BTEC International Level 3 Applied Science

Unit 5: Applications of Chemical Substances — assessment criteria

BTEC International Level 3 Unit 5 (Applications of Chemical Substances) — 30 Guided Learning Hours.

Internal / Optional30 GLH9 criteria
Teaching this subject at Level 2?
🔄 View Level 2 Applied Science units →

Assessment criteria

Reproduced verbatim from the Pearson specification — the same grid the assignment brief carries. A unit grade is the highest band where all criteria in that band (and every band below it) are met.

Pass

3 criteria
A.P1Explain the importance of proteins, nucleic acids and lipids in maintaining physiological and psychological health.
B.P3Explain the effects of physiological diseases and disorders.
C.P3Describe the development and testing of a drug/medicine derived from a natural source and one that has been synthesised for a specific purpose.

Merit

3 criteria
A.M1Discuss how disruption to biological molecules and processes can lead to one physiological and one psychological disease or disorder.
B.M2Analyse the associated effects of treatments of physiological diseases and disorders on the body.
C.M3Discuss the problems that may arise during development and testing of drugs, medicines and treatments.

Distinction

3 criteria
A.D1Evaluate the impact of disruption for one physiological and psychological disease or disorder.
B.D2Evaluate the effects and treatments of physiological diseases and disorders.
C.D3Evaluate the ethical, legal and moral issues of drug/medicine development, testing and treatments for a physiological or a psychological disease or disorder.

Command verbs in this unit

The verb decides the depth expected — that is what separates Pass from Merit and Distinction work on the same learning aim.

ExplainDescribeDiscussAnalyseEvaluate
Pearson's ladder runs Identify → Describe → Explain → Compare / Analyse → Evaluate / Justify / Assess. A Merit or Distinction criterion on the same aim always implies the Pass beneath it: an “evaluate” answer that never first “explains” fails, however polished it reads. Hover a verb for what it demands.

How checkb.tech checks this unit

Upload a learner's submission and checkb.tech reads it against exactly these criteria, reporting each one as met, partly met, or not met — with the evidence that informed the verdict cited, so every call is auditable.

The check runs against the official Pearson documents for this unit, and identical evidence always produces an identical result — the same script gets the same verdict every time.

It never awards a grade. You stay the assessor: confirm, dismiss, or act on every criterion before your assessment decision is final.

Verification & Quality Tools for Unit 5

Free Lead IV and assessor utilities configured for Pearson BTEC International specifications.

More Level 3 Applied Science units

Criteria and aim text reproduced for teacher reference from the official Pearson qualification documentation (Pearson BTEC International Level 3 Qualifications). BTEC is a registered trademark of Pearson Education Limited. checkb.tech is an independent tool — not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Pearson. It never awards a grade; the teacher stays the assessor.