Biology
0610Cells, systems, inheritance and ecosystems — from molecules to whole organisms.
Biology 0610 (for examination 2023-2025). Topic structure paraphrased from the published Cambridge IGCSE Biology 0610 specification. Not official Cambridge wording — always check the syllabus document.
Characteristics and classification of living organisms
What makes something alive, and how living things are grouped and named.
- 1.11 lesson
Characteristics of living organisms
The seven life processes shared by every living thing.
- 1.21 lesson
Classification and dichotomous keys
The binomial system, the five kingdoms, and identifying organisms with a key.
- 1.31 lesson
Features of organisms
The main groups of living things, and why viruses sit outside them.
Organisation of the organism
Cell structure, specialised cells, and the levels of organisation from cell to organism.
- 2.11 lesson
Cell structure and organelles
Animal and plant cell structures and what each one does.
- 2.21 lesson
Levels of organisation and specialised cells
From specialised cells to tissues, organs, systems and organisms.
- 2.31 lesson
Size of specimens and magnification
Calculating magnification and actual size, and converting units.
Movement into and out of cells
Diffusion, osmosis and active transport.
Biological molecules
Carbohydrates, proteins and fats, and the food tests that identify them.
Enzymes
Biological catalysts, the lock-and-key model, and the effects of temperature and pH.
Plant nutrition
Photosynthesis, limiting factors and leaf structure.
Human nutrition
A balanced diet, the digestive system, and the enzymes that break food down.
Transport in plants
Xylem, phloem, transpiration and translocation.
Transport in animals
The heart, blood vessels, blood, and the double circulatory system.
Diseases and immunity
Pathogens, transmission, the body's defences and vaccination.
Gas exchange in humans
The breathing system, alveoli, and the effect of exercise.
Respiration
Aerobic and anaerobic respiration and their equations.
Excretion in humans
The kidneys, urea formation and osmoregulation.
Coordination and response
The nervous system, reflexes, hormones and homeostasis.
- 14.11 lesson
The nervous system and reflex actions
Neurones, synapses and the reflex arc.
- 14.21 lesson
Hormones and homeostasis
Chemical coordination, blood glucose control and negative feedback.
- 14.31 lesson
Sense organs — the eye
Structure of the eye, and the pupil and accommodation reflexes.
- 14.41 lesson
Tropic responses in plants
Phototropism, gravitropism and the role of auxin.
Drugs
Medicinal and recreational drugs, antibiotics and misuse.
Reproduction
Asexual and sexual reproduction in plants and humans.
Inheritance
Chromosomes, genes, alleles and monohybrid crosses.
Variation and selection
Variation, mutation, natural selection and selective breeding.
Organisms and their environment
Energy flow, food chains and webs, and nutrient cycles.
- 19.11 lesson
Food chains, food webs and energy flow
How energy moves through an ecosystem, and why it runs out.
- 19.21 lesson
The carbon and nitrogen cycles
How carbon and nitrogen are recycled through ecosystems.
- 19.31 lesson
Populations and population growth
The phases of a population growth curve and what limits size.
Human influences on ecosystems
Pollution, deforestation, and conservation.
Biotechnology and genetic modification
Using microorganisms industrially, and modifying genes.