Biology 20

Unit 1: Energy & Matter Exchange in the Biosphere

How energy flows one way through the biosphere while matter cycles endlessly — the two master patterns that make ecosystems work, and the balance of gases they sustain.

• One-way flow of energy
• Photosynthesis, chemosynthesis and respiration balance
• Trophic levels, food chains and webs
• Quantitative energy flow and pyramids

• Biogeochemical cycles
• Water's role in the cycles
• Energy, matter and productivity

• Gas exchange and atmospheric composition
• Geologic evidence for a changing atmosphere

Unit 2: Ecosystems & Population Change

What defines an ecosystem, what limits the life in it, how we classify that life, and how populations change over time — the mechanism and evidence of evolution.

• Species, population, community, ecosystem
• Habitats and niches
• Biotic and abiotic factors in local ecosystems
• Limiting factors

• Taxonomy and binomial nomenclature

• Variability from mutation
• Sexual reproduction and variation
• Lamarck vs Darwin
• Lines of evidence for evolution
• Speciation
• Modern evolutionary theories

Unit 3: Photosynthesis & Cellular Respiration

The two great energy transactions of life — capturing light energy into organic compounds, then releasing it to power the cell — down to how ATP is actually made.

• Photosynthesis and energy storage
• Light-independent reactions and glucose
• Glycolysis and the Krebs cycle

• Chemiosmosis and ATP synthesis
• Aerobic vs anaerobic respiration
• The role of ATP

Unit 4: Human Systems

How the human body exchanges energy and matter with its environment and maintains internal equilibrium — digestion, circulation, immunity, excretion and movement.

• Digestive & respiratory structures
• Carbohydrates, lipids, proteins and their enzymes
• Enzyme action

• Processing matter into the blood
• Breathing, gas exchange and heat loss

• Structures of the heart
• The heart and circulation
• Arteries, veins and capillaries
• Exchange at the capillary level

• Components of blood
• Blood and body temperature
• The lymphatic system
• The human defence system
• ABO and Rh blood groups

• Structures of the excretory system
• The nephron and plasma composition
• Kidney function
• ADH, aldosterone and blood pressure

• How the motor system supports the body
• Muscle contraction