Enzymes and digestion

Enzymes and digestion for Access to HE Environmental Science: what it means, how to set the working out, and the questions it is asked in.
  • Access to HE
  • Environmental Science
  • Spec P13 · P1
  • 9 min read
  • 10 revision boxes

Introduction

2 boxes
1 min read

What is enzymes and digestion?

Listen to this box

Transcript

A short spoken summary of enzymes and digestion and where it is used.

A spoken walk-through of enzymes and digestion before you read the notes.
The examiner marks the working, so a correct answer with no method still drops marks.
Worth knowing: a2+b2=c2a^2 + b^2 = c^2.
2 rows

The enzymes and digestion reference table

This idea appears again in the higher-mark questions, so it is worth over-learning.
The layout below is the one the mark scheme expects.

Diagram showing enzymes and digestion laid out step by step

The same idea drawn out, so the method is visible.
Term
Meaning
Example
Common slip
Row 1 column 1
Row 1 column 2
49=7\sqrt{49} = 7
Row 1 column 4
Row 2 column 1
Row 2 column 2
a2+b2=c2a^2 + b^2 = c^2
Row 2 column 4

Learning

6 boxes
4 steps

How to work with enzymes and digestion

Sketch the shape even when the question does not ask for one — it makes the next step obvious.
Worth knowing: a2+b2=c2a^2 + b^2 = c^2.
  1. Read the question and write down what is being asked for.
  2. Set out the working for enzymes and digestion in the order the method gives.
  3. Substitute the values and simplify.
Start from the definition and substitute the numbers the question gives you.
Simplify one line at a time: 49=7\sqrt{49} = 7.
Answer: a2+b2=c2a^2 + b^2 = c^2
3 rules

Key facts: Enzymes and digestion

Practise the routine version until it is automatic, then move to the multi-step questions.
  • Rule 1

    How enzymes and digestion behaves in the 1st of the cases the specification names.
    ×10\times 10 moves every digit one column left
  • Rule 2

    How enzymes and digestion behaves in the 2nd of the cases the specification names.
    160\approx 160
3 steps

How to work with enzymes and digestion

The examiner marks the working, so a correct answer with no method still drops marks.
Worth knowing: a2+b2=c2a^2 + b^2 = c^2.
  1. Read the question and write down what is being asked for.
  2. Set out the working for enzymes and digestion in the order the method gives.
  3. Substitute the values and simplify.
Start from the definition and substitute the numbers the question gives you.
Simplify one line at a time: 160\approx 160.
Answer: 160\approx 160
2 rules

Key facts: Enzymes and digestion

This idea appears again in the higher-mark questions, so it is worth over-learning.
The layout below is the one the mark scheme expects.

Diagram showing enzymes and digestion laid out step by step

The same idea drawn out, so the method is visible.
Worth knowing: ×10\times 10 moves every digit one column left.
  • Rule 1

    How enzymes and digestion behaves in the 1st of the cases the specification names.
    ×10\times 10 moves every digit one column left
  • Rule 2

    How enzymes and digestion behaves in the 2nd of the cases the specification names.
    49=7\sqrt{49} = 7
4 steps

How to work with enzymes and digestion

Sketch the shape even when the question does not ask for one — it makes the next step obvious.
Worth knowing: 34×25\frac{3}{4} \times \frac{2}{5}.
  1. Read the question and write down what is being asked for.
  2. Set out the working for enzymes and digestion in the order the method gives.
  3. Substitute the values and simplify.
  4. Check the answer against an estimate before writing it down.
Start from the definition and substitute the numbers the question gives you.
Simplify one line at a time: x2+5x+6=0x^2 + 5x + 6 = 0.
Answer: x2+5x+6=0x^2 + 5x + 6 = 0
3 rules

Key facts: Enzymes and digestion

Practise the routine version until it is automatic, then move to the multi-step questions.
Worth knowing: ×10\times 10 moves every digit one column left.
  • Rule 1

    How enzymes and digestion behaves in the 1st of the cases the specification names.
    34×25\frac{3}{4} \times \frac{2}{5}
  • Rule 2

    How enzymes and digestion behaves in the 2nd of the cases the specification names.
    160\approx 160
  • Rule 3

    How enzymes and digestion behaves in the 3rd of the cases the specification names.
    160\approx 160

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Examples

2 boxes
1 marks · worked

Worked example: enzymes and digestion

Work through the method one line at a time and write down what changes at each step.
Worth knowing: 160\approx 160.
2 marks · worked

Practice question 10: x2+5x+6=0x^2 + 5x + 6 = 0

The examiner marks the working, so a correct answer with no method still drops marks.
The layout below is the one the mark scheme expects.

Diagram showing enzymes and digestion laid out step by step

The same idea drawn out, so the method is visible.

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Common questions

How many marks is enzymes and digestion usually worth?
Between one and four, depending on how many steps the question asks for.
Is this on the Access to HE Environmental Science paper?
Yes — it sits in the Research methods strand.