AQA GCSE Combined Science: Trilogy, topic 6
Inheritance, variation and evolution
This topic explains how characteristics are passed from parents to offspring, why individuals within a species vary, and how natural selection leads to evolution. It also covers selective breeding and genetic engineering, the evidence for evolution from fossils and resistant bacteria, extinction, and how living things are classified.
Examined in Biology Paper 2 (1 hour 15 minutes, 70 marks). Combined Science: skip anything labelled Triple only.
Revision notes
Worksheet
FlashcardsSubtopics
Work through them in order. Each one has notes, exam questions and flashcards, and a PDF of each. Triple-only subtopics are left out.
- 1Reproduction Spec 4.6.1Sexual and asexual reproduction, meiosis, DNA and the genome, genetic crosses, inherited disorders and sex determination.NotesQuestions 7Flashcards 21
- 2Variation and evolution Spec 4.6.2Causes of variation, mutations, evolution by natural selection, selective breeding and genetic engineering.NotesQuestions 5Flashcards 14
- 3The development of understanding of genetics and evolution Spec 4.6.3The evidence for evolution, how fossils form and what they show, evolutionary trees, extinction and antibiotic-resistant bacteria.NotesQuestions 3Flashcards 7
- 4Classification of living organisms Spec 4.6.4The Linnaean system, binomial names, the three-domain system and evolutionary trees.NotesQuestions 3Flashcards 5
Whole topic
When you have done the subtopics: test yourself on everything, or print the lot.