Key term
CCEA A-Level Life and Health Sciences 0008
Experimental Techniques
Human Body Systems
Topic overviewBlood vessels, the heart and cardiac outputHeart sounds, ECG traces, pulse and blood pressureBody fluids, haemoglobin and the Bohr effectThe respiratory system, gas exchange and lung diseaseMonitoring breathing and lung volumesCellular respiration and ATPHomeostasis, blood glucose and thyroxineSodium, blood pH and oxygen saturationA balanced diet and nutritional needs through lifeCholesterol, minerals, vitamins, alcohol and exercise
Physical Chemistry in Industrial Processes
Topic overviewMoles, reacting masses and percentage yieldTitration types, indicators and standard solutionsTitration calculations and molarityEnthalpy changes and calorimetryHess's law and average bond enthalpiesCollision theory, rates and the Maxwell–Boltzmann distributionCatalysts, chemisorption and catalytic convertersReversible reactions, the Haber process and the Contact processScale-up, costs and siting a chemical plant
Brain ScienceDouble Award
Topic overviewBrain structure and frontal lobe damageNeurones, synapses and the endocrine systemAlzheimer's disease, Huntington's disease and stem cell therapySchizophrenia and mental health awareness in Northern IrelandThe biology of aggression and methods of studying the brainStress, the stress response and stress managementMemory models, forgetting and eyewitness testimonyAbnormality, phobias, depression and OCDExperiments, observations, self-report and research designHypotheses, sampling, ethics and descriptive statistics
Material ScienceDouble Award
Topic overviewMaterial properties and selectionStress, strain and the Young modulusStress–strain graphs, creep and fatigueDensity, hardness and conductivity testingMetals, ceramics, glasses, polymers and compositesAtomic and microscopic structure of materialsAlloys, annealing and biomaterialsSmart materialsNanomaterials and semiconductors
Medicine, Drugs and Clinical TrialsDouble Award
Topic overviewCategories of medicine and routes to drug discoveryMedicines from natural sources, drug names and the ATC systemDrug development, preclinical testing and the therapeutic indexPhases of clinical trials and trial designLicensing, UK regulators, Yellow Card and trial ethicsFormulations, routes of administration and drug absorptionDistribution, metabolism, elimination and sites of drug actionQuantitative analysis of medicines and antibacterial bioassays
Scientific Method, Investigation, Analysis and Evaluation
Topic overviewThe scientific method, literature reviews and Harvard referencingDescriptive statistics and the normal distributionNull hypotheses, significance and choosing a statistical testInvestigation design, Design of Experiments and project plansGood Laboratory Practice, risk assessment and COSHHExperimental error, scientific writing and evaluation
Organic Chemistry
Topic overviewOrganic formulae, homologous series and functional groupsIUPAC naming and types of organic reactionStructural isomerism and E/Z isomerismAlkanes from crude oil, combustion and halogenationVehicle pollutants, catalytic converters and biofuelsAlkenes, pi bonds and electrophilic additionClassifying alcohols, making ethanol and its effects as a drugOxidation of alcohols, IR spectroscopy and mass spectrometryAddition polymers, plastic waste and nylonPreparing and purifying aspirin
Medical PhysicsA2 option
Topic overviewBody temperature and clinical thermometersBlood pressure readings and the sphygmomanometerHeart activity experiments and EEG tracesX-ray tubes, radiographs and CT scansFlexible endoscopes, optical fibres and lasersUltrasound A-scans, B-scans and acoustic impedanceMRI scanning and gamma camera imagingAlpha, beta and gamma radiation and half-lifeRadiopharmaceuticals, radiotherapy and radiation protection
Sound and LightA2 option
Topic overviewTransverse and longitudinal waves and wave graphsPhase difference and the electromagnetic spectrumOuter, middle and inner earSound intensity and the decibel scaleStanding waves, harmonics and resonance tubesHearing response, phons and equal loudness curvesStructure of the eye, rods and conesAccommodation, lens power and correcting long sightTotal internal reflection and fibre-optic communicationDipole antennas, wireless networks and radarAttenuation of radio waves and the Doppler effect
Genetics, Stem Cell Research and CloningA2 option
Topic overviewDNA structure and the evidence for the double helixRNA, genes and the triplet codeGenotype, phenotype and monohybrid inheritanceDihybrid crosses, epistasis and the chi-squared testDNA replication and the Meselson–Stahl experimentMeiosis and genetic variationInsulin, factor VIII and chymosin from genetically modified microbesRecombinant DNA technology and gene cloningGenetic engineering, food supply and ethicsGene therapy and cystic fibrosisGenetic disease, screening and counsellingGenetic fingerprinting and gel electrophoresisStem cells, therapeutic cloning and their ethics
MicrobiologyDouble Award
Topic overviewBacteria, fungi and protozoaViruses, viroids and prionsClassifying bacteria, fungi and virusesLight and electron microscopyLaboratory safety, biocontainment and quality assuranceAseptic technique, growth media and inoculationCounting and measuring microbial growthGrowth requirements and growth inhibitionAntibiotics, PCR, gene therapy and pharmaceutical microbiologyThe gut microbiome in health and disease
Oral Health and DentistryDouble Award
Histology and PathologyDouble Award
Topic overviewSpecimen processing, data protection and safety lawClinical biochemistry tests and electrophoresisBlood smears and identifying blood cellsBlood grouping, cross-matching and transfusionDiagnostic and surveillance work in hospital microbiologyPreparing and staining tissue sectionsRecognising tissues, atheroma and emphysema on slides
Analytical Chemistry TechniquesDouble Award
Topic overviewVolumetric analysis in industry and healthcareApplied titrations of vinegar, indigestion tablets and bleachRedox titration of iron tablets and evaluating titrationsPrinciples of colorimetryColorimetric analysis of copper ore, aspirin and ironThin-layer chromatography and its usesVisualising chromatograms and identifying painkillers and pigmentsCalorimetry and combustionMolar enthalpy and bond energy calculationsQualitative tests for cations and gases
Enabling TechnologyDouble Award
Topic overviewECG and EEG machines in patient monitoringUltrasound and IVF equipment in fertility treatmentProsthetic limbs, hearing aids and cochlear implantsWorkflow and equipment in a medical laboratoryOngoing monitoring of a long-term conditionHealth data collection, databases and data protection
Oral Health and Dentistry
- 6 subtopics
- 18 things to know
- A2 7
- A2 6 to A2 10, Double Award only, two of five
What Oral Health and Dentistry covers
Oral Health and Dentistry is examined in Unit A2 7, Oral Health and Dentistry — internally assessed, one of five Double Award optional units (two are taken). It covers structure of the mouth and the five basic tastes, salivary glands, saliva and the composition of teeth, ingestion, teeth and digestion in the mouth, dental caries and acid erosion, periodontal disease, tooth loss and dental antibiotics and dental materials, prosthodontics and the dental team.
Where it is assessed
A2 7
Oral Health and Dentistry — internally assessed, Double Award, two of five.
Check the CCEA specification ↗The 6 subtopics
Each one has its own page.
- Structure of the mouth and the five basic tastesThe vestibule, oral cavity proper, alveolar process, hard and soft palate, isthmus of the fauces, mylohyoid muscles, tongue, lips and taste buds, and what the five basic tastes may indicate.Open →
- Salivary glands, saliva and the composition of teethThe parotid, submaxillary and sublingual glands, saliva in digestion, protection and lubrication, dry mouth, the composition of enamel, dentine and pulp, fluoride and unfluoridated water in Northern Ireland.Open →
- Ingestion, teeth and digestion in the mouthIngestion and forming a bolus, mastication, incisors, canines, premolars and molars, salivary amylase and lingual lipase, haptocorrin, and oral bacteria converting nitrate to nitrite.Open →
- Dental caries and acid erosionHow caries develop and the critical pH, sugar frequency, treatment and prevention, fissure sealants, acid erosion from bulimia and reflux, an eggshell investigation and testing mouthwashes.Open →
- Periodontal disease, tooth loss and dental antibioticsGingivitis and periodontitis, risk factors, treatment and prevention, the effects of tooth loss on health, and amoxicillin, cephalexin and clindamycin in dentistry.Open →
- Dental materials, prosthodontics and the dental teamAmalgam, composite, glass ionomer, ceramics and titanium implants, fixed and removable prosthodontics and how they are retained, and the roles and registration of the dental team.Open →
What you need to know
Answer each one before you reveal it.
Your recallNot started
Key term
Zones of inhibition are 22 mm and 14 mm across for two mouthwashes. How much larger is the first zone's area?
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What is the vestibule of the mouth?
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Why is the mouth important as the first part of the gastrointestinal tract?
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What is gingivitis?
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What properties must a dental filling material have?
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What is the oral cavity proper?
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Name the three pairs of main salivary glands.
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What is ingestion?
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How do dental caries develop?
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How does periodontal disease develop from gingivitis?
Evaluation
Evaluate dental amalgam as a filling material.
Process
What is the alveolar process?
Key term
Compare the structure and secretion of the parotid, submaxillary and sublingual glands.
Process
How is a food bolus formed and swallowed?
Key term
At roughly what pH does enamel begin to dissolve?
Key term
Why is gingivitis reversible but periodontitis is not?
Key term
What is composite resin, and why is it widely used?
Take Oral Health and Dentistry further
The same content, four other ways.
Commonly confused
Pairs that lose marks when they are blurred together.
Dental caries vs Dental erosion
Dental caries: loss of tooth mineral caused by acid from plaque bacteria. Dental erosion: loss of tooth surface caused by acids from drinks or the stomach.
Gingivitis vs Periodontitis
Gingivitis: reversible inflammation of the gums that bleed on brushing. Periodontitis: destruction of bone and ligament around the teeth, forming pockets.
Enamel vs Dentine
Enamel: the hardest outer layer, about 96% mineral. Dentine: the softer layer beneath, about 70% mineral with collagen.
Questions from this topic
Each one with the model answer underneath.
- 1
What is the vestibule of the mouth?
Model answer
The vestibule is the space between the lips and cheeks on the outside and the teeth and gums on the inside. Food is held there briefly during chewing.
- 2
What is the oral cavity proper?
Model answer
The oral cavity proper is the space inside the arches of the teeth. The space is bounded by the palate above and the tongue and floor of the mouth below.
- 3
What is the alveolar process?
Model answer
The alveolar process is the ridge of bone in the upper and lower jaws that holds the teeth in their sockets. The bone is gradually lost after teeth are removed.
- 4
What is the difference between the hard palate and the soft palate?
Model answer
The hard palate is the bony front part of the roof of the mouth, against which the tongue presses food. The soft palate is the muscular back part that rises during swallowing to close off the nasal cavity.
- 5
What is the isthmus of the fauces?
Model answer
The isthmus of the fauces is the opening from the back of the mouth into the pharynx. The opening lies between two folds called the palatoglossal arches.
- 6
What is the role of the mylohyoid muscles?
Model answer
The mylohyoid muscles form the floor of the mouth. The muscles raise the floor of the mouth and the tongue during swallowing.
What is inside Levo
Six ways to work the same material.
Oral Health and Dentistry revision questions
- What does Oral Health and Dentistry cover in CCEA A-Level Life and Health Sciences?
- 6 subtopics: structure of the mouth and the five basic tastes, salivary glands, saliva and the composition of teeth, ingestion, teeth and digestion in the mouth, dental caries and acid erosion, periodontal disease, tooth loss and dental antibiotics and dental materials, prosthodontics and the dental team. Each one has its own page with questions and model answers.
- How is Oral Health and Dentistry organised?
- By the CCEA 0008 specification, subtopic by subtopic, so it matches the order you are taught it in.
Every question in Oral Health and Dentistry, on a schedule.
Attempt a question from memory, write the correct version, then attempt it again. Levo records the jump between your first attempt and your last, and brings each question back on the day you are due to forget it.
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