System integration at Higher Level: Shared with SL: why the parts of a living system must be coordinated.
Practise this as you read
- Explain why coordination is needed.
- Outline an example of integration.
Free preview
This is the free notes preview
You're reading the free notes. Aimnova Pro unlocks the full study experience — and you can try it with your first topic free to keep:
- FlashcardsLock in vocabulary and key terms with spaced repetition.
- Practice questionsAnswer exam-style questions and get instant AI marking.
- Mock exams & past-paper vaultSit full mocks and see exactly how examiners award marks.
- Personalised study planA daily plan built around your exam date and weak areas.
The big idea: A living system is made of parts, each with its own job. Integration means the parts are coordinated, so that together they perform one overall function. Without coordination the parts would work at their own pace and the system would fail.
The points to remember
- A system is made of parts, each with its own job.
- Integration: the parts are coordinated.
- Coordination needs communication: nerve impulses and hormones.
- Together the parts perform one overall function.
- Integration is necessary in every living system.
Remember it as: Many parts, one job.
Real example: running for a bus. When you start to run, your leg muscles contract harder, your heart beats faster and your breathing deepens, all within seconds. Each organ changes because nerves and hormones coordinate them, so oxygen and glucose reach the muscles as fast as they are used.
Trap: Integration is not the same as each part working hard: the parts must change together, in a coordinated way, to perform the overall function.
Know your predicted grade
Take timed mock exams and get detailed feedback on every answer. See exactly where you're losing marks.
How it is asked: Expect a short question on why coordination is needed in a living system, with an example.
Explain why coordination is necessary in a multicellular organism.
Model answer plan
See the answer broken into clear points, with guidance on how each point earns marks.