Each acetyl-CoA molecule that enters the Krebs cycle produces:
Elige una respuesta para ver la explicación
Biology is the heaviest section of the IMAT: 23 of the 60 questions, worth 34.5 of the 90 points, and the first criterion in the tie-break order. Questions are short and test definitions and mechanisms — ‘Which of the following occurs in…?’ is the classic stem.
One theme tends to dominate each year: molecular genetics and cell structure in 2024, cellular respiration and human physiology in 2025, physiology and genetics again in 2026. Broad coverage with exact vocabulary beats deep study of one chapter.
Análisis de la distribución de preguntas
Temas de Biology de IMAT: frecuencia
¿Qué temas requieren más atención? Este es el desglose por temas a partir de nuestros datos de preguntas de IMAT:
| Tema | Total | |
|---|---|---|
| Genetics & Molecular Biology | 16 | |
| Bioenergetics: Respiration & Photosynthesis | 14 | |
| Human Anatomy & Physiology | 14 | |
| Biomolecules & Enzymes | 9 | |
| Cell Structure & Organelles | 8 | |
| Membranes & Transport | 5 | |
| Biotechnology | 2 | |
| Cell Division & Reproduction | 1 |
*Question counts per topic in the official IMAT 2024, 2025 and 2026 papers (MUR), Biology section (23 questions), tagged by the PrepTest question bank. Topics are grouped by PrepTest; the topic mix changes from year to year, so treat the table as a guide to priorities, not a prediction.
Ideas clave
- Genetics & molecular biology is the largest block over three years (16 questions), although 2025 had none — DNA structure, replication, transcription and translation.
- Bioenergetics appears every year (14 questions in total): glycolysis, the Krebs cycle, oxidative phosphorylation and fermentation.
- Human physiology returned strongly in 2025 and 2026 (14 questions): digestion, respiration, blood, hormones and muscle contraction.
- Cell structure, biomolecules and membranes add 5–9 questions every year — reliable points for precise vocabulary.
- Biotechnology first appeared in the 2026 paper (restriction enzymes, bacterial transformation).
Análisis de dificultad
Dificultad de los temas y reparto de estudio recomendado
No todos los temas exigen el mismo tiempo. Algunos requieren mucha práctica resolviendo problemas; otros dependen de recordar con precisión conceptos concretos:
Difícil
Genetics & Molecular Biology 2–3 weeksDifícil
Bioenergetics 2 weeksDifícil
Human Anatomy & Physiology 2–3 weeksMedio
Cell Division & Reproduction 1 weekMedio
Biomolecules & Enzymes 1 weekMedio
Biotechnology & Evolution 4–5 daysFácil
Cell Structure & Membranes 1 week¿No sabes por dónde empezar tu preparación?
Haz el test diagnóstico gratuito de IMAT: conoce tu nivel de partida en cada sección y recibe un plan de estudio personalizado con IA.
Hacer el test diagnósticoDesglose del temario oficial
Temas de Biology de IMAT: cómo se evalúa cada uno
Un repaso tema por tema de la sección de Biology del official MUR IMAT syllabus (DM 1005/2026, Allegato A):
01
Chemistry of Life, Biomolecules & Enzymes Medio
- The chemistry of living things and the biological importance of weak interactions (hydrogen bonds).
- Carbohydrates, lipids, proteins and nucleic acids: structure and function.
- The role of enzymes: catalysis, active site, competitive inhibition.
Cómo aparece en IMAT: Classification items (glucose is a hexose, collagen is extracellular) and enzyme definitions. Know why triglycerides are the better energy store.
02
The Cell, Membranes & Transport Fácil
- Cell theory; prokaryotic vs eukaryotic, animal vs plant cells; viruses.
- Organelles and their functions: ribosomes, ER, Golgi, lysosomes, mitochondria, cytoskeleton.
- Membrane structure and transport: channels, carriers, active transport.
Cómo aparece en IMAT: Direct recall: ‘what are ribosomes made of?’, ‘which structure is made of microtubules?’. Exact wording separates the options.
03
Bioenergetics Difícil
- ATP as the energy currency; redox reactions in living things.
- Glycolysis, Krebs cycle, oxidative phosphorylation and fermentation.
- Photosynthesis: where and how it takes place.
Cómo aparece en IMAT: Where each step happens and what it produces — e.g. the NADH, FADH₂, GTP and CO₂ yield of one turn of the Krebs cycle.
04
Cell Cycle, Reproduction & Heredity Medio
- Cell cycle, mitosis and meiosis; chromosome complement.
- Life cycles; sexual and asexual reproduction.
- How meiosis creates genetic diversity.
Cómo aparece en IMAT: ‘What distinguishes meiosis from mitosis?’-style comparisons and chromosome-number reasoning (2n vs n).
05
Genetics: Mendelian, Classical & Molecular Difícil
- Mendel's laws, chromosome theory of inheritance and patterns of inheritance.
- DNA structure and replication, the genetic code, transcription and translation.
- Gene regulation (the operon), mutations and human genetic disease.
Cómo aparece en IMAT: Base-pairing items, definitions (allele, anticodon, operon) and human examples such as sickle-cell haemoglobin.
06
Evolution & Biotechnology Medio
- Natural and artificial selection; theories and genetic basis of evolution.
- Recombinant DNA technology and its applications.
- Restriction enzymes, bacterial transformation, cloning.
Cómo aparece en IMAT: Short definition items: ‘restriction enzymes are endonucleases’, ‘a bacterium is transformed when it takes up foreign DNA’.
07
Human Anatomy & Physiology Difícil
- Animal tissues; homeostasis.
- Digestive, respiratory, circulatory and excretory systems.
- Nervous and endocrine coordination; musculoskeletal system and muscle contraction.
Cómo aparece en IMAT: Function-level questions (alveoli, epiglottis, oxytocin, insulin) plus a few mechanism items such as the Bohr effect or the role of calcium in contraction.
Official MUR Syllabus
The official IMAT programme is Allegato A of the Ministry of University and Research decree for the 2026/27 admission test:
MUR — DM n. 1005 of 06-08-2026Problemas de examen resueltos
Preguntas de ejemplo de Biology de IMAT y tácticas de eliminación
Descubre cómo se construyen las preguntas de biology de IMAT y cómo una eliminación disciplinada evita la penalización de −0.4:
If the sequence CCGTTATTGA is found on a strand of DNA helix, what sequence will be found on the complementary strand?
Elige una respuesta para ver la explicación
Muscle contraction is triggered by an increase in the concentration of calcium ions that bind to:
Elige una respuesta para ver la explicación
Análisis de trampas del examen
Los 5 errores más comunes en Biology de IMAT
Errores conceptuales y tácticos recurrentes que les cuestan puntos decisivos a los estudiantes:
01
Process vs location
Glycolysis happens in the cytoplasm, the Krebs cycle in the mitochondrial matrix, the electron transport chain on the inner membrane. Many options mix up only the location.
02
Near-synonyms
Troponin vs tropomyosin, codon vs anticodon, creatine phosphate vs creatinine — the options are built from pairs like these.
03
Counting molecules
Know the yields per glucose and per acetyl-CoA; ‘2 vs 3 CO₂’ decides the answer.
04
Mitosis vs meiosis
Meiosis makes genetically different haploid cells; mitosis makes identical diploid ones. Check 2n/n at every stage.
05
Skipping physiology
Human physiology gave 14 questions in 2025–2026. It is broad but shallow — learn what every organ and major hormone does.
Hoja de ruta de estudio
Hoja de ruta estratégica de estudio de 10 semanas
Weeks 1–2
Diagnostic & Foundations
Take a timed diagnostic; rebuild the topics marked ‘Easy’ and note every error type: concept, reading or calculation.
Weeks 3–5
Biology & Chemistry First
38 of the 60 questions are Biology and Chemistry. Work through their ‘Medium’ and ‘Hard’ topics in the order of the frequency tables.
Weeks 6–7
Physics, Maths & Logic
Cover the 13-question Physics & Mathematics block and the 5 logic questions with short mixed sets; aim for about 90 seconds per question.
Weeks 8–9
Full Mocks
One full 60-question, 100-minute IMAT mock per week; review every wrong and every guessed answer.
Week 10
Final Polish
Re-do your error log, revise the traps, and practise the skip-or-answer rule: a wrong answer costs −0.4, a blank costs nothing.