Thank you ssillyssnakes and Erutepa! It makes so much sense now! I really appreciate all your help.
I had more questions to ask from the 2009 Biology Exam 2.
4 a i Describe how this fossil could have formed. 1 mark
I wrote that the bird could have fallen into mud which would have hardened over time. Would this get me the mark? How do you know how much detail to put because the answer says 'rapidly buried by sediment' and hidden from scavengers with other points as well and it's only 1 mark.
I must admit that fossilisation and what not was my least favourite bits of bio, and as such were my weakest areas.
However, when talking about fossilisation, I was always told (by my teacher) that there were 2 critical conditions:
1. Absence of oxygen to prevent decomposition (i.e. from a rapid burial --> gradual burials will still allow for decomposition)
AND
2. Fossil needs to be undisturbed (i.e. by being hidden from scavengers)
Even for a 1 mark question, I would state these two conditions.
This could be misguided, but that's what I have learned
4 b ii Explain how isolation can result in speciation
The answer said to include that there was different genetic variation in the two groups but I was wondering why? All the questions I've done with allopatric speciaion have never included that phrase, including VCAA ones.
You do need genetic variation/different mutation within the two groups. This is important because natural selection requires genetic variation in order to select for advantageous traits. If the population had no genetic variability/no mutations present, speciation would not occur.
Looking at answers from 2016, VCAA do again state that it is necessary for genetic variation to existing within the population in order for speciation to occur. As such, I would recommend including that in your response.
From the same exam, I don't understand questions 7 b and e. I attempted it but I got it wrong and so I don't think I interpreted the questions properly? I'm not sure why VCAA's answer is correct and how they got that?
This appears to be examining content outside of the current study design. Remember that when doing old exams, you will run into stuff that is no longer relevant to the course.
hey guys i just had a question from 2010 exam 1
question 23 multiple choice
i answered enzyme K but enzyme J is the answer. i was just wondering what makes enzyme J any more correct? they are both in an alkaline environment just with different optimum temperature ranges. from what i thought, washing machines washed clothes with hot water therefore this would make enzyme K more correct.
thanks in advance
This is a very weird question. I do agree with Evolio in their reasoning though - If you know about laundry, you can do warm and cold washes, so it makes sense that you would choose the enzyme with the wider temperature range.
Perhaps this is VCAA's way of telling students that they should be doing their own washing haha