Cambridge IGCSE · 0610 · Data 2020–2025
Most-tested topics in IGCSE Biology
Just 3 chapters — Experimental skills and investigations, Human nutrition, Reproduction — carry about 40% of all the marks. Revise those first.
Based on 250 real Cambridge past papers and 32,993 tagged marks, 2020–2025. Ranked by marks, not guesswork.
Historical counts from past papers — not an exam prediction. Download the data (CSV)
Revise these first
The topics that carry the most marks, highest first. Each opens the free past-paper questions.
- 1Practise →22.3 Recording results, tables and graphs11% of marksExperimental skills and investigationsEvery year
- 2Practise →22.1 Experimental design and variables9% of marksExperimental skills and investigationsEvery year
- 3Practise →5.1 Enzymes4% of marksEnzymesEvery year
- 4Practise →22.4 Biological drawing and magnification3% of marksExperimental skills and investigationsEvery year
- 5Practise →4.1 Biological molecules3% of marksBiological moleculesEvery year
- 6Practise →22.2 Measurement and apparatus3% of marksExperimental skills and investigationsEvery year
- 7Practise →2.1 Cell structure3% of marksCellsEvery year
- 8Practise →6.1 Photosynthesis3% of marksPlant nutritionEvery year
See the full breakdown — all 66 topics across 22 chapters
Experimental skills and investigations
29% of marks- 22.3 Recording results, tables and graphsEvery year3650 marks · 283 qs
- 22.1 Experimental design and variablesEvery year2916 marks · 210 qs
- 22.4 Biological drawing and magnificationEvery year1058 marks · 61 qs
- 22.2 Measurement and apparatusEvery year1031 marks · 59 qs
- 22.5 Food tests and qualitative analysisEvery year768 marks · 99 qs
Human nutrition
6% of marks- 7.1 DietEvery year454 marks · 95 qs
- 7.2 Digestive systemEvery year443 marks · 100 qs
- 7.4 Chemical DigestionEvery year435 marks · 122 qs
- 7.5 AbsorptionEvery year301 marks · 79 qs
- 7.3 Physical DigestionEvery year238 marks · 49 qs
Reproduction
5% of marks- 16.4 Sexual reproduction in humansEvery year605 marks · 163 qs
- 16.3 Sexual reproduction in plantsEvery year470 marks · 97 qs
- 16.5 Sex hormones in humansEvery year306 marks · 68 qs
- 16.1 Asexual reproductionEvery year144 marks · 57 qs
- 16.2 Sexual reproductionEvery year128 marks · 35 qs
- 16.6 Sexually transmitted infectionsEvery year111 marks · 24 qs
Cells
5% of marks- 2.1 Cell structureEvery year976 marks · 230 qs
- 2.2 Size of specimensEvery year762 marks · 114 qs
Movement into and out of cells
5% of marks- 3.1 DiffusionEvery year711 marks · 123 qs
- 3.2 OsmosisEvery year601 marks · 157 qs
- 3.3 Active transportEvery year262 marks · 71 qs
Respiration
4% of marks- 12.1 RespirationEvery year749 marks · 134 qs
- 12.2 Aerobic respirationEvery year392 marks · 80 qs
- 12.3 Anaerobic respirationEvery year320 marks · 109 qs
Plant nutrition
4% of marks- 6.1 PhotosynthesisEvery year928 marks · 221 qs
- 6.2 Leaf structureEvery year481 marks · 110 qs
Characteristics of living organisms
4% of marks- 1.3 Features of organismsEvery year729 marks · 116 qs
- 1.2 Concept and uses of classification systemsEvery year477 marks · 124 qs
- 1.1 Characteristics of living organismsEvery year182 marks · 93 qs
Coordination and response
4% of marks- 14.1 Coordination and responseEvery year382 marks · 104 qs
- 14.3 HormonesEvery year317 marks · 94 qs
- 14.2 Sense organsEvery year246 marks · 77 qs
- 14.4 HomeostasisEvery year225 marks · 62 qs
- 14.5 Tropic responsesEvery year156 marks · 67 qs
Human influences on ecosystems
4% of marks- 20.3 PollutionEvery year509 marks · 101 qs
- 20.2 Habitat destructionEvery year318 marks · 59 qs
- 20.4 ConservationEvery year274 marks · 53 qs
- 20.1 Food supplyEvery year195 marks · 31 qs
Transport in animals
4% of marks- 9.4 BloodEvery year391 marks · 82 qs
- 9.3 Blood vesselsEvery year341 marks · 88 qs
- 9.2 HeartEvery year325 marks · 99 qs
- 9.1 Circulatory systemsEvery year233 marks · 57 qs
Enzymes
4% of marks- 5.1 EnzymesEvery year1240 marks · 266 qs
Transport in plants
4% of marks- 8.3 TranspirationEvery year374 marks · 106 qs
- 8.1 Xylem and phloemEvery year346 marks · 83 qs
- 8.2 Water uptakeEvery year312 marks · 65 qs
- 8.4 TranslocationEvery year138 marks · 41 qs
Organisms and their environment
3% of marks- 19.2 Food chains and food websEvery year367 marks · 112 qs
- 19.1 Energy flowEvery year304 marks · 74 qs
- 19.4 PopulationsEvery year268 marks · 78 qs
- 19.3 Nutrient cyclesEvery year212 marks · 77 qs
Biological molecules
3% of marks- 4.1 Biological moleculesEvery year1055 marks · 166 qs
Inheritance
3% of marks- 17.1 Chromosomes, genes and proteinsEvery year416 marks · 147 qs
- 17.4 Monohybrid inheritanceEvery year268 marks · 110 qs
- 17.3 MeiosisEvery year164 marks · 38 qs
- 17.2 MitosisEvery year159 marks · 48 qs
Variation and selection
3% of marks- 18.1 VariationEvery year388 marks · 94 qs
- 18.3 SelectionEvery year269 marks · 74 qs
- 18.2 Adaptive featuresEvery year191 marks · 55 qs
Diseases and immunity
2% of marks- 10.1 Diseases and immunityEvery year575 marks · 193 qs
Biotechnology and genetic modification
2% of marks- 21.2 BiotechnologyEvery year242 marks · 55 qs
- 21.3 Genetic modificationEvery year143 marks · 78 qs
- 21.1 Biotechnology and genetic modificationRecurring135 marks · 20 qs
Gas exchange in humans
1% of marks- 11.1 Gas exchange in humansEvery year433 marks · 147 qs
Excretion in humans
1% of marks- 13.1 Excretion in humansEvery year297 marks · 114 qs
Drugs
0% of marks- 15.1 DrugsEvery year157 marks · 47 qs
Turn the data into practice
Every topic above is drawn from real Cambridge IGCSE Biology papers, tagged to the syllabus. Students can drill the high-frequency topics in the free bank; teachers can turn any of them into a ready-to-print worksheet in seconds. Or explore the full six-year trends in the interactive records.