Biology - Section 2 - Medic Mind · Lesson 1: Introduction to BMAT Biology 4 Lesson 2: Inheritance and Genetics 7 Lesson 3: Homeostasis 12 ... Lesson 10: Cell Structure 40 Lesson

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Page � ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••1

UKCAT BMAT www.medicmind.co.uk Interview UCAS

Biology - Section 2BMAT Course Book

BMAT Science Revision

Mock Questions

Step-by-Step Guides

Detailed Explanations

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Page � ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••3


Lesson Page

Lesson 1: Introduction to BMAT Biology 4

Lesson 2: Inheritance and Genetics 7

Lesson 3: Homeostasis 12

Lesson 4: Digestion 18

Lesson 5: Respiration 22

Lesson 6: Cell Division 25

Lesson 7: Nervous System 28

Lesson 8: Natural Selection 33

Lesson 9: Genetic Engineering 37

Lesson 10: Cell Structure 40

Lesson 11: Heart and Circulation 43

Table of Contents

Introduction to Section 2

�

Section 2 of the BMAT is based around GCSE level Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Maths. The content is GCSE-level, but they tend to ask difficult questions which stretch your GCSE knowledge to their extremes.

In this section you get:

• Chemistry (6 to 8 questions)• Physics (6 to 8 questions)• Biology (6 to 8 questions)• Maths (5 to 7 questions)

How do I prepare for this section?

• Brush up on your GCSE knowledge. In this book we have covered the main topics, but it is worth reading the official BMAT Revision Guide on their website (free). It is similar to the CGP books, and goes through content in full detail.

• Don’t revise everything GCSE. The BMAT specification tells you what you need to know. It is not the full GCSE specification, so don’t waste time on irrelevant topics. Also, use our guides on the most testable topics to structure your revision and focus on the important topics first.

• Don’t panic about Physics. Many BMAT students have not taken A-level Physics. Even if your Physics is rusty, don’t stress. By going through our book, step by step, and supplementing it with extra revision guides, you will master the Physics section.

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Page � ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••4


Introduction to BMAT Biology Lesson 1

Medic Mind Approach to Section 2

In this book each Section 2 subsection is broken down into 3 parts:

1. BMAT Specification - this is an extract from the official BMAT specification for Section 2. We extracted the points relevant to the particular tutorial. Most of the specification is covered in this book, but not all of it. We have focused on the most important and commonly tested elements of the specification.

2. Medic Mind Tips and Theory - in each tutorial we revise and summarise the key topics that come up. We have analysed all BMAT papers since 2009 (when the specification changed), to assess the most important topics.

3. Practice Questions - there are 1 to 5 practice questions per topic, found at the end of the tutorial. This should help you consolidate your learning by doing a BMAT style question (written by Medic Mind).

How should I build on this course?

After this course:

• Re-cap the BMAT specification and read the official BMAT free guide to fill gaps in your knowledge. Go through the specification and learn the science and maths content in full detail. We do not cover all topics in the specifications - this is a revision guide based on the most commonly tested topics. Therefore you should use the Official BMAT Revision Guide (found online) and the specification to supplement your learning here.

• Do the past papers using our compilations. On our website we have compiled every past paper question by topic (www.medicmind.co.uk/resources). So, for example, after you learn Inheritance and Genetics in this book, do the past paper questions on this same topic using our compilations.

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Page � ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••5



http://www.medicmind.co.uk/resources

Commonly Tested Biology Topics

The table below shows the frequency of the Biology topics which we will cover in this book. The BMAT Specification changed in 2009, so the figures are based on post 2009 BMAT Official Papers.

Lesson Topic Number of Questions (since 2009*)

2 Inheritance and Genetics 12

3 Homeostasis 11

4 Digestion 4

5 Respiration 6

6 Cell Division 5

7 Nervous System 6

8 Natural Selection 3

9 Genetic Engineering 5

10 Cell Structure 2

11 Heart and Circulation 1

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Page � ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••6



BMAT Specification

• Recall the nucleus as a site of genetic material/chromosomes/genes in plant and animal cells.

• Describe and understand the following genetic terms: genes, alleles, dominant, recessive, heterozygous, homozygous, phenotype, genotype.

• Monohybrid crosses:

a. Use and interpret genetic diagrams to depict monohybrid crosses b. Use family pedigrees/family trees c. Express outcome as ratio, numbers or percentage d. Understand the concept of inherited disease and the use of screening to identify it,

e.g. cystic fibrosis, polydactyly, Huntington’s Disease.

�

Medic Mind Tips and Theory

There have been 12 questions on Inheritance and Genetics since 2009.

Drawing Genetic Crosses

Students often struggle with genetic crosses, because they can be quite fiddly and time consuming. When revising, it is good to practice drawing out many genetic crosses for different genotype combinations.

Below is an example of a genetic cross between two mice. Classic BMAT questions will ask you to work out the possible genotypes of offspring, or the probability of phenotypes (e.g. the fraction of offspring that will be yellow).

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Page � ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••7


Inheritance and Genetics Lesson 2

In this topic we explore how to analyse genetic crosses to identify genotypes of individuals using our Medic Mind shortcuts.

�

Recessive and Dominant Disorders

Genetic crosses are often based on diseases caused by either dominant (AA, Aa) or recessive (aa) genotypes. The diagram below shows an example of a condition - the affected individuals are in black. Try to work out if it is a dominant or recessive condition.

�

Based on this diagram we can tell that:

• The condition is recessive. If two unaffected parents (E and F) have an affected child, then the condition has to be recessive. E and F are both heterozygous dominant (Aa).

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Page � ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••8



• C and F are heterozygous dominant (Aa). C and D have an affected child G (aa), so C must give one a gamete to G. F must have received a recessive allele from D.

• E is also heterozygous dominant (Aa). E has an affected child with F, so E cannot be homozygous dominant because then all children would have at least one dominant allele and be unaffected.

Medic Mind Shortcuts: Recessive Traits

• An affected individual is homozygous recessive (aa). An unaffected individual is either homozygous dominant (AA) or heterozygous dominant (Aa).

• If two unaffected parents have an affected child, the condition is recessive.

• If two affected parents (aa) breed, all children will be affected.

Medic Mind Shortcuts: Dominant Traits

• An affected individual is either homozygous dominant (AA) or heterozygous dominant (Aa). An unaffected individual is homozygous recessive (aa).

• If two affected parents have an unaffected child (aa), both parents are heterozygous dominant (Aa).

• If a homozygous dominant (AA) individual breeds, all children will be affected.

• If two unaffected parents (aa) breed, no children will be affected.

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Page � ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••9



Practice Questions

Question 1

Which of these statements about mutations is true?

1. Mutations can cause a change in genetic material.2. Mutations can be beneficial. 3. Mutations always lead to a dysfunctional protein being coded for.4. Mutations will lead to disease.

A. 1 onlyB. 2 onlyC. 1 and 2 onlyD. 3 and 4 onlyE. 1, 2 and 3 onlyF. 1, 2 and 4 onlyG. 1, 2, 3 and 4 only

Question 2

A new genetic condition, Kohi Syndrome, is being investigated in a family tree. Cheryl and Brad are both unaffected, but their daughter, Tanya, has Kohi Syndrome. Tanya marries Graham, who is unaffected, and their son, Harry, has Kohi Syndrome.

Which of the following rows correctly shows the genotypes of the four individuals?

In the table below, A and a represent the dominant and recessive alleles respectively.

Cheryl Genotype Graham Genotype Tanya Genotype Henry Genotype

A Aa aa aa aa

B Aa Aa aa aa

C aa aa Aa Aa

D aa Aa aa Aa

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Page � ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••10


C

T

B

G

H


Question 3

Medifair, a research company, were investigating the genes which determine colour in African Pigeons. The pigeons can either be grey or black. There are two alleles that code for colour, C and c.

Medifair took four African Pigeons, and crossed them together to form 3 families; A, B and C.

�

What is the smallest possible number of homozygous pigeons?

A. 0B. 2C. 3D. 5E. 7F. 9G. 10H. 12

Family A Family B

Family C

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Page � ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••11



Documents

Biology - Section 2 - Medic Mind · Lesson 1: Introduction to BMAT Biology 4 Lesson 2: Inheritance and Genetics 7 Lesson 3: Homeostasis 12 ... Lesson 10: Cell Structure 40 Lesson