ity

rs
ve

y
How to use this series

op
ni
U

C
ge
How to use this series

w
ie
id

ev
br
am

-R
This suite of resources supports students and teachers following the Cambridge
-C

s
International AS & A Level Biology syllabus (9700). All of the books in the series

es
work together to help students develop the necessary knowledge and scientific
y

skills required for this subject. With clear language and style, they are designed for

Pr
op

international learners.

ity
C

rs
w
ie

ve

y
ev

op
ni

The coursebook provides comprehensive support

R

C
Biology for the full Cambridge International AS & A
ge

w
for Cambridge International AS & A Level Level Biology syllabus (9700). It clearly explains

ie
facts, concepts and practical techniques, and
id

COURSEBOOK
uses real-world examples of scientific principles.

ev
br

Mary Jones, Richard Fosbery, Dennis Taylor & Jennifer Gregory

Two chapters provide full guidance to help

am

-R
students develop investigative skills. Questions
within each chapter help them to develop their
-C

understanding, while exam-style questions

es

provide essential practice.

y

Pr
op

ity
C

Fifth edition Digital Access

rs
w
ie

ve

y
ev

op
ni
R

C
ge

w
ie
id

The workbook contains over 100

Biology
ev

exercises and exam-style questions,

br

carefully constructed to help learners for Cambridge International AS & A Level

am

-R

develop the skills that they need as they WORKBOOK

progress through their Biology course. Mary Jones & Matthew Parkin
-C

The exercises also help students develop

es

understanding of the meaning of various

y

Pr

command words used in questions,

op

and provide practice in responding

ity
C

appropriately to these.
rs
w
ie

ve

y
ev

Second edition Digital Access

op
ni
R

C
e

w
g

ie
id

ev
br
am

-R

ix
-C

s
es

Copyright Material - Review Only - Not for Redistribution

 ity
rs
ve

y
CAMBRIDGE INTERNATIONAL AS & A LEVEL BIOLOGY: COURSEBOOK

op
ni
U

C
ge

w
ie
id

ev
br
am

-R
Biology
This write-in book provides students with a wealth
-C

for Cambridge International AS & A Level

s
of hands-on practical work, giving them full guidance

es
PRACTICAL WORKBOOK
and support that will help them to develop all of
y

Mary Jones & Matthew Parkin

Pr
the essential investigative skills. These skills include
op

planning investigations, selecting and handling

ity
C

apparatus, creating hypotheses, recording and

rs
displaying results, and analysing and evaluating data.
w
ie

ve

y
ev

op
ni
R

C
Second edition
ge

w
ie
id

ev
br
am

-R
-C

The teacher’s resource supports and enhances the questions and practical activities
s
es

in the coursebook. This resource includes detailed lesson ideas, as well as answers
y

and exemplar data for all questions and activities in the coursebook and workbook.
Pr
op

The practical teacher’s guide, included with this resource, provides support for the
practical activities and experiments in the practical workbook.
ity
C

rs

Teaching notes for each topic area include a suggested teaching plan, ideas for
w

active learning and formative assessment, links to resources, ideas for lesson starters
ie

ve

y
and plenaries, differentiation, lists of common misconceptions and suggestions
ev

op
ni

for homework activities. Answers are included for every

R

question and exercise in the coursebook, workbook

C

and practical workbook. Detailed support is provided

ge

for preparing and carrying out for all the investigations

ie
id

in the practical workbook, including tips for getting

ev
br

things to work well, and a set of sample results that can

be used if students cannot do the experiment, or fail to Biology
am

-R

collect results. for Cambridge International

AS & A Level
-C

s
es
y

Pr
op

Biology
ity
C

for Cambridge International AS & A Level

DIGITAL TEACHER’S RESOURCE ACCESS CARD
rs
w
ie

ve

y
ev

Digital Teacher’s Resource

op
ni
R

DO NOT Code inside is required to activate your

DISCARD purchase of the Teacher’s Resource
e

w
g

ie
id

ev
br
am

-R

x
-C

s
es

Copyright Material - Review Only - Not for Redistribution

 ity
rs
ve

y
How to use this book

op
ni
U

C
ge
How to use this book

w
ie
id

ev
br
am

-R
Throughout this book, you will notice lots of different features that will help your
-C

s
learning. These are explained below.

es
y

Pr
LEARNING INTENTIONS KEY WORDS
op

ity
C

These set the scene for each chapter, help with navigation through the Key vocabulary
coursebook and indicate the important concepts in each topic. is highlighted in

rs
w

the text when it is

ie

ve
first introduced.

y
ev

op
ni

BEFORE YOU START Definitions are then

R

given in the margin,

C
This contains questions and activities on subject knowledge you will need which explain the
ge

w
before starting this chapter. meanings of these

ie
id

words and phrases.

ev
br

You will also find

SCIENCE IN CONTEXT
am

-R definitions of these
This feature presents real-world examples and applications of the content in words in the Glossary
-C

at the back of this

s

a chapter, encouraging you to look further into topics. There are discussion
es

questions at the end which look at some of the benefits and problems of these book.
y

applications.
Pr
op

ity
C

COMMAND WORDS
rs
w

PRACTICAL ACTIVITY Command words

ie

ve

that appear in the

y
This book does not contain detailed instructions for doing particular
ev

op
ni

experiments, but you will find background information about the practical work syllabus and might
be used in exams are
R

you need to do in these boxes. There are also two chapters, P1 and P2, which
C

provide detailed information about the practical skills you need to develop highlighted in the
ge

during the course. exam-style questions

ie

when they are first

id

introduced. In the
ev
br

margin, you will

Questions
am

-R

find the Cambridge

Appearing throughout the text, questions give you a chance to check that you have International
-C

understood the topic you have just read about. You can find the answers to these definition. You will
es

questions in the digital version of the Coursebook. also find these

y

definitions in the
Pr
op

Glossary at the
ity
C

back of the book

with some further
rs
w

explanation on the
ie

ve

meaning of these
y
ev

op
ni

words.*
*The information in this section is taken from the Cambridge International syllabus (9700) for examination
R

from 2022. You should always refer to the appropriate syllabus document for the year of your examination
to confirm the details and for more information. The syllabus document is available on the Cambridge
e

International website at www.cambridgeinternational.org.

g

ie
id

ev
br
am

-R

xi
-C

s
es

Copyright Material - Review Only - Not for Redistribution

 ity
rs
ve

y
CAMBRIDGE INTERNATIONAL AS & A LEVEL BIOLOGY: COURSEBOOK

op
ni
U

C
ge

w
WORKED EXAMPLE

ie
id
Wherever you need to know how to use a formula to carry out a calculation,

ev
br
there are worked examples boxes to show you how to do this.
am

-R
-C

s
REFLECTION IMPORTANT

es
y

Pr
These activities ask you to look back on the topics covered in the chapter and Important equations,
op

test how well you understand these topics and encourage you to reflect on facts and tips are

ity
C

your learning. given in these boxes.

rs
w
ie

ve

y
ev

EXAM-STYLE QUESTIONS

op
ni
R

Questions at the end of each chapter provide more demanding exam-style questions, some of which may require

C
use of knowledge from previous chapters. Some questions are taken from past papers. Where this is the case, they
ge

w
include references to the relevant past paper. All other questions are written by the authors. Answers to these

ie
id

questions can be found in the digital version of the Coursebook.

ev
br
am

-R
SUMMARY
-C

s
es

There is a summary of key points at the end of each chapter.

y

Pr
op

ity
C

rs
w

SELF-EVALUATION
ie

ve

y
The summary checklists are followed by ‘I can’ statements which match the Learning intentions at the beginning
ev

op
ni

of the chapter. You might find it helpful to rate how confident you are for each of these statements when you are
R

revising. You should revisit any topics that you rated ‘Needs more work’ or ‘Almost there’.
C
ge

See Needs Almost Ready to

I can
ie
id

section more work there move on

ev
br
am

-R
-C

These boxes tell you where information in the book is extension content,
es

and is not part of the syllabus.

y

Pr
op

ity
C

rs
w
ie

ve

y
ev

op
ni
R

C
e

w
g

ie
id

ev
br
am

-R

xii
-C

s
es

Copyright Material - Review Only - Not for Redistribution

 ity
rs
ve

y
op
ni
U

C
ge

w
ie
id

ev
br
am

-R
-C

s
es
Chapter 1
y

Pr
op

ity
C

Cell structure rs
w
ie

ve

y
ev

op
ni
R

C
ge

w
ie
id

ev
br
am

-R
-C

s
es
y

Pr
op

ity
C

LEARNING INTENTIONS
rs
w

In this chapter you will learn how to:

ie

ve

y
ev

• explain that cells are the basic units of life

op
ni
R

• use the units of measurement relevant to microscopy

C

• recognise the common structures found in cells as seen with a light microscope and outline their
ge

structures and functions

ie
id

• compare the key structural features of animal and plant cells

ev
br

• use a light microscope and make temporary preparations to observe cells

am

-R

• recognise, draw and measure cell structures from temporary preparations and micrographs
• calculate magnifications of images and actual sizes of specimens using drawings or micrographs
-C

s
es

• explain the use of the electron microscope to study cells with reference to the increased resolution of
electron microscopes
y

Pr
op

• recognise the common structures found in cells as seen with an electron microscope and outline their
structures and functions
ity
C

• outline briefly the role of ATP in cells

rs
w

• describe the structure of bacteria and compare the structure of prokaryotic cells with eukaryotic cells
ie

ve

y
ev

• describe the structure of viruses.

op
ni
R

C
e

w
g

ie
id

ev
br
am

-R
-C

s
es

Copyright Material - Review Only - Not for Redistribution

 ity
rs
ve

y
CAMBRIDGE INTERNATIONAL AS & A LEVEL BIOLOGY: COURSEBOOK

op
ni
U

C
ge

w
BEFORE YOU START

ie
id
• Make a list of structures that could be found in a cell.

ev
br
am

-R
• Try to write down the functions of the structures you have listed.
• Which structures are found in plant cells and which are found in animal cells?
-C

s
es
• Are there any cells that are not animal or plant cells?
y

Pr
op

ity
C

THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX

rs
w

Progress in science often depends on people

ie

ve
thinking ‘outside the box’ – original thinkers who

y
ev

are often ignored or even ridiculed when they

op
ni

first put forward their radical new ideas. One such

R

C
individual, who battled constantly throughout
ge

her career to get her ideas accepted, was the

w
American biologist Lynn Margulis (1938–2011;

ie
id

Figure 1.1). Her greatest achievement was to use

ev
br

evidence from microbiology to help firmly establish

am

-R
an idea that had been around since the mid-19th
century – that new organisms can be created from
-C

combinations of existing organisms. Importantly,

es

the existing organisms are not necessarily closely

y

related. The organisms form a symbiotic partnership

Pr
op

(they live together in a partnership in which both

partners benefit). Margulis imagined that one
ity
C

organism engulfed (‘ate’) another. Normally the

rs
w

engulfed organism would be digested and killed, Figure 1.1: Lynn Margulis: ‘My work more than didn’t fit
ie

ve

but sometimes the organism engulfed may survive in. It crossed the boundaries that people had spent their
y
ev

and even be of benefit to the organism in which lives building up. It hits some 30 sub-fields of biology,
op
ni

it finds itself. This type of symbiosis is known as even geology.’

R

endosymbiosis (‘endo’ means inside). A completely

ge

new type of organism is created, representing a traditional view, first put forward by Charles Darwin,
w

dramatic evolutionary change. that evolution occurs mainly as a result of

ie
id

competition between species.

ev
br

The best-known example of Margulis’ ideas is her

am

suggestion that mitochondria and chloroplasts Questions for discussion

-R

were originally free-living bacteria (prokaryotes). • Can you think of any ideas people have had
-C

She suggested that these bacteria invaded the which were controversial at the time but
s

ancestors of modern eukaryotic cells, which are

es

are now accepted? Try to think of scientific

much larger and more complex cells than bacteria,
y

examples. You may also like to consider why

Pr
op

and entered into a symbiotic relationship with the ideas were controversial.
the cells. This idea has been confirmed as true by
ity
C

later work. Margulis saw such symbiotic unions • Can you think of any scientific ideas people
rs
w

as a major driving cause of evolutionary change. have now which are controversial and not
accepted by everybody?
ie

ve

Throughout her life, she continued to challenge the

y
ev

op
ni
R

C
e

w
g

ie
id

ev
br
am

-R

2
-C

s
es

Copyright Material - Review Only - Not for Redistribution

 ity
rs
ve

y
1 Cell structure

op
ni
U

C
ge
animals. It was soon also realised that all cells come from
1.1 Cells are the basic

w
pre-existing cells by the process of cell division. This

ie
id
raises the obvious question of where the original cell

ev
br
units of lifeam came from. There are many hypotheses, but we still have

-R
no definite answers to this question.
Towards the middle of the 19th century, scientists made a
fundamental breakthrough in our understanding of how life
-C

s
‘works’. They realised that the basic unit of life is the cell. Why cells?

es
y

The origins of this idea go back to the early days of

Pr
A cell can be thought of as a bag in which the chemistry
op

microscopy when an English scientist, Robert Hooke, of life occurs. The activity going on inside the cell is
decided to examine thin slices of plant material. He

ity
C

therefore separated from the environment outside the cell.

chose cork as one of his examples. Looking down the The bag, or cell, is surrounded by a thin membrane. The
rs
w

microscope, he made a drawing to show the regular membrane is an essential feature of all cells because it
ie

ve
appearance of the structure, as you can see in Figure 1.2.

y
controls exchange between the cell and its environment.
ev

In 1665 he published a book containing

op
ni

It can act as a barrier, but it can also control movement

this drawing.
R

of materials across the membrane in both directions. The

C
membrane is therefore described as partially permeable.
ge

w
If it were freely permeable, life could not exist, because

ie
id

the chemicals of the cell would simply mix with the

ev
br

surrounding chemicals by diffusion and the inside of the

cell would be the same as the outside.
am

-R
-C

Two types of cell

es
y

During the 20th century, scientists studying the cells

Pr
op

of bacteria and of more complex organisms such as

ity

plants and animals began to realise that there were

C

two fundamentally different kinds of cells. Some cells

rs
w

were very simple, but some were much larger and more
ie

ve

complex. The complex cells contained a nucleus (plural:

y
ev

nuclei) surrounded by two membranes. The genetic

op
ni

material, DNA, was in the nucleus. In the simple cells

R

the DNA was not surrounded by membranes, but

ge

apparently free in the cytoplasm.

w
ie
id

Figure 1.2: Drawing of cork cells published by Robert

ev

KEY WORDS
br

Hooke in 1665.
am

-R

cell: the basic unit of all living organisms; it is

surrounded by a cell surface membrane and
If you examine the drawing you will see the regular
-C

contains genetic material (DNA) and cytoplasm

structures that Hooke called ‘cells’. Each cell appeared
es

containing organelles
to be an empty box surrounded by a wall. Hooke had
y

Pr
op

discovered and described, without realising it, the organelle: a functionally and structurally distinct
fundamental unit of all living things. part of a cell, e.g. a ribosome or mitochondrion
ity
C

Although we now know that the cells of cork are dead, nucleus (plural: nuclei): a relatively large
rs
w

Hooke and other scientists made further observations of organelle found in eukaryotic cells, but absent
ie

ve

cells in living materials. However, it was not until almost from prokaryotic cells; the nucleus contains the
y
ev

200 years later that a general cell theory emerged from

op
ni

cell’s DNA and therefore controls the activities

the work of two German scientists. In 1838 Schleiden,
R

of the cell; it is surrounded by two membranes

C

a botanist, suggested that all plants are made of cells. A which together form the nuclear envelope
e

year later Schwann, a zoologist, suggested the same for

w
g

ie
id

ev
br
am

-R

3
-C

s
es

Copyright Material - Review Only - Not for Redistribution

 ity
rs
ve

y
CAMBRIDGE INTERNATIONAL AS & A LEVEL BIOLOGY: COURSEBOOK

op
ni
U

C
ge
Organisms made of cells with membrane-bound are unfamiliar to most people. Before studying light and

w
nuclei are now known as eukaryotes, while the simpler electron microscopy further, you need to become familiar

ie
id
cells lacking membrane-bound nuclei are known as with these units.

ev
br
prokaryotes (‘eu’ means true, ‘karyon’ means nucleus,
am According to international agreement, the International

-R
‘pro’ means before). Eukaryotes are thought to have
System of Units (SI units) should be used. In this system,
evolved from prokaryotes more than two billion years
the basic unit of length is the metre (symbol, m). More
-C

ago. Prokaryotes include bacteria. Eukaryotes include

s
units are created by going a thousand times larger or

es
animals, plants, fungi and some other organisms.
smaller. Standard prefixes are used for the units. For
y

Pr
example, the prefix ‘kilo’ means 1000 times. Thus,
op

KEY WORDS 1 kilometre = 1000 metres. The units of length relevant

ity
C

to cell studies are shown in Table 1.1.

eukaryote: an organism whose cells contain a

rs
w

nucleus and other membrane-bound organelles The smallest structure visible with the human eye is
ie

ve
about 50–100 μm in diameter (roughly the diameter of

y
prokaryote: an organism whose cells do not
ev

the sharp end of a pin). The cells in your body vary in

op
ni

contain a nucleus or any other membrane-bound size from about 5 μm to 40 μm. It is difficult to imagine
R

organelles

C
how small these cells are, especially when they are clearly
ge

visible using a microscope. An average bacterial cell is

w
about 1 µm across. One of the smallest structures you

ie
id

will study in this book is the ribosome, which is only

1.2 Cell biology and
ev
br

about 25 nm in diameter! You could line up about

am

-R 20 000 ribosomes across the full stop at the end of

microscopy this sentence.
-C

The study of cells has given rise to an important branch

es

of biology known as cell biology. Cell biologists study

y

1.3 Plant and animal

Pr

cells using many different methods, including the use of

op

various types of microscope.

ity
C

There are two fundamentally different types of cells as seen with a light
rs
w

microscope: the light microscope and the electron

microscope
ie

ve

microscope. Both use a form of radiation in order to

y
ev

see the specimen being examined. The light microscope

op
ni

uses light as a source of radiation, while the electron Microscopes that use light as a source of radiation are
R

microscope uses electrons, for reasons which are called light microscopes. Figure 1.3 shows how the light
ge

discussed later. microscope works.

w
ie
id

Note: the structure of a light microscope is

ev
br

Units of measurement extension content, and is not part of the syllabus.

am

-R

In order to measure objects in the microscopic world,

-C

we need to use very small units of measurement, which

s
es
y

Fraction of a metre Unit Symbol

Pr
op

–3
one thousandth = 0.001 = 1/1000 = 10 millimetre mm
ity
C

–6
one millionth = 0.000 001 = 1/1000 000 = 10 micrometre μm
rs
w

one thousand millionth = 0.000 000 001 = nanometre nm

ie

ve

1/1000 000 000 = 10–9

y
ev

op
ni
R

Table 1.1: Units of measurement relevant to cell studies: 1 micrometre is a thousandth of a millimetre; 1 nanometre is a
C
e

thousandth of a micrometre.
w
g

ie
id

ev
br
am

-R

4
-C

s
es

Copyright Material - Review Only - Not for Redistribution

 ity
rs
ve

y
1 Cell structure

op
ni
U

C
ge
Eyepiece lens magnifies and showing the structure of a generalised plant cell, both

w
eyepiece
focuses the image from the as seen with a light microscope. (A generalised cell

ie
id
objective onto the eye. shows all the structures that may commonly be found

ev
br
in a cell.) Figures 1.6 and 1.7 are photomicrographs.
light beam am

-R
A photomicrograph is a photograph of a specimen as
seen with a light microscope. Figure 1.6 shows some
-C

human cells. Figure 1.7 shows a plant cell taken from a

s
es
leaf. Both figures show cells magnified 400 times, which
y

objective Objective lens collects light is equivalent to using the high-power objective lens on

Pr
op

coverslip passing through the specimen a light microscope. See also Figures 1.8a and 1.8b for
and produces a magnified image. labelled drawings of these figures.

ity
C

glass slide
Many of the cell contents are colourless and transparent

rs
w

Condenser lens focuses the so they need to be stained with coloured dyes to be seen.
ie

ve
condenser
light onto the specimen held The human cells in Figure 1.6 have been stained. The

y
ev

between the coverslip and slide.

op
ni
iris diaphragm chromatin in the nuclei is particularly heavily stained.
R

The plant cells in Figure 1.5 have not been stained

C
light source Condenser iris diaphragm is
because the chloroplasts contain the green pigment
ge

closed slightly to produce a

w
pathway of light narrow beam of light.
chlorophyll and are easily visible without staining.

ie
id

Figure 1.3: How the light microscope works. The coverslip is

ev
br

a thin sheet of glass used to cover the specimen. It protects

Question
am

-R
specimens from drying out and also prevents the objective
lens from touching the specimen. 1 Using Figures 1.4 and 1.5, name the structures that:
-C

a animal and plant cells have in common

es

small structures that b are found only in plant cells

y

Golgi apparatus
Pr

are difficult to identify

op

c are found only in animal cells.

cytoplasm
ity
C

Features that animal and plant

rs
w

mitochondria
ie

ve

cells have in common

y
ev

op
ni

Cell surface membrane

R

cell surface All cells, including those of both eukaryotes and

ge

membrane prokaryotes, are surrounded by a very thin cell surface

ie
id

membrane. This is also sometimes referred to as the

ev
br

plasma membrane. As mentioned before, it is partially

permeable and controls the exchange of materials
am

-R

between the cell and its environment.

nuclear envelope
-C

Nucleus
es

chromatin –
centriole – always deeply staining
y

nucleus All eukaryotic cells contain a nucleus. The nucleus

Pr
op

found near nucleus and thread-like

is a relatively large structure. It stains intensely and
ity

nucleolus –
C

deeply staining
KEY WORD
rs
w

Figure 1.4: Structure of a generalised animal cell (diameter

ie

ve

about 20 μm) as seen with a very high quality light cell surface membrane: a very thin membrane
y
ev

op
ni

microscope. (about 7 nm diameter) surrounding all cells; it is

partially permeable and controls the exchange of
R

Figure 1.4 is a drawing showing the structure of a materials between the cell and its environment
e

generalised animal cell and Figure 1.5 is a drawing

g

ie
id

ev
br
am

-R

5
-C

s
es

Copyright Material - Review Only - Not for Redistribution

 ity
rs
ve

y
CAMBRIDGE INTERNATIONAL AS & A LEVEL BIOLOGY: COURSEBOOK

op
ni
U

C
ge
middle lamella – thin layer

w
tonoplast – membrane
holding cells together

ie
id
surrounding vacuole

ev
br
am cell surface membrane plasmodesma –

-R
(pressed against cell wall) connects cytoplasm
of neighbouring cells
-C

s
vacuole – large cell wall of

es
with central position neighbouring
y

Pr
cell
op

cytoplasm

ity
C

cell wall

rs
w

mitochondria
ie

ve
chloroplast

y
ev

op
ni
nucleolus –
R

grana just visible

U

deeply staining

C
nuclear envelope
ge

nucleus

w
chromatin – small structures that

ie
id

deeply staining are difficult to identify

ev
br

and thread-like Golgi apparatus

am

-R
Figure 1.5: Structure of a generalised plant cell (diameter about 40 μm) as seen with a very high quality light microscope.
-C

s
es
y

Pr
op

ity
C

rs
w
ie

ve

y
ev

op
ni
R

C
ge

w
ie
id

ev
br
am

-R
-C

s
es
y

Pr
op

ity
C

rs
w
ie

ve

y
ev

Figure 1.6: Cells from the lining of the human cheek (×400). Figure 1.7: Cells in a moss leaf (×400). Many green chloroplasts
op
ni

Each cell shows a centrally placed nucleus, which is typical are visible inside each cell. The grana are just visible as black
R

of animal cells. The cells are part of a tissue known as grains inside the chloroplasts (‘grana’ means grains). Cell walls
e

squamous (flattened) epithelium. are also clearly visible (animal cells lack cell walls).
w
g

ie
id

ev
br
am

-R

6
-C

s
es

Copyright Material - Review Only - Not for Redistribution