A Level Biology Resources
Hundreds of free A level biology revision resources. Including quizzes, exam tips & guidance, explanations, past paper exam questions, revision strategies, and more. All focused on things that really help.
Studying A-level Biology? I'm Tom, an A-level Biology teacher with 30 years' experience. I offer one-to-one lessons and weekly group classes for AQA, OCR A and CIE, with every lesson recorded.
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All resources are from the A-level Biology Tutor blog
If your GCSEs average 7 to 8, about 1 in 3 students like you got an A or A* in A-level Biology in 2025, and about 1 in 18 got the A*. Average 8 to 9 and those odds rise to 4 in 5 for an A or A*, and 1 in 3 for the A*.
This free quiz has 15 multiple choice questions on plant and animal responses, all taken from OCR A Level Biology A exam papers. It marks itself, so you get your score as soon as you finish.
This free quiz has 26 multiple choice questions on practical skills, all taken from OCR A Level Biology A exam papers. It marks itself, so you get your score as soon as you finish.
This free quiz has 20 multiple choice questions on cellular control and manipulating genomes, all taken from OCR A Level Biology A exam papers. It marks itself, so you get your score as soon as you finish.
This free quiz has 19 multiple choice questions on ecosystems and populations, all taken from OCR A Level Biology A exam papers. It marks itself, so you get your score as soon as you finish.
This free quiz has 17 multiple choice questions on cloning and biotechnology, all taken from OCR A Level Biology A exam papers. It marks itself, so you get your score as soon as you finish.
This free quiz has 21 multiple choice questions on homeostasis and excretion, all taken from OCR A Level Biology A exam papers. It marks itself, so you get your score as soon as you finish.
This free quiz has 22 multiple choice questions on neuronal and hormonal communication, all taken from OCR A Level Biology A exam papers. It marks itself, so you get your score as soon as you finish.
This free quiz has 17 multiple choice questions on respiration, all taken from OCR A Level Biology A exam papers. It marks itself, so you get your score as soon as you finish.
This free quiz has all 15 multiple choice questions from Section A of the OCR A Level Biology A Biological Diversity paper (H420/02), November 2021. It marks itself, so you get your score as soon as you finish.
This free quiz has all 20 multiple choice questions from Section A of the OCR AS Biology A Breadth in Biology paper (H020/01), June 2022. It marks itself, so you get your score as soon as you finish.
This free quiz has all 15 multiple choice questions from Section A of the OCR A Level Biology A Biological Diversity paper (H420/02), June 2024. It marks itself, so you get your score as soon as you finish.
This free quiz has 16 multiple choice questions on cell ultrastructure, prokaryotes and the cytoskeleton, all taken from OCR A Level Biology A exam papers. It marks itself, so you get your score as soon as you finish.
This free quiz has 29 multiple choice questions on carbohydrates, inorganic ions and the elements in biological molecules, all taken from OCR A Level Biology A exam papers. It marks itself, so you get your score as soon as you finish.
This free quiz has 17 multiple choice questions on amino acids and proteins, all taken from OCR A Level Biology A exam papers. It marks itself, so you get your score as soon as you finish.
This free quiz has 11 multiple choice questions on photosynthesis, all taken from OCR A Level Biology A exam papers. It marks itself, so you get your score as soon as you finish.
This free quiz has all 15 multiple choice questions from Section A of the OCR A Level Biology A Biological Diversity paper (H420/02), June 2017. It marks itself, so you get your score as soon as you finish.
This free quiz has all 15 multiple choice questions from Section A of the OCR A Level Biology A Biological Processes paper (H420/01), June 2019. It marks itself, so you get your score as soon as you finish.
This free quiz has all 20 multiple choice questions from Section A of the OCR AS Biology A Breadth in Biology paper (H020/01), June 2019. It marks itself, so you get your score as soon as you finish.
This free quiz has all 15 multiple choice questions from Section A of the OCR A Level Biology A Biological Diversity paper (H420/02), June 2019. It marks itself, so you get your score as soon as you finish.
This free quiz has all 15 multiple choice questions from Section A of the OCR A Level Biology A Biological Processes paper (H420/01), November 2020. It marks itself, so you get your score as soon as you finish.
This free quiz has all 15 multiple choice questions from Section A of the OCR A Level Biology A Biological Diversity paper (H420/02), November 2020. It marks itself, so you get your score as soon as you finish.
This free quiz has all 20 multiple choice questions from Section A of the OCR AS Biology A Breadth in Biology paper (H020/01), November 2021. It marks itself, so you get your score as soon as you finish.
This free quiz has all 15 multiple choice questions from Section A of the OCR A Level Biology A Biological Processes paper (H420/01), November 2021. It marks itself, so you get your score as soon as you finish.
This free quiz has all 15 multiple choice questions from Section A of the OCR A Level Biology A Biological Diversity paper (H420/02), June 2022. It marks itself, so you get your score as soon as you finish.
This free quiz has all 15 multiple choice questions from Section A of the OCR A Level Biology A Biological Processes paper (H420/01), June 2022. It marks itself, so you get your score as soon as you finish.
This free quiz has all 20 multiple choice questions from Section A of the OCR AS Biology A Breadth in Biology paper (H020/01), June 2023. It marks itself, so you get your score as soon as you finish.
This free quiz has all 15 multiple choice questions from Section A of the OCR A Level Biology A Biological Processes paper (H420/01), June 2023. It marks itself, so you get your score as soon as you finish.
This free quiz has all 15 multiple choice questions from Section A of the OCR A Level Biology A Biological Diversity paper (H420/02), June 2023. It marks itself, so you get your score as soon as you finish.
This free quiz has all 15 multiple choice questions from Section A of the OCR A Level Biology A Biological Processes paper (H420/01), June 2024. It marks itself, so you get your score as soon as you finish.
This free quiz has all 15 multiple choice questions from Section A of the OCR A Level Biology A Biological Diversity paper (H420/02), June 2024. It marks itself, so you get your score as soon as you finish.
This free quiz has all 20 multiple choice questions from Section A of the OCR AS Biology A Breadth in Biology paper (H020/01), June 2024. It marks itself, so you get your score as soon as you finish.
This free quiz has 7 multiple choice questions on food tests (Benedict's, iodine, biuret and emulsion tests) and colorimetry, all taken from OCR A Level Biology A exam papers. It marks itself, so you get your score as soon as you finish.
This free quiz has 17 multiple choice questions on lipids: triglycerides, phospholipids, fatty acids and cholesterol, all taken from OCR A Level Biology A exam papers. It marks itself, so you get your score as soon as you finish.
This free quiz has 9 multiple choice questions on microscopes, magnification and staining, all taken from OCR A Level Biology A exam papers. It marks itself, so you get your score as soon as you finish.
This free quiz has 20 multiple choice questions on enzymes, all taken from OCR A Level Biology A exam papers. It marks itself, so you get your score as soon as you finish.
Surface area to volume ratio (SA:V) is vital for understanding a wide range of topics including transport across cell membranes, gas exchange, digestion, heat exchange, and mass transport. SA:V explains why the inner membrane of a mitochondrion is folded, why elephants have big ears, and why jellyfish don’t need blood vessels.
This article is for anyone who is totally confused by mitosis, or who hasn’t yet started the topic.
Mitosis is part of cell division. It explains how multicellular organisms grow and is vital for understanding the challenging topic of autosomal linkage. Mitosis is also similar to the first half of meiosis; learning mitosis first will make meiosis much easier to understand.
Remember that for A level biology, you always need to understand why, as well as how. So, get a strong grip of the fundamental concept of mitosis before you try to memorise the details. Understanding the purpose of mitosis will also make it a lot easier to remember the individual stages of the process.
A-level Biology Questions by topic : Spirometer and Lung Volume Questions - powerpoints and Videos
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A-level Biology Questions by topic: Magnification Calculations and Graticules - how to do magnification questions
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A brief exercise using coral reef photographs and a fish identification chart to calculate a Simpsons Index of Biodiversity.
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A level Biology Questions by topic - Kidney Questions with markschemes, useful for OCR, AQA, Eduqas
Here are lots of good questions on the kidney. I expect the kidney to appear frequently in the new style papers as they are very synoptic, give opportunities to require calculation and get students to analyse and explain data.
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⬇️ Browse the resource collections; scroll right for more:
This free quiz has 29 multiple choice questions on carbohydrates, inorganic ions and the elements in biological molecules, all taken from OCR A Level Biology A exam papers. It marks itself, so you get your score as soon as you finish.
This free quiz has 17 multiple choice questions on amino acids and proteins, all taken from OCR A Level Biology A exam papers. It marks itself, so you get your score as soon as you finish.
This free quiz has 7 multiple choice questions on food tests (Benedict's, iodine, biuret and emulsion tests) and colorimetry, all taken from OCR A Level Biology A exam papers. It marks itself, so you get your score as soon as you finish.
This free quiz has 17 multiple choice questions on lipids: triglycerides, phospholipids, fatty acids and cholesterol, all taken from OCR A Level Biology A exam papers. It marks itself, so you get your score as soon as you finish.
This free quiz has 20 multiple choice questions on biochemistry (bonds, reactions, food tests and chromatography), all taken from OCR A Level Biology A exam papers. It marks itself, so you get your score as soon as you finish.
This free quiz has 7 multiple choice questions on water, inorganic ions, cofactors and the elements in biological molecules, all taken from OCR A Level Biology A exam papers. It marks itself, so you get your score as soon as you finish.
This free quiz has 20 multiple choice questions on enzymes, all taken from OCR A Level Biology A exam papers. It marks itself, so you get your score as soon as you finish.
This free quiz has 26 multiple choice questions on biological molecules, all taken from OCR A Level Biology A past papers. It marks itself, so you get your score as soon as you finish.
This free quiz has 27 multiple choice questions on carbohydrates. It brings together the carbohydrate multiple choice questions from the OCR A Biology AS (H020) and A level (H420) papers from 2016 to 2025, plus OCR's specimen and practice papers. It marks itself, so you get your score as soon as you finish.
This free quiz has 33 multiple choice questions on biological membranes, all taken from OCR A Level Biology A past papers. It marks itself, so you get your score as soon as you finish.
Many topics in A level biology relate to how the human body gains and loses atoms. But have you ever stepped back and thought of how these processes all fit together? Having a wide overview can help make sense of individual topics.
What does it mean if a molecule is polar or charged? How does it change their behaviour? You’ll get confused in a number of topics if you can’t get this concept straight in your mind, and it’s too easy to lose exam marks by using the wrong term. Make life easier by learning this now.
3.1.5 - Nucleic Acids Structure and Replication
Can you
Draw the formation and hydrolysis of a phosphodiester bond
Name the parts of a nucleotide
Explain the similarities and differences between RNA and DNA
Explain why DNA is a good molecule for storing information ?
Can you describe semi-conservative replication ?
Enzymes - Questions (and answers) - for A-level Biology - With Videos and Powerpoints to help recap the theory.
If you use then please like and share
This free quiz has 20 multiple choice questions on biochemistry (bonds, reactions, food tests and chromatography), all taken from OCR A Level Biology A exam papers. It marks itself, so you get your score as soon as you finish.
This free quiz has 15 multiple choice questions on DNA, RNA and protein synthesis, all taken from OCR A Level Biology A exam papers. It marks itself, so you get your score as soon as you finish.
Multiple choice questions on enzymes, all past paper questions, a good way to assess your understanding
Protein Synthesis - exam questions a quiz and powerpoints, videos and animations, please like and share
Enzymes - Questions (and answers) - for A-level Biology - With Videos and Powerpoints to help recap the theory.
If you use then please like and share
This is an outstanding synoptic question from a Pre-U Biology Paper. Covers Protein Synthesis, Enzymes, Heart Disease, Respiration ....
From an Old OCR Unifying concepts paper. ....
Don't panic, the question is not about DNA vaccines or plasmids.
The question is about differences between protein and DNA structure, protein synthesis, post translational modification of protein, clonal selection, mutation of pathogens. All of which are on the specification.
Enzymes have an active site - Substrates don't.
The substrate is a complementary shape to the active site NOT the "same shape"
Enzymes reduce the activation energy for a reaction to occur
Anabolism is making, Catabolism is breaking
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This free quiz has all 15 multiple choice questions from Section A of the OCR A Level Biology A Biological Diversity paper (H420/02), November 2021. It marks itself, so you get your score as soon as you finish.
This free quiz has all 15 multiple choice questions from Section A of the OCR A Level Biology A Biological Diversity paper (H420/02), June 2024. It marks itself, so you get your score as soon as you finish.
This free quiz has all 15 multiple choice questions from Section A of the OCR A Level Biology A Biological Diversity paper (H420/02), June 2017. It marks itself, so you get your score as soon as you finish.
This free quiz has all 15 multiple choice questions from Section A of the OCR A Level Biology A Biological Diversity paper (H420/02), June 2019. It marks itself, so you get your score as soon as you finish.
This free quiz has all 15 multiple choice questions from Section A of the OCR A Level Biology A Biological Diversity paper (H420/02), November 2020. It marks itself, so you get your score as soon as you finish.
This free quiz has all 15 multiple choice questions from Section A of the OCR A Level Biology A Biological Diversity paper (H420/02), June 2022. It marks itself, so you get your score as soon as you finish.
This free quiz has all 15 multiple choice questions from Section A of the OCR A Level Biology A Biological Diversity paper (H420/02), June 2023. It marks itself, so you get your score as soon as you finish.
This free quiz has all 15 multiple choice questions from Section A of the OCR A Level Biology A Biological Diversity paper (H420/02), June 2018. It marks itself, so you get your score as soon as you finish.
This free quiz has 11 multiple choice questions on photosynthesis, all taken from OCR A Level Biology A exam papers. It marks itself, so you get your score as soon as you finish.
As part of the fortnightly group tuition sessions running Mondays at 7.15pm for Alevel Biology - AQA and OCR A I am trying out these notes templates. Tonight we are covering Transpiration and the Light Dependent reactions
Recent research shows the effectiveness of self explanation
Try using these cards with a partner to revise respiration and photosynthesis
Print onto card. Cut out, place face down in a pack.
Pick up a card
Explain the concept with a whiteboard or paper.
Use all of the words on each card.
Then look up the concept in a textbook and correct your mistakes.
Work your way through the pack.
Powerpoints and notes, a pack of long data analysis exam questions and a test on photosynthesis
Tips for Photosynthesis
LDR - occurs on the thylakoid membranes. Limiting factor is light intensity
Phosphorylates ADP (through chemiosmosis) - creates the Hydrogen ion gradient by the flow of electrons along the ETC in the thylakoid membrane. The flow of electrons is driven by the capturing of light by a range of different pigments which channel the energy to a chl a molecule at the reaction centre of the photosystem - which then loses an electron.
Reduces NADP with an electron from splitting water (photolysis) at PSII.
Light Independent Reaction (reduction of carbon dioxide) - occurs in the stroma (the cytoplasm of the chloroplast).
Limited by speed and quantity of RUBISCO enzyme (kinetic energy - temperature) and substrate concentration (Carbon dioxide)
Needs the products of the LDR - ATP and NADPH
NADPH and ATP are used to regenerate RUBP
Each time the Calvin cycle turns, a single Carbon is reduced. 3 turns - one extra Triose Phosphate. 6 turns - 2 extra TP = 1 extra glucose.
TP is the source of all of the carbon in all plants (and hence in all heterotrophes) - Amino acids, DNA, RNA, phospholipids etc
Understanding Photosynthesis - Tips, Videos, PowerPoints and Pack of Exam Questions with Markscheme
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Photosynthesis, Enzymes, Pigments, Leaf Buoyancy and more experimental design.
Think about how starch is made and what it is made from ......
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Try this, a terrific exercise to link Photosynthesis and Respiration. Excellent end of term revision.
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This free quiz has 15 multiple choice questions on plant and animal responses, all taken from OCR A Level Biology A exam papers. It marks itself, so you get your score as soon as you finish.
This free quiz has 26 multiple choice questions on practical skills, all taken from OCR A Level Biology A exam papers. It marks itself, so you get your score as soon as you finish.
This free quiz has 20 multiple choice questions on cellular control and manipulating genomes, all taken from OCR A Level Biology A exam papers. It marks itself, so you get your score as soon as you finish.
This free quiz has 19 multiple choice questions on ecosystems and populations, all taken from OCR A Level Biology A exam papers. It marks itself, so you get your score as soon as you finish.
This free quiz has 17 multiple choice questions on cloning and biotechnology, all taken from OCR A Level Biology A exam papers. It marks itself, so you get your score as soon as you finish.
This free quiz has 21 multiple choice questions on homeostasis and excretion, all taken from OCR A Level Biology A exam papers. It marks itself, so you get your score as soon as you finish.
This free quiz has 22 multiple choice questions on neuronal and hormonal communication, all taken from OCR A Level Biology A exam papers. It marks itself, so you get your score as soon as you finish.
This free quiz has 17 multiple choice questions on respiration, all taken from OCR A Level Biology A exam papers. It marks itself, so you get your score as soon as you finish.
This free quiz has all 15 multiple choice questions from Section A of the OCR A Level Biology A Biological Diversity paper (H420/02), November 2021. It marks itself, so you get your score as soon as you finish.
This free quiz has all 20 multiple choice questions from Section A of the OCR AS Biology A Breadth in Biology paper (H020/01), June 2022. It marks itself, so you get your score as soon as you finish.
This free quiz has all 15 multiple choice questions from Section A of the OCR A Level Biology A Biological Diversity paper (H420/02), June 2024. It marks itself, so you get your score as soon as you finish.
This free quiz has 16 multiple choice questions on cell ultrastructure, prokaryotes and the cytoskeleton, all taken from OCR A Level Biology A exam papers. It marks itself, so you get your score as soon as you finish.
This free quiz has 29 multiple choice questions on carbohydrates, inorganic ions and the elements in biological molecules, all taken from OCR A Level Biology A exam papers. It marks itself, so you get your score as soon as you finish.
This free quiz has all 15 multiple choice questions from Section A of the OCR A Level Biology A Biological Diversity paper (H420/02), June 2017. It marks itself, so you get your score as soon as you finish.
This free quiz has all 15 multiple choice questions from Section A of the OCR A Level Biology A Biological Processes paper (H420/01), June 2019. It marks itself, so you get your score as soon as you finish.
This free quiz has all 20 multiple choice questions from Section A of the OCR AS Biology A Breadth in Biology paper (H020/01), June 2019. It marks itself, so you get your score as soon as you finish.
This free quiz has all 15 multiple choice questions from Section A of the OCR A Level Biology A Biological Diversity paper (H420/02), June 2019. It marks itself, so you get your score as soon as you finish.
This free quiz has all 15 multiple choice questions from Section A of the OCR A Level Biology A Biological Processes paper (H420/01), November 2020. It marks itself, so you get your score as soon as you finish.
This free quiz has all 15 multiple choice questions from Section A of the OCR A Level Biology A Biological Diversity paper (H420/02), November 2020. It marks itself, so you get your score as soon as you finish.
This free quiz has all 15 multiple choice questions from Section A of the OCR A Level Biology A Biological Processes paper (H420/01), November 2021. It marks itself, so you get your score as soon as you finish.
This free quiz has all 15 multiple choice questions from Section A of the OCR A Level Biology A Biological Diversity paper (H420/02), June 2022. It marks itself, so you get your score as soon as you finish.
This free quiz has all 15 multiple choice questions from Section A of the OCR A Level Biology A Biological Processes paper (H420/01), June 2022. It marks itself, so you get your score as soon as you finish.
This free quiz has all 20 multiple choice questions from Section A of the OCR AS Biology A Breadth in Biology paper (H020/01), June 2023. It marks itself, so you get your score as soon as you finish.
This free quiz has all 15 multiple choice questions from Section A of the OCR A Level Biology A Biological Processes paper (H420/01), June 2023. It marks itself, so you get your score as soon as you finish.
This free quiz has all 15 multiple choice questions from Section A of the OCR A Level Biology A Biological Diversity paper (H420/02), June 2023. It marks itself, so you get your score as soon as you finish.
This free quiz has all 15 multiple choice questions from Section A of the OCR A Level Biology A Biological Processes paper (H420/01), June 2024. It marks itself, so you get your score as soon as you finish.
This free quiz has all 20 multiple choice questions from Section A of the OCR AS Biology A Breadth in Biology paper (H020/01), June 2024. It marks itself, so you get your score as soon as you finish.
This free quiz has all 15 multiple choice questions from Section A of the OCR A Level Biology A Biological Diversity paper (H420/02), June 2018. It marks itself, so you get your score as soon as you finish.
This free quiz has all 15 multiple choice questions from Section A of the OCR A Level Biology A Biological Processes paper (H420/01), June 2018. It marks itself, so you get your score as soon as you finish.
This free quiz has all 20 multiple choice questions from Section A of the OCR AS Biology A Breadth in Biology paper (H020/01), June 2018. It marks itself, so you get your score as soon as you finish.
As part of the fortnightly group tuition sessions running Mondays at 7.15pm for Alevel Biology - AQA and OCR A I am trying out these notes templates. Tonight we are covering Transpiration and the Light Dependent reactions
Powerpoints, videos and animations, a self marking quiz on lipids and carbohydrates.
Some tips
Number the carbons and understand when and how a 1,4 glycosidic bond forms.
Why it matters that you can form a 6,1 bond in order to branch a polysaccharide.
Why does it matter that polysaccharides are insoluble and mono and di-saccharides are soluble.
What is the consequence of Beta glucose forming cellulose
Which molecules have a 5 carbon sugar in mammals ?
Can you explain why fatty acids are non-polar and what is the consequence for the formation of cell membranes
Resources for learning the immune system. Powerpoints, animations, videos, self marking test and some rare immune sytem questions.
Multiple choice questions on enzymes, all past paper questions, a good way to assess your understanding
Oxygen is the final electron acceptor. It oxidises the final carrier in the ETC on the inner mitochondrial membrane and is reduced to water.
Hydrogen ions flow from the inter membrane space into the matrix via ATP synthase, this electrochemical gradient phosphorylates ADP.
Hydrogen ions are pumped from the matrix into the inter membrane space, using the energy from the electrons flowing along the ETC. The electrons come from the oxidation of food, transferred by coenzymes NAD and FAD.
Glycolysis occurs in the cytoplasm. Link and Krebs in the matrix. Link and Krebs produce carbon dioxide by the removal of a carboxyl group.
Fermentation is just glycolysis with a different way of regenerating NAD (from NADH) by the reduction of pyruvate (or ethanal).
Substrate level phosphorylation is the direct addition of phosphate to ADP, occurs in glycolysis (4 ATP) and Krebs (once per turn), chemiosmosis is H ions flowing through ATP synthase.
Cristae give a larger surface area for oxidative phosphorylation
Powerpoints and notes, a pack of long data analysis exam questions and a test on photosynthesis
Tips for Photosynthesis
LDR - occurs on the thylakoid membranes. Limiting factor is light intensity
Phosphorylates ADP (through chemiosmosis) - creates the Hydrogen ion gradient by the flow of electrons along the ETC in the thylakoid membrane. The flow of electrons is driven by the capturing of light by a range of different pigments which channel the energy to a chl a molecule at the reaction centre of the photosystem - which then loses an electron.
Reduces NADP with an electron from splitting water (photolysis) at PSII.
Light Independent Reaction (reduction of carbon dioxide) - occurs in the stroma (the cytoplasm of the chloroplast).
Limited by speed and quantity of RUBISCO enzyme (kinetic energy - temperature) and substrate concentration (Carbon dioxide)
Needs the products of the LDR - ATP and NADPH
NADPH and ATP are used to regenerate RUBP
Each time the Calvin cycle turns, a single Carbon is reduced. 3 turns - one extra Triose Phosphate. 6 turns - 2 extra TP = 1 extra glucose.
TP is the source of all of the carbon in all plants (and hence in all heterotrophes) - Amino acids, DNA, RNA, phospholipids etc
Cell membranes, osmosis, diffusion , active transport, - lots of experimental and application questions
Protein Synthesis - exam questions a quiz and powerpoints, videos and animations, please like and share
Plant reproduction - videos questions and resources
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Homeostasis - Glucose and Temperature - for AQA and OCR
Question Pack, Videos, Powerpoints
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A-level Biology Questions by topic : Spirometer and Lung Volume Questions - powerpoints and Videos
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A-level Biology Questions on Kidney Dialysis and Transplants - useful powerpoints/animations and videos
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Enzymes - Questions (and answers) - for A-level Biology - With Videos and Powerpoints to help recap the theory.
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A-level Biology questions by topic with markschemes on Evolution, Biodiversity and Classification. Video and PowerPoint to help you recap the theory. For OCR A Biology and other specifications.
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A guide to aerobic and anaerobic respiration for A level Biology with plenty of exam questions on respiration with markschemes, for AQA, OCR, Edexcel
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Lots of Haemoglobin Oxygen Dissociation Curve/ Bohr Shift Questions and Markschemes, suitable for OCR A, AQA - and a brief guide to Understanding them.
The key to understanding dissociation curves is firstly to understand the concept of partial pressure and what would make it change. And to understand cooperative binding.
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Frequently students fail to learn the vocabulary of Biology. To get a top grade it is essential to know what the words mean in a Biological context (niche, chromosome, chromatid...), and have the confidence to use those words in an exam answer.
You need to know some maths for A level Biology, including to work out whether an experiment can be said to have shown an effect or not. Master this early on and it will not help you with exam questions, but also make it easier for you to learn the bits of the course that are explained using these statistical methods.
Surface area to volume ratio (SA:V) is vital for understanding a wide range of topics including transport across cell membranes, gas exchange, digestion, heat exchange, and mass transport. SA:V explains why the inner membrane of a mitochondrion is folded, why elephants have big ears, and why jellyfish don’t need blood vessels.
Many topics in A level biology relate to how the human body gains and loses atoms. But have you ever stepped back and thought of how these processes all fit together? Having a wide overview can help make sense of individual topics.
A variable is any value that does/might change during an experiment. Variables can include things like pH, temperature, colour, or the concentration of substances. The amount of time that has passed is a variable, as are rates of reaction.
Outstanding synoptic question on muscles and contraction. Excellent practise
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Good practice if you are struggling with data analysis questions
Pack of challenging past paper questions with lots of Data Analysis and application - A-level Biology past paper questions - good for OCR and AQA specifications
This is an outstanding synoptic question from a Pre-U Biology Paper. Covers Protein Synthesis, Enzymes, Heart Disease, Respiration ....
Photosynthesis, Enzymes, Pigments, Leaf Buoyancy and more experimental design.
Think about how starch is made and what it is made from ......
Please like and share
One from the OCR Unifying concepts paper, combines respiration and photosynthesis.
(a) think photolysis and Oxygen accepting electrons ...
(b) is about phosphorylation and diffusion gradients
(c) is about the nature of passive transport and using proteins
(d) is about endosymbionts and prokaryotes
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From an Old OCR Unifying concepts paper. ....
Don't panic, the question is not about DNA vaccines or plasmids.
The question is about differences between protein and DNA structure, protein synthesis, post translational modification of protein, clonal selection, mutation of pathogens. All of which are on the specification.
The OCR spec is now partly examined through some terrific multiple choice questions. This is a assessment format that is unusual to many students. Here are 9 questions from an Old paper that will stimulate some thought.
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Dont panic, the question is not about the Cuckoopint flowers that you have never heard of, its about aerobic respiration, mitochondria, oxygen consumption - all of which are topics that you are familiar with.
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The only prior A-level knowledge you need to answer the question is that lactate is produced when ATP is made from anaerobic respiration.
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The new linear A level has synoptic questions that will test knowledge and understanding from both years in the same question. Often with looking at experimental data.
Make the question simpler for yourself. Hide everything that isn’t on the spec. You will need these words later when writing the answer out, but you do NOT need them getting in the way while you work out what the question is really about.
Command words are important! Step by step guide to how to approach and answer “Suggest” questions for top marks in AQA A level Biology.
Past paper essay titles and topic areas for A level Biology paper 3, with tips and guidance for how to select the best topic areas for your essay.
How to improve your answers to questions about practicals in A-level Biology exam questions.
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This free quiz has 20 multiple choice questions on genetics, inheritance, evolution and manipulating genomes, all taken from OCR A Level Biology A exam papers. It marks itself, so you get your score as soon as you finish.
Questions by topic for A-level Biology - Genes, Genetics and Genetics Engineering, for OCR A, AQA and Eduqas
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How to understand and answer Hardy-Weinberg Questions - A-level Biology. Remember to look out for questions where they give you a dominant phenotype frequency -for instance Huntingdons disease, where the frequency of the sufferers is 1 in 100000 - therefore q squared (recessive allele phenotype) is 99999 in 100000.
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Terrific exam question - combining autosomal linkage and Chi-Squared. Give it a go if you have ambition.....
Students find autosomal linkage a challenge ... I suspect this is because they mentally disconnect Meiosis from gamete formation.
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Many topics in A level biology relate to how the human body gains and loses atoms. But have you ever stepped back and thought of how these processes all fit together? Having a wide overview can help make sense of individual topics.
Recent research shows the effectiveness of self explanation
Try using these cards with a partner to revise respiration and photosynthesis
Print onto card. Cut out, place face down in a pack.
Pick up a card
Explain the concept with a whiteboard or paper.
Use all of the words on each card.
Then look up the concept in a textbook and correct your mistakes.
Work your way through the pack.
Oxygen is the final electron acceptor. It oxidises the final carrier in the ETC on the inner mitochondrial membrane and is reduced to water.
Hydrogen ions flow from the inter membrane space into the matrix via ATP synthase, this electrochemical gradient phosphorylates ADP.
Hydrogen ions are pumped from the matrix into the inter membrane space, using the energy from the electrons flowing along the ETC. The electrons come from the oxidation of food, transferred by coenzymes NAD and FAD.
Glycolysis occurs in the cytoplasm. Link and Krebs in the matrix. Link and Krebs produce carbon dioxide by the removal of a carboxyl group.
Fermentation is just glycolysis with a different way of regenerating NAD (from NADH) by the reduction of pyruvate (or ethanal).
Substrate level phosphorylation is the direct addition of phosphate to ADP, occurs in glycolysis (4 ATP) and Krebs (once per turn), chemiosmosis is H ions flowing through ATP synthase.
Cristae give a larger surface area for oxidative phosphorylation
This is an outstanding synoptic question from a Pre-U Biology Paper. Covers Protein Synthesis, Enzymes, Heart Disease, Respiration ....
A level Biology Questions by Topic with Markschemes - Aerobic respiration and Anaerobic Respiration
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Try this, a terrific exercise to link Photosynthesis and Respiration. Excellent end of term revision.
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I have made a series of 9 short (5-7 mins) video tutorials to try to help students understand glycolysis, link reaction, krebs cycle, anaerobic respiration, oxidative phosphorylation, chemiosmosis and the use of other respiratory substrates. I hope you find them of use.
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Another from the past.
Terrific question about DNA, diffusion, ATP production and fireflies going out in a blaze of glory....
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Teaching aerobic respiration is a difficult topic, traditionally, teachers begin with glycolysis, then link reaction and krebs cycle and then the electron transport chain, I would argue that there is a better way to teach this.
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A variable is any value that does/might change during an experiment. Variables can include things like pH, temperature, colour, or the concentration of substances. The amount of time that has passed is a variable, as are rates of reaction.
Can you spot the problems with these A level Biology exam question answers? These bloopers come up a lot - check you’re not going to make the same mistakes.
There is plenty of excellent guidance on how to plot graphs and draw tables in the OCR practical booklet ..... pdf
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Enzymes have an active site - Substrates don't.
The substrate is a complementary shape to the active site NOT the "same shape"
Enzymes reduce the activation energy for a reaction to occur
Anabolism is making, Catabolism is breaking
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Teaching aerobic respiration is a difficult topic, traditionally, teachers begin with glycolysis, then link reaction and krebs cycle and then the electron transport chain, I would argue that there is a better way to teach this.
Please like and share
Can an AI help you revise topics you’ve already learned once? Yes - but only if you can stop it from telling you everything before you’ve had a chance to think. This is how I designed a prompt to achieve that.
Never just open up the AI and ask it a question without any context. You need to be smarter about this. Think about what you’re trying to achieve.
If you were disappointed by your Year-12 exam results, you’re not alone. Many A-level Biology students have a bit of a shock at this point, but you still have the opportunity to turn things around.
Reading pop-science books is enjoyable and also supports your studies. Here are eight books that I recommend, all of which are written to be interesting and entertaining for non-specialists. They bring biology to life and will change the way you think about these topics forever.
Make the question simpler for yourself. Hide everything that isn’t on the spec. You will need these words later when writing the answer out, but you do NOT need them getting in the way while you work out what the question is really about.
You need to know some maths for A level Biology, including to work out whether an experiment can be said to have shown an effect or not. Master this early on and it will not help you with exam questions, but also make it easier for you to learn the bits of the course that are explained using these statistical methods.
Weekly Group classes - for AQA Y13 A level BIology
Raise your exam grade with question focused masterclasses from a highly experienced A level Biology teacher.
Every week we go through a different topic from the specification and look at how to apply the content to exam questions. I show how to understand commonly occurring questions and how to answer them.
Example 2: Q3 Paper 2 2023
This next question is more complex, and there are two ‘suggest’ questions.
But first - I always recommend you don’t read the actual questions until you’ve looked at the background information, graph etc. Doing this will help you avoid getting overwhelmed and jumping to mistaken conclusions (which is very common in exam situations!).
So let’s keep the questions for later. First make sense of this:
Command words are important! Step by step guide to how to approach and answer “Suggest” questions for top marks in AQA A level Biology.
Monoclonal antibodies are a relatively new treatment type, with huge importance for treating migraine, cancer, autoimmune diseases, and many other conditions.
So how do they work?
What is an Antibody? What is an Antigen?
Weekly Group classes - for AQA Y12 A level Biology
Raise your exam grade with question focused masterclasses from a highly experienced A level Biology teacher.
Every week we go through a different topic from the specification and look at how to apply the content to exam questions. I show how to understand commonly occurring questions and how to answer them.
Past paper essay titles and topic areas for A level Biology paper 3, with tips and guidance for how to select the best topic areas for your essay.
More past paper essay titles for A level Biology paper 3, with lists of appropriate topic areas for each
Real AQA questions on meiosis, crossing over, independent segregation and the 2ⁿ calculation, with mark-scheme wording and common mistakes.
Surface area to volume ratio (SA:V) is vital for understanding a wide range of topics including transport across cell membranes, gas exchange, digestion, heat exchange, and mass transport. SA:V explains why the inner membrane of a mitochondrion is folded, why elephants have big ears, and why jellyfish don’t need blood vessels.
Real AQA questions on DNA vs mRNA, mRNA vs tRNA, transcription, splicing and translation, with the mark-scheme wording that earns marks.
Many topics in A level biology relate to how the human body gains and loses atoms. But have you ever stepped back and thought of how these processes all fit together? Having a wide overview can help make sense of individual topics.
Immunity is a complex topic. This article overviews the basic concepts and vocabulary to give you a foundation before you start looking at the details. When you are studying, break this topic up into chunks so that you’re not overwhelmed by the amount of information.
A variable is any value that does/might change during an experiment. Variables can include things like pH, temperature, colour, or the concentration of substances. The amount of time that has passed is a variable, as are rates of reaction.
Can you spot the problems with these A level Biology exam question answers? These bloopers come up a lot - check you’re not going to make the same mistakes.
What does it mean if a molecule is polar or charged? How does it change their behaviour? You’ll get confused in a number of topics if you can’t get this concept straight in your mind, and it’s too easy to lose exam marks by using the wrong term. Make life easier by learning this now.
3.1.5 - Nucleic Acids Structure and Replication
Can you
Draw the formation and hydrolysis of a phosphodiester bond
Name the parts of a nucleotide
Explain the similarities and differences between RNA and DNA
Explain why DNA is a good molecule for storing information ?
Can you describe semi-conservative replication ?
As part of the fortnightly group tuition sessions running Mondays at 7.15pm for Alevel Biology - AQA and OCR A I am trying out these notes templates. Tonight we are covering Transpiration and the Light Dependent reactions
This free quiz has all 15 multiple choice questions from Section A of the OCR A Level Biology A Biological Diversity paper (H420/02), November 2021. It marks itself, so you get your score as soon as you finish.
This free quiz has all 20 multiple choice questions from Section A of the OCR AS Biology A Breadth in Biology paper (H020/01), June 2022. It marks itself, so you get your score as soon as you finish.
This free quiz has all 15 multiple choice questions from Section A of the OCR A Level Biology A Biological Diversity paper (H420/02), June 2024. It marks itself, so you get your score as soon as you finish.
This free quiz has 29 multiple choice questions on carbohydrates, inorganic ions and the elements in biological molecules, all taken from OCR A Level Biology A exam papers. It marks itself, so you get your score as soon as you finish.
This free quiz has 17 multiple choice questions on amino acids and proteins, all taken from OCR A Level Biology A exam papers. It marks itself, so you get your score as soon as you finish.
This free quiz has 11 multiple choice questions on photosynthesis, all taken from OCR A Level Biology A exam papers. It marks itself, so you get your score as soon as you finish.
This free quiz has all 15 multiple choice questions from Section A of the OCR A Level Biology A Biological Diversity paper (H420/02), June 2017. It marks itself, so you get your score as soon as you finish.
This free quiz has all 15 multiple choice questions from Section A of the OCR A Level Biology A Biological Processes paper (H420/01), June 2019. It marks itself, so you get your score as soon as you finish.
This free quiz has all 20 multiple choice questions from Section A of the OCR AS Biology A Breadth in Biology paper (H020/01), June 2019. It marks itself, so you get your score as soon as you finish.
This free quiz has all 15 multiple choice questions from Section A of the OCR A Level Biology A Biological Diversity paper (H420/02), June 2019. It marks itself, so you get your score as soon as you finish.
This free quiz has all 15 multiple choice questions from Section A of the OCR A Level Biology A Biological Processes paper (H420/01), November 2020. It marks itself, so you get your score as soon as you finish.
This free quiz has all 15 multiple choice questions from Section A of the OCR A Level Biology A Biological Diversity paper (H420/02), November 2020. It marks itself, so you get your score as soon as you finish.
This free quiz has all 20 multiple choice questions from Section A of the OCR AS Biology A Breadth in Biology paper (H020/01), November 2021. It marks itself, so you get your score as soon as you finish.
This free quiz has all 15 multiple choice questions from Section A of the OCR A Level Biology A Biological Processes paper (H420/01), November 2021. It marks itself, so you get your score as soon as you finish.
This free quiz has all 15 multiple choice questions from Section A of the OCR A Level Biology A Biological Diversity paper (H420/02), June 2022. It marks itself, so you get your score as soon as you finish.
This free quiz has all 15 multiple choice questions from Section A of the OCR A Level Biology A Biological Processes paper (H420/01), June 2022. It marks itself, so you get your score as soon as you finish.
This free quiz has all 20 multiple choice questions from Section A of the OCR AS Biology A Breadth in Biology paper (H020/01), June 2023. It marks itself, so you get your score as soon as you finish.
This free quiz has all 15 multiple choice questions from Section A of the OCR A Level Biology A Biological Processes paper (H420/01), June 2023. It marks itself, so you get your score as soon as you finish.
This free quiz has all 15 multiple choice questions from Section A of the OCR A Level Biology A Biological Diversity paper (H420/02), June 2023. It marks itself, so you get your score as soon as you finish.
This free quiz has all 15 multiple choice questions from Section A of the OCR A Level Biology A Biological Processes paper (H420/01), June 2024. It marks itself, so you get your score as soon as you finish.
This free quiz has all 20 multiple choice questions from Section A of the OCR AS Biology A Breadth in Biology paper (H020/01), June 2024. It marks itself, so you get your score as soon as you finish.
This free quiz has all 15 multiple choice questions from Section A of the OCR A Level Biology A Biological Diversity paper (H420/02), June 2018. It marks itself, so you get your score as soon as you finish.
This free quiz has all 15 multiple choice questions from Section A of the OCR A Level Biology A Biological Processes paper (H420/01), June 2018. It marks itself, so you get your score as soon as you finish.
This free quiz has all 20 multiple choice questions from Section A of the OCR AS Biology A Breadth in Biology paper (H020/01), June 2018. It marks itself, so you get your score as soon as you finish.
This free quiz has all 20 multiple choice questions from Section A of the OCR AS Biology A Breadth in Biology paper (H020/01), June 2017. It marks itself, so you get your score as soon as you finish.
This free quiz has 7 multiple choice questions on food tests (Benedict's, iodine, biuret and emulsion tests) and colorimetry, all taken from OCR A Level Biology A exam papers. It marks itself, so you get your score as soon as you finish.
This free quiz has 17 multiple choice questions on lipids: triglycerides, phospholipids, fatty acids and cholesterol, all taken from OCR A Level Biology A exam papers. It marks itself, so you get your score as soon as you finish.
This free quiz has 20 multiple choice questions on biochemistry (bonds, reactions, food tests and chromatography), all taken from OCR A Level Biology A exam papers. It marks itself, so you get your score as soon as you finish.
This free quiz has 10 multiple choice questions on biodiversity, sampling and conservation, all taken from OCR A Level Biology A exam papers. It marks itself, so you get your score as soon as you finish.
This free quiz has 15 multiple choice questions on DNA, RNA and protein synthesis, all taken from OCR A Level Biology A exam papers. It marks itself, so you get your score as soon as you finish.
Can an AI help you revise topics you’ve already learned once? Yes - but only if you can stop it from telling you everything before you’ve had a chance to think. This is how I designed a prompt to achieve that.
Never just open up the AI and ask it a question without any context. You need to be smarter about this. Think about what you’re trying to achieve.
If you were disappointed by your Year-12 exam results, you’re not alone. Many A-level Biology students have a bit of a shock at this point, but you still have the opportunity to turn things around.
Reading pop-science books is enjoyable and also supports your studies. Here are eight books that I recommend, all of which are written to be interesting and entertaining for non-specialists. They bring biology to life and will change the way you think about these topics forever.
We provide a wide selection of self-marking, multiple-choice quizzes by topic for OCR A and CIE. But how can you use them to best effect?
Here’s a quick guide.
You need to know some maths for A level Biology, including to work out whether an experiment can be said to have shown an effect or not. Master this early on and it will not help you with exam questions, but also make it easier for you to learn the bits of the course that are explained using these statistical methods.
Surface area to volume ratio (SA:V) is vital for understanding a wide range of topics including transport across cell membranes, gas exchange, digestion, heat exchange, and mass transport. SA:V explains why the inner membrane of a mitochondrion is folded, why elephants have big ears, and why jellyfish don’t need blood vessels.
CIE Tissue Fluid and structure and function of blood vessels - 20 Multiple Choice Questions
CIE 9700 A level Biology Infectious Diseases - Pathogens and Transmission, 20 Multiple Choice Questions
CIE A level Biology 9700 Carriage of Oxygen and Carbon Dioxide - 20 Multiple Choice Questions
CIE 9700 A level Biology - Replication and Division of nuclei and cells 5.1 - 20 Multiple Choice Questions
20 Self marking Multiple choice questions for CIE A level Biology 9700 - Nucleic acids 6.1
20 Self marking Multiple choice questions for CIE A level Biology 9700 - Plant transport 7.1/7.2
CIE A level Biology 9700- Transport in Mammals 8.1 , 20 self marking multiple choice questions
Also check out the past paper archive , which has past papers from AQA, OCR, Edexcel, and Eduqas/WJEC exams.
Most students revise by copying out textbooks that they didn't understand when they were taught the concepts. There are better ways of learning and revising.
Here is one way of revising Biological Molecules, print these on card then cut out and go through with a friend - then try making your own.
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