Maths
Chemistry
Biology
English Language
History
Responding to change (a2 only)
Infection and response
Homeostasis and response
Energy transfers (a2 only)
Cell biology
Organisms respond to changes in their internal and external environments (a-level only)
Biological molecules
Organisation
Substance exchange
Bioenergetics
Genetic information & variation
Inheritance, variation and evolution
Genetics & ecosystems (a2 only)
Ecology
Cells
Show all topics
Britain & the wider world: 1745 -1901
1l the quest for political stability: germany, 1871-1991
The cold war
Inter-war germany
Medieval period: 1066 -1509
2d religious conflict and the church in england, c1529-c1570
2o democracy and nazism: germany, 1918-1945
1f industrialisation and the people: britain, c1783-1885
1c the tudors: england, 1485-1603
2m wars and welfare: britain in transition, 1906-1957
World war two & the holocaust
2n revolution and dictatorship: russia, 1917-1953
2s the making of modern britain, 1951-2007
World war one
Britain: 1509 -1745
Show all topics
Biology
4 Dec 2025
211
4 pages
StudyNova @notenova
Getting ready for your AQA Combined Science Biology Paper 2? These predictions are based on recent exam patterns,... Show more
Your reflex arc knowledge is crucial since it hasn't appeared recently on Higher papers. Teachers reckon AQA will bring it back, so nail down the pathway stimulus → receptor → sensory neuron → relay neuron → motor neuron → effector → response.
Blood glucose control is practically guaranteed to show up. This negative feedback loop with insulin and glucagon is AQA's favourite - expect either a quick recall question or a chunky 6-marker about diabetes and hormone graphs.
Reproductive hormones keep popping up in different forms. You'll want to understand FSH, LH, the menstrual cycle, and how IVF works. Recent papers have asked about hormone injections leading to ovulation, so this is solid revision territory.
💡 Quick Tip Practice drawing the reflex arc pathway - it's the kind of diagram question that could easily grab you 2 marks!
Inheritance and variation never goes away. Punnett squares and family trees appeared in 2023, and they're teacher favourites for testing your genetics knowledge. Make sure you can work out dominant/recessive patterns confidently.
Evolution and natural selection is a big hitter for 6-mark questions. Antibiotic resistance featured heavily in 2023, and fossil evidence often tags along. You should be able to explain how populations change over time and why 99.9% of species have gone extinct.
Selective breeding connects nicely to variation topics. The 2023 salmon question showed how AQA likes real-world examples. Know the steps, risks of inbreeding, and why genetic variation matters.
Classification and fossils might seem like boring recall, but they're easy marks when you know your domains, kingdoms, and binomial naming system. These often appear as quick 1-2 mark questions attached to bigger problems.
💡 Key Strategy For evolution questions, always mention variation in the population first - it's the starting point examiners love to see.
Don't sleep on fieldwork sampling - it's Required Practical 7, so AQA will definitely test it. Transect methods appeared in both 2022 and 2023, usually asking for clear procedures and control measures.
Abiotic and biotic factors are ecology basics that crop up constantly. Abiotic factors like soil pH, light intensity, and temperature affect where organisms live. Biotic factors include competition, predation, and disease. These often appear in multiple choice or short definitions.
You'll see questions asking you to name examples or explain how changing one factor affects an ecosystem. It's straightforward content, but examiners love testing your vocabulary here.
Human impact on ecosystems is massive right now. Water pollution, greenhouse gases, deforestation, and biodiversity loss are all fair game. 2022 had a 6-marker on water pollution, while 2023 focused on farming and methane from cows.
Climate change questions are increasingly popular - know your CO₂ and methane effects. Conservation methods like breeding programmes and protected areas often follow these questions.
💡 Exam Tip For human impact questions, always give specific examples and solutions - examiners want to see you understand both problems and fixes.
AQA loves their 6-mark "explain" questions, especially for natural selection, hormone control, and environmental impact. These need structured answers with clear scientific terminology - practice writing in bullet points or short paragraphs.
Required practicals always feature, particularly transect sampling. Expect method questions with diagrams where you need to describe procedures and suggest improvements like random sampling and repeats.
Short-answer questions typically test definitions and basic concepts. Know your reflex arc steps, hormone names, and the difference between abiotic and biotic factors off by heart.
The prediction table shows these topics have either been absent from recent papers or keep returning in different formats. Inheritance patterns, hormone control, and ecology concepts are AQA staples that rotate through the exam cycle.
💡 Final Tip Use past papers from 2022 and 2023 to practice these exact question styles - the patterns are remarkably consistent year on year.
Our AI Companion is a student-focused AI tool that offers more than just answers. Built on millions of Knowunity resources, it provides relevant information, personalised study plans, quizzes, and content directly in the chat, adapting to your individual learning journey.
You can download the app from Google Play Store and Apple App Store.
That's right! Enjoy free access to study content, connect with fellow students, and get instant help – all at your fingertips.
5
Smart Tools NEW
Transform this note into: ✓ 50+ Practice Questions ✓ Interactive Flashcards ✓ Full Mock Exam ✓ Essay Outlines
Quotes from every main character
English LiteratureApp Store
Google Play
The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.
Stefan S
iOS user
This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.
Samantha Klich
Android user
Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.
Anna
iOS user
Best app on earth! no words because it’s too good
Thomas R
iOS user
Just amazing. Let's me revise 10x better, this app is a quick 10/10. I highly recommend it to anyone. I can watch and search for notes. I can save them in the subject folder. I can revise it any time when I come back. If you haven't tried this app, you're really missing out.
Basil
Android user
This app has made me feel so much more confident in my exam prep, not only through boosting my own self confidence through the features that allow you to connect with others and feel less alone, but also through the way the app itself is centred around making you feel better. It is easy to navigate, fun to use, and helpful to anyone struggling in absolutely any way.
David K
iOS user
The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!
Sudenaz Ocak
Android user
In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.
Greenlight Bonnie
Android user
very reliable app to help and grow your ideas of Maths, English and other related topics in your works. please use this app if your struggling in areas, this app is key for that. wish I'd of done a review before. and it's also free so don't worry about that.
Rohan U
Android user
I know a lot of apps use fake accounts to boost their reviews but this app deserves it all. Originally I was getting 4 in my English exams and this time I got a grade 7. I didn’t even know about this app three days until the exam and it has helped A LOT. Please actually trust me and use it as I’m sure you too will see developments.
Xander S
iOS user
THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮
Elisha
iOS user
This apps acc the goat. I find revision so boring but this app makes it so easy to organize it all and then you can ask the freeeee ai to test yourself so good and you can easily upload your own stuff. highly recommend as someone taking mocks now
Paul T
iOS user
The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.
Stefan S
iOS user
This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.
Samantha Klich
Android user
Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.
Anna
iOS user
Best app on earth! no words because it’s too good
Thomas R
iOS user
Just amazing. Let's me revise 10x better, this app is a quick 10/10. I highly recommend it to anyone. I can watch and search for notes. I can save them in the subject folder. I can revise it any time when I come back. If you haven't tried this app, you're really missing out.
Basil
Android user
This app has made me feel so much more confident in my exam prep, not only through boosting my own self confidence through the features that allow you to connect with others and feel less alone, but also through the way the app itself is centred around making you feel better. It is easy to navigate, fun to use, and helpful to anyone struggling in absolutely any way.
David K
iOS user
The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!
Sudenaz Ocak
Android user
In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.
Greenlight Bonnie
Android user
very reliable app to help and grow your ideas of Maths, English and other related topics in your works. please use this app if your struggling in areas, this app is key for that. wish I'd of done a review before. and it's also free so don't worry about that.
Rohan U
Android user
I know a lot of apps use fake accounts to boost their reviews but this app deserves it all. Originally I was getting 4 in my English exams and this time I got a grade 7. I didn’t even know about this app three days until the exam and it has helped A LOT. Please actually trust me and use it as I’m sure you too will see developments.
Xander S
iOS user
THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮
Elisha
iOS user
This apps acc the goat. I find revision so boring but this app makes it so easy to organize it all and then you can ask the freeeee ai to test yourself so good and you can easily upload your own stuff. highly recommend as someone taking mocks now
Paul T
iOS user
StudyNova
@notenova
Getting ready for your AQA Combined Science Biology Paper 2? These predictions are based on recent exam patterns, teacher insights, and what's been missing from past papers. Focus your revision on these high-probability topics to maximise your exam success.
Access to all documents
Improve your grades
Join milions of students
By signing up you accept Terms of Service and Privacy Policy
Your reflex arc knowledge is crucial since it hasn't appeared recently on Higher papers. Teachers reckon AQA will bring it back, so nail down the pathway: stimulus → receptor → sensory neuron → relay neuron → motor neuron → effector → response.
Blood glucose control is practically guaranteed to show up. This negative feedback loop with insulin and glucagon is AQA's favourite - expect either a quick recall question or a chunky 6-marker about diabetes and hormone graphs.
Reproductive hormones keep popping up in different forms. You'll want to understand FSH, LH, the menstrual cycle, and how IVF works. Recent papers have asked about hormone injections leading to ovulation, so this is solid revision territory.
💡 Quick Tip: Practice drawing the reflex arc pathway - it's the kind of diagram question that could easily grab you 2 marks!
Inheritance and variation never goes away. Punnett squares and family trees appeared in 2023, and they're teacher favourites for testing your genetics knowledge. Make sure you can work out dominant/recessive patterns confidently.
Access to all documents
Improve your grades
Join milions of students
By signing up you accept Terms of Service and Privacy Policy
Evolution and natural selection is a big hitter for 6-mark questions. Antibiotic resistance featured heavily in 2023, and fossil evidence often tags along. You should be able to explain how populations change over time and why 99.9% of species have gone extinct.
Selective breeding connects nicely to variation topics. The 2023 salmon question showed how AQA likes real-world examples. Know the steps, risks of inbreeding, and why genetic variation matters.
Classification and fossils might seem like boring recall, but they're easy marks when you know your domains, kingdoms, and binomial naming system. These often appear as quick 1-2 mark questions attached to bigger problems.
💡 Key Strategy: For evolution questions, always mention variation in the population first - it's the starting point examiners love to see.
Don't sleep on fieldwork sampling - it's Required Practical 7, so AQA will definitely test it. Transect methods appeared in both 2022 and 2023, usually asking for clear procedures and control measures.
Access to all documents
Improve your grades
Join milions of students
By signing up you accept Terms of Service and Privacy Policy
Abiotic and biotic factors are ecology basics that crop up constantly. Abiotic factors like soil pH, light intensity, and temperature affect where organisms live. Biotic factors include competition, predation, and disease. These often appear in multiple choice or short definitions.
You'll see questions asking you to name examples or explain how changing one factor affects an ecosystem. It's straightforward content, but examiners love testing your vocabulary here.
Human impact on ecosystems is massive right now. Water pollution, greenhouse gases, deforestation, and biodiversity loss are all fair game. 2022 had a 6-marker on water pollution, while 2023 focused on farming and methane from cows.
Climate change questions are increasingly popular - know your CO₂ and methane effects. Conservation methods like breeding programmes and protected areas often follow these questions.
💡 Exam Tip: For human impact questions, always give specific examples and solutions - examiners want to see you understand both problems and fixes.
Access to all documents
Improve your grades
Join milions of students
By signing up you accept Terms of Service and Privacy Policy
AQA loves their 6-mark "explain" questions, especially for natural selection, hormone control, and environmental impact. These need structured answers with clear scientific terminology - practice writing in bullet points or short paragraphs.
Required practicals always feature, particularly transect sampling. Expect method questions with diagrams where you need to describe procedures and suggest improvements like random sampling and repeats.
Short-answer questions typically test definitions and basic concepts. Know your reflex arc steps, hormone names, and the difference between abiotic and biotic factors off by heart.
The prediction table shows these topics have either been absent from recent papers or keep returning in different formats. Inheritance patterns, hormone control, and ecology concepts are AQA staples that rotate through the exam cycle.
💡 Final Tip: Use past papers from 2022 and 2023 to practice these exact question styles - the patterns are remarkably consistent year on year.
Our AI Companion is a student-focused AI tool that offers more than just answers. Built on millions of Knowunity resources, it provides relevant information, personalised study plans, quizzes, and content directly in the chat, adapting to your individual learning journey.
You can download the app from Google Play Store and Apple App Store.
That's right! Enjoy free access to study content, connect with fellow students, and get instant help – all at your fingertips.
5
Smart Tools NEW
Transform this note into: ✓ 50+ Practice Questions ✓ Interactive Flashcards ✓ Full Mock Exam ✓ Essay Outlines
Quotes from every main character
English LiteratureApp Store
Google Play
The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.
Stefan S
iOS user
This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.
Samantha Klich
Android user
Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.
Anna
iOS user
Best app on earth! no words because it’s too good
Thomas R
iOS user
Just amazing. Let's me revise 10x better, this app is a quick 10/10. I highly recommend it to anyone. I can watch and search for notes. I can save them in the subject folder. I can revise it any time when I come back. If you haven't tried this app, you're really missing out.
Basil
Android user
This app has made me feel so much more confident in my exam prep, not only through boosting my own self confidence through the features that allow you to connect with others and feel less alone, but also through the way the app itself is centred around making you feel better. It is easy to navigate, fun to use, and helpful to anyone struggling in absolutely any way.
David K
iOS user
The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!
Sudenaz Ocak
Android user
In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.
Greenlight Bonnie
Android user
very reliable app to help and grow your ideas of Maths, English and other related topics in your works. please use this app if your struggling in areas, this app is key for that. wish I'd of done a review before. and it's also free so don't worry about that.
Rohan U
Android user
I know a lot of apps use fake accounts to boost their reviews but this app deserves it all. Originally I was getting 4 in my English exams and this time I got a grade 7. I didn’t even know about this app three days until the exam and it has helped A LOT. Please actually trust me and use it as I’m sure you too will see developments.
Xander S
iOS user
THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮
Elisha
iOS user
This apps acc the goat. I find revision so boring but this app makes it so easy to organize it all and then you can ask the freeeee ai to test yourself so good and you can easily upload your own stuff. highly recommend as someone taking mocks now
Paul T
iOS user
The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.
Stefan S
iOS user
This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.
Samantha Klich
Android user
Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.
Anna
iOS user
Best app on earth! no words because it’s too good
Thomas R
iOS user
Just amazing. Let's me revise 10x better, this app is a quick 10/10. I highly recommend it to anyone. I can watch and search for notes. I can save them in the subject folder. I can revise it any time when I come back. If you haven't tried this app, you're really missing out.
Basil
Android user
This app has made me feel so much more confident in my exam prep, not only through boosting my own self confidence through the features that allow you to connect with others and feel less alone, but also through the way the app itself is centred around making you feel better. It is easy to navigate, fun to use, and helpful to anyone struggling in absolutely any way.
David K
iOS user
The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!
Sudenaz Ocak
Android user
In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.
Greenlight Bonnie
Android user
very reliable app to help and grow your ideas of Maths, English and other related topics in your works. please use this app if your struggling in areas, this app is key for that. wish I'd of done a review before. and it's also free so don't worry about that.
Rohan U
Android user
I know a lot of apps use fake accounts to boost their reviews but this app deserves it all. Originally I was getting 4 in my English exams and this time I got a grade 7. I didn’t even know about this app three days until the exam and it has helped A LOT. Please actually trust me and use it as I’m sure you too will see developments.
Xander S
iOS user
THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮
Elisha
iOS user
This apps acc the goat. I find revision so boring but this app makes it so easy to organize it all and then you can ask the freeeee ai to test yourself so good and you can easily upload your own stuff. highly recommend as someone taking mocks now
Paul T
iOS user
Sociology