VCE Biology Question Thread

[grannysmith]

So literally all we need to know is examples of polysaccharides and their glucose monomer?

That's all we've learned, really!

[dankfrank420]

What is the role of cytokines in the immune response?

[DJA]

Could someone define the innate (non-specific) immune response and what it entails in terms of what kind of cells (i.e. neutrophils. monocytes. phagocytes etc) are involved and what processes are involved?

Does it include cells like NK cells - or are these only appropriate to specific immune response

Thank you!

[DJA]

What is the role of cytokines in the immune response?

Cytokines: Proteins produced by all cells of immune system which act as intracellular messengers to convey signals within the immune system. Interleukin is a key example of a cytokine. IL-1 resets the hypothalamus (creates fever) and recruits T- Helper cells) while IL-2 activates B cells (which is the humoral response) and activates T-Cells (which is a cell-mediated response)

[anat0my]

Do we have to know how to calculate allelic frequencies and p+q and all that?

[dankfrank420]

Do we have to know how to calculate allelic frequencies and p+q and all that?

Pretty sure you need to know about allelic frequency, but not about the Harvey-Weinberg formula (which is what I think you're referring to).

[vox nihili]

So literally all we need to know is examples of polysaccharides and their glucose monomer?

Yes, so you'd need to know the characteristics of carbohydrates though I'd imagine. The study designs are notoriously poorly written, so use previous exams as a guide.

[Chang Feng]

Sorry. What is the difference between polygenic inheritance and polymorphism?
Thanks

[Chang Feng]

And also polygenes too. Thanks- these words confuse ne

[grannysmith]

Sorry. What is the difference between polygenic inheritance and polymorphism?
Thanks

Polygenic inheritance refers to a particular trait that is controlled/produced by the interaction of many genes, whereas polymorphism refers to the presence of different phenotypes within a population resulting from the presence of two or more alleles.

And also polygenes too. Thanks- these words confuse ne

Polygenes are what you get as a result of polygenic inheritance.

A question of my own:

Which signal transduction pathway (steroid or peptide hormone) would have a faster response to the presence of the hormone?

I said it would be the steroid hormone pathway, as it can readily pass the cell membrane and directly attach to its specific receptor. Second messengers are not required, thus less reactions occur, leading to a faster response.

But the answers say otherwise; less time is needed for the peptide hormone to bind with the transmembrane receptor.

I always thought steroid hormones would produce the faster response...

[Fusuy]

Sorry for asking this again,
A question for students who completed Biology last year,
 Just wondering considering you are ranked 1st at your school. What mark did you get on the end of year exam for your study score? Thanks

[dankfrank420]

Sorry for asking this again,
A question for students who completed Biology last year,
 Just wondering considering you are ranked 1st at your school. What mark did you get on the end of year exam for your study score? Thanks

Don't need to have done Bio to answer this

Since you are rank one (and assuming you get the top exam score of your cohort);

- 93 marks gets you a 40
- 85 marks gets you a 36
- 67 marks gets you a 34
- 55 marks gets you a 32

I would do more, but seeing as you are on AN you'd probably be looking at a little higher than 32. Also, these values are approximate but should give you a general idea. I used http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/Documents/statistics/2013/section3/vce_biology_ga13.pdf for this post.

*Note: Seeing as last year was the first exam for the combined unit 3 and 4, many students view it as "easy". This years will probably be a little bit harder, meaning that the marks required for the above SS would most likely drop (eg. a 89-90 might be enough to get you a 40).

[Reus]

Don't need to have done Bio to answer this

Since you are rank one (and assuming you get the top exam score of your cohort);

- 93 marks gets you a 40
- 85 marks gets you a 36
- 67 marks gets you a 34
- 55 marks gets you a 32

I would do more, but seeing as you are on AN you'd probably be looking at a little higher than 32. Also, these values are approximate but should give you a general idea. I used http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/Documents/statistics/2013/section3/vce_biology_ga13.pdf for this post.

*Note: Seeing as last year was the first exam for the combined unit 3 and 4, many students view it as "easy". This years will probably be a little bit harder, meaning that the marks required for the above SS would most likely drop (eg. a 89-90 might be enough to get you a 40).

How accurate is this?

[psyxwar]

How accurate is this?

the one about 40 looks to be accurate (for last year's exam anyway), dunno about the rest but I'd assume it's accurate?

Note that cutoffs will (probably) be lower this year (ie. you can drop more marks) because this year will be harder than last year. Last year's paper was the first year of the new study design so I think it was like a trial run, meaning it was a bit easier and the cutoffs were higher.

[Jason12]

if a potato cell is put in water why does it swell and if put it in a sugar solution, it shrinks? I know it has to do with hypotonic/hypertonic but not sure how to properly explain it.