VCE Biology Question Thread

[plsbegentle]

Hi, for Bio, ASAP, we need to write up an aim and a hypothesis for the following experiment and i was wondering if what i have is good / what can be changed and improved?

All help is appreciated, thanks
Each beaker is filled with 100ml of water and a 90g sachet of gelatine
Beaker 1 - Fresh pineapple and hot water
Beaker 2 - Fresh pineapple and room temp water
Beaker 3 - Canned pineapple and hot water
Beaker 4 - Canned pineapple and room temp water

Aim: To investigate the effect of temperature on the enzyme, bromelain in pineapple.

Hypothesis:
At room temperature, the beakers with fresh pineapple will remain liquid, due to maximal activity of bromelain
At boiling temperature, the beakers with fresh pineapple and gelatine will solidify, due to the denaturing of bromelain
At room temperature, the beakers with canned pineapple and gelatine will become slightly gelled due to the slight effect on bromelain
At boiling temperature, the beakers with canned pineapple and gelatine will solidify, due to the denaturing of bromelain.
The fresh pineapple will be able to break down more of the gelatine with a great amount of enzymes active.

Are all these all separate experiments? if not, there should only be one hypothesis that covers everything. I usually start off with the words "that" or "It is hypothesised". Also, hypothesis always need dependent and independent variables. So for example, "that the rate of reaction will increase(dependent variable) as the the temperature increases(independent variable),however will decrease once the temperature goes beyond the optimal range of the enzyme." In your ones, you haven't really addressed anything, you are just stating what happened in the experiment and then saying it's caused by x,y,z

[NAT0003]

Is biology about memorising mainly

[ish708]

Is biology about memorising mainly

Mainly application really. You need to understand the concepts you are being taught so that you can apply them. Memorising, whilst helpful doesn't help for application. Examiners don't like reading a pre-prepared answer. Message me if you need any help with anything.

[vox nihili]

Is biology about memorising mainly

Agree with that response above. Certainly there's lots to know in Biology, but this new course in particular is starting to shift the emphasis away from simple rote learning to application of knowledge. You'll find the experience of learning biology a lot easier and a lot more enjoyable if you focus on this, rather than trying to rotelearn everything.

[Arithmetic]

Hey all, I was completing some questions and cannot seem to find the answer to this question.

"When a plant closes its stomata it can no longer exchange oxygen and carbon dioxide, therefore the rate of photosynthesis decreases. What is the benefit of closing its stomata?"

My best answer would be saving energy? What do you guys think?

[stephjones]

Hey all, I was completing some questions and cannot seem to find the answer to this question.

"When a plant closes its stomata it can no longer exchange oxygen and carbon dioxide, therefore the rate of photosynthesis decreases. What is the benefit of closing its stomata?"

My best answer would be saving energy? What do you guys think?

It reduces water loss by transpiration - this is usually an adaptation of plants that live in arid & dry environments, because they need to conserve water

[zxcvbnm18]

Can someone explain the inputs and the outputs of the electron transport chain? pls thank you

[Bob2468]

Is there a difference between "grana" and "granum" in relation to thylakoids? If so, please explain.

Thanks in advance

[Calebark]

Can someone explain the inputs and the outputs of the electron transport chain? pls thank you

Do you not know the inputs & outputs, or do you need help understanding where they come from?

Is there a difference between "grana" and "granum" in relation to thylakoids? If so, please explain.

Thanks in advance

Granum is singular, grana is plural.

[tasmia]

hey,
how do I design an experiment if I'm asked to do so in a SAC + how do I know whether to use a bar graph or a line graph?
thanks

[vcestressed]

hey,
how do I design an experiment if I'm asked to do so in a SAC + how do I know whether to use a bar graph or a line graph?
thanks

I've always been told to use a line graph when you are presenting quantitative data and its changes. Bar graphs are used when you want to compare two or more sets of data.
For example, you'd use a line graph if you are comparing the activity of an enzyme in different temperatures.
You'd use a bar graph if you are comparing different activities of different enzymes in different temperatures.
You can learn to design an experiment by looking at VCAA past papers/checkpoints.
Hope this makes sense. Someone pls correct me if i've made a mistake. 

[zxcvbnm18]

Do you not know the inputs & outputs, or do you need help understanding where they come from?

Granum is singular, grana is plural.

I need to know the inputs and the outputs and where they come from as well. Thank you

[plsbegentle]

I need to know the inputs and the outputs and where they come from as well. Thank you

It's very holistic for VCCA to ask you just the inputs and outputs of ETC,however it is within the study design, so i suggest at least learn the in/outs without the exact numbers. Image attached.

I've always been told to use a line graph when you are presenting quantitative data and its changes. Bar graphs are used when you want to compare two or more sets of data.
Hope this makes sense. Someone pls correct me if i've made a mistake. 

Always use line graph unless told other wise. Regarding experimental design, key things must be included: hypothesis, dependent variable and independent variable.If you can address these points, you should be fine.

[vox nihili]

hey,
how do I design an experiment if I'm asked to do so in a SAC + how do I know whether to use a bar graph or a line graph?
thanks

To add to the already fantastic advice you've gotten, I think it's really important when you're presenting an experiment that you really be able to think about these decisions. If you can't decide whether to use a bar or line graph, you need to look at the experiment again more carefully because you haven't understood the data. This is not a criticism or anything at all, it's just a really good marker to go off that tells you that things aren't clicking with a particular experiment

[Robert16]

Hi guys, so I had my first Bio SAC a few weeks ago, it was horrible, made many silly mistakes and walked out with a 30/50 (60%). My guess is that I sit around 6th in the cohort. I know my stuff and I do study, is the chance of a 45 study score gone? I was on top of my year 11 cohort all year