In this topic students explore types of pathogens and the diseases they can cause in animals and plants. The topic also explores how infection spreads; the human body's defence against harmful pathogens, including the role of white blood cells and the role vaccinations play in immunity. Students also learn about antibiotics and how some bacteria may become resistant to these drugs due to misuse. Finally, students learn how drug trials are conducted to ensure that medicines are safe and effective in fighting against disease.
40 minute end of unit assessment covering: B3 Infection and Response
A chemical messenger that acts on target organs in the body.
The complex of physical and chemical processes occurring within a living cell or organism that are necessary for the maintenance of life. In metabolism some substances are broken down to yield energy for vital processes.
A return to a normal state of health, mind, or strength.
The tendency towards a relatively stable equilibrium between interdependent elements, especially as maintained by physiological processes.
The widening of blood vessels.
The narrowing of blood vessels.
A sensor that detects a stimulus.
A change in a condition that the body can detect.
A neuron or organ that brings about a corrective change.
A hormone which acts to increase blood sugar levels.
In this topic students build on their knowledge of redox reactions and explore the use of electrolysis as a chemical technique to separate ionic compounds into their constituent elements.This enables students to develop a deeper understanding of balancing symbol equations and predicting observations of unfamiliar chemical reactions. The topic also covers the extraction of metals more reactive than carbon from their ores using electrolysis. The assessment includes questions relating to the C5 Energy Changes topic that students studied in year 9 so this topic is revisited in lessons.
40 minute end of unit assessment covering: C4 Chemical changes: Electrolysis & C5 Energy Changes
A family of hydrocarbons found in crude oil with single covalent bonds e.g. methane.
Compounds containing only hydrogen and carbon.
Crude oil is separated into fraction using this process of distillation where fraction of different boiling points distil off at different times.
A family of hydrocarbons with at least one double bond.
In this topic students explore aspects of domestic electricity, how it is generated at the powerstation and distributed through the National grid. They also consider the design of the dometic plug and its safety aspects including fuses and the Earth wire. Students also explore electrical circuits and learn the circuit rules relating to current and voltage in series and parallel circuits. The Required Practical for this topic allows students to develop their enquiry skills as they investigate the how resistance in a wire depends on its length. Students also use their mathematical skills to rearrange formulae to calculate resistance, charge and power.
40 minute end of unit assessment covering: Current, Voltage, Resistance and Domestic Electricity
A property of a component, making it difficult for charge to pass through, in ohms (Ω).
Flow of electric charge, in amperes (A).
An electromotive force or potential difference expressed in volts.
A series circuit is a circuit in which resistors are arranged in a chain, so the current has only one path to take. The current is the same through each resistor.
A parallel circuit has two or more paths for current to flow through. Voltage is the same across each component of the parallel circuit. The sum of the currents through each path is equal to the total current that flows from the source.
The rate at which energy is transferred or the rate at which work is done; an energy transfer of 1 J/s is equal to a power of 1 W.
In this topic, students consider how cells in the body can only survive within narrow limits. They require a constant temperature, pH and a constant supply of dissolved food and water. They explore the nervous system and how it can bring about rapid responses. They will also explore the hormonal system which usually brings about slower responses and the role of hormones in reproduction and the menstrual cycle. Students will learn how scientists understanding of the role of hormones in reproduction has allowed them to develop contraceptive drugs and also drugs which can increase fertility.
40 minute end of unit assessment covering B5: Homeostasis and Response
A unit of heredity which is transferred from a parent to offspring and is held to determine some characteristic of the offspring.
The changing of the structure of a gene, resulting in a variant form which may be transmitted to subsequent generations.
Change in the genetic composition of a population during successive generations, often resulting in the development of new species.
The genetic characters transmitted from parent to offspring, taken collectively.
(of reproduction) Not involving the fusion of gametes.
A process in which environmental or genetic influences determine which types of organism thrive better than others, regarded as a factor in evolution.
In this topic students learn about photosynthesis in plants. They describe the factors that affect the rate of photosynthesis and develop an understanding of limiting factors. They also explore aerobic and anaerobic respiration and apply their knowledge to explain the effects of exercise on breathing and heart-rate. Students also learn about oxygen debt and relate this to their everyday experiences of doing exercise. The required practical in this unit allows students to investigate how light intensity affects the rate of photosynthesis.
40 minute assessment covering B4 Bioenergetics
The process used by plants to make food using sunlight, carrbon dioxide and water
In this topic students learn how to quantify the amount of a substance in terms of moles. They use their understanding of relative atomic mass to perform calculations to determine relative formula masses of compounds and the mole. Once they have mastered this, they go on to determine reacting masses and the concentration of solutions. They build on the skills they have already developed in balancing equations and rearranging equations.
40 minute end of unit assessment covering C3 Quantitative Chemistry
Examine something in order to interpret and explain it.
Using Carbon to remove oxygen from an element or compound. Often used in metal extraction. E.g. Iron oxide and Carbon react together to form Carbon dioxide and Iron.
Relating to a reaction in which the products have different names and formulas to the reactants.
The use of electricity to split a compound into it's constituent elements.
A chemical equation in which only the ions which are involved in the reaction are included.
The loss of electrons or the gain of oxygen to an element or compound.
Relating to chemicals not changing formula or name, only state or appearance.
The gain of electrons or the loss of oxygen to an element or compound.
(of the effects of a process or condition) Capable of being reversed so that the previous state is restored.
A substance that takes part in and undergoes change during a reaction.
A substance that is formed when two or more chemicals react. When a chemical reaction takes place, a new substance is often created from the atoms or molecules of the original substances. There are often multiple products formed in a reaction.
The amount of energy reactant particles require in order to collide successfully and form the product(s) of a reaction.
The separating of the components of a mixture based on their solubility.
In this topic students explore the effect balance forces have on stationary objects and those already in motion. They learn how to determine resultant force and describe what happens when objects experience forces. They also learn to calculate weight and consider the relationship between force and extension in an elastic object such as a spring. The Required Practical enables students to investigate the proportional relationship between force and extension - this is determined by plotting a graph and drawing a line of best fit first half of forces, students will examine forces and their effects on objects. They will look at both contact and non-contact forces, calculate resultant forces and will look at the motion of objects.
40 mark end of unit assessment covering Forces and Motion
The force on an object moving through the air that causes it to slow down (also known as drag).
Forces acting on an object that are the same size but act in opposite directions.
A non-contact force that acts between two masses.
A piece of equipment used to measure force in newtons.
A force that acts between objects that are not touching.
When forces on an object are opposite and unequal.
The force on an object in a liquid or gas that pushes up.
The amount of force with which gravity pulls something towards the Earth.
The overall force on an object, thinking about direction.
In this topic students learn about the factors that affect the rate of chemical reactions. Students carry out a variety of practical activities and learn how to explain rates of reaction using graphs. They also learn how to take a tangent at a point and calculate rate using gradients. Students also explore reversible reactions and how temperature and pressure affect equilibria.
In the Chemical Analysis topic students consider chromatography as an analytical technique to analyse mixtures of liquids. They learn the significance of Rf values and tests to identify gases.
40 mark end of unit assessment covering C6 Rates of Chemical Change & C8 Chemical Analysis
(of the effects of a process or condition) Capable of being reversed so that the previous state is restored.
Not able to be undone or altered.
A substance that takes part in and undergoes change during a reaction.
A chemical process in which substances act mutually on each other and are changed into different substances, or one substance changes into other substances.
A substance that is formed when two or more chemicals react. When a chemical reaction takes place, a new substance is often created from the atoms or molecules of the original substances. There are often multiple products formed in a reaction.
In this topic students learn how to calculate speed and acceleration. They begin to use the term velocity as a quantity that has magnitude and direction. They interpret distance-time and velocity-time graphs to determine the quantities already mentioned and this allows them to describe and explain trends and patterns in these graphs. Finally, students also explore momentum and use the law of conservation of momentum to perform calculations.
40 minute end of unit assessment covering P5 Forces: part 2
A process where plants and algae turn carbon dioxide and water into glucose and release oxygen.
Breaking down glucose with oxygen to release energy and producing carbon dioxide and water.
Relating to or requiring an absence of free oxygen.
Students will consider the Sun as a source of energy that passes through ecosystems. Materials including carbon and water are continually recycled by the living world, being released through respiration of animals, plants and decomposing microorganisms and taken up by plants in photosynthesis. All species live in ecosystems composed of complex communities of animals and plants dependent on each other and that are adapted to particular conditions, both abiotic and biotic. These ecosystems provide essential services that support human life and continued development. In order to continue to benefit from these services humans need to engage with the environment in a sustainable way. In this section we will explore how humans are threatening biodiversity as well as the natural systems that support it. We will also consider some actions we need to take to ensure our future health, prosperity and well-being.
40 minute end of unit assessment covering: B7 Ecology
A situation in which different elements are equal or in the correct proportions.
The mass of an atom of a chemical element expressed in atomic mass units. It is approximately equivalent to the number of protons and neutrons in the atom (the mass number) or to the average number allowing for the relative abundances of different isotope
To supply or produce something.
A chemical formula that gives the total number of atoms of each element in each molecule of a substance — compare structural formula.
Students will prepare for the Year 10 mock papers by revising the units taught to them in year 9 and 10. Students also review the required practical activities they have covered to date. There is also a focus on developing mathematical skills and working scientifically.
There are no assessments this term.
The envelope of gases surrounding the earth or another planet.
The presence in or introduction into the environment of a substance which has harmful or poisonous effects.
The ability to be sustained, supported, upheld, or confirmed. Environmental Science. the quality of not being harmful to the environment or depleting natural resources, and thereby supporting long-term ecological balance.
A natural resource or source of energy that is not depleted by use, such as water, wind, or solar power.
The degree or intensity of heat present in a substance or object, especially as expressed according to a comparative scale and shown by a thermometer or perceived by touch.
In this topic students learn about the Earth's early atmosphere and how the gases present billions of years ago have changed over time. They consider how carbon dioxide concentration decreased and why plants were integral in the evolution of animals as they created oxygen during photosynthesis. Students also explore the earth's current atmosphere and how gaseous pollutants are added to the atmosphere due to human activity.The effects of these pollutants are also explored.
Year 10 mocks will take place in April 2023 covering all content learnt in Years 7-10.
40 minute end of topic assessment covering The Chemistry of the Atmosphere.
In this topic students learn the similarities and differences of mechanical and electromagnetic waves. They consider the properties of waves and calculate the speed of waves. The required practical teaches students how to use water waves to determine wavelength, frequency and wave speed. Students also explore electromagnetic spectrum and the extensive uses of these in communication and medicine.
Year 10 mock exams take place in April 2023.
40 minute end of topic assessment covering Waves.
In this topic students will discover how meiosis produces unique offspring, how gene mutations occur continuously and on rare occasions can affect the functioning of organisms both positively and negatively. Students also learn to critique the theory of evolution whilst understanding the idea of Survival of the Fittest. They also investigate cloning, genetic engineering and earn about environmental changes and how these are monitored over time.
40 minute end of unit assessment covering inheritance, variation, evolution.
An individual animal, plant, or single-celled life form.
A series of organisms each dependent on the next as a source of food.
A system of interlocking and interdependent food chains.
A pyramid of biomass is a better diagram to use. A pyramid of biomass shows the total mass of organisms at each stage of a food chain. In general, all producers have a higher biomass than the primary consumer, so a pyramid will always be produced.
The state or process of rotting; decay.
(in living organisms and cells) The process of eliminating or expelling waste matter.
In this topic students learn about the fractional distillation of crude oil and the uses of the fractions that result. They also learn that these chemicals are mixtures of hydrocarbons called alkanes and explore the physical properties of these compounds. Students also explore potable water, how fresh water and salty water are treated to ensure they are safe to drink and build upon their knowledge of extraction of metals studied earlier in Year 10.
40 minute end of unit assessment covering organic chemistry and the uses of resources.
The force of gravity on an object (N).
The overall force on an object, thinking about direction.
The product of an object's mass and velocity
In this topic students will learn about the electromagnetic effects that are used in a wide variety of devices. Engineers make use of the fact that a magnet moving in a coil can produce electric current; when current flows around a magnet it can produce movement; and consequently, that systems that involve control or communication can take full advantage of this movement.
The waves unit will explore the properties and use of different types of waves including those in the electromagnetic spectrum.
40 minute end of unit assessment covering permanent and induced magnetism, magnetic forces and fields and the motor effect.
The number of waves produced in one second, in hertz.
Maximum displacement of a wave or oscillating object from its rest position.
Electromagnetic waves ordered according to wavelength and frequency – ranging from radio waves to gamma rays.
Wave motion in which the vibrations of the particles of the medium are parallel to the direction of energy transfer.
Wave motion in which the vibrations of the particles of the medium are perpendicular to the direction of energy transfer.
A soft metal core made into a magnet by the passage of electric current through a coil surrounding it.
The force that acts between bodies of like electric charge or magnetic polarity, tending to separate them.
The electric or magnetic force that acts between oppositely charged bodies, tending to draw them together.
The time rate of flow of electric charge, in the direction that a positive moving charge would take and having magnitude equal to the quantity of charge per unit time: measured in amperes.
Distance between two corresponding points on a wave, in metres.