StudySmarter - The all-in-one study app.
4.8 • +11k Ratings
More than 3 Million Downloads
Free
Americas
Europe
There are two GCSE Combined Science courses: Trilogy and Synergy. Do you know that "trilogy" means "a group of three"? As the name suggests, the Trilogy Combined Science curriculum is structured into three main sections: biology, chemistry and physics. However, you may not have come across the term "synergy". This relates to the combined interaction of the three sciences coming together to have a more significant overall effect. But how does this correlate to GCSE Combined Science and its course structure?
Explore our app and discover over 50 million learning materials for free.
Lerne mit deinen Freunden und bleibe auf dem richtigen Kurs mit deinen persönlichen Lernstatistiken
Jetzt kostenlos anmeldenThere are two GCSE Combined Science courses: Trilogy and Synergy. Do you know that "trilogy" means "a group of three"? As the name suggests, the Trilogy Combined Science curriculum is structured into three main sections: biology, chemistry and physics. However, you may not have come across the term "synergy". This relates to the combined interaction of the three sciences coming together to have a more significant overall effect. But how does this correlate to GCSE Combined Science and its course structure?
An orchestra is an excellent example of synergy. Think about all the different instruments coming together, from saxophones to violins to triangles! They all work together and harmonise to make a symphony. Each orchestra member has strengths and contributions that they bring to the final sound.
Individually, they may sound a little flat, but together they can create a masterpiece!
Synergy is the combined power of a group of things working together. This power is greater than if the things worked separately.
Synergy is often used in business contexts. Think teamwork! A group of people can achieve more working together than one person can by themselves. In other words, it is the process of individuals combining their knowledge, efforts and resources to achieve something more productive and effective than if done alone.
Examples of synergy don't only occur in business or orchestras. It can be seen all throughout nature. Synergistic relationships exist between living organisms, where their combined effort, or 'teamwork', produces a more significant result than if the organisms did not interact. A few types of synergistic relationships occur in nature, such as mutualism, group living, altruism and reciprocity.
Parasitism is another type of synergistic relationship found in nature. However, it is more damaging than beneficial as it can have detrimental effects on the host organism.
Parasitism refers to the close relationship between different species, where one, the parasite, lives on or inside the host organism, causing it harm.
The parasite is usually adapted in some way to live its life like this. It is a non-mutual relationship as the parasite doesn't work together with the host but instead takes from the host, causing damage and even death in some cases.
Examples of parasites include tapeworms, fleas, viruses and protozoa.
Mutualistic relationships are positive interactions between different species. Both species perform a “service” for each other that they can't perform by themselves. Mutualism can be thought of as an example of synergy.
Sea Anemones and Clownfish
Animals obtain benefits from living and working together as a group. Thus, group living is a synergistic interaction.
Benefits of Living in Groups
Animals that live in groups often experience altruism and reciprocity.
Altruism is behaviour that benefits other organisms but not yourself. It is a synergistic interaction because it provides more benefit to the group than if every individual acted selfishly.
Vampire Bats
Reciprocity is returning an altruistic favour. It's hard to prove in nature, but a few examples do exist.
Rats
You might be wondering how the concept of synergy relates to the structure of your science GCSE. So synergy is all about working together, right? In this course, you learn the three sciences together. The Synergy course is split into several topics. Each contains components of biology, chemistry, and physics.
Here's an overview of the course structure. Each subtopic has a few questions that summarise their content and, hopefully, get you feeling inquisitive!
This topic provides the physical, chemical, and biological foundations for your course - the building blocks for developing scientific thinking and understanding by covering everything from tiny atoms to cells to the nature of particles to show how ideas are linked.
States of Matter:
What are the three states of matter?
How do the particles behave in each state of matter?
How can you change an object's state of matter?
Atomic Structure:
How has the theory of atomic structure changed over time?
What is the atomic model?
How do subatomic particles influence the properties of an element?
Cells:
How do microscopes work?
What functions do Cell Organelles carry out?
How do cells reproduce?
Waves:
What are waves?
What is the electromagnetic spectrum?
What are the everyday applications of the electromagnetic spectrum?
This topic focuses on the internal systems that work together to keep animals and plants alive. It's zooming out a little compared to the previous module by looking at the delicate balance of the multiple systems and processes needed to transport various states of matter over more considerable distances.
Systems in the Human Body:
How do humans respire?
How do the heart and lungs work together to support respiration?
How do organ systems work together?
Photosynthesis:
What is photosynthesis?
How are plants adapted for photosynthesis?
How do plants transport chemicals?
This topic examines how human health can be impacted by the natural environment or our own decisions. This one may seem a little confusing just by its title, but it is about the balance of lifestyle, the surrounding environment and health.
Lifestyle and Health:
What are non-communicable diseases?
How can your lifestyle affect your health?
How does contraception influence the female hormone cycle?
Radiation and Risk
What is radioactive decay?
How can radiation affect your health?
Diseases:
How are communicable diseases spread?
How can the body defend itself against pathogens?
How can we prevent and treat diseases?
One of the main aims of science is to build and organise thoughts to explain changes and make predictions about the universe. This topic uncovers and explores how the natural world has changed over time, including the influence of humans.
The Earth's Atmosphere:
How did Earth's atmosphere develop?
How are carbon and water cycled around the planet?
How have humans impacted the physical world?
Ecosystems and Biodiversity:
How are ecosystems organised?
How do organisms interact with one another?
How have humans affected ecosystems?
Inheritance:
How do our genes affect who we are?
How do our genes determine our sex?
Variation and Evolution:
This topic draws on your understanding of atomic structure and its effects on elements. This more chemical-based module covers all things periodic table, chemical equations and patterns between the various elements.
The Periodic Table:
Chemical Quantities:
This topic investigates the physical laws that govern the world. Think about the various forces between atoms and larger molecular structures and how these interact and can be applied to industry.
Forces and Energy Changes:
How do forces work?
How do you calculate energy?
Can energy be stored?
Structure and Bonding:
What types of chemical bonds are there?
How do chemical bonds affect the properties of a substance?
Magnetism and Electromagnetism:
This physics-based topic will help you gain an understanding of the forces behind movement and its varying speeds. You'll also learn how the movements of electrons create electric currents to keep our homes and cities running.
Forces and Motion:
How can you measure motion?
What is kinetic energy?
What are Newton's Laws?
Electricity:
This topic covers the chemical substances of acids and alkalis — what they are, how they react, and how to measure them. It's about characterising these substances so that predictions about chemical changes can be established and patterns can be observed.
Reactions of Acids:
What products are formed when acids react?
What is a neutralisation reaction?
How does energy change during a reaction?
The pH Scale:
Think about the many variables that can manipulate the speed of a reaction, such as catalysts and the energy changes accompanying the formation and breaking of bonds. This topic shines a light on chemical reactions and the factors that affect them.
Reaction Rates:
Reversible Reactions
The Reactivity Series
In this topic, you'll get to grips with natural resources and how we can alter our consumption to provide a sustainable future for our planet. It's about the search for sustainable solutions to the many challenges humans face.
Carbon Chemistry
Metal Extraction
How can we extract metals by the reduction of oxides?
How can we extract metals using electrolysis?
Energy Resources
What are the different types of energy resources?
How can we make energy use more efficient?
What is energy efficiency?
Material Resources
This final topic doesn't have any facts or concepts to learn. Instead, it teaches you the skills to work like a scientist. You'll learn how to think scientifically through researching, developing hypotheses and having a keen eye for detail.
Experiments are an essential part of science. By the end of this course, you will have acquired the skills and strategies to plan and perform an experiment. After the experiment, you'll know how to analyse and evaluate your results.
Get ready to draw some graphs!
Finally, this topic will teach you how to write like a scientist. Using proper vocabulary, units and symbols is important and will be needed in your exams.
1. Andrew Spacey, Altruism: Examples of How Wild Animals Care for Their Own and Others, Owlcation, 2022
2. AQA, GCSE Combined Science: Synergy Specification, 2019
3. Cambridge Dictionary, Synergy, 2022
4. Claudia Rutte, Generalized Reciprocity in Rats, PLoS Biology, 2007
5. Nicholas B. Davies, An Introduction to Behavioural Ecology, 2012
6. Scott Auerbach, Examples of Synergy in Nature, Sciencing, 2021
Synergy is a variation of the GCSE Combined Science course.
The Synergy course teaches the three sciences altogether, whilst the Trilogy course teaches them separately.
Combined Science: Synergy is worth two GCSEs.
Lots of animals live in groups and obtain benefits (such as improved hunting) from this teamwork.
The synergistic effect in chemistry occurs when combining two chemicals produces a greater effect than the effects of both individual chemicals.
Flashcards in Synergy1877
Start learningDefine osmosis in terms of water potential.
Osmosis is the movement of water molecules down a water potential gradient, through a semipermeable membrane.
What is the water potential of pure water?
0kPa.
What are the three types of tonicity?
Hypotonic, isotonic and hypertonic.
Compare plant cells placed in a hypertonic solution to plant cells placed in a hypotonic solution.
In a hypertonic solution, plant cells will undergo plasmolysis and will become flaccid.
But in a hypotonic solution, planning cells will become turgid and firm.
Compare animal cells placed in a hypertonic solution to animal cells placed in a hypotonic solution.
In a hypertonic solution, animal cells will become crenated and shrink.
But in a hypotonic solution, animal cells will undergo cytolysis (cell bursting).
Under what tonicity do plant cells and animal cells perform best?
Plant cells perform best in hypotonic solutions.
Animal cells perform best in isotonic solutions.
Already have an account? Log in
The first learning app that truly has everything you need to ace your exams in one place
Sign up to highlight and take notes. It’s 100% free.
Save explanations to your personalised space and access them anytime, anywhere!
Sign up with Email Sign up with AppleBy signing up, you agree to the Terms and Conditions and the Privacy Policy of StudySmarter.
Already have an account? Log in