Singapore · SEABSyllabus
Combined Science syllabus, dot point by dot point
Every dot point in the Singapore Combined Sciencesyllabus, with a focused answer for each one. Click any dot point for a worked explainer, past exam questions, and links to related dot points. Written by Claude Opus 4.8, Anthropic's latest AI.
Biology: Cells and Human Physiology
Module overview →- What are living things made of, and how do animal and plant cells differ?Identify the parts of animal and plant cells and their functions, compare the two cell types, and describe how cells are organised into tissues, organs and systems7 min answer →
- How do substances move into and out of cells across the cell membrane?Describe diffusion and osmosis, explain how they move substances across cell membranes, and predict the effect of osmosis on plant and animal cells7 min answer →
- How does the body break down food and absorb the nutrients it needs?Describe the human digestive system, explain why large food molecules must be digested, and outline how digested food is absorbed in the small intestine7 min answer →
- How does blood carry substances around the body, and how is the system adapted for its job?Describe the role of the heart, blood vessels and blood in transport, compare arteries, veins and capillaries, and state the functions of the main blood components7 min answer →
Biology: Genetics and Ecology
Module overview →- How is information passed from parents to offspring, and how do we predict the features of the young?Describe chromosomes, genes and DNA, explain dominant and recessive alleles, and use a genetic diagram to predict the offspring of a simple cross8 min answer →
- How does energy flow through living things, and how do food chains link the organisms in a habitat?Describe food chains and food webs, explain the roles of producers, consumers and decomposers, and account for energy loss along a chain7 min answer →
- How do human activities affect the environment, and what can we do to reduce the harm?Describe how human activities such as pollution and deforestation affect the environment, and outline ways to conserve resources and reduce harm7 min answer →
Biology: Plants and Nutrition
Module overview →- What are enzymes, and how do temperature and pH affect how well they work?Describe enzymes as biological catalysts, explain how they speed up reactions, and describe the effect of temperature and pH on enzyme activity7 min answer →
- What nutrients does the human body need, and how do we test foods for them?List the main nutrient groups and their functions, describe a balanced diet, and carry out the food tests for starch, glucose, protein and fat7 min answer →
- How do plants make their own food, and how is the leaf adapted for the job?State the word equation for photosynthesis, describe the conditions it needs, and explain how the leaf is adapted to carry it out7 min answer →
Chemistry: Atoms, Bonding and the Mole
Module overview →- What is an atom made of, and how does the periodic table organise the elements?Describe the structure of the atom in terms of protons, neutrons and electrons, work out proton number and nucleon number, and explain how elements are arranged in the periodic table8 min answer →
- Why do atoms join together, and what is the difference between ionic and covalent bonding?Explain why atoms form bonds, describe ionic bonding as the transfer of electrons and covalent bonding as the sharing of electrons, and relate bonding to simple properties8 min answer →
- How does the arrangement of particles explain the three states of matter, and how do we separate mixtures?Describe the three states of matter using the particle model, explain changes of state, and choose suitable methods to separate mixtures7 min answer →
- How do chemists count atoms by weighing, and what does the mole let us calculate?Define relative atomic mass and the mole, calculate relative formula mass, and find the number of moles from a given mass8 min answer →
Chemistry: Metals and Organic Chemistry
Module overview →- Where do fuels come from, and what happens chemically when we burn them?Describe crude oil as a source of fuels, recognise alkanes as a family of hydrocarbons, and write the products of complete and incomplete combustion7 min answer →
- What is air made of, and how do human activities pollute it and change the climate?State the composition of clean air, name common air pollutants and their sources and effects, and describe the greenhouse effect7 min answer →
- How do we rank metals by reactivity, and how does that decide the way we extract them from their ores?Place metals in order of reactivity from their reactions, use displacement reactions, and relate reactivity to the method used to extract a metal8 min answer →
Chemistry: Reactions, Acids and Salts
Module overview →- What makes a substance acidic or alkaline, and how do acids react with other substances?Describe the properties of acids and bases, use the pH scale and indicators, and write the products of acid reactions with metals, bases and carbonates8 min answer →
- How do we know a chemical reaction has happened, and why do some reactions give out heat while others take it in?Recognise the signs of a chemical reaction, balance simple word and symbol equations, and classify reactions as exothermic or endothermic8 min answer →
- What is a salt, and how do we make a pure, dry sample of one in the laboratory?Describe what a salt is, distinguish soluble and insoluble salts, and outline the preparation of a soluble salt from an acid and an insoluble base8 min answer →
Physics: Measurement, Forces and Energy
Module overview →- What does a force do to an object, and how are force, mass and acceleration linked?Describe the effects of forces, distinguish mass from weight, and apply the relationship force equals mass times acceleration to simple situations8 min answer →
- How do we measure physical quantities accurately, and why do units matter so much in science?Describe the SI base quantities and their units, choose suitable instruments to measure length, volume, mass and time, and read those instruments to the correct precision7 min answer →
- How do we describe how fast something moves and how its motion changes over time?Define speed and acceleration, calculate them from distance and time, and interpret distance-time and speed-time graphs8 min answer →
- What do we mean by work, energy and power, and how is energy stored and transferred?Describe the main stores of energy and the principle of conservation of energy, and calculate work done, kinetic energy, gravitational potential energy and power8 min answer →
Physics: Waves, Electricity and Magnetism
Module overview →- What is an electric current, and how are voltage, current and resistance linked in a circuit?Define current, voltage and resistance, apply Ohm's law, and describe how current and voltage behave in series and parallel circuits8 min answer →
- How does light behave when it meets a surface, and how does it fit into the wider electromagnetic spectrum?Describe reflection and refraction of light, recall the regions and uses of the electromagnetic spectrum, and apply the law of reflection8 min answer →
- How do magnets behave, and how can an electric current be used to make a magnet?Describe the properties of magnets and magnetic fields, explain how an electromagnet works, and state how its strength can be increased7 min answer →
- What is a wave, and how does sound travel from a source to your ear?Describe waves using frequency, wavelength and amplitude, apply the wave equation, and explain how sound travels as a wave that needs a medium7 min answer →