A Level Biology (Cambridge 9700)9700
3 papers200 marks4 h 30 min
What we predict comes up
From the syllabus weighting and how the papers are usually set. The papers below follow it.
- Homeostasis, control and coordination15%Our estimate: the kidney, blood glucose and cell signalling, stomata, nerve impulses, synapses and muscle (topics 14 and 15) are the largest A Level block, about 30 marks on Paper 4.
- Inheritance, selection and evolution15%Our estimate: meiosis, genetic crosses with chi-squared, gene control, Hardy-Weinberg and speciation (topics 16 and 17) are about 30 Paper 4 marks, with statistics almost always tested.
- Transport in plants and mammals, and gas exchange13%Our estimate: three syllabus topics (7, 8 and 9: plant transport, the heart and haemoglobin, gas exchange) make this the largest AS block, about a quarter of Papers 1 and 2.
- Cell structure, membranes and transport12%Our estimate: microscopy and magnification, organelles, the fluid mosaic model and water potential (syllabus topics 1 and 4) open most of Paper 1 and usually take two questions on Paper 2.
Paper 1: Multiple Choice
1 h 15 min · 40 marks · Calculator allowed
- There are forty questions on this paper. Answer all questions.
- For each question there are four possible answers, A, B, C and D. Choose the one you consider correct.
- Each correct answer will score one mark. A mark will not be deducted for a wrong answer.
- Electronic calculators may be used.
Answer or mark a question and your score adds up here.
40 questions
Every paper, every question, the answers and the mark scheme. Free with a Knomi account.
Not included: Paper 3 (Advanced Practical Skills, a 2-hour laboratory test) and Paper 5 (Planning, Analysis and Evaluation) are not included, because they assess practical skills rather than the written theory papers.
A Level Biology (Cambridge 9700) study checklist
Revise in this order: the topics worth the most marks first. Tick a topic off when you can answer its questions in the paper above without notes.
- Homeostasis, control and coordination · about 15% of the marksOur estimate: the kidney, blood glucose and cell signalling, stomata, nerve impulses, synapses and muscle (topics 14 and 15) are the largest A Level block, about 30 marks on Paper 4.
- Inheritance, selection and evolution · about 15% of the marksOur estimate: meiosis, genetic crosses with chi-squared, gene control, Hardy-Weinberg and speciation (topics 16 and 17) are about 30 Paper 4 marks, with statistics almost always tested.
- Transport in plants and mammals, and gas exchange · about 13% of the marksOur estimate: three syllabus topics (7, 8 and 9: plant transport, the heart and haemoglobin, gas exchange) make this the largest AS block, about a quarter of Papers 1 and 2.
- Cell structure, membranes and transport · about 12% of the marksOur estimate: microscopy and magnification, organelles, the fluid mosaic model and water potential (syllabus topics 1 and 4) open most of Paper 1 and usually take two questions on Paper 2.
- Biological molecules and enzymes · about 10% of the marksOur estimate: food tests, carbohydrate and protein structure and enzyme kinetics with Vmax, Km and inhibitors (topics 2 and 3) fill about 9 of the 40 Paper 1 questions and one Paper 2 question.
- Energy, respiration and photosynthesis · about 10% of the marksOur estimate: respiration (with RQ and respirometers) and photosynthesis (with limiting factors and chromatography) are about 20 of the 100 marks on Paper 4.
- Classification, biodiversity, conservation and genetic technology · about 10% of the marksOur estimate: classification, Simpson's index, the Lincoln index, conservation, PCR, electrophoresis and medical uses of genetic technology (topics 18 and 19) are about 20 Paper 4 marks.
- The mitotic cell cycle, nucleic acids and protein synthesis · about 8% of the marksOur estimate: the cell cycle, DNA replication, transcription, translation and mutation (topics 5 and 6) are a smaller share of the AS content but appear every series.
- Infectious diseases and immunity · about 7% of the marksOur estimate: cholera, malaria, TB and HIV, antibiotics, the immune response and vaccination (topics 10 and 11) close Paper 1 and usually give one Paper 2 question.
Questions
What topics come up most in A Level Biology (Cambridge 9700)?
Our prediction: Homeostasis, control and coordination (about 15% of the marks), Inheritance, selection and evolution (about 15% of the marks), Transport in plants and mammals, and gas exchange (about 13% of the marks). The full list with the reason for each is at the top of this page.
When is the A Level Biology (Cambridge 9700) exam?
A Level is sat May to June; Cambridge also sits October to November, and February to March in India. Pearson Edexcel and Cambridge International publishes the exact timetable for each sitting; check it for your paper's date.
How many papers are there, and how long are they?
3 papers: Paper 1: Multiple Choice (1 hour 15 minutes, 40 marks); Paper 2: AS Level Structured Questions (1 hour 15 minutes, 60 marks); Paper 4: A Level Structured Questions (2 hours, 100 marks). That is 4 hours 30 minutes and 200 marks in all.
Can I use a calculator?
In this format a calculator is allowed in every paper. Check your board's current rules before the exam.
Are these the real A Level Biology (Cambridge 9700) papers?
No. They are predicted papers written by us in the real format, with original questions, not copies of past papers. Use them alongside the official past papers and specimen papers from Pearson Edexcel and Cambridge International.
Is it free?
Yes. The outline, the predictions and the first questions are open to everyone; every paper, the answers and the mark scheme are free with a Knomi account.
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