IGCSE biology Note © 2026 by Leo Yang is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International
This repository contains a complete set of extended study guides for Cambridge IGCSE Biology 0610, covering Topics 1 to 21 of the official syllabus (2023‑2025). The guides are designed to help students master both Core and Supplement content, with a strong focus on examination techniques, common misconceptions, and key terminology.
All content is written in English and follows the exact structure of the syllabus. It is suitable for self‑study, revision, or classroom support.
Each topic is broken down into detailed, exam‑focused sections with:
- # , ## , ### headings – clear hierarchical structure
- Core & Supplement labels – exactly as required by the syllabus
- Bold definitions – key terms for AO1 recall
- Italics inside triple asterisks – highlights difficult concepts (common mistakes, tricky details, extension ideas)
- Tables – for comparisons (e.g. animal vs plant cells, arteries vs veins, insect‑ vs wind‑pollinated flowers)
- $$ formulas $$ – for quantitative relationships (e.g. magnification, percentage change)
- Exam tips – practical advice from past paper analysis
- Common exam questions – with model answers at the end of each topic block
| Topic | Title | Core / Supplement |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Characteristics and classification of living organisms | Both |
| 2 | Organisation of the organism | Both |
| 3 | Movement into and out of cells | Both |
| 4 | Biological molecules | Both |
| 5 | Enzymes | Both |
| 6 | Plant nutrition | Both |
| 7 | Human nutrition | Both |
| 8 | Transport in plants | Both |
| 9 | Transport in animals | Both |
| 10 | Diseases and immunity | Both |
| 11 | Gas exchange in humans | Both |
| 12 | Respiration | Both |
| 13 | Excretion in humans | Both |
| 14 | Coordination and response | Both |
| 15 | Drugs | Both |
| 16 | Reproduction | Both |
| 17 | Inheritance | Both |
| 18 | Variation and selection | Both |
| 19 | Organisms and their environment | Both |
| 20 | Human influences on ecosystems | Both |
| 21 | Biotechnology and genetic modification | Both |
- Read the topic from start to finish. Pay special attention to triple‑asterisk sections – these are the points where students often lose marks.
- Use the tables as quick revision summaries (e.g. vertebrate classes, digestive enzymes, heart structures).
- Practice the “Common exam questions” at the end of each topic – cover the model answer and try to write your own.
- For formulas (e.g. magnification, percentage change), make sure you can rearrange them and apply them to unfamiliar data.
- The guides are syllabus‑aligned – you can use them as a handout for your students.
- Core / Supplement split is clearly marked, so you can assign only Core for foundation tier and both for extended.
- Exam tips come from real examiner reports – they help students avoid common pitfalls.
All equations are presented inside $$ $$ blocks, e.g.
$$ \text{Magnification} = \frac{\text{Image size}}{\text{Actual size}} $$
Difficult or often‑misunderstood points are wrapped in *** *** so they stand out visually, e.g.
Net movement means the overall direction, not that every individual particle moves that way.
These are practical hints such as:
- Always include the words “net movement” in your definition of diffusion.
- Do not confuse osmosis with diffusion – osmosis is water only.
Each topic ends with a set of short‑answer (1‑2 marks) and extended‑response (3‑6 marks) questions, followed by model answers that show exactly how to structure a high‑mark response.
- Version 1.0 – Complete set for 2023‑2025 syllabus, including all 21 topics.
If you find any error or omission, please open an issue or contact the author. These guides are constantly refined based on student feedback and past paper analysis.
Free for educational use. Not for commercial resale.
Good luck with your IGCSE Biology examination!