Year 13 science
Every topic for the year is below, arranged by the term it is taught. Choose a term to show only that term: each topic has a lesson video, worked questions and practice at three levels.
Autumn term
- BiologyPhotosynthesisThe light-dependent and light-independent reactions, the role of chloroplasts, photophosphorylation and the Calvin cycle, limiting factors, and investigating photosynthesis in the laboratory.100 questionsLesson video
- BiologyRespirationAerobic and anaerobic respiration, glycolysis, the link reaction, the Krebs cycle and oxidative phosphorylation, the roles of coenzymes, and the respiration of other respiratory substrates.100 questionsLesson video
- BiologyEnergy transfer in ecosystems and nutrient cyclesBiomass and energy transfer between trophic levels, productivity and efficiency, the effects of farming practices, and the nitrogen and phosphorus cycles with the role of microorganisms and fertilisers.100 questionsLesson video
- ChemistryRate equations and ordersOrders of reaction from concentration-time and rate-concentration graphs, rate equations and the rate constant, the Arrhenius equation, the rate-determining step and reaction mechanisms.100 questionsLesson video
- ChemistryEquilibrium constantsThe equilibrium constants Kc and Kp, calculating equilibrium amounts, and how temperature, concentration and pressure change the position of equilibrium and the value of the constant.100 questionsLesson video
- ChemistrypH, Ka and bufferspH of strong and weak acids and bases, Ka and pKa, Kw, buffer solutions and how they work, pH curves and indicators for titrations.100 questionsLesson video
- ChemistryLattice enthalpy and entropyBorn-Haber cycles and lattice enthalpy, enthalpy of solution and hydration, entropy change, free energy change and the feasibility of reactions.100 questionsLesson video
- PhysicsFurther mechanicsMomentum and impulse, conservation of momentum in collisions and explosions, elastic and inelastic collisions, circular motion, angular speed and centripetal force.100 questionsLesson video
- PhysicsElectric fieldsCoulomb law, electric field strength, field lines, uniform fields between parallel plates, electric potential and energy, and comparison with gravitational fields.100 questionsLesson video
- PhysicsCapacitorsCapacitance, energy stored, charging and discharging through a resistor, time constant, exponential graphs and uses of capacitors.100 questionsLesson video
Spring term
- BiologyStimuli, receptors and the control of heart rateSurvival and response, tropisms and taxes, kineses, the structure and function of receptors such as the Pacinian corpuscle and photoreceptors in the eye, and the control of heart rate.100 questionsLesson video
- BiologyNerve impulses, synapses and muscle contractionResting and action potentials, the passage of an impulse and the effect of myelination, synaptic transmission and its effects, the structure of skeletal muscle and the sliding filament theory.100 questionsLesson video
- BiologyHomeostasisNegative feedback and why a stable internal environment matters, the control of blood glucose by insulin, glucagon and adrenaline, diabetes, and the control of blood water potential by the kidney and ADH.100 questionsLesson video
- ChemistryRedox and electrode potentialsStandard electrode potentials, electrochemical cells, predicting the direction of redox reactions, storage cells and fuel cells, and redox titrations.100 questionsLesson video
- ChemistryTransition elementsElectron configurations of d-block elements and ions, complex ions, ligands and coordination number, shapes, colour, variable oxidation states, catalysis and ligand substitution.100 questionsLesson video
- ChemistryAromatic compoundsThe structure and stability of benzene, electrophilic substitution (nitration, halogenation, Friedel-Crafts), reactions of phenol and the comparison with benzene.100 questionsLesson video
- PhysicsMagnetic fields and inductionForce on a current and a moving charge, circular motion in a magnetic field, flux and flux linkage, Faraday and Lenz laws, generators and transformers.100 questionsLesson video
- PhysicsNuclear radiationThe nuclear model, alpha beta and gamma radiation, decay laws and half-life, binding energy and mass defect, fission and fusion, and radiation safety.100 questionsLesson video
- PhysicsParticle physicsParticle accelerators and detectors, hadrons, leptons and quarks, antimatter, conservation laws in particle interactions, and the fundamental forces and exchange particles.100 questionsLesson video
Summer term
- BiologyInheritance and populationsGenotype and phenotype, monohybrid and dihybrid crosses, sex linkage, codominance, multiple alleles, epistasis, the chi-squared test, the Hardy-Weinberg principle and allele frequencies.100 questionsLesson video
- BiologyEvolution, speciation and populations in ecosystemsNatural selection and evolution, genetic drift, speciation, the effect of environmental factors on populations, interspecific and intraspecific competition, succession and conservation, and estimating population size.100 questionsLesson video
- BiologyControl of gene expressionGene and chromosome mutations, stem cells and totipotency, regulation of transcription and translation, epigenetics, and the links between gene expression and cancer.100 questionsLesson video
- BiologyGenome projects and gene technologiesSequencing methods and genome projects, recombinant DNA technology, in vivo and in vitro cloning, DNA probes, genetic engineering and fingerprinting, and the ethics of gene technologies.100 questionsLesson video
- ChemistryAldehydes and ketones, carboxylic acids and estersNucleophilic addition to carbonyl compounds, oxidation and reduction of aldehydes and ketones, tests for carbonyls, reactions of carboxylic acids, esters, acyl chlorides and acid anhydrides.100 questionsLesson video
- ChemistryAmines, amino acids and polymersBasic properties and preparation of amines, amino acids and proteins, condensation polymers (polyesters and polyamides), biodegradability and recycling of polymers.100 questionsLesson video
- ChemistryNMR, chromatography and synthesisProton and carbon-13 NMR spectroscopy, chromatography (TLC, GC, HPLC), combining spectra to identify organic compounds, and planning multi-step organic synthesis routes.100 questionsLesson video
- PhysicsOscillationsSimple harmonic motion, defining equations and graphs, mass-spring and pendulum systems, energy in SHM, damping, forced oscillations and resonance.100 questionsLesson video
- PhysicsThermal physicsSpecific heat capacity and latent heat, the ideal gas equation, kinetic theory of gases, root mean square speed, and internal energy.100 questionsLesson video
- PhysicsAstrophysics and cosmologyStars and their luminosity, the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram and stellar evolution, Wien and Stefan laws, standard candles, redshift, the Hubble law and the Big Bang.100 questionsLesson video