HSC Biology Question Thread

[Skidous]

What are some key scientific words that should be used consistently in short answers/long responses

That will depend on the question that is being asked, each question will be different so it is difficult to give exact types of words. Using sophisticated language is a good way to start then using content words based on the question is good.
Some easy ones to remember
Homeostasis
Action Potential (communication)
Stimuli
Response
Enzyme
Tolerance

Just use words that have been used in textbooks based on what the question is asking

[lha]

For a question like:

Describe the occurrence, symptoms, cause and treatment/management of a named non-infectious disease. (5 marks)

For the occurrence part, is it enough to say, "lung cancer is the leading cause of death due to cancer in Australia"? Or do I have to give more stats?

Also, what would the mark distribution be for this questions?

[Skidous]

For a question like:

Describe the occurrence, symptoms, cause and treatment/management of a named non-infectious disease. (5 marks)

For the occurrence part, is it enough to say, "lung cancer is the leading cause of death due to cancer in Australia"? Or do I have to give more stats?

Also, what would the mark distribution be for this questions?

You would need to talk about the cause of lung cancer and then link it to cancer deaths in Australia.
You will need to know statistics for occurrence as that is the purpose for understanding occurrence, this will include numbers and demographic of the infection (age, gender, socio-economic status etc.)

As for mark allocation
1mrk for Name of Disease
1mrk for correct occurance
1mrk for correct description of symptoms
1mrk for Correct description of cause
1mrk for correct description of treatment and management
Potentially 1mrk for coherent and concise response

Hope this Helps

[lha]

You would need to talk about the cause of lung cancer and then link it to cancer deaths in Australia.
You will need to know statistics for occurrence as that is the purpose for understanding occurrence, this will include numbers and demographic of the infection (age, gender, socio-economic status etc.)

As for mark allocation
1mrk for Name of Disease
1mrk for correct occurance
1mrk for correct description of symptoms
1mrk for Correct description of cause
1mrk for correct description of treatment and management
Potentially 1mrk for coherent and concise response

Hope this Helps

Yes, thank you!

[julia.wilson3]

Hey I was just wondering how exactly Burnet discovered immunological tolerance, like did he inject fetuses with diseases? I can't really find much info and I'm so confused haha, Question 2: How does the creation of hybridisation and transgenic species reduce genetic diversity, aren't you essentially making a new species? Thanks !!

[vox nihili]

Hey I was just wondering how exactly Burnet discovered immunological tolerance, like did he inject fetuses with diseases? I can't really find much info and I'm so confused haha, Question 2: How does the creation of hybridisation and transgenic species reduce genetic diversity, aren't you essentially making a new species? Thanks !!

Pretty sure he didn't do the experiments to prove it, funnily enough. He just theorised about its existence. Peter Medawar, with whom Burnet shared the Nobel prize in 1960, was the person who managed to do the experiments to prove it. Pretty sure he used mouse and chick embryos to prove that you can induce tolerance.

[Skidous]

Hey I was just wondering how exactly Burnet discovered immunological tolerance, like did he inject fetuses with diseases? I can't really find much info and I'm so confused haha, Question 2: How does the creation of hybridisation and transgenic species reduce genetic diversity, aren't you essentially making a new species? Thanks !!

Immunology tolerance wasn't discovered by Burnet, it was him that discovered the method by which humans gain their acquired immunity, I don't know the logistics of this but he did research into the 3 lines of defence.

For question 2 hybridisation creates species through artificial insemination/pollination which effectively breeds organisms selectively with favourable characteristics, over time these organism will become abundant and therefore reduce the diversity from natural variation through regular breeding methods.
Transgenic Species have the same type of genetic material to produce genetically modified organisms which have no variation as they are artificially created, hence no genetic variation.
Both Hybrid Organisms and Transgenic Species are normally sterile and hence not able to reproduce to promote variation

Hope this Helps

[Skidous]

Also to add onto this, since these organisms are sterile and cannot promote variation via evolution via natural selections then the biodiversity (genetic diversity) decreases and this population is going to be vulnerable to the same selective pressure/pathogen.

[vox nihili]

Immunology tolerance wasn't discovered by Burnet, it was him that discovered the method by which humans gain their acquired immunity, I don't know the logistics of this but he did research into the 3 lines of defence.

He wasn't the first to observe tolerance, no doubt; but he was certainly the one to describe it, and as I said, Medawar provided the evidence to support Burnet's theorising.

Burnet's research was very broad. He started off as a microbiologist, with a particular interest in viruses. In fact, he is credited with the discovery of the causative agent of so-called Q fever, which is named after him (Coxiella burnetii). If I remember correctly, he was initially very interested in influenza, but decided to make the switch to immunology. Obviously he won the Nobel for describing immunological tolerance; however, arguably his biggest contribution to the field was the discovery of clonal selection/expansion (which I presume you guys probably learn about?). If not, his theory described the way by which cells of the third line of defence—T-cells and B-cells—respond specifically to pathogens.



PS: given this is an HSC biology thread it would remiss of me to not remind you that Macfarlane Burnet was born, educated and worked all of his life in Victoria :p 

[Skidous]

PS: given this is an HSC biology thread it would remiss of me to not remind you that Macfarlane Burnet was born, educated and worked all of his life in Victoria :p

I know but we unfortunately can't use him as an example for an Australian biologist.

Speaking of which, I have a question. What is your Male and Female Named Scientist working in the field of biology? I would really like a name and the work they have done in biology

[kevin217]

I know but we unfortunately can't use him as an example for an Australian biologist.

Speaking of which, I have a question. What is your Male and Female Named Scientist working in the field of biology? I would really like a name and the work they have done in biology

I don't have one yet. When was the last time they asked for a male or female scientist in the HSC?

[Skidous]

I don't have one yet. When was the last time they asked for a male or female scientist in the HSC?

It doesn't matter, since it's in the syllabus it can be asked. And you need both male AND female not or.

[kevin217]

I meant when was the last time they asked so I could practise it.

[Skidous]

I'm not sure I haven't looked it up

[zaayxo]

ADH and adolsterone. Please, I need this to be explained in a more alleviated form!