Loreto Balbriggan | Third Year Science

Third Year Syllabus

Student Check-list

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Biology

Main Topic	Sub-topics	Students should be able to	Text
1B3: Sensory system	awareness of, and response to our surroundings through our sense organs sensory and motor function of nerves communication between the sense organs and the brain structure of the eye and functions of the parts of the eye	OB28: recall five sense organs in the human (eyes, ears, nose, skin and tongue) and explain how these enable students to gather information from their surroundings OB29: describe the role of the central nervous system and the motor and sensory functions of nerves OB30: locate the main parts of the eye on a model or diagram and describe the function of the cornea, iris, lens, pupil,retina, optic nerve and ciliary muscle	11
1B5: Genetics	inheritable and non-inheritable characteristics chromosomes and genes	OB35: appreciate that humans have inheritable and non-inheritable characteristics, and recall that inheritable characteristics are controlled by genes OB36: recall that genes are located on chromosomes and that in a human there are 23 pairs of chromosomes, which are located in the nucleus OB37: recall that chromosomes are made of DNA and protein	12
1C7: Ecology	local habitat study simple keys and instruments (quadrat, pooter, pitfall trap, beating tray, line transect) to show variety and distribution of named organisms food chains and food webs, adapatation, competition and interdependence conservation, pollution and waste management	OB59: study a local habitat, using appropriate instruments and simple keys to show the variety and distribution of named organisms OB60: appreciate that living things are affected by their environment and respond to changes that occur in that environment, and that their numbers depend on the availability of food and the presence or absence of other organisms OB61: list example of producers, decomposers and consumers in an ecosystem OB62: select a food chain and a food web from a named habitat and identify examples of adaptation, competition and interdependence OB63: appreciate the importance of conservation and of pollution and waste management to the environment, and identify ways in which living things contribute to these, both individually and as a community. OB64: discuss how human activity affects the environment, both positively and negatively (two examples in each case)	16
1C8: Microbiology and biotechnology	micro-organisms: bacteria, fungi and viruses biotechnology in industry and medicine	OB65 investigate the presence of of micro-organisms in air and soil OB66 state two uses of biotechnology in industry and two uses of biotechnology in medicine OB67: list three common illnesses caused by viruses and three caused by bacteria	19

Main Topic

Sub-topics

Students should be able to

Text

1B3: Sensory system

awareness of, and response to our surroundings through our sense organs

sensory and motor function of nerves

communication between the sense organs and the brain

structure of the eye and functions of the parts of the eye

OB28: recall five sense organs in the human (eyes, ears, nose, skin and tongue) and explain how these enable students to gather information from their surroundings

OB29: describe the role of the central nervous system and the motor and sensory functions of nerves

OB30: locate the main parts of the eye on a model or diagram and describe the function of the cornea, iris, lens, pupil,retina, optic nerve and ciliary muscle

1B5: Genetics

inheritable and non-inheritable characteristics

chromosomes and genes

OB35: appreciate that humans have inheritable and non-inheritable characteristics, and recall that inheritable characteristics are controlled by genes

OB36: recall that genes are located on chromosomes and that in a human there are 23 pairs of chromosomes, which are located in the nucleus

OB37: recall that chromosomes are made of DNA and protein

1C7: Ecology

local habitat study

simple keys and instruments (quadrat, pooter, pitfall trap, beating tray, line transect) to show variety and distribution of named organisms

food chains and food webs, adapatation, competition and interdependence

conservation, pollution and waste management

OB59: study a local habitat, using appropriate instruments and simple keys to show the variety and distribution of named organisms

OB60: appreciate that living things are affected by their environment and respond to changes that occur in that environment, and that their numbers depend on the availability of food and the presence or absence of other organisms

OB61: list example of producers, decomposers and consumers in an ecosystem

OB62: select a food chain and a food web from a named habitat and identify examples of adaptation, competition and interdependence

OB63: appreciate the importance of conservation and of pollution and waste management to the environment, and identify ways in which living things contribute to these, both individually and as a community.

OB64: discuss how human activity affects the environment, both positively and negatively (two examples in each case)

1C8: Microbiology and biotechnology

micro-organisms: bacteria, fungi and viruses

biotechnology in industry and medicine

OB65 investigate the presence of of micro-organisms in air and soil

OB66 state two uses of biotechnology in industry and two uses of biotechnology in medicine

OB67: list three common illnesses caused by viruses and three caused by bacteria

Chemistry

Main Topic	Sub-topics	Students should be able to	Text
2B3:Hardness of water Water treatment	dissolved solids in water hardness in water and its effects water treatment	OC30: conduct a qualitative experiment to detect the presence of dissolved solids in water samples, and test water for hardness (soap test) OC31: explain that some dissolved compounds, including compounds of calcium, cause hardness in water, and that water hardness can be removed using an ion exchanger. OC32: carry out simple distillation and obtain a sample of water from seawater OC33: describe the processes involved in the treatment of water supplied to domestic consumers	27
2B4: Electrolysis of water	decomposition of water by electrolysis	OC34: investigate the decomposition of water by electrolysis: recall the composition of water	27
2C5: Hydrocarbons, acid rain	products of combustion of fossil fuels causes and effects of acid rain the effect of acid rain on limestone and on plants crude oil products as raw materials for plastics non-biodegradable plastics and their contribution to pollution	OC53: recall that fossil fuels are sources of hydrocarbons, and that they produce CO₂ and H₂O when burned OC54: list two examples of fossil fuels OC55: describe the role of the combustion of fuels in the the production of acid rain, with particular reference to SO₂; describe the effects of acid rain OC56: describe the effects of acid rain on limestone and on plants OC57: appreciate that natural gas is mainly methane OC58: identify everyday applications of plastics, and understand that crude oil products are the raw material for their production OC59: associate the properties of everyday plastics with their use OC60: describe and discuss the impact of non-biodegradable plastics on the environment OC61: appreciate that chemistry has an important role in pharmacy, medicine and the food industry.	28

Main Topic

Sub-topics

Students should be able to

Text

2B3:Hardness of water

Water treatment

dissolved solids in water

hardness in water and its effects

water treatment

OC30: conduct a qualitative experiment to detect the presence of dissolved solids in water samples, and test water for hardness (soap test)

OC31: explain that some dissolved compounds, including compounds of calcium, cause hardness in water, and that water hardness can be removed using an ion exchanger.

OC32: carry out simple distillation and obtain a sample of water from seawater

OC33: describe the processes involved in the treatment of water supplied to domestic consumers

2B4: Electrolysis of water

decomposition of water by electrolysis

OC34: investigate the decomposition of water by electrolysis: recall the composition of water

2C5: Hydrocarbons, acid rain

products of combustion of fossil fuels

causes and effects of acid rain

the effect of acid rain on limestone and on plants

crude oil products as raw materials for plastics

non-biodegradable plastics and their contribution to pollution

OC53: recall that fossil fuels are sources of hydrocarbons, and that they produce CO₂ and H₂O when burned

OC54: list two examples of fossil fuels

OC55: describe the role of the combustion of fuels in the the production of acid rain, with particular reference to SO₂; describe the effects of acid rain

OC56: describe the effects of acid rain on limestone and on plants

OC57: appreciate that natural gas is mainly methane

OC58: identify everyday applications of plastics, and understand that crude oil products are the raw material for their production

OC59: associate the properties of everyday plastics with their use

OC60: describe and discuss the impact of non-biodegradable plastics on the environment

OC61: appreciate that chemistry has an important role in pharmacy, medicine and the food industry.

Physics

Main Topic	Sub-topics	Students should be able to	Text
3C2: Static electricity	electric charge; effects of static electricity; earthing	OP48: use simple materials to generate static electricity; demonstrate the force between charged objects and the effects of earthing	44
3C3: Current electricity Voltage	current as a flow of charge; measuring current measuring potential difference (voltage) and resistance for metallic conductors relationship between voltage, current and resistance direct and alternating current; heating, chemical and magnetic effects of an electric current conductors and insulators	OP49: test electrical conduction in a variety of materials, and classify each material as a conductor or insulator OP50: set up a simple electric circuit, use appropriate instruments to measure current, potential difference (voltage) and resistance, and establish the relationship between them. OP52: perform simple calculations based on the relationship between current, potential difference (voltage), and resistance OP53: describe the heating effect, the chemical effect, and the magnetic effect of an electric current, and identify everyday applications of these, including the action of a fuse OP54: distinguish between direct and alternating current; recall that the voltage of the mains supply is 230 volts a.c.	45
3C4: Electric circuits	simple circuits – series and parallel; function of a switch	OP51; demonstrate simple series and parallel circuits containing a switch and two bulbs	45
3C5: Electricity in the home	mains supply; fuses and circuit breakers and their role in safety; wiring a plug power rating of electric appliances; units used in calculating electricity bills	OP55: recall that the unit of electrical energy used by electricity supply companies is the kilowatt-hour; calculate the cost of using common electrical appliances based on their power rating. OP56: describe how to wire a plug correctly, and explain the safety role of a fuse or circuit breaker in domestic electrical circuits	46
3C6: Electronics	simple electronic devices; everyday applications	OP57: describe a diode as a device that allows current to flow in one direction only and recall that a light emitting diode (LED) requires less current than a bulb OP58: set up simple series circuits using switches, buzzers, LEDs and resistors. OP59: measure the resistance of a light-dependent resistor (LDR) under varying degrees of brightness of light OP60: identify everyday applications of the diode, including the LED, and of the LDR.	46

Main Topic

Sub-topics

Students should be able to

Text

3C2: Static electricity

electric charge; effects of static electricity; earthing

OP48: use simple materials to generate static electricity; demonstrate the force between charged objects and the effects of earthing

3C3: Current electricity

Voltage

current as a flow of charge; measuring current

measuring potential difference (voltage) and resistance for metallic conductors

relationship between voltage, current and resistance

direct and alternating current; heating, chemical and magnetic effects of an electric current

conductors and insulators

OP49: test electrical conduction in a variety of materials, and classify each material as a conductor or insulator

OP50: set up a simple electric circuit, use appropriate instruments to measure current, potential difference (voltage) and resistance, and establish the relationship between them.

OP52: perform simple calculations based on the relationship between current, potential difference (voltage), and resistance

OP53: describe the heating effect, the chemical effect, and the magnetic effect of an electric current, and identify everyday applications of these, including the action of a fuse

OP54: distinguish between direct and alternating current; recall that the voltage of the mains supply is 230 volts a.c.

3C4: Electric circuits

simple circuits – series and parallel; function of a switch

OP51; demonstrate simple series and parallel circuits containing a switch and two bulbs

3C5: Electricity in the home

mains supply; fuses and circuit breakers and their role in safety; wiring a plug

power rating of electric appliances; units used in calculating electricity bills

OP55: recall that the unit of electrical energy used by electricity supply companies is the kilowatt-hour; calculate the cost of using common electrical appliances based on their power rating.

OP56: describe how to wire a plug correctly, and explain the safety role of a fuse or circuit breaker in domestic electrical circuits

3C6: Electronics

simple electronic devices; everyday applications

OP57: describe a diode as a device that allows current to flow in one direction only and recall that a light emitting diode (LED) requires less current than a bulb

OP58: set up simple series circuits using switches, buzzers, LEDs and resistors.

OP59: measure the resistance of a light-dependent resistor (LDR) under varying degrees of brightness of light

OP60: identify everyday applications of the diode, including the LED, and of the LDR.

Blue Colour - Coursework A: Mandatory Experiments and Investigations.

Underlined syllabus content is designated for higher level only.

Revision by topic - Very useful set of past exam paper questions, arranged by topic

Additional revision type questions

In addition to the material listed above, each student will be required to undertake two specified investigations in their third year and to submit a pro forma report on these for assessment. These additional investigations, based on the topics and learning outcomes in the syllabus, will be set by the examining body and will vary from year to year. These investigations account for 25% of the students final grade and will require substantial time investment, by the student, during this year. MORE INFO