Updated March 2024. Our Biology predictions based on analysis of past papers appear to have coincided and agreed quite closely with one of the mock exams. They were temporarily hidden – and now they are back.

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Biology Study Plan

Biology Notes (€)

Predictions 2024

While it is impossible to be certain about what is coming up, here are areas to pay special attention to for 2024:

Section A (Short Questions):

Food (featured in Section A for the past 15 years)

Ecology (featured 12 times in the past 15 years, did not feature last year)

Cell Division (not featured as short question since 2021, featured 7 times in the 10 years prior)

Genetics & Evolution

Excretion – Kidneys (not featured as a short question since 2018)

Human Reproduction (not featured in short questions since 2021)

Plant Transport & Osmosis (not featured as a short question since 2017)

Section B (Experiments):

A recent trend has been to ask short questions on the Scientific Method in the first parts of an experiment question so it is a good idea to know this well. (Questions 8, 9 & 10 experiment questions come from the same units of the course each year,  appearing periodically based on the amount of time lapsed since they last appeared)

Question 8

• Conduct a qualitative test for: Starch, Fat, Reducing Sugar, Protein
• Isolate DNA from plant tissue

Question 9

• Prepare one enzyme immobilisation and examine its application
• Investigate the effect of light intensity or carbon dioxide on the rate of  photosynthesis
• Investigate the effect of ph/temperature on the rate of one of the following:  amylase, pepsin or catalase activity

Question 10

• Investigate the effect of oxygen, water and temperature on germination
• Investigate the effect of exercise on the breathing rate or pulse rate of a human

Section C (Long Questions):

• Ecology
• Genetic crosses/DNA and RNA/genetics and evolution
• Respiration
• Enzymes
• Photosynthesis

Section C (Long Questions with option i.e. Q16 and Q17):

Bacteria, Fungi & Yeast (featured as a long question 13 times in the past 15 years)

Digestive System (not featured as long question for past 2 years)

The Skin/Body Temperature (not featured for the past two years)

Excretion – Kidneys (not featured frequently as option in recent years, not featured last  year)

The Nervous System (featured as an option 10 times in the past 15 years)

Immune System (not featured for the past 2 years)

LC Biology paper layout

Section A: Short Questions 

Answer any five out of seven questions 

Section B: Experiments 

Answer any two of three questions 

Section C: Long Questions 

Answer any four of seven questions. 

An additional part will be added to the last two questions, Q16 and Q17, in which case  candidates answer any two of four parts. 

Very common topics for short questions are food, ecology and cell division.

For experimental questions, it is becoming more common to see questions with a variety of different experiments in one question. For example, in 2016 Q7 candidates were asked about a test for a reducing sugar, how to carry out an examination of plant and animal cells and about the immobilisation of an enzyme.

The scientific method is almost always asked about in experimental questions.

Other common experiments include experiments about enzymes (immobilisation, denaturation, effect of temperature and pH on enzyme activity), about plants (digestive activity during germination, conditions necessary for germination) and about using a microscope to examine plant/animal cells.

For long questions, there is almost always a question on genetics (DNA and RNA, genetic crosses, evolution, genetic engineering), ecology, respiration/ photosynthesis/ enzymes and plants (plant responses, structure of flowering plants, exchange in flowering plants, sexual reproduction in flowering plants.

For Q14 and 15, there will almost always be a part (a, b or c) where you have to write about various topics. For example, in 2016 Q15 (c) candidates were asked about the skeleton, a dietary deficiency of a water-soluble vitamin, a genetically sex-linked disease, vaccination, etc.

For your reference, this is what came up in 2019:

• Food
• Scientific Method
• Cell Structure
• Cell Division
• Blood
• Blood vessels/ Human Breathing

• Food tests/ Prepare and examine animal cells/ Isolate DNA from plant tissue/ Investigate the effect of IAA on plant tissue/ Investigate osmosis
• Prepare and show the production of alcohol by yeast
• Prepare and examine a transverse section of a dicot stem

Short Questions

Food
Ecology
Respiration
Cell division
The skeleton and muscles
Protista

Experiments

Denaturation/ immobilisation of enzymes
Show the production of alcohol by yeast
Pulse rate/ breathing rate
Dissection of the heart
Effect of IAA on plant tissue

Long Questions

Ecology
DNA and RNA/ Genetic crosses
Sexual reproduction of flowering plants
Photosynthesis/ respiration

Long Questions with options (Q14 and Q5)

Fungi
Plant responses
Human nutrition/ food
Diffusion and osmosis
Human reproduction
The nervous system

Not bad, eh?