Class X Biology Exam Suggestions

1. Basic Biology

• Cell Cycle and Cell Division:
  • Key Concepts: Cell cycle (Interphase - G1, S, G2; Mitotic phase). Mitosis (stages). Meiosis (basic understanding as reduction division, stages not required). Homologous chromosomes and crossing over (leading to variations). Significance and major differences between mitotic and meiotic division.
• Structure of Chromosome:
  • Key Concepts: Basic structure of chromosome. Elementary understanding of chromatin, chromatid, gene structure of DNA, centromere.
• Genetics:
  • Key Concepts: Mendel's laws of inheritance. Sex-linked inheritance of diseases.
  • Important Topics: Three laws of Mendel. Monohybrid cross (phenotype, genotype). Dihybrid cross (phenotype only). Terms: gene, allele, heterozygous, homozygous, dominant, recessive, mutation, variation, phenotype, genotype. Sex determination in human beings. X-linked diseases (haemophilia, colour blindness).

2. Plant Physiology

• Absorption by Roots:
  • Key Concepts: Imbibition, diffusion, osmosis. Osmotic pressure, root pressure. Turgidity, flaccidity. Plasmolysis, deplasmolysis. Absorption of water and minerals. Active and passive transport (brief). Rise of water up to xylem. Forces responsible for ascent of sap.
  • Important Topics: Processes related to water absorption by roots. Characteristics of roots suitable for absorption. Structure of a single full-grown root hair. Cohesive, Adhesive forces and transpirational pull (general idea). Experiments to show water conduction through xylem.
• Transpiration:
  • Key Concepts: Process and significance. Ganong's potometer (limitations). Factors affecting rate of transpiration. Guttation and bleeding (brief idea).
  • Important Topics: Concept of transpiration and its importance to plants. Experiments related to transpiration (loss in weight of potted plant/leafy shoot; cobalt chloride paper for dorsiventral leaf). Mechanism of stomatal transpiration (potassium ion exchange theory). Adaptations in plants to reduce transpiration.
• Photosynthesis:
  • Key Concepts: Process and importance. Necessity of light, carbon dioxide, chlorophyll, formation of starch, release of oxygen. Carbon cycle.
  • Important Topics: Process and significance of photosynthesis. Internal structure of chloroplast (site of light/dark reactions). Opening/closing of stomata (potassium ion exchange theory). Overall balanced chemical equation. Terms: photochemical (light phase), biosynthetic (dark phase). Light reaction (chlorophyll activation, water photolysis, O2 release, ATP/NADPH formation). Dark reaction (hydrogen from NADP with CO2 to form glucose - detailed equations not required). Adaptations in plants for photosynthesis. Experiments for factors essential for photosynthesis (destarching, starch test). Diagrammatic representation of carbon cycle.
• Chemical Coordination in Plants:
  • Key Concepts: General study of plant growth regulators. Tropic movements in plants.
  • Important Topics: Physiological effects of Auxins, Gibberellins, Cytokinins, Abscisic acid, Ethylene (regulating plant growth). Tropic movements (Phototropism, Geotropism, Hydrotropism, Thigmotropism, Chemotropism - with examples).

3. Human Anatomy and Physiology

• Circulatory System:
  • Key Concepts: Blood, lymph. Structure and working of heart, blood vessels. Circulation of blood (main blood vessels entering/leaving heart, liver, kidney). Lymphatic system.
  • Important Topics: Blood composition (RBC, WBC, platelets - structure, functions). Tissue fluid, lymph (brief idea). Increased efficiency of mammalian RBCs (reasons). Blood coagulation (brief idea). Heart structure and working. Main blood vessels (diagrams). Systole, diastole (concept). Double circulation (concept). Pulse, blood pressure (brief idea). Blood vessels (artery, vein, capillary - structure, function, relationship). Lymphatic organs (spleen, tonsils - brief idea). ABO blood group system, Rh factor. Hepatic portal system (significance).
• Excretory System:
  • Key Concepts: Brief introduction to excretory organs. Parts of urinary system. Structure and function of kidneys. Blood vessels associated with kidneys. Structure and function of nephron.
  • Important Topics: Different excretory organs in human body (brief idea). Kidney (external/internal structure). Urinary system parts (diagram, functions). Kidney tubule/nephron structure (general idea). Ultra-filtration (emphasis on Malpighian capsule diagram). Selective reabsorption, tubular secretion (relation to blood plasma, urine composition).
• Nervous System:
  • Key Concepts: Structure of neuron. Central, autonomous, peripheral nervous system (brief). Brain, spinal cord. Reflex action (difference from voluntary action).
  • Important Topics: Parts of a neuron. External structure of brain (Medulla Oblongata, Cerebrum, Cerebellum, Thalamus, Hypothalamus, Pons - functions). White/gray matter distribution in brain/spinal cord. Voluntary/involuntary actions (meaning, examples). Reflex arc (diagrammatic explanation, pathway). Peripheral/autonomic nervous system (regulating body activities - brief idea). Differences between natural/acquired reflex. Eye/Ear (external/internal structure, functions). Stereoscopic vision, adaptation, accommodation of eye (brief idea). Eye defects (myopia, hyperopia, presbyopia, astigmatism, cataract - diagrams for myopia/hyperopia, corrective measures). Sound perception in human ear. Ear role in maintaining body balance.
• Endocrine System:
  • Key Concepts: General study of adrenal, pancreas, thyroid, pituitary glands. Endocrine and exocrine glands.
  • Important Topics: Differences between endocrine/exocrine glands. Location/shape of endocrine glands. Hormones secreted by pancreas (insulin, glucagon), thyroid (thyroxin), adrenal (cortical hormones, adrenaline), pituitary (growth hormone, tropic hormones, ADH, oxytocin). Effects of hypo/hyper secretion of hormones. Feedback mechanism (TSH).
• Reproductive System:
  • Key Concepts: Organs, fertilisation, placenta functions in embryo growth. Menstrual cycle.
  • Important Topics: Male/female reproductive organs, male accessory glands (functions). Secondary sexual characters (idea). Sperm/egg (structure, functions). Fertilisation, implantation, placenta, gestation, parturition (explanation). Placenta role in nutrition, respiration, excretion of embryo; endocrinal function (brief idea). Foetal membranes, amniotic fluid (functions). Menstrual cycle (outline). Sex hormones (Testosterone, Oestrogen, Progesterone - role in reproduction). Identical/fraternal twins (meaning, differences).