectious disease: transmission and control	Covered
6.5 i	Other pathogenic agents	Pathogens and non-specific defences, Infectious disease: transmission and control	Covered
6.6 i	Problems of controlling endemic diseases	Infectious disease: transmission and control	Covered
6.7 i	Response to infection	Pathogens and non-specific defences, The specific immune response	Covered
6.7 ii	Response to infection	The specific immune response	Covered
6.7 iii	Response to infection	The specific immune response	Covered
6.7 iv	Response to infection	The specific immune response	Covered
6.7 v	Response to infection	Antibodies, vaccination and the four kinds of immunity	Covered
6.7 vi	Response to infection	Antibodies, vaccination and the four kinds of immunity	Covered
6.7 vii	Response to infection	Antibodies, vaccination and the four kinds of immunity	Covered

7 Modern Genetics (A-level only)

Ref	Specification heading	Taught in	Coverage
7.1 i	Using gene sequencing	The genetic code and transcription, Genome analysis, genetic screening and gene therapy	Covered
7.1 ii	Using gene sequencing	Recombinant DNA technology, Genome analysis, genetic screening and gene therapy	Covered
7.2 i	Factors affecting gene expression	Control of gene expression	Covered
7.2 ii	Factors affecting gene expression	Control of gene expression	Covered
7.2 iii	Factors affecting gene expression	The genetic code and transcription, Control of gene expression	Covered
7.2 iv	Factors affecting gene expression	Control of gene expression	Covered
7.2 v	Factors affecting gene expression	Control of gene expression, Stem cells and cell potency	Covered
7.3 i	Stem cells	Stem cells and cell potency, Cell specialisation and biological organisation	Covered
7.3 ii	Stem cells	Stem cells and cell potency, Mutation, gene expression and cancer	Covered
7.3 iii	Stem cells	Stem cells and cell potency, Control of gene expression, Gametes, fertilisation and early development	Covered
7.3 iv	Stem cells	Stem cells and cell potency, Control of gene expression	Covered
7.3 v	Stem cells	Stem cells and cell potency	Covered
7.4 i	Gene technology	Recombinant DNA technology	Covered
7.4 ii	Gene technology	Recombinant DNA technology, Genome analysis, genetic screening and gene therapy	Covered
7.4 iii	Gene technology	Recombinant DNA technology	Covered
7.4 iv	Gene technology	Recombinant DNA technology	Covered
7.4 v	Gene technology	Recombinant DNA technology	Covered
7.4 vi	Gene technology	Recombinant DNA technology, Pharming, recombinant medicines and synthetic biology	Covered

8 Origins of Genetic Variation (A-level only)

Ref	Specification heading	Taught in	Coverage
8.1 i	Origins of genetic variation	Natural selection: variation, selection and allele frequency, Meiosis and the sources of genetic variation	Covered
8.1 ii	Origins of genetic variation	Meiosis and the sources of genetic variation, Natural selection: variation, selection and allele frequency	Covered
8.2 i	Transfer of genetic information	Monohybrid inheritance and genetic diagrams	Covered
8.2 ii	Transfer of genetic information	Monohybrid inheritance and genetic diagrams, Dihybrid inheritance, linkage, epistasis and the chi-squared test	Covered
8.2 iii	Transfer of genetic information	Dihybrid inheritance, linkage, epistasis and the chi-squared test	Covered
8.2 iv	Transfer of genetic information	Dihybrid inheritance, linkage, epistasis and the chi-squared test, Meiosis and the sources of genetic variation	Concept covered; the board's example is not: The Drosophila cross the board names: black against grey body and long against vestigial wing.
8.2 v	Transfer of genetic information	Monohybrid inheritance and genetic diagrams	Covered
8.2 vi	Transfer of genetic information	Dihybrid inheritance, linkage, epistasis and the chi-squared test, Choosing, carrying out and concluding a statistical test	Covered
8.3 i	Gene pools	Natural selection: variation, selection and allele frequency, Speciation and reproductive isolation	Covered
8.3 ii	Gene pools	Evidence for evolution, resistance and genetic drift	Covered
8.3 iii	Gene pools	Evidence for evolution, resistance and genetic drift, Measuring biodiversity	Covered
8.3 iv	Gene pools	Population genetics and Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium	Covered

9 Control Systems (A-level only)

Ref	Specification heading	Taught in	Coverage
9.1 i	Homeostasis	Hormonal communication and negative feedback	Covered
9.1 ii	Homeostasis	Hormonal communication and negative feedback, Factors affecting enzyme rate: temperature, pH and concentration, Osmoregulation and kidney function, Thermoregulation in endotherms and ectotherms	Covered
9.1 iii	Homeostasis	Hormonal communication and negative feedback	Covered
9.2 i	Chemical control in mammals	Hormonal communication and negative feedback	Covered
9.2 ii	Chemical control in mammals	Hormonal communication and negative feedback, Control of gene expression	Covered
9.3 i	Chemical control in plants	Plant responses: tropisms, auxins and the classic experiments	Covered
9.3 ii	Chemical control in plants	Plant responses: tropisms, auxins and the classic experiments	Covered
9.3 iii	Chemical control in plants	Plant responses: tropisms, auxins and the classic experiments	Covered
9.3 iv	Chemical control in plants	Plant responses: tropisms, auxins and the classic experiments	Covered
9.4 i	Structure and function of the mammalian nervous system	Organisation of the nervous system	Covered
9.4 ii	Structure and function of the mammalian nervous system	Organisation of the nervous system	Covered
9.4 iii	Structure and function of the mammalian nervous system	Organisation of the nervous system	Covered
9.4 iv	Structure and function of the mammalian nervous system	Organisation of the nervous system	Covered
9.4 v	Structure and function of the mammalian nervous system	Organisation of the nervous system	Covered
9.5 i	Nervous transmission	The action potential and its propagation	Covered
9.5 ii	Nervous transmission	The action potential and its propagation	Covered
9.5 iii	Nervous transmission	The action potential and its propagation	Covered
9.5 iv	Nervous transmission	The synapse: transmission, and why it runs one way, Organisation of the nervous system, The heart and cardiac cycle	Covered
9.5 v	Nervous transmission	The synapse: transmission, and why it runs one way	Covered
9.6 i	Effects of drugs on the nervous system	The synapse: transmission, and why it runs one way, The action potential and its propagation	Covered
9.7 i	Detection of light by mammals	Receptors: transduction and the reflex arc	Covered
9.7 ii	Detection of light by mammals	Receptors: transduction and the reflex arc	Covered
9.7 iii	Detection of light by mammals	Receptors: transduction and the reflex arc	Covered
9.8 i	Control of heart rate in mammals	The heart and cardiac cycle, Organisation of the nervous system	Covered
9.8 ii	Control of heart rate in mammals	Hormonal communication and negative feedback, The heart and cardiac cycle	Covered
9.9 i	Osmoregulation and temperature regulation	Osmoregulation and kidney function	Covered
9.9 ii	Osmoregulation and temperature regulation	The liver: detoxification, deamination and the making of urea, Osmoregulation and kidney function	Covered
9.9 iii	Osmoregulation and temperature regulation	Osmoregulation and kidney function	Covered
9.9 iv	Osmoregulation and temperature regulation	Osmoregulation and kidney function, Hormonal communication and negative feedback	Covered
9.9 v	Osmoregulation and temperature regulation	Osmoregulation and kidney function, Lipids: triglycerides, phospholipids and ester bonds	Covered
9.9 vi	Osmoregulation and temperature regulation	Thermoregulation in endotherms and ectotherms	Covered
9.9 vii	Osmoregulation and temperature regulation	Thermoregulation in endotherms and ectotherms	Covered

10 Ecosystems (A-level only)

Ref	Specification heading	Taught in	Coverage
10.1 i	The nature of ecosystems	Populations and their limits	Covered
10.1 ii	The nature of ecosystems	Limiting factors and primary productivity, Populations and their limits	Covered
10.1 iii	The nature of ecosystems	Limiting factors and primary productivity	Covered
10.1 iv	The nature of ecosystems	Measuring biodiversity, Succession and environmental change, Field sampling, distribution and behavioural response	Covered
10.1 v	The nature of ecosystems	Measuring biodiversity, Succession and environmental change, Field sampling, distribution and behavioural response	Covered
10.1 vi	The nature of ecosystems	Choosing, carrying out and concluding a statistical test, Averages, spread and the null hypothesis, Field sampling, distribution and behavioural response	Covered
10.2 i	Energy transfer through ecosystems	Limiting factors and primary productivity	Covered
10.2 ii	Energy transfer through ecosystems	Limiting factors and primary productivity	Covered
10.2 iii	Energy transfer through ecosystems	Nutrient cycles: nitrogen, phosphorus and eutrophication	Covered
10.3 i	Changes in ecosystems	Succession and environmental change	Covered
10.3 ii	Changes in ecosystems	Populations and their limits, Succession and environmental change, Field sampling, distribution and behavioural response	Covered
10.4 i	Human effects on ecosystems	The carbon cycle and climate change, Managing ecosystems sustainably, Nutrient cycles: nitrogen, phosphorus and eutrophication	Covered
10.4 ii	Human effects on ecosystems	Conservation in situ and ex situ	Covered
10.4 iii	Human effects on ecosystems	Managing ecosystems sustainably, Conservation in situ and ex situ	Covered
10.4 iv	Human effects on ecosystems	The carbon cycle and climate change	Covered

For what each paper is, how long it lasts and where Pearson Edexcel publishes it, see the 9BN0 past papers.

For what each paper is, how long it lasts and where Pearson Edexcel publishes it, see the 9BI0 past papers.

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