AQA A2 Biology Student Unit Guide: Unit 5 Control in Cells and in Organisms

Summary:
Student Unit Guides are perfect for revision. Each guide is written by an examiner and explains the unit requirements, summarises the relevant unit content and includes a series of specimen questions and answers.

There are three sections to each guide:

Introduction - includes advice on how to use the guide, an explanation of the skills being tested by the assessment objectives, an outline of the unit or module and, depending on the unit, suggestions for how to revise effectively and prepare for the examination questions.

Content Guidance - provides an examiner's overview of the module's key terms and concepts and identifies opportunities to exhibit the skills required by the unit. It is designed to help students to structure their revision and make them aware of the concepts they need to understand the exam and how they might analyse and evaluate topics.

Question and Answers - sample questions and with graded answers which have been carefully written to reflect the style of the unit. All responses are accompanied by commentaries which highlight their respective strengths and weaknesses, giving students an insight into the mind of the examiner.

• A revision guide specifically written to meet the requirements of the unit
  

• Written by an examiner with commentary on key points and concepts 
  

• Features specimen questions and answers, together with examiner's comments
  

Table of Contents:
Introduction
Preparing for the Unit 5 examination
Approaching the Unit 5 examination
Content Guidance
How organisms detect and respond to changes in their environment
How organisms coordinate their responses to stimuli
Skeletal muscle: a key effector in mammals
Homeostasis and feedback systems
The genetic code, protein synthesis and gene mutation
The control of gene action
Gene cloning technology and its applications
Questions and Answers
Q1 Hormone action
Q2 Action potentials
Q3 Protein synthesis
Q4 The polymerase chain reaction
Q5 Gene cloning technology and its applications
Q6 The control of gene action
Q7 Auxins
Q8 Skeletal muscle
Q9 Receptors and transmission of information through the nervous system
Q10 Homeostasis

About the Author(s):
Steve Potter has been a chief/principal examiner for a number of awarding bodies and is the author of numerous A-level biology books.