Login

Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.

March 30, 2024, 01:33:46 am

Author Topic: VCE Biology Question Thread  (Read 3571836 times)  Share 

0 Members and 9 Guests are viewing this topic.

grannysmith

  • Victorian
  • Part of the furniture
  • *****
  • Posts: 1303
  • Crisp and juicy.
  • Respect: +66
Re: VCE Biology Question Thread
« Reply #4560 on: January 18, 2015, 08:05:18 pm »
+1
I needed to comment here so i can see future posts/questions.

But I wont be boring and ill ask a question:

On a DNA strand, I know it's double stranded, but what do the 5' and 3' at each end actually mean? Thanks
It's kinda hard to explain without a proper diagram :p But basically, the 5' end is where a phosphate is attached to the 5-carbon and the 3' end is where a hydroxyl group is attached to the 3-carbon of the deoxyribose sugar (if we're talking about RNA, then it's a ribose sugar).

You'll learn more of this in detail in Unit 4 (as well as Chem 3/4), but essentially the two strands run anti-parallel to each other. What does this mean? Well if we let each strand have two ends - a 5' (pronounced 'five prime') and 3' end - then the two strands will be (hydrogen) bonded in such a way that one runs in the 5' to 3' direction and the other in the 3' to 5' direction.

5'-----------------3'
3'-----------------5'

This has many applications in DNA technology which you'll learn later!

Edit: beaten by alondouek and Reus, but I'll just leave the extra detail there.

cosine

  • Victorian
  • ATAR Notes Legend
  • *******
  • Posts: 3042
  • Respect: +273
Re: VCE Biology Question Thread
« Reply #4561 on: January 18, 2015, 08:08:12 pm »
+1
Thanks everyone, appreciate the fast response!

Bout time someone dusts off this thread right, get ready lol
2016-2019: Bachelor of Biomedicine
2015: VCE (ATAR: 94.85)

Jay.C

  • Victorian
  • Forum Obsessive
  • ***
  • Posts: 257
  • Respect: +16
Re: VCE Biology Question Thread
« Reply #4562 on: January 19, 2015, 05:10:47 pm »
0
Would I have to know negitive feedback at a cellular level? Also how indepth do I have to know hormones?
« Last Edit: January 19, 2015, 06:28:53 pm by Jay.C »
Don't worry about scores that you can't change  because there are so many more productive things you could do

Looking for customisable high school tuition that fits your needs? Or maybe you're just looking for some help with a specific concept that doesn't require frequent tuition. Component Education has something to fit all students needs! https://www.facebook.com/componenteducation/ https://www.componenteducation.com.au/

grannysmith

  • Victorian
  • Part of the furniture
  • *****
  • Posts: 1303
  • Crisp and juicy.
  • Respect: +66
Re: VCE Biology Question Thread
« Reply #4563 on: January 19, 2015, 07:06:34 pm »
0
Would I have to know negitive feedback at a cellular level? Also how indepth do I have to know hormones?
Nah. As you probably know, negative feedback has been removed from the course; that being said, if it does come up on an exam, everything you'll need to know will undoubtedly be in the question stem.

winchesteraddict

  • Guest
Re: VCE Biology Question Thread
« Reply #4564 on: January 21, 2015, 03:51:23 pm »
0
I finished unit 3 a couple of days ago and now I find out that Endocrine system, homeostasis, negative feedback has been removed  :'( LMAO I spent more then 4 days doing endocrine and nervous system (that's 4 days I could've done more of unit 4 and played csgo  :'( ). Can someone please confirm this  :)
Also, I bought Biozone yesterday and wierdly there was no mention of The Nervous System. Have those unkind, malicious and merciless VCE folks removed that from the syllabus too?  :'(

pi

  • Honorary Moderator
  • Great Wonder of ATAR Notes
  • *******
  • Posts: 14348
  • Doctor.
  • Respect: +2376
Re: VCE Biology Question Thread
« Reply #4565 on: January 21, 2015, 03:57:43 pm »
+2
They're "unkind, malicious and merciless" because they made you learn less content? D:

I think it's worth you having a read of http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/documents/vce/biology/biologysd-2013.pdf to see what is and isn't in the course.

paper-back

  • Victorian
  • Forum Obsessive
  • ***
  • Posts: 340
  • "I must govern the clock, not be governed by it"
  • Respect: +7
Re: VCE Biology Question Thread
« Reply #4566 on: January 22, 2015, 08:11:03 pm »
0
Should I have finished at least Unit 3 by now?
Our school's topic SAC scheduling is really strange, so I thought I might flow with the class whilst occasionally going ahead

What's everyone else doing?

grannysmith

  • Victorian
  • Part of the furniture
  • *****
  • Posts: 1303
  • Crisp and juicy.
  • Respect: +66
Re: VCE Biology Question Thread
« Reply #4567 on: January 22, 2015, 08:17:51 pm »
+1
Should I have finished at least Unit 3 by now?
Our school's topic SAC scheduling is really strange, so I thought I might flow with the class whilst occasionally going ahead

What's everyone else doing?
What do you mean by ' finished'?
I remember attending the TSFX lectures, going through their notes and listening to Douchy's podcasts and not much else. You certainly don't have to go into detail, but I guess briefly covering unit 3 is a good headstart.

paper-back

  • Victorian
  • Forum Obsessive
  • ***
  • Posts: 340
  • "I must govern the clock, not be governed by it"
  • Respect: +7
Re: VCE Biology Question Thread
« Reply #4568 on: January 22, 2015, 09:40:41 pm »
0
Yeah sorry for the bad wording, I meant covering in detail

slothpomba

  • Honorary Moderator
  • ATAR Notes Legend
  • *******
  • Posts: 4458
  • Chief Executive Sloth
  • Respect: +327
Re: VCE Biology Question Thread
« Reply #4569 on: January 23, 2015, 07:30:26 am »
+2
Not really, VCE biology is ironically enough designed to be completed in the standard VCE semester.

You should just read a chapter or two ahead. Anything else is a bit of overkill and may actually be harmful/a waste (you dont have a teacher to show you how much attention is given to each topic, what you spend ages on might be half of a single lesson, what you brush past may be an entire week or two).

I mean you can if you want but i don't believe its necessary to succeed.

ATAR Notes Chat
Philosophy thread
-----
2011-15: Bachelor of Science/Arts (Religious studies) @ Monash Clayton - Majors: Pharmacology, Physiology, Developmental Biology
2016: Bachelor of Science (Honours) - Psychiatry research

Jay.C

  • Victorian
  • Forum Obsessive
  • ***
  • Posts: 257
  • Respect: +16
Re: VCE Biology Question Thread
« Reply #4570 on: January 25, 2015, 09:18:25 pm »
0
Do all pathogens cause disease? If not why? I was under the impression that an infectious disease is caused by a pathogen, but my text book tells me not all pathogens cause disease.
« Last Edit: January 25, 2015, 09:20:07 pm by Jay.C »
Don't worry about scores that you can't change  because there are so many more productive things you could do

Looking for customisable high school tuition that fits your needs? Or maybe you're just looking for some help with a specific concept that doesn't require frequent tuition. Component Education has something to fit all students needs! https://www.facebook.com/componenteducation/ https://www.componenteducation.com.au/

grannysmith

  • Victorian
  • Part of the furniture
  • *****
  • Posts: 1303
  • Crisp and juicy.
  • Respect: +66
Re: VCE Biology Question Thread
« Reply #4571 on: January 25, 2015, 09:42:47 pm »
0
Do all pathogens cause disease? If not why? I was under the impression that an infectious disease is caused by a pathogen, but my text book tells me not all pathogens cause disease.
Firstly, a pathogen is a "disease-causing organism or agent". However, this does not necessarily mean that every pathogen brings about disease in a host; rather, they may have the potential to cause disease (pathogenicity), but the host's immune responses prevents it from doing so. Or sometimes, they only cause disease under certain conditions/circumstances (e.g. opportunistic pathogens).

This is because a disease is defined as that which harms the normal functioning of the body. So if an organism is not 'harming' the body, then it's not acting as a "disease-causing agent".

Edit: yes, an infectious disease is always caused by a pathogen, by not all pathogens get the chance to cause disease in a host organism.
« Last Edit: January 25, 2015, 09:44:36 pm by grannysmith »

Jay.C

  • Victorian
  • Forum Obsessive
  • ***
  • Posts: 257
  • Respect: +16
Re: VCE Biology Question Thread
« Reply #4572 on: January 25, 2015, 09:48:13 pm »
0
Firstly, a pathogen is a "disease-causing organism or agent". However, this does not necessarily mean that every pathogen brings about disease in a host; rather, they may have the potential to cause disease (pathogenicity), but the host's immune responses prevents it from doing so. Or sometimes, they only cause disease under certain conditions/circumstances (e.g. opportunistic pathogens).

This is because a disease is defined as that which harms the normal functioning of the body. So if an organism is not 'harming' the body, then it's not acting as a "disease-causing agent".

Edit: yes, an infectious disease is always caused by a pathogen, by not all pathogens get the chance to cause disease in a host organism.

Thank you! explained very well and cleared it up for me.
Don't worry about scores that you can't change  because there are so many more productive things you could do

Looking for customisable high school tuition that fits your needs? Or maybe you're just looking for some help with a specific concept that doesn't require frequent tuition. Component Education has something to fit all students needs! https://www.facebook.com/componenteducation/ https://www.componenteducation.com.au/

vceva

  • Guest
Re: VCE Biology Question Thread
« Reply #4573 on: January 26, 2015, 10:45:16 pm »
0
Hi all !

Could someone please explain to me electrochemical gradients (across the cell membrane)?

i don't understand it :P

thankss :)

twinkling star

  • Victorian
  • Adventurer
  • *
  • Posts: 8
  • Respect: 0
Re: VCE Biology Question Thread
« Reply #4574 on: January 27, 2015, 12:38:59 am »
0
Actually have a couple of questions:

- Is there a neat list available somewhere of all the organelles visible through a light microscope?

- Does degenerate and redundant mean the same thing in relation to the nature of the genetic code?

- Is parthenogenesis a form of sexual or asexual reproduction?

- What is the evolutionary reason in humans for 102 males being born every 100 females?

Thanks  :)