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March 29, 2024, 01:18:54 am

Author Topic: VCE Biology Question Thread  (Read 3570595 times)  Share 

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Owlbird83

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Re: VCE Biology Question Thread
« Reply #11850 on: August 09, 2019, 09:05:04 pm »
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I was wondering if anyone has been to the TSFX exam revision lectures. I looked at the pricing for the lectures and with Unit 3 and 4 Bio lectures, it totalled to $280, and I can't afford that. So I was wondering if anyone could sell me TSFX notes or help me out by recommending cheaper but effective revision lectures for Bio 3/4.

The AtarNotes revision lectures are free! Also, I recommend them, they were helpful!
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pugs

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Re: VCE Biology Question Thread
« Reply #11851 on: August 11, 2019, 10:49:58 pm »
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hey, are DNA profiling and DNA finger printing the same thing? some sources say they are, but some say they're different – just wanted to clarify
thanks! :)


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Erutepa

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Re: VCE Biology Question Thread
« Reply #11852 on: August 12, 2019, 11:11:21 am »
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hey, are DNA profiling and DNA finger printing the same thing? some sources say they are, but some say they're different – just wanted to clarify
thanks! :)
Both terms refer to the same thing.
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sarah15

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Re: VCE Biology Question Thread
« Reply #11853 on: August 14, 2019, 05:41:38 am »
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Hello!
I was wondering if it necessary to understand how to compare chromosomes in order to compare DNA from different species for Biology U3/4.
Also, why is it good that mtDNA has a higher mutation rate than nuclear DNA? Is it because it means that there are more changes in the organisms' DNA, so their evolutionary divergence can be determined?

Erutepa

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Re: VCE Biology Question Thread
« Reply #11854 on: August 14, 2019, 06:31:46 am »
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Hello!
I was wondering if it necessary to understand how to compare chromosomes in order to compare DNA from different species for Biology U3/4.
Also, why is it good that mtDNA has a higher mutation rate than nuclear DNA? Is it because it means that there are more changes in the organisms' DNA, so their evolutionary divergence can be determined?
I am fairly sure that you do not need to compare the number of chromosomes, all you will need to do is compare amino acid or dna sequences.

Mjtochondias fast mutation rate does mean changes accumulate quickly, thus it is more accurate at indicating the relatedness between recently diverged species than nuclear dna.

Hope this helps  :)
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bi-and-ready-to-cry

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Re: VCE Biology Question Thread
« Reply #11855 on: August 15, 2019, 09:20:25 pm »
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hey, are DNA profiling and DNA finger printing the same thing? some sources say they are, but some say they're different – just wanted to clarify
thanks! :)

no they are considered different things. DNA profiling is an umbrella term for any sort of process where the DNA of an individual is recorded or examined. This can include gel electrophoresis, fingerprinting, comparative genomics (sequencing dna) etc.

 I hope this helps!!

bi-and-ready-to-cry

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Re: VCE Biology Question Thread
« Reply #11856 on: August 15, 2019, 09:25:41 pm »
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Hey guys!
What is a potato tuber and how does it produce offspring?

Does anyone know how many offspring vegetative reproduction works?

Thanks!!


hey!! a potato tuber are those little hard nubby bits that potatoes produce if theyre getting old. this is a form of budding as each of these little nubs can produce a new potato.
do you mean vegetative propagation? i believe they attach two stems together (one stem is called a scion and the other a stock) and are bound together. they then sort of reproduce (they dont produce a brand new offsping but they do share dna) to produce a plant with characteristics from both stems. 

leemsdang

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Re: VCE Biology Question Thread
« Reply #11857 on: August 15, 2019, 10:17:31 pm »
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Hi all, I was just wondering whether anyone had any recommendations for VCE Biology revision guides? I'm looking for one that will cover content for the entire study design for Units 1-2 and 3-4.

I've found one called 'Cambridge Checkpoints VCE Biology' but it's unclear whether or not it's simply exam questions with sample responses or actual content. Does anyone have any experience with this study guide?

Many thanks in advance!

vox nihili

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Re: VCE Biology Question Thread
« Reply #11858 on: August 15, 2019, 11:44:02 pm »
+1
no they are considered different things. DNA profiling is an umbrella term for any sort of process where the DNA of an individual is recorded or examined. This can include gel electrophoresis, fingerprinting, comparative genomics (sequencing dna) etc.

 I hope this helps!!

Just want to add to this discussion that "fingerprinting" is a really bad term and I suspect that's why we've got a bit of confusion here. It's better to try to ignore that term and reflect on the kind of techniques that might be used to identify someone via their DNA. Fingerprinting is just one of those terms that used to be in the course and that runs popularly in the media.

Hi all, I was just wondering whether anyone had any recommendations for VCE Biology revision guides? I'm looking for one that will cover content for the entire study design for Units 1-2 and 3-4.

I've found one called 'Cambridge Checkpoints VCE Biology' but it's unclear whether or not it's simply exam questions with sample responses or actual content. Does anyone have any experience with this study guide?

Many thanks in advance!

Unless there's been a change, checkpoints are just exam questions.
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Chocolatemilkshake

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Re: VCE Biology Question Thread
« Reply #11859 on: August 17, 2019, 06:51:15 am »
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Just to clarify, can a frameshift mutation be a missense or nonsense mutation as well?
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Erutepa

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Re: VCE Biology Question Thread
« Reply #11860 on: August 17, 2019, 07:19:30 am »
+4
Just to clarify, can a frameshift mutation be a missense or nonsense mutation as well?
My understanding is that missense and nonsense mutations refer to a point mutation where only one amino acid is changed whereas a framshift involves many amino acids downstream of the point mutation being changed.
So I don't think framshift mutations can be nonsense or missense.
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Chocolatemilkshake

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Re: VCE Biology Question Thread
« Reply #11861 on: August 17, 2019, 09:12:04 am »
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My understanding is that missense and nonsense mutations refer to a point mutation where only one amino acid is changed whereas a framshift involves many amino acids downstream of the point mutation being changed.
So I don't think framshift mutations can be nonsense or missense.

Thank you! Also wondering...

1. What's the difference between a block insertion and a block translocation?
2. Is a block translocation the swapping parts of two chromosomes or just the moving of ONE part? (different resources say different things)
3. Can a translocation only occur in non-homologous chromosomes?
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Erutepa

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Re: VCE Biology Question Thread
« Reply #11862 on: August 17, 2019, 04:27:50 pm »
+4
Thank you! Also wondering...

1. What's the difference between a block insertion and a block translocation?
2. Is a block translocation the swapping parts of two chromosomes or just the moving of ONE part? (different resources say different things)
3. Can a translocation only occur in non-homologous chromosomes?
Block insertion in when a segment of one chromosome is inserted into another whereas a translocation is where two chromosome segments switch places. So insertion is one segment moving somewhere else and translocation is the swapping of two segments.
Im not sure if they only happen between non-homologous chromosomes, however all the examples I've found seem only show translocation occurring between non-homologous chromosomes. Hopefully someone more knowledged may be able to help, but I don't think this knowledge is neccasary for VCE.
Hopefully this clears things up.
« Last Edit: August 17, 2019, 04:31:32 pm by Erutepa »
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Evolio

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Re: VCE Biology Question Thread
« Reply #11863 on: August 18, 2019, 10:43:03 am »
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Hi guys!
How are you doing?

Since mitochondrial DNA mutates at a faster rate than nuclear DNA, I was wondering what the benefit of this was relating to this fact?
Also, why is mitochondrial DNA used when nuclear DNA can just be used?

darkz

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Re: VCE Biology Question Thread
« Reply #11864 on: August 18, 2019, 11:23:45 am »
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Hi guys!
How are you doing?
Since mitochondrial DNA mutates at a faster rate than nuclear DNA, I was wondering what the benefit of this was relating to this fact?
Also, why is mitochondrial DNA used when nuclear DNA can just be used?

Well because it mutates faster, therefore, it would be easier to make comparisons with other organisms - i.e. more differences as time progresses. (e.g. Would prove quite useful in determining relatedness for recently diverged species, since the differences would be quite prominent, unlike nuclear DNA, which would have less differences, making it harder to conclude anything.)

mtDNA is generally preferred compared to nuclear DNA because of the following features:
  • Only inherited from mother
  • Does not undergo recombination
  • Not repaired by enzymes
Therefore, it can be highly effective in determining familial lineages. Also, since mtDNA doesn't undergo repair, therefore you can more accurately apply the molecular clock theory, compared with nuclear DNA which does undergo repair.
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