CAIE IGCSE BIOLOGY

Fungi: Single-celled or multicellular heterotrophic and

1.6. Classification of Plants
saprotrophic organisms with cell walls not made of
cellulose, spread by spreading spores in moist/dark/warm
In IGCSE Biology, the plant kingdom is classified into ferns
environments. Most have hyphae and mycelium in
and flowering plants.
structure. Ex: yeast, mushrooms.
Prokaryotes: Single-celled organisms with no true nucleus Ferns:
or DNA in the cytoplasm. Many also have plasmids. Ex: Do not produce flowers/seeds
E.coli, Salmonella. They are plants with roots, stems and feathery leaves
Protist or Protoctist: Single-celled organism with a Reproduce by spores
nucleus. Eukaryotes. Some are multicellular. Ex: Amoeba, Flowering plants:
seaweed. They are plants with roots, stems and leaves
Reproduce sexually through flowers and seeds
1.4. Vertebrates Seeds are produced inside the ovary in the flower

Monocotyledons Dicotyledons
One cotyledon/One-seed leaf Two cotyledons/Two-seed leaf
Parallel veins Branching veins
Long Narrow Leaf Broad leaves
The Number of Petals is a The Number of Petals is a
Multiple of 3 Multiple of 4 or 5
Scattered Vascular Bundles Ringed Vascular Bundles
Types of Vertebrates Features
Tip: Differentiating monocotyledons and
Fur on the skin, External ears
dicotyledons comes up frequently in Multiple
Mammals (pinna), Internal fertilisation,
Choice Questions
Mammary Glands
Thick, dry, scaly skin, Usually four
Reptiles legs, Internal fertilisation, Soft
1.7. Viruses
Shelled Eggs
Viruses are not part of any classification system because
Wet scales, Streamlined body they are not considered living things.
Fish shape, External fertilisation, and They do not carry out the seven life processes for
soft eggs themselves; instead, they take over a host cell’s metabolic
Smooth, moist skin, External pathways to make multiple copies of themselves.
fertilisation, and soft eggs, Gills, & Virus structure contains only a genetic material (RNA or
Amphibians
Lungs can live on land and water. DNA) inside a protein coat.
Most have four legs. Example of virus structure below (No mitochondria or
Feathers on the body and scales on ribosomes)
legs, Constant internal body
Birds
temperature, Hard eggs, Internal
fertilisation, birth through eggs

1.5. Arthropods
Invertebrates: Organisms that do not have a backbone.
All arthropods have three standard features:

1. Exoskeleton
2. Jointed legs
3. Segmented body

Type of Arthropod Number of Legs 2. Organisation of the

Insects 6
Arachnids 8 Organism
Crustaceans >10
Myriapods >20 2.1. Cell Structure

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CAIE IGCSE BIOLOGY

All living things are made of cells. Tissue: Groups of cells with similar structures working
New cells are produced by the division of existing cells together to perform a shared function
All typical eukaryotic cells (multicellular) have: Organ: Group of tissues working together to perform a
Cell Membrane: controls movement in and out of cells specific function
Cytoplasm: where chemical/metabolic reactions take Organ system: Group of organs with related functions
place working together to perform body functions.
Nucleus: contains DNA, stores genetic information Organism: A human
and controls the activity of the cell
Mitochondria: where aerobic respiration happens Specialised Cells
Ribosome: allows protein synthesis in the cytoplasm
Endoplasmic reticulum: Studded with ribosomes, it Specialised Cells have Specific Functions.
looks rough under the microscope.
A typical animal cell (e.g., the liver cell) has all the above.
Specialised Cells Specific Function Location of Cell
Plant cells especially also have: Movement of
Respiratory Tract,
Vacuole: cell sap to keep cell turgid mucus in the
Ciliated cells Fallopian Tube,
Cell Wall: rigid to hold the shape of the cell, trachea and
Testes
strengthens the cell bronchi
Chloroplasts: contain chlorophyll, which absorbs light Root Hair cells Absorption Roots
energy for photosynthesis Palisade Mesophyll
A typical plant cell (e.g., the palisade cell) has everything Photosynthesis Leaf Cells
cell
above.
Conduction of Everywhere in an
Neurones
electrical impulses organism
Prokaryotes
Transport of Everywhere in an
Red Blood cells
Prokaryotes (Unicellular) DO NOT have mitochondria and a oxygen organism
true nucleus. Sperm and Egg
In their respective
cells/ovum For reproduction
One example of a prokaryote is bacteria. gonads
(gametes)
A bacterial cell only contains a cell wall made of
peptidoglycan, cell membrane, cytoplasm, ribosomes, and
plasmids. 2.5. Magnification
It lacks a nucleus and is represented by a circular
chromosome of DNA. The general formula is represented in this way:
Plasmids are small, circular rings of DNA in the cytoplasm
size of drawing image I
with extra genes outside the chromosomal DNA. M agnification = = =
size of specimen actual
​ ​ ​

A
Other Forms in Magnification Formula

Actual size = image size ÷ magnification

Image size = magnification x actual size

Unit Conversions (μm - micrometre)

1cm = 10mm
1mm = 1000μm
1μm = 0.001mm

Magnification does NOT have any units (‘x 50’ or ‘x 5000’)

Syllabus 2.1.3: You must be able to identify the Tip: This comes out frequently in all three
cell structures in diagrams and images of papers
plant, animal and bacterial cells

2.4. Levels of Organisation 3. Movement In and Out of

The division of existing cells produces new cells. Cells
Key Terms
3.1. Diffusion
Cells: Building Blocks of Life

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for personal use only by Rahmath Bano at 21kschool on 25/09/24.