Class XI Biology Exam Suggestions

Unit 1: Diversity of Living Organisms (09 Marks)

• The Living World:
  • Key Concepts: Need for classification, taxonomy vs. systematics, concept of species, taxonomical hierarchy (phylum, class, order, family, genus, species with examples like man, housefly, mango, wheat).
  • Important Topics: Rules of binomial nomenclature and its advantages. Three systems of classification (artificial, natural, phylogenetic).
• Biological Classification:
  • Key Concepts: Three domains of life (archaea, bacteria, eukarya). Five-kingdom classification (Monera, Protista, Fungi, Plantae, Animalia) - salient features and classification.
  • Important Topics:
    • Monera: General structure of bacterial cell, classification by shape, nutrition, respiration. Gram +ve/-ve bacteria differences. Reproduction (fission, conjugation, transduction, transformation). Role of archaebacteria (methanogens, halophiles, thermoacidophiles). Mycoplasma. Economic importance of bacteria (sewage treatment, antibiotics, household products).
    • Protista: Two general characteristics and two examples of subgroups (Chrysophytes, Dinoflagellates, Euglenoids, Slime moulds, Protozoans - rhizopods, flagellates, ciliates, sporozoans with locomotion and examples).
    • Fungi: General characteristics, mode of reproduction (types of spores, sexual reproduction - isogamy, anisogamy, oogamy, plasmogamy, karyogamy, dikaryophase). Classification (Zygomycetes, Ascomycetes, Basidiomycetes, Deuteromycetes) with examples. Role of fungi (medicine, bakery, environmental decomposition). Lichens and mycorrhiza (ecto and endo).
    • Virus: Characteristic features (link between living/non-living), structure of TMV and bacteriophage. Contributions of Ivanowsky, Beijerinck, Stanley. Viroids and Prions (examples: BSE, CJD).
• Plant Kingdom:
  • Key Concepts: Characteristics, common names, major pigments, stored food, cell wall composition, flagellar number/position, habitat, sexual reproduction, and examples for:
    • Algae: Chlorophyceae, Phaeophyceae, Rhodophyceae. Economic importance (any five).
    • Bryophyta: General characteristics, distinctive features of liverworts and mosses. Graphic outline of Funaria life cycle (alternation of generations). Economic importance.
    • Pteridophyta: Characteristics, classification (psilopsida, lycopsida, sphenopsida, pteropsida) with examples. Graphic outline of fern life cycle. Homospory vs. heterospory with examples. Economic importance.
    • Gymnosperms: General characteristics, graphic outline of Pinus life cycle. Economic importance.
• Animal Kingdom:
  • Key Concepts: Levels of organisation (cellular, tissue, organ, organ system). Body plan (cell aggregate, blind-sac, tube-within-tube). Symmetry (spherical, radial, bilateral). Diploblastic vs. triploblastic organisation. Coelom development (acoelomate, pseudocoelomate, coelomate, haemocoelomate). Segmentation.
  • Important Topics:
    • Non-chordata: Five distinguishing characters with two examples each of Porifera, Cnidaria, Ctenophora, Platyhelminthes, Nematoda (Aschelminthes), Annelida, Mollusca, Arthropoda, Echinodermata, Hemichordata.
    • Chordata: Sub-classification (Urochordata, Cephalochordata). Vertebrata (cyclostomata, chondrichthyes, osteichthyes, amphibia, reptilia, aves, mammalia) – three distinguishing characters with two examples each.

Unit 2: Structural Organisation in Animals and Plants (11 Marks)

• Morphology of Flowering Plants:
  • Key Concepts: Morphology and modifications of root, stem, leaf.
  • Important Topics:
    • Roots: Types (tap, fibrous, adventitious), regions, modifications for storage (tuberous, fusiform, conical, napiform), respiration (pneumatophores), support (stilt, prop).
    • Stems: Features (nodes, internodes, buds), modifications (underground - tuber, rhizome, corm; aerial - tendril, thorn, phylloclade, cladode; sub-aerial - runner, sucker, stolon, offset).
    • Leaves: Parts of simple leaf, venation, types (simple, compound - pinnate, palmate), phyllotaxy (alternate, opposite, whorled). Modifications for mechanical support (tendril), protection (spine), storage (bulb), reproduction (Bryophyllum). Insectivorous plants (pitcher plant, Venus-fly-trap).
  • Morphology of Flower:
    • Key Concepts: Structure of a typical flower, types of inflorescence (racemose, cymose).
    • Important Topics: Flower structure (symmetry, complete/incomplete, essential/non-essential whorls - calyx, corolla, perianth, aestivation, androecium - cohesion, adhesion, gynoecium - position of ovary, cohesion, number of locules, placentation).
• Anatomy of Flowering Plants:
  • Key Concepts: Plant Tissues - meristematic (classification) and permanent (simple - parenchyma, collenchyma, sclerenchyma; complex - xylem, phloem). Tissue system.
  • Important Topics: Internal structure of root, stem, and leaf. Cellular diagrams of T.S. of roots and stem, V.S. of monocot and dicot leaves.
• Structural Organisation in Animals: Frog:
  • Key Concepts: Morphology, anatomy, and functions of different systems (digestive, circulatory, respiratory, excretory, nervous, reproductive) - brief account only.

Unit 3: Cell: Structure and Function (15 Marks)

• Cell - the Unit of Life:
  • Key Concepts: Cell theory, cell as basic unit of life. Structure of eukaryotic cells, plant cell vs. animal cell. Cell envelope (cell membrane, cell wall).
  • Important Topics: Ultrastructure and function of organelles: endomembrane system, mitochondria, ribosomes, plastids, microbodies, cytoskeleton, cilia, flagella, centrioles, nucleus. Historical aspects, cell theory, size and shape of cells. Fluid mosaic model of cell membrane (functions: active/passive transport, facilitated diffusion - uniport, symport, antiport). Mitochondria, nucleus (nuclear membrane, chromatin, nucleolus, chromosomes - centromere, satellite). Types of plastids. Endomembrane system (ER, Golgi, lysosomes, vacuoles). Ribosomes, microbodies, cytoskeleton (microfilaments, microtubules, intermediate filaments). Cilia, flagella, centrioles. Differences between prokaryotic/eukaryotic cell, plant/animal cell.
• Biomolecules:
  • Key Concepts: Proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, enzymes, secondary metabolites.
  • Important Topics:
    • Carbohydrates: Classification and functions (monosaccharides - glucose, ribose, deoxyribose; disaccharides - maltose, lactose, sucrose; polysaccharides - glycogen, starch, cellulose, inulin, chitin).
    • Proteins: Amino acids (structure: glycine, alanine, serine; zwitter-ion; acidic, basic, neutral, sulphur-containing examples; essential/non-essential). Levels of protein structure (primary, secondary, tertiary, quaternary). Functions of proteins.
    • Lipids: Classification, structure, and functions of fats and oils.
    • Enzymes: General properties, nomenclature, classification by reaction type. Co-factors (prosthetic groups, coenzymes, metal ions). Factors affecting enzyme activity (temperature, pH, substrate concentration, competitive inhibitors). Secondary metabolites (definition and examples).
• Cell Cycle and Cell Division:
  • Key Concepts: Cell cycle, mitosis, meiosis, and their significance.
  • Important Topics: C-value. Stages of cell cycle (G0, G1, S, G2, M). Stages of mitosis and meiosis (prophase I) with diagrams. Significance of mitosis and meiosis. Differences between mitosis and meiosis.

Unit 4: Plant Physiology (17 Marks)

• Photosynthesis in Higher Plants:
  • Key Concepts: Photosynthesis as autotrophic nutrition, site of photosynthesis, pigments involved (elementary idea). Photochemical and biosynthetic phases. Cyclic and non-cyclic photophosphorylation. Chemiosmotic hypothesis. Photorespiration. C3 and C4 pathways. Factors affecting photosynthesis.
  • Important Topics: Differences between absorption and action spectra. Photosynthetic pigments (chlorophyll a/b, carotenoids, xanthophyll). Photochemical phase (pigment systems). Biosynthetic phase (C3 cycle - carboxylation, glycolytic reversal, pentose regeneration). Kranz anatomy. C4 cycle (Hatch and Slack pathway). Differences between C3/C4 plants, C3/C4 cycles, Photosystems I/II. Photorespiration (brief, significance, RuBP carboxylase as RuBP oxygenase). Blackman's Law of limiting factors. Factors affecting photosynthesis (light, CO2, temperature, water).
• Respiration in Plants:
  • Key Concepts: Exchange of gases. Cellular respiration (glycolysis, fermentation - anaerobic; TCA cycle, electron transport system - aerobic). Energy relations (ATP molecules generated). Amphibolic pathways. Respiratory quotient.
  • Important Topics: Types of respiration. Mechanism of respiration (glycolysis, Krebs' cycle, ETS - flowchart only). Oxidative phosphorylation. Fermentation. Amphibolic pathway. Respiratory quotient and RQ values for carbohydrates, proteins, fats.
• Plant Growth and Development:
  • Key Concepts: Seed germination, phases of plant growth, plant growth rate. Differentiation, dedifferentiation, redifferentiation. Sequence of developmental processes in plant cell. Growth regulators (auxin, gibberellin, cytokinin, ethylene, ABA).
  • Important Topics: Hypogeal, epigeal, viviparous germination with examples. Differentiation, dedifferentiation, redifferentiation (brief idea). Phases of growth in meristems. Growth rate (definition, measurement by direct method, auxanometer). Factors affecting growth. Discovery and physiological role of growth regulators (auxins, gibberellins, cytokinins, ethylene, abscisic acid - four effects each). Application of growth regulators.

Unit 5: Human Physiology (18 Marks)

• Breathing and Exchange of Gases:
  • Key Concepts: Respiratory organs in animals (recall). Respiratory system in humans. Mechanism of breathing, exchange of gases, transport of gases, regulation of breathing. Respiratory volumes. Disorders related to respiration.
  • Important Topics: Organs involved in respiration. Mechanism of pulmonary gas exchange. Breathing process (diaphragm, intercostal muscles). Regulation of breathing. Transport of oxygen (oxyhaemoglobin dissociation curve). Transport of CO2 (chloride shift). Pulmonary air volumes and lung capacities. Disorders (asthma, emphysema, occupational respiratory disorders).
• Body Fluids and Circulation:
  • Key Concepts: Composition of blood, blood groups, coagulation of blood. Composition of lymph and its functions. Human circulatory system (heart, blood vessels). Cardiac cycle, cardiac output, ECG. Double circulation. Regulation of cardiac activity. Disorders of circulatory system.
  • Important Topics: Blood plasma composition, functions of plasma proteins, blood corpuscles. ABO groups (transfusion). Rh factor (transfusion, pregnancy). Blood clotting (brief). Lymphatic system (composition, function). Closed vs. open vascular system. External/internal heart structure. Heart working and blood flow (auricular systole/diastole, ventricular systole/diastole, joint diastole). Stroke volume, cardiac output. Regulation of heart beat. ECG. Arterial blood pressure (systolic, diastolic). Double circulation. Internal structure of artery, vein, capillary. ABO groups importance. Rh factor importance. Lymphatic capillaries, lymph nodes. Disorders (hypertension, CAD, angina pectoris, heart failure).
• Excretory Products and their Elimination:
  • Key Concepts: Modes of excretion (ammonotelism, ureotelism, uricotelism). Human excretory system (structure, function). Urine formation, osmoregulation. Regulation of kidney function. Role of other organs in excretion. Disorders of excretory system.
  • Important Topics: Ammonotelism, ureotelism, uricotelism (define, differentiate, explain). Kidney (external/internal structure - L.S.). Nephron structure. Urine formation (ultrafiltration, selective reabsorption, active tubular secretion). Counter current system. Regulation of urine formation. Micturition. Renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system. Atrial natriuretic factor, ADH, erythropoietin. Role of skin, liver, lungs in excretion. Homeostasis. Disorders (uraemia, renal failure, renal calculi, nephritis). Haemodialysis. Kidney transplant.
• Locomotion and Movement:
  • Key Concepts: Types of movement (ciliary, flagellar, muscular). Skeletal muscles (contractile proteins, muscle contraction). Skeletal system and its functions. Joints. Disorders of muscular/skeletal system.
  • Important Topics: Human skeleton (number/names of axial/appendicular bones). Functions of human skeleton. Types of joints (location, function). General properties of muscles. Skeletal muscle structure (sliding filament theory). Chemical events during muscle contraction. Summation, tetanus, rigor mortis. Red vs. white muscles. Disorders (Myasthenia gravis, Tetany, Muscular dystrophy, Arthritis, Osteoporosis, gout).
• Neural Control and Coordination:
  • Key Concepts: Neuron, nerves. Nervous system in humans (CNS, PNS, visceral). Generation and conduction of nerve impulse.
  • Important Topics: Types of neurons (unipolar, bipolar, pseudounipolar, multipolar). Brain and spinal cord (structure, functions). Nerve impulse conduction (nerve fibre - myelinated/non-myelinated; synapse).
• Chemical Co-ordination and Integration:
  • Key Concepts: Human endocrine system (hypothalamus, pituitary, pineal, thymus, thyroid, parathyroid, adrenal, GI tract, pancreas, gonads). Mechanism of hormone action (elementary idea). Role of hormones as messengers/regulators. Hypo/hyperactivity and related disorders.
  • Important Topics: Location of endocrine glands. Hypothalamus role. Hormones from pituitary lobes (functions). Feedback control of tropic hormones. Hormones of pineal, thymus, thyroid, parathyroid, pancreas, adrenal, GI tract (gastrin, secretin, GIP, CCK-PZ), gonads. Hormone action mechanism (cAMP, steroid hormones). Effects of hypo/hyper secretion of mentioned glands (dwarfism, acromegaly, cretinism, goiter, exophthalmic goiter, diabetes mellitus/insipidus, Grave's disease, Addison's disease).