ATAR Notes: Forum

Archived Discussion => Mathematics/Science/Technology => 2014 => Exam Discussion => Victoria => Biology => Topic started by: Stick on October 31, 2014, 09:10:03 am

Title: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: Stick on October 31, 2014, 09:10:03 am
So how did it go? Was it harder than last year's exam?

Proposed answers within the spoiler!
Spoiler
1 C
2 C
3 A
4 B
5 B
6 A
7 B
8 D
9 C
10 A
11 D
12 D
13 C
14 C
15 B
16 A
17 D
18 C
19 B
20 A
21 D
22 A
23 B
24 C
25 A
26 B
27 A
28 B
29 C
30 B
31 D
32 C
33 A
34 C
35 D
36 A
37 C
38 D
39 B
40 C


>>Here<< is a copy of the 2014 MCQ. Thanks a heap to milica96 for taking the time to scan the exam and to write her answers on it. Credit to Mr T-RAV for hyperlinking the OP and verifying answers.
>>Here is a copy of the 2014 SAQ. Thanks heaps to milica96 for the upload.
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: Yacoubb on October 31, 2014, 09:10:50 am
I can't wait to hear about it!! I've got my money on an enzymes SA question & an experimental design.
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: Stick on October 31, 2014, 09:12:14 am
By the way, if anyone manages to get a copy of the exam, please post it up! :)
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: Stick on October 31, 2014, 11:45:06 am
... And you're done! I can't wait to hear how you all went. :)
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: Han123 on October 31, 2014, 12:14:05 pm
I didn't find it too bad.. The MC were generous I thought, but some of the short answer were a bit tricky! And I found that I was really pushed for time, as in wrote the last sentence when they said pens down.
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: Yacoubb on October 31, 2014, 12:14:47 pm
I didn't find it too bad.. The MC were generous I thought, but some of the short answer were a bit tricky! And I found that I was really pushed for time, as in wrote the last sentence when they said pens down.

Yeah I just contacted a friend who said she found it quite long!
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: vox nihili on October 31, 2014, 12:23:39 pm
If anyone can send me a copy I'll do answers for the MCQ for you guys (Y)
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: Yacoubb on October 31, 2014, 12:24:05 pm
If anyone can send me a copy I'll do answers for the MCQ for you guys (Y)

Same :) I'll take a jab at it!
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: soNasty on October 31, 2014, 12:24:36 pm
Experimental design, molecule synthesis (enzymes), quite a bit on X-linked heredity, we had to draw a pedigree, translation, we had to draw an antibody and mark where they attach to form an antigen-antibody complex, that Otzi iceman guy, effects of bipedalism... some other stuff too.. oh we were examined on the whole rhesus positive/negative shit where they asked what happens when a rhesus negative mother carries a rhesus positive child..

first 10 MC were simple!

VCAA are playing it pretty equivocally this year!
Cant wait for methods!!
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: Yacoubb on October 31, 2014, 12:26:48 pm
Experimental design, molecule synthesis (enzymes), quite a bit on X-linked heredity, we had to draw a pedigree, translation, we had to draw an antibody and mark where they attach to form an antigen-antibody complex, that Otzi iceman guy, effects of bipedalism... some other stuff too.. oh we were examined on the whole rhesus positive/negative shit where they asked what happens when a rhesus negative mother carries a rhesus positive child..

first 10 MC were simple!

VCAA are playing it pretty equivocally this year!
Cant wait for methods!!

Oh wow!! Now I'm super interested to see that exam. Anyone who has it please upload it, and I can take a jab at MC (because studying for methods is too mainstream).
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: katiesaliba on October 31, 2014, 12:28:47 pm
-We had to draw a lot (pedigree, antibody, antigen-antibody complex, nucleotide and AMINO ACID)
-Natural selection question
-Bipedalism question concerning human development
-Enzyme function
-Multiple alleles
-Translation
-Quaternary structure
-Experimental design
-Focus on biomacromolecules

That's all I remember :') Much harder than 2013s IMO
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: Yacoubb on October 31, 2014, 12:30:32 pm
-We had to draw a lot (pedigree, antibody, antigen-antibody complex, nucleotide and AMINO ACID)
-Natural selection question
-Bipedalism question concerning human development
-Enzyme function
-Multiple alleles
-Translation
-Quaternary structure
-Experimental design
-Focus on biomacromolecules

That's all I remember :') Much harder than 2013s IMO

Yeah it seems to have more intricate topics than 2013. Believe me though, a more difficult paper is much better because you'll be separated so much better. Last year, you could only get 50 if you lost 5 marks. If it's more difficult you can afford to lose more marks :)
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: Jason12 on October 31, 2014, 12:41:27 pm
multiple choice were okay but harder than 2013. I wish short answer had more focus on unit 3 than unit 4. No photosynthesis/respiration except for MCQ
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: mia-la-bella on October 31, 2014, 12:42:34 pm
Really unit 4 content heavy apart from a bit of macromolecules
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: Reus on October 31, 2014, 12:44:21 pm
So many heredity questions! MC was very generous tbh as compared to SA. I feel like I may have not picked up one tricky questions as most were straight forward imo.
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: whatever4321 on October 31, 2014, 12:45:45 pm
Sorry to be annoying but could someone post more detail about the question on translation? I just did the exam but I can't remember such a question and now I'm freaking out...
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: vcestudent123 on October 31, 2014, 12:47:25 pm
Some of the S.A questions weren't too bad, there were probably 2-3 that were a bit tricky.
The rest just required proper analysis of knowing what the question is asking.
The M.C was good, but I realised I stuffed up some simple M.C questions after the exam :/
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: Reus on October 31, 2014, 12:48:02 pm
Sorry to be annoying but could someone post more detail about the question on translation? I just did the exam but I can't remember such a question and now I'm freaking out...
Where it asked for the synthesis of the 'polymer' :)
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: katiesaliba on October 31, 2014, 12:50:54 pm
The MC question on turgidity and the one on floresiensis confused me... ::)
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: katiesaliba on October 31, 2014, 12:52:02 pm
Where it asked for the synthesis of the 'polymer' :)

They were so sneaky in the wording of that question. :')
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: Coralista on October 31, 2014, 12:52:32 pm
The MC question on turgidity and the one on floresiensis confused me... ::)

Yeah same, but I think I ended up picking option D which is when that thing closes water moved out of Moter cell by osmosis or something
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: katiesaliba on October 31, 2014, 12:53:05 pm
Yeah same, but I think I ended up picking option D which is when I that thing closes water moved out of Moyer cell by osmosis or something

Same!
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: Reus on October 31, 2014, 12:53:27 pm
Yeah same, but I think I ended up picking option D which is when I that thing closes water moved out of Moyer cell by osmosis or something
Yas went with D too, A and B did were incorrect so I was stuck with C and D. Hahaha
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: vcestudent123 on October 31, 2014, 12:54:33 pm
Yeah same, but I think I ended up picking option D which is when I that thing closes water moved out of Moyer cell by osmosis or something
Good, I did the same.
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: sandrab on October 31, 2014, 12:56:47 pm
does anyone remember what they wrote for the female and male diploid short answer question? i think that was a tricky one...
i wrrote 32 and 16 respectvely,
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: Fingerscrossed on October 31, 2014, 12:57:53 pm
I seemed to be the only one in my school who found it hard... :'(
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: Coralista on October 31, 2014, 12:58:08 pm
Phew! What did you guys think of the last question on pedigree analysis? The one talking about what the study of traits expressed by the twins may reveal?
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: vcestudent123 on October 31, 2014, 12:59:26 pm
Phew! What did you guys think of the last question on pedigree analysis? The one talking about what the study of traits expressed by the twins may reveal?
That was such a tricky question imo...
I didn't really know what to answer.
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: walkec on October 31, 2014, 01:00:35 pm
I was so glad that DNA replication wasn't on the exam. One topic that I have not understood all year!
I do agree that MC was generous. I wasn't really surprised by the enzymes questions or the experimental design question - I thought they were pretty standard.
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: selinasch on October 31, 2014, 01:01:13 pm
The one with the female and male diploid? I think that was about the queen bee, and how she produced eggs and if they are fertilised then its a female, whereas if its a male 'drone' its unfertilised and therefore haploid.
yeah i got 16 for the male somatic cell and 32 for the female somatic cell.
And then the question about why male drones exhibit genotypic variation, and how that benefits the species or something like that
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: Han123 on October 31, 2014, 01:02:23 pm
Phew! What did you guys think of the last question on pedigree analysis? The one talking about what the study of traits expressed by the twins may reveal?

I thought it was a bit tricky, but I just specified that any genetic trait would be share by both as they have the same genetic material, and any differences would be due to environmental factors
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: ennioc on October 31, 2014, 01:04:01 pm
Phew! What did you guys think of the last question on pedigree analysis? The one talking about what the study of traits expressed by the twins may reveal?
The twins are genetically identical but they could be phenotypically different as phenotype is influenced by the environment.

The question asked about the trait being expressed so you needed to talk of phenotype
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: extremeftw on October 31, 2014, 01:04:31 pm
 What was the experimental design question? I don't seem to remember it.
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: katiesaliba on October 31, 2014, 01:04:52 pm
Phew! What did you guys think of the last question on pedigree analysis? The one talking about what the study of traits expressed by the twins may reveal?

I wrote that environmental factors would result in slightly different phenotypes as genetic material would be identical.

The one with the female and male diploid? I think that was about the queen bee, and how she produced eggs and if they are fertilised then its a female, whereas if its a male 'drone' its unfertilised and therefore haploid.
yeah i got 16 for the male somatic cell and 32 for the female somatic cell.
And then the question about why male drones exhibit genotypic variation, and how that benefits the species or something like that

I got 16 and 32 too. For the genetic variation I just wrote crossing over or independent assortment and kinda elaborated on them both.
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: Coralista on October 31, 2014, 01:06:27 pm
What was the experimental design question? I don't seem to remember it.

That was the last question on the polypeptide accumulating in nucleus of a cell
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: extremeftw on October 31, 2014, 01:07:56 pm
That was the last question on the polypeptide accumulating in nucleus of a cell

 Ohh, right. I quite liked that question. Just had a memory blank with recalling it ha!
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: vox nihili on October 31, 2014, 01:09:11 pm
Sooooo....I'm glad I did Biol in 2012 :|
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: Yacoubb on October 31, 2014, 01:10:46 pm
Sooooo....I'm glad I did Biol in 2012 :|

Yeah I'm glad I did it last year!!
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: Coralista on October 31, 2014, 01:11:06 pm
Sooooo....I'm glad I did Biol in 2012 :|

VCAA definitely stepped up their game this year alright!
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: Reus on October 31, 2014, 01:11:38 pm
The one with the female and male diploid? I think that was about the queen bee, and how she produced eggs and if they are fertilised then its a female, whereas if its a male 'drone' its unfertilised and therefore haploid.
yeah i got 16 for the male somatic cell and 32 for the female somatic cell.
And then the question about why male drones exhibit genotypic variation, and how that benefits the species or something like that
I said 31 and 15 since as it asked for the chromosomes in the somatic cells only. :/ don't tell me i screwed up again. ahhhhh
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: grannysmith on October 31, 2014, 01:12:03 pm

Sooooo....I'm glad I did Biol in 2012 :|
2012 exams were sooo much easier IMO haha
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: apoorva1996 on October 31, 2014, 01:13:22 pm
I said 31 and 15 since as it asked for the chromosomes in the somatic cells only. :/ don't tell me i screwed up again. ahhhhh
Yeah I did 30 and 15 because it was somatic? Is that wrong?
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: katiesaliba on October 31, 2014, 01:14:12 pm
I said 31 and 15 since as it asked for the chromosomes in the somatic cells only. :/ don't tell me i screwed up again. ahhhhh


Sex-chromosomes are present in somatic cells  :-\

Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: Yacoubb on October 31, 2014, 01:15:20 pm
I said 31 and 15 since as it asked for the chromosomes in the somatic cells only. :/ don't tell me i screwed up again. ahhhhh

Sex chromosomes and autosomes are present in somatic cells.
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: Reus on October 31, 2014, 01:16:34 pm
Well there goes another mark.  :'(
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: apoorva1996 on October 31, 2014, 01:17:57 pm
What did you guys put for the two effects on behavior of bipedalism??
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: skybluemaniac on October 31, 2014, 01:19:32 pm
sex! and running to hunt :)
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: Reus on October 31, 2014, 01:20:12 pm
What did you guys put for the two effects on behavior of bipedalism??
Manipulation of tools and surroundings because of free hands
Able to save and conserve energy as bipedalism uses less energy than quadrupedalism thus used elsewhere (sex).
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: vcestudent123 on October 31, 2014, 01:20:25 pm
Well there goes another mark.  :'(
I know that feeling all too well..
I had the correct answer for one questions and literally last minute, I decided to change it and realised I was right all along, but it was too late since time was up :(
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: selinasch on October 31, 2014, 01:20:40 pm
I wrote that environmental factors would result in slightly different phenotypes as genetic material would be identical.

I got 16 and 32 too. For the genetic variation I just wrote crossing over or independent assortment and kinda elaborated on them both.

yeah i also did that, i discussed that crossing over and recombination could occur, and that the order of maternal and paternal chromosomes could be different and so that would result in genotypic variation, hopefully that's right  :o
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: katiesaliba on October 31, 2014, 01:21:29 pm
What did you guys put for the two effects on behavior of bipedalism??

I wrote that it'd free hands for tool usage, thus facilitating technological evolution. I also said that it'd allow for endurance hunting because that was mentioned on 'Walking with Cavemen'  ::)
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: vox nihili on October 31, 2014, 01:22:42 pm
To be fair though, these exams do feel more "biologyish". They'll set you up better for later years.
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: skybluemaniac on October 31, 2014, 01:23:45 pm
Manipulation of tools and surroundings because of free hands
Able to save and conserve energy as bipedalism uses less energy than quadrupedalism thus used elsewhere (sex).

I thought that too. but it says behavioural not physiological so energy conservation wouldn't be an answer I think
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: Reus on October 31, 2014, 01:25:10 pm
I thought that too. but it says behavioural not physiological so energy conservation wouldn't be an answer I think
There goes another mark :')
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: someone011 on October 31, 2014, 01:29:04 pm
Can someone please tell me if these are right or completely off topic:
- The question on the regulation of PTC (or something like that), was the concentration of PTC controlling the regulation of itself? Like, when there was more PTC (therefore the cell didn't need the production of more), the enzyme PTCase (which plays a role in producing PTC) had its quaternary structure changed, therefore less PTC was made.
- The question about the codons and monomers; was it 90x3 + 3x2? (Because of start and stop codons)?
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: apoorva1996 on October 31, 2014, 01:32:04 pm
- The question about the codons and monomers; was it 90x3 + 3x2? (Because of start and stop codons)?
Omg I totally didn't realise you needed start and stop codons. I just did 90x3
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: Reus on October 31, 2014, 01:34:42 pm
Doesn't the start codon however code for an amino acid (Met)? So you wouldn't count it in?
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: katiesaliba on October 31, 2014, 01:35:11 pm
You know you're a nerd when you you already knew about Otzi and how he died prior to doing the bio exam today because you read about him in your spare time :P ::)

Doesn't the start codon however code for an amino acid (Met)? So you wouldn't count it in?

You needed to account for stop codons. Thus=273. Yeah, met is an amino acid.
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: Reus on October 31, 2014, 01:37:15 pm
You know you're a nerd when you you already knew about Otzi and how he died prior to doing the bio exam today because you read about him in your spare time :P ::)

You needed to account for stop codons. Thus=273. Yeah, met is an amino acid.
Lucky Otzi's question were pretty straight forward though!
And yep I put 270 nucleotides for the amino acid monomers and 3 for a stop codon. :) Wooo
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: soNasty on October 31, 2014, 01:40:06 pm
the poor elephants :(
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: doher109 on October 31, 2014, 01:41:39 pm
For the otzi question what did everyone put?

I forgot he was naturally mummified and stated in the burial process other people placed blood on him in the ceremony.
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: katiesaliba on October 31, 2014, 01:42:48 pm
Lucky Otzi's question were pretty straight forward though!

True!  ::)

For the otzi question what did everyone put?

I forgot he was naturally mummified and stated in the burial process other people placed blood on him in the ceremony.

I wrote that he got into a fight, resulting in his death (mummified from snow/ice preservation)
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: skybluemaniac on October 31, 2014, 01:45:03 pm
Lucky Otzi's question were pretty straight forward though!
And yep I put 270 nucleotides for the amino acid monomers and 3 for a stop codon. :) Wooo

woot woot I got that! I thought there was a subtle trick. God they were being harsh this year?
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: Reus on October 31, 2014, 01:46:07 pm
True!  ::)

I wrote that he got into a fight, resulting in his death (mummified from snow/ice preservation)

Same, I wrote a fight between him and other organisms (predators or family) which may have left blood over his clothes which he lost thus his death.
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: melzwelz on October 31, 2014, 01:47:12 pm
What did everyone do for the multiple choice question with the phylogenetic tree asking why the different time periods were different lengths??
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: katiesaliba on October 31, 2014, 01:53:20 pm
What did everyone do for the multiple choice question with the phylogenetic tree asking why the different time periods were different lengths??

Omg had no idea for that one  :-\
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: Deshouka on October 31, 2014, 02:05:38 pm
What did everyone do for the multiple choice question with the phylogenetic tree asking why the different time periods were different lengths??


I put the one about mass extinction haha.
Seems so wrong though.
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: Reus on October 31, 2014, 02:07:10 pm

I put the one about mass extinction haha.
Seems so wrong though.
Same goes... I was just thinking of Ice Age LOL
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: althepal on October 31, 2014, 02:11:31 pm


I put the one about mass extinction haha.
Seems so wrong though.

Same here!
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: katiesaliba on October 31, 2014, 02:11:51 pm

I put the one about mass extinction haha.
Seems so wrong though.

I think i did too.

Same goes... I was just thinking of Ice Age LOL

omg ahaha
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: doher109 on October 31, 2014, 02:18:58 pm
Can someone get a copy of the exam up so we can work out some MC answers?
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: shivaji on October 31, 2014, 02:23:47 pm
what did you guys get for the founder effect multiple choice question? i thought they were all wrong :/
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: dankfrank420 on October 31, 2014, 02:29:19 pm
Ugh some questions on SA were f*cked...

For the bipedalism one, did people put tools and saves energy from more efficient travel --> more migration?
Also is it ok if I wrote nucleic acid and polypeptide instead of DNA and histone protein? It was asking for macromolecules in chromosomes.

@Shivaji

I think it was A - migration.
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: vcestudent123 on October 31, 2014, 02:29:55 pm
what did you guys get for the founder effect multiple choice question? i thought they were all wrong :/
It was Migration.
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: shivaji on October 31, 2014, 02:33:10 pm
It was Migration.


well there goes the mark. never even knew :(

Ugh some questions on SA were f*cked...

For the bipedalism one, did people put tools and saves energy from more efficient travel --> more migration?
Also is it ok if I wrote nucleic acid and polypeptide instead of DNA and histone protein? It was asking for macromolecules in chromosomes.


yeh i wrote nucleic acid and polypeptide as well, hopefully vcaa doesn't get too picky just about that...

as for the bipedalism, i wrote the same except instead of efficient travel i said that it allowed them to run away from predators easier... but idk

it was defs a tough paper imo
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: Stick on October 31, 2014, 02:36:20 pm
One of my poor students thought the end of question 11 was the end of the exam, due to the "this page has been left blank" page, and lost at least 6 marks. :( I hope this doesn't apply to anyone else here!
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: Reus on October 31, 2014, 02:39:12 pm
One of my poor students thought the end of question 11 was the end of the exam, due to the "this page has been left blank" page, and lost at least 6 marks. :( I hope this doesn't apply to anyone else here!
Damn that sucks! Someone please check with me that the last question was on the woolly mammoths?
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: shivaji on October 31, 2014, 02:39:58 pm
One of my poor students thought the end of question 11 was the end of the exam, due to the "this page has been left blank" page, and lost at least 6 marks. :( I hope this doesn't apply to anyone else here!

oh no that's so unfair :( hope no one else had this happen to them
but saying that why would they leave a blank page like that? like seriously why?
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: shivaji on October 31, 2014, 02:40:24 pm
Damn that sucks! Someone please check with me that the last question was on the woolly mammoths?

well that's what i thought
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: davomac on October 31, 2014, 02:44:44 pm
What do people think would be required for the experiment question, with the polypeptides???   :)
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: skybluemaniac on October 31, 2014, 02:45:09 pm
It was Migration.

I thought it was natural disaster because there was only one genotype in the population that survived. It couldn't be migration that only that genotype migrated could it?
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: SteakMan on October 31, 2014, 02:49:50 pm
A+ cut off prediction? I think I lost about 13 marks most cause of silly mistakes :( then probs a few more for examiners being harsh
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: bonkbadonk on October 31, 2014, 02:50:03 pm
I thought it was natural disaster because there was only one genotype in the population that survived. It couldn't be migration that only that genotype migrated could it?

They were talking about migration for behavioural evolution as a result of bipedalism, but anyways, I see your question as well. The question specifically asked for the founder effect. So it had to be migration.
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: dankfrank420 on October 31, 2014, 02:52:28 pm
A+ cut off prediction? I think I lost about 13 marks most cause of silly mistakes :( then probs a few more for examiners being harsh

Seeing how last years was 93/110, and this years appears to be slightly harder, I'd say probably around 87-88. Maybe even 85, but that's probably a bit too far.
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: katiesaliba on October 31, 2014, 02:58:58 pm
A+ cut off prediction? I think I lost about 13 marks most cause of silly mistakes :( then probs a few more for examiners being harsh

How do you know? Do you have a copy of the exam? :)
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: SteakMan on October 31, 2014, 03:01:09 pm
Teacher had a copy so went through some answers with her but couldn't take it cause she only had the one :S
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: skybluemaniac on October 31, 2014, 03:03:33 pm
guys for the mammoth question would allopatric speciation get any marks? I was going to change to bottleneck but I didn't at the end..
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: dankfrank420 on October 31, 2014, 03:04:57 pm
guys for the mammoth question would allopatric speciation get any marks? I was going to change to bottleneck but I didn't at the end..

Yeah I described allopatric speciation.
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: pbn on October 31, 2014, 03:14:54 pm
ANYONE HAVE A COPY OF THE EXAM THEY CAN POST UP?
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: sandrab on October 31, 2014, 03:24:02 pm
Did you guys get Xlinked recessive for the pedigree in the short answer ?
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: dankfrank420 on October 31, 2014, 03:25:22 pm
Did you guys get Xlinked recessive for the pedigree in the short answer ?

autosomal recessive

We can all agree its recessive.

But two daughters had the trait, so if it was x-linked then the father must have had it. He does not, so its autosomal.
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: someone011 on October 31, 2014, 03:25:53 pm
Yeah I described allopatric speciation.

I didn't even think of this! I was going on about a mutation which was advantageous due to some environmental pressures, then natural selection acted to the point that these organisms became reproductively isolated, and the old species died out and was replaced by the new one. Definitely 0 marks.
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: bonkbadonk on October 31, 2014, 03:26:51 pm
Did you guys get Xlinked recessive for the pedigree in the short answer ?

I got autosomal because if it were X-linked, then the affected female (in the second generation I think?) would have given it to all her sons, but one of them didnt so it couldn't be X-linked. But recessive is correct as two unaffected parents had an affected child. Double whammy question, it was worth three marks too - one for the correct inheritance and two explanations
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: sandrab on October 31, 2014, 03:29:09 pm
SHIT I MEANT AUTSOMAL BUT I THINK I WROTE XLINKED SHITTTTTTTTT I WAS IN A RUSG :(
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: Coralista on October 31, 2014, 03:30:11 pm
I didn't even think of this! I was going on about a mutation which was advantageous due to some environmental pressures, then natural selection acted to the point that these organisms became reproductively isolated, and the old species died out and was replaced by the new one. Definitely 0 marks.

Yeah I talked about mutation as well. I thought allopatric speciation would result in divergent evolution so it would be branched out rather than leading straight to that new variation
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: katiesaliba on October 31, 2014, 03:56:39 pm
Yeah I talked about mutation as well. I thought allopatric speciation would result in divergent evolution so it would be branched out rather than leading straight to that new variation

I talked about natural selection/mutations because, as you've mentioned, it didn't branch out but rather evolved in a linear fashion, hence NS.
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: milica96 on October 31, 2014, 04:05:40 pm
Hey guys! Will be posting a copy of the exam in about 10 mins while I scan all the pages. I managed to sneak a spare from the assessor  ;D
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: dankfrank420 on October 31, 2014, 04:07:36 pm
Hey guys! Will be posting a copy of the exam in about 10 mins while I scan all the pages. I managed to sneak a spare from the assessor  ;D

champ
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: katiesaliba on October 31, 2014, 04:08:11 pm
I was so confused about that one - i said natural selection too, but i said that climate was the selection pressure - so unsure about that haha

Very confusing indeed :\\ I don't see how it wouldn't be natural selection!

Hey guys! Will be posting a copy of the exam in about 10 mins while I scan all the pages. I managed to sneak a spare from the assessor  ;D

Awesome! Kudos to you for your stealthiness :P 
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: Reus on October 31, 2014, 04:09:42 pm
I talked about natural selection/mutations because, as you've mentioned, it didn't branch out but rather evolved in a linear fashion, hence NS.
I was so confused about that one - i said natural selection too, but i said that climate was the selection pressure - so unsure about that haha
Let's hope it was NS, for my sake ;)
Hey guys! Will be posting a copy of the exam in about 10 mins while I scan all the pages. I managed to sneak a spare from the assessor  ;D
MVP!
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: Fingerscrossed on October 31, 2014, 04:12:13 pm
With the drawing of the antigen-antibody complex, could both antigen-binding sites be bound to the same antigen???
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: katiesaliba on October 31, 2014, 04:14:54 pm
With the drawing of the antigen-antibody complex, could both antigen-binding sites be bound to the same antigen???

Not the same antigen, no.
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: Fingerscrossed on October 31, 2014, 04:24:43 pm
Not the same antigen, no.

Aww...We never learnt that at school so that's more marks lost!  :'( :'( :'(
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: Reus on October 31, 2014, 04:27:28 pm
Not the same antigen, no.
It can be with the same pathogen though right?
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: milica96 on October 31, 2014, 04:28:19 pm
UPDATE: sorry for the hold up. running into tech difficulties, the file is too large even when compressed  :'(
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: katiesaliba on October 31, 2014, 04:29:52 pm
Aww...We never learnt that at school so that's more marks lost!  :'( :'( :'(

Wait, do you mean both antigen binding sites on the same antibody to 1 antigen?
That's so annoying  :-\ Don't worry though, the exam was so much harder than usual so the A+ cutoff should be lower  :)

It can be with the same pathogen though right?

Yep! I didn't draw it like that though, so hopefully agglutination wasn't 'required' per se.
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: Fingerscrossed on October 31, 2014, 04:31:35 pm
Wait, do you mean both antigen binding sites on the same antibody to 1 antigen?
That's so annoying  :-\ Don't worry though, the exam was so much harder than usual so the A+ cutoff should be lower  :)

Yep! I didn't draw it like that though, so hopefully agglutination wasn't 'required' per se.

Both my antigen-binding sites of the antibodies were attached to two adjacent antigens on the same pathogen... Is that wrong?
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: dankfrank420 on October 31, 2014, 04:32:09 pm
What were you supposed to draw for the complex question?

I just drew four antibodies surrounding one pathogen, then another antibody on each pathogen. None of the antibodies were binding to antigens on two different pathogens however.

UPDATE: sorry for the hold up. running into tech difficulties, the file is too large even when compressed  :'(

How large is it? Could you upload it to the VCE discussion page (if you are a part of it)?
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: anat0my on October 31, 2014, 04:33:11 pm
GUYS. How do you think you went? Honestly, I don't know. Might loose marks here and there for lack of specificity. What'd you guys say for the last question and the one about the twins. What questions did you find hard?

Nonetheless, Biology has been one of the greatest subjects, definitely going to miss it :'(
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: Reus on October 31, 2014, 04:36:42 pm
GUYS. How do you think you went? Honestly, I don't know. Might loose marks here and there for lack of specificity. What'd you guys say for the last question and the one about the twins. What questions did you find hard?

Nonetheless, Biology has been one of the greatest subjects, definitely going to miss it :'(
For the twins one I took a wild guess and said they would share the similarities in genes and protein production however there still will be genetic differences as no individual is identical (unless cloning took place) thus phenotypic differences.
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: Lizzy7 on October 31, 2014, 04:39:21 pm
Both my antigen-binding sites of the antibodies were attached to two adjacent antigens on the same pathogen... Is that wrong?

I don't think so, I mean that's how they agglutinate! Take a look at this diagram from the BIOL Notes book

Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: anat0my on October 31, 2014, 04:41:53 pm
For the twins one I took a wild guess and said they would share the similarities in genes and protein production however there still will be genetic differences as no individual is identical (unless cloning took place) thus phenotypic differences.

Didn't the question ask why would there be genotypic differences? I thought about saying environmental influences but environment doesn't effect genotype? I said that processes such as crossing over and independent assortment that happen in meiosis causes genotypic differences. But that was a 2 mark question. I think the other mark was for stating mutations occurred which I didn't state. Last minute question for me -.-.

WHAT in the hell was the experimental design question!? how'd u guys go about that curveball?
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: milica96 on October 31, 2014, 04:43:18 pm
here we go, more coming :)
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: anat0my on October 31, 2014, 04:43:43 pm
I don't think so, I mean that's how they agglutinate! Take a look at this diagram from the BIOL Notes book

It was such a struggle to draw this because I drew it in detail such as the heavy chain with the hinges and stuff... if this is what they required then I surely just wasted my time..
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: dankfrank420 on October 31, 2014, 04:44:03 pm
Didn't the question ask why would there be genotypic differences? I thought about saying environmental influences but environment doesn't effect genotype? I said that processes such as crossing over and independent assortment that happen in meiosis causes genotypic differences. But that was a 2 mark question. I think the other mark was for stating mutations occurred which I didn't state. Last minute question for me -.-.

WHAT in the hell was the experimental design question!? how'd u guys go about that curveball?

Wait are you talking about the twins or the bees?

The twins are identical - hence they have identical genotypes. However, the question stated that the traits were being studied after 20 years. So although genotypes may be similar, some phenotypic expression may be different due to environmental factors affecting phenotype.
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: anat0my on October 31, 2014, 04:44:34 pm
here we go, more coming :)

bomb.com
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: althepal on October 31, 2014, 04:45:03 pm

here we go, more coming :)

You legend!
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: anat0my on October 31, 2014, 04:46:34 pm
Wait are you talking about the twins or the bees?

The twins are identical - hence they have identical genotypes. However, the question stated that the traits were being studied after 20 years. So although genotypes may be similar, some phenotypic expression may be different due to environmental factors affecting phenotype.

OHHH im talking about the BEES! ON THAT NOTE the question for the twins I state that they would develop the traits at a different onset of life or whatever once triggered by something... yeah lol ;n;
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: selinasch on October 31, 2014, 04:46:48 pm
I don't think so, I mean that's how they agglutinate! Take a look at this diagram from the BIOL Notes book

i drew something like that, did we have to label it? it didn't say to  :o
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: soNasty on October 31, 2014, 04:47:06 pm
fml looking at those answers i already got 2 wrong
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: Reus on October 31, 2014, 04:47:19 pm
15/16 so far. FML HAHA
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: Lizzy7 on October 31, 2014, 04:47:57 pm
It was such a struggle to draw this because I drew it in detail such as the heavy chain with the hinges and stuff... if this is what they required then I surely just wasted my time..

Yeah I definitely wasted around 4 minutes trying to draw a damn antibody, like to get it neat and draw the heavy chains and variable regions clearly
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: milica96 on October 31, 2014, 04:48:23 pm
more coming.. wish I was clever around computers tbh  ::)
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: Deshouka on October 31, 2014, 04:49:30 pm
Is anyone else panicking while scrolling through the answers?  :P 
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: milica96 on October 31, 2014, 04:50:02 pm
THATS IT :D

guys we survived it, that's all that matters :)
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: anat0my on October 31, 2014, 04:50:49 pm
MC so far so good. SA is defs my downfall UUHGHGH.

What did you guys say for the CTP regulation question and the experimental design?
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: dankfrank420 on October 31, 2014, 04:51:48 pm
39/40 for MC (assuming your answers are correct ofcourse), hopefully that gives me a buffer for SA
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: anat0my on October 31, 2014, 04:53:24 pm
HOW IS 38 artificial selection PLZ HELP
also think i stuffed at 32. ehhhh
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: Reus on October 31, 2014, 04:54:05 pm
35/40 fmllllll I had most correct but I switched answers last minute -.- :(
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: soNasty on October 31, 2014, 04:55:07 pm
FKN 37/40 IM HAPPY TBH
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: dankfrank420 on October 31, 2014, 04:55:37 pm
Why are they getting removed?
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: SteakMan on October 31, 2014, 04:56:11 pm
Is the founder effect definitely migration?
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: Lizzy7 on October 31, 2014, 04:56:24 pm
Why are they getting removed?

Maybe something to do with copyright stuff
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: Reus on October 31, 2014, 04:56:35 pm
Why are they getting removed?
^
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: soNasty on October 31, 2014, 04:56:53 pm
Why are they getting removed?

maybe hes putting them on the first post
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: Coralista on October 31, 2014, 04:57:01 pm
Is the founder effect definitely migration?

yes
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: pbn on October 31, 2014, 04:57:10 pm
CAN SOMEONE PLEASE PUT UP SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS AS WELL PLEASE?
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: Reus on October 31, 2014, 04:58:18 pm
CAN SOMEONE PLEASE PUT UP SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS AS WELL PLEASE?
pls no it'll put me off haha
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: milica96 on October 31, 2014, 04:58:55 pm
Lol jokes, it's getting taken down for copyright reasons.

If anyone wants the file, PM your email address, the files way too big for this forum.

TY  ;D
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: vox nihili on October 31, 2014, 05:01:10 pm
Why are they getting removed?

Really sorry guys, but they are copyrighted material. VCAA does have a bit of a reputation for being a little bit, sensitive, about copyright so in the interests of ATARNotes and milica96 I have had to remove them. Thanks a heap to milica96 for putting them up.

PS: I will be checking through the answers to let those of you who got them know whether they were all hunky-dory :)
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: Reus on October 31, 2014, 05:01:54 pm
Really sorry guys, but they are copyrighted material. VCAA does have a bit of a reputation for being a little bit, sensitive, about copyright so in the interests of ATARNotes and milica96 I have had to remove them. Thanks a heap to milica96 for putting them up.

PS: I will be checking through the answers to let those of you who got them know whether they were all hunky-dory :)
Thanks!
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: anat0my on October 31, 2014, 05:02:23 pm
HOW IS 38 artificial selection PLZ HELP
also think i stuffed at 32. ehhhh

Can someone explain why its artifiical....

38/40
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: Coralista on October 31, 2014, 05:06:10 pm
Can someone explain why its artifiical....

38/40

As humans have intervened with the selection process by domesticating dog breeds, it becomes artificial as it's not really natural selection which involves environmental agents
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: katiesaliba on October 31, 2014, 05:07:38 pm
No I missed out on checking  :-\ :( :'(
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: aalexandrajayne on October 31, 2014, 05:07:59 pm
where are you all getting the answers halp?????????
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: pbn on October 31, 2014, 05:08:21 pm
THE VCAA PUBLISHES ALL THE EXAMS ON THE INTERNET WHEN THEY ARE DONE AS WELL AS THE MULTIPLE CHOICE AND SHORT ANSWERS REPORT. THEY ARE NOT THAT SENSITIVE.
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: dankfrank420 on October 31, 2014, 05:09:02 pm
As humans have intervened with the selection process by domesticating dog breeds, it becomes artificial as it's not really natural selection which involves environmental agents

Plus I don't think natural selection would be that prevalent that 5 different variations of the same species would be around.
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: Reus on October 31, 2014, 05:09:17 pm
THE VCAA PUBLISHES ALL THE EXAMS ON THE INTERNET WHEN THEY ARE DONE AS WELL AS THE MULTIPLE CHOICE AND SHORT ANSWERS REPORT. THEY ARE NOT THAT SENSITIVE.
You need to relax my friend! HAHAHA :P
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: cypherax on October 31, 2014, 05:09:55 pm
What could the 3 marks for the polypeptide experiment design question have been?
You couldn't mentioned controlled variables or large groups, as they specifically stated this.

I think one was for repetition of experiment, one (maybe) for sensible design that would test the hypothesis... but I'm not sure what else

Also, anyone know when vcaa or a legally allowed body actually uploads the exam online?
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: anat0my on October 31, 2014, 05:10:18 pm
As humans have intervened with the selection process by domesticating dog breeds, it becomes artificial as it's not really natural selection which involves environmental agents

ok. thanks . . .
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: Reus on October 31, 2014, 05:11:40 pm
I'm so cut with dropping 5 marks in MC... ugh >:(
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: SteakMan on October 31, 2014, 05:13:54 pm
What could the 3 marks for the polypeptide experiment design question have been?
You couldn't mentioned controlled variables or large groups, as they specifically stated this.

I think one was for repetition of experiment, one (maybe) for sensible design that would test the hypothesis... but I'm not sure what else

Also, anyone know when vcaa or a legally allowed body actually uploads the exam online?

I wrote about repetition, getting the results and what exactly a controlled experiment was (talking about the needing the polypeptides with lys in 3rd in one and not the other etc.). Hopefully they buy it xD
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: dankfrank420 on October 31, 2014, 05:15:28 pm
What could the 3 marks for the polypeptide experiment design question have been?
You couldn't mentioned controlled variables or large groups, as they specifically stated this.

I think one was for repetition of experiment, one (maybe) for sensible design that would test the hypothesis... but I'm not sure what else

Also, anyone know when vcaa or a legally allowed body actually uploads the exam online?

I did

- two large groups of polypeptides, one with lys in third sport and one with not-lys in third spot
- insert groups in cells
- stating which results would support hypothesis
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: anat0my on October 31, 2014, 05:16:42 pm
I did

- two large groups of polypeptides, one with lys in third sport and one with not-lys in third spot
- insert groups in cells
- stating which results would support hypothesis

How did you mention the insertion of the cells? It was so confusing. I said they were inserted with a liposome... ugh. Such a convoluted question...
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: vox nihili on October 31, 2014, 05:17:33 pm
The mods have decided to put the notes back up, so I'll whack them in the first post in a tic! Sorry about taking them down guys, just wanted to play it on the safe side :)
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: davomac on October 31, 2014, 05:17:59 pm
would you need to mention the addition of a marker on the polypeptides???
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: dankfrank420 on October 31, 2014, 05:18:14 pm
How did you mention the insertion of the cells? It was so confusing. I said they were inserted with a liposome... ugh. Such a convoluted question...

Pretty sure it was stated in the question stem on the previous page
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: Deshouka on October 31, 2014, 05:18:37 pm
How did you mention the insertion of the cells? It was so confusing. I said they were inserted with a liposome... ugh. Such a convoluted question...

I said they were inserted using the viruses. Don;t know if I'll get a mark for that.
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: sandrab on October 31, 2014, 05:18:57 pm
How is everyone getting the answers ?
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: Coralista on October 31, 2014, 05:19:03 pm
I did

- two large groups of polypeptides, one with lys in third sport and one with not-lys in third spot
- insert groups in cells
- stating which results would support hypothesis

-I talked about separating the group of cells in two groups so scientists can easily identify the control group and the other group
-then inserting the exact same sequence of polypeptides (except having one group including lys in third position not the other) in both groups
-then observe which the group of cells accumulates DNA

Was a hypothesis essential to gain full marks? As well as the results
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: cypherax on October 31, 2014, 05:19:20 pm
How did you mention the insertion of the cells? It was so confusing. I said they were inserted with a liposome... ugh. Such a convoluted question...

From what I got out of that question, vcaa was telling us 'we got your back' in terms of the insertion, so I don't think that would've been important.
Did anyone else use fluorescent polypeptides?
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: anat0my on October 31, 2014, 05:19:50 pm
Pretty sure it was stated in the question stem on the previous page

No....
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: anat0my on October 31, 2014, 05:21:12 pm
From what I got out of that question, vcaa was telling us 'we got your back' in terms of the insertion, so I don't think that would've been important.
Did anyone else use fluorescent polypeptides?

YES USED the labelled polypeptides. Just had so much struggle with piecing it together ;n;
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: Scooby on October 31, 2014, 05:21:35 pm
Hey everyone, I've just had a look through the multiple choice and these are the answers I got :)

1.   C
2.   C
3.   A
4.   B
5.   B
6.   A
7.   B
8.   D
9.   C
10.   A
11.   D
12.   D
13.   C
14.   C
15.   B
16.   A
17.   D
18.   C
19.   B
20.   A
21.   D
22.   A
23.   B
24.   C
25.   A
26.   B
27.   A
28.   B
29.   C
30.   B
31.   D
32.   C
33.   A
34.   C
35.   D
36.   A
37.   C
38.   D
39.   B
40.   C
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: cypherax on October 31, 2014, 05:22:52 pm
YES USED the labelled polypeptides. Just had so much struggle with piecing it together ;n;

Almost said 'use gene probes', gosh that was tricky.
Also the question about amino acid differences, you (probably) had to relate that to mutations in DNA since amino acids cannot just change by themselves. Thought that was sneaky too.
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: Reus on October 31, 2014, 05:24:01 pm
I just said;
- creat two large groups where one is the control - with lys.
- insert polypeptide in the nucleated gene; record accumulation activity.
- if there is accumulation with group 1 and not with group 2 then the hypothesis is supported.
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: cypherax on October 31, 2014, 05:25:45 pm
- insert polypeptide in the nucleated gene; record accumulation activity.

What? You mean cell?
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: dankfrank420 on October 31, 2014, 05:25:58 pm
Almost said 'use gene probes', gosh that was tricky.
Also the question about amino acid differences, you (probably) had to relate that to mutations in DNA since amino acids cannot just change by themselves. Thought that was sneaky too.

Are you sure?

I just thought that you had to explain that we know what rate they mutate at, hence we can derive molecular clock. More changes in amino acid = more mutations = more time since species divergence = more unrelated two species are.
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: auds on October 31, 2014, 05:26:20 pm
I just said;
- creat two large groups where one is the control - with lys.
- insert polypeptide in the nucleated gene; record accumulation activity.
- if there is accumulation with group 1 and not with group 2 then the hypothesis is supported.

This is EXACTLY what I wrote down, haha.
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: Reus on October 31, 2014, 05:27:28 pm
What? You mean cell?
Yes cell haha
This is EXACTLY what I wrote down, haha.
Let's hope we're right :P
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: cypherax on October 31, 2014, 05:27:40 pm
Are you sure?

I just thought that you had to explain that we know what rate they mutate at, hence we can derive molecular clock. More changes in amino acid = more mutations = more time since species divergence = more unrelated two species are.

Essentially yes, but amino acids cannot mutate, so unless you relate it to DNA I can't see how the argument makes sense
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: vox nihili on October 31, 2014, 05:28:34 pm
I've attached the exam to the first post (from Stick). Have had a look through milica96's answers. Let's just say she's a gun and a half—they're all correct in my opinion.
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: dankfrank420 on October 31, 2014, 05:29:03 pm
Essentially yes, but amino acids cannot mutate, so unless you relate it to DNA I can't see how the argument makes sense

Hmm, I see but I've honestly never seen that sort of stuff come up before in a VCAA exam.

I think that might be too indepth for a 2 mark question, but hey you never know.
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: katiesaliba on October 31, 2014, 05:30:46 pm
I completed butchered the experimental design question  :'( I initially wrote two groups but then changed it and wrote 8 groups of cells LOL 1-7 inserted with polypeptide chains that had lys in different positions and the 8th group without any polypeptide inserted. Then I mentioned how the results should show that only the group of cells which had a polypeptide inserted with lys in the position it needed to be in (2nd or 3rd? don't remember ahah) would show accumulation, thus proving the scientist's hypothesis. I also had like repetition and whatnot...just ahh, so annoyed at myself  :-\
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: dankfrank420 on October 31, 2014, 05:33:13 pm
I completed butchered the experimental design question  :'( I initially wrote two groups but then changed it and wrote 8 groups of cells LOL 1-7 inserted with polypeptide chains that had lys in different positions and the 8th group without any polypeptide inserted. Then I mentioned how the results should show that only the group of cells which had a polypeptide inserted with lys in the position it needed to be in (2nd or 3rd? don't remember ahah) would show accumulation, thus proving the scientist's hypothesis. I also had like repetition and whatnot...just ahh, so annoyed at myself  :-\

Don't worry, as long as you've included relevant info you can still get the marks
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: katiesaliba on October 31, 2014, 05:33:55 pm
Don't worry, as long as you've included relevant info you can still get the marks

Really?? Massive relief! Thanks :)
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: anat0my on October 31, 2014, 05:36:25 pm
Tbh the exam looks easy once you look back on it. Feeling somewhat downtrodden for loosing marks that were so easy to gain. All a matter of the moment I suppose.

Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: doher109 on October 31, 2014, 05:38:55 pm
I agree with the solutions posted, except question 20.

I put down C, but is that correct for Meiosis instead?
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: katiesaliba on October 31, 2014, 05:39:09 pm
40/40 on MC. What even.  :o
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: dankfrank420 on October 31, 2014, 05:39:53 pm
I agree with the solutions posted, except question 20.

I put down C, but is that correct for Meiosis instead?

Yeah correct for meiosis but question was about mitosis
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: anat0my on October 31, 2014, 05:40:41 pm
40/40 on MC. What even.  :o

Killing it. Congratz.

Well done everybody!
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: doher109 on October 31, 2014, 05:41:18 pm
39/40 woo hoo.
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: dankfrank420 on October 31, 2014, 05:42:01 pm
40/40 on MC. What even.  :o

Congrats, beat be by one  :P

That bloody turgid/potassium question killed me, I stared at it for 5 mins and didn't get it. Still doesn't make sense to me now  :o

Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: brenden on October 31, 2014, 05:43:00 pm
1 C
2 C
3 A
4 B
5 B
6 A
7 B
8 D
9 C
10 A
11 D
12 D
13 C
14 C
15 B
16 A
17 D
18 C
19 B
20 A
21 D
22 A
23 B
24 C
25 A
26 B
27 A
28 B
29 C
30 B
31 D
32 C
33 A
34 C
35 D
36 A
37 C
38 D
39 B
40 C


So, is everyone agreeing that those are the right answers?
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: zxcvbnm, on October 31, 2014, 05:43:20 pm
how do you open the answers?
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: katiesaliba on October 31, 2014, 05:43:57 pm
This one's getting a 50. I'm calling it now.

Oh god no way. :o

Killing it. Congratz.

Well done everybody!

Thanks!

Congrats, beat be by one  :P

That bloody turgid/potassium question killed me, I stared at it for 5 mins and didn't get it. Still doesn't make sense to me now  :o



Congrats to you too! Omg, don't worry same! I don't understand it either tbh ahaha, I worked it out via process of elimination and many MANY diagrams :')
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: Aman476 on October 31, 2014, 05:44:58 pm
Why would the fatty acid produce more energy per mole than per mol of glucose??? "Number of molecules are NOT shown", doesn't that mean you can't know? In the diagram there is no input of oxygen before the conversion to acetylcoA - anaerobic?

I thought 12 short answer would have been b when pyruvic acid is meshed with fatty acid to make acetylcoA??? anyone else?
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: Reus on October 31, 2014, 05:46:39 pm
Can someone explain to me how it was a substation mutation in a gamete and not a somatic cell? question 23 if i recall correctly.
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: zxcvbnm, on October 31, 2014, 05:47:54 pm
is there a copy of the exam somewhere? if so how do you open it?
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: brenden on October 31, 2014, 05:48:51 pm
is there a copy of the exam somewhere? if so how do you open it?
In the original post, there's a hyperlink :)

(Also - does everyone still agree with the original answers in the OP? - has there been any changes?)
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: bonkbadonk on October 31, 2014, 05:48:57 pm
Ah sweet 39/40

I agree with the answers in the OP.
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: dankfrank420 on October 31, 2014, 05:50:56 pm
In the original post, there's a hyperlink :)

(Also - does everyone still agree with the original answers in the OP? - has there been any changes?)

Yeah I think they're correct (in my esteemed opinion)
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: rendeme on October 31, 2014, 05:51:31 pm
Could someone explain how question 19 is cytotoxic t cells, because I thought cytotoxic T cells only killed virus infected cells?
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: Coralista on October 31, 2014, 05:51:39 pm
Can someone explain to me how it was a substation mutation in a gamete and not a somatic cell? question 23 if i recall correctly.

I though since the question said there are individuals (emphasising the plural) with this mutation, this indicates that the mutation does not apply to only one individual, hence for it to be passed on to other individuals (offsprings) it has to be a mutation in the gamete.
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: Reus on October 31, 2014, 05:54:37 pm
I though since the question said there are individuals (emphasising the plural) with this mutation, this indicates that the mutation does not apply to only one individual, hence for it to be passed on to other individuals (offsprings) it has to be a mutation in the gamete.
Ah I see... didn't pick up on that! :(
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: bonkbadonk on October 31, 2014, 05:55:29 pm
Could someone explain how question 19 is cytotoxic t cells, because I thought cytotoxic T cells only killed virus infected cells?
The Cytotoxic T cell binds to the MHC markers on the transplanted cells and recognises it as non self, where it is destroyed. They destroy anything, as long as it's a cell (eg. cancer cells, viral infected). Normally, in the person's body (from where the transplant came from), there would be no response since the MHC markers are theirs, but in a different person, it is not recognised as self and therefore tissue rejection happens. 
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: anat0my on October 31, 2014, 05:58:49 pm
Predicted cut off anyone?
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: dankfrank420 on October 31, 2014, 06:01:48 pm
Predicted cut off anyone?

87-88
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: Aman476 on October 31, 2014, 06:04:13 pm
QUESTION 12 MC ahahaha??
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: Coralista on October 31, 2014, 06:04:45 pm
87-88

Since this years exam was clearly harder than last years, do you guys think this will lead to an increase in scaling as well?
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: Deshouka on October 31, 2014, 06:06:19 pm
Since this years exam was clearly harder than last years, do you think this will lead to an increase in scaling as well?
but wouldn't that assume that the other exams were easier than?
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: dankfrank420 on October 31, 2014, 06:06:35 pm
Since this years exam was clearly harder than last years, do you think this will lead to an increase in scaling as well?

Possibly, but its been stuck at +1 for the past few years. If it is going to go up, I'd only be by +2.
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: anat0my on October 31, 2014, 06:07:06 pm
87-88

Wasn't last years cut off ~85%? Why would it be higher if was harder? :S
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: grannysmith on October 31, 2014, 06:08:02 pm
Since this years exam was clearly harder than last years, do you think this will lead to an increase in scaling as well?
probably not. depends on cohort strength.

but yeah i agree with dankfrank420's estimate
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: Reus on October 31, 2014, 06:08:28 pm
Wasn't last years cut off ~85%? Why would it be higher if was harder? :S
I'm guessing it's 88/110
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: Coralista on October 31, 2014, 06:08:48 pm
Possibly, but its been stuck at +1 for the past few years. If it is going to go up, I'd only be by +2.

Yeah that's true!

Wasn't last years cut off ~85%? Why would it be higher if was harder? :S

Last years cut off was around 93 I believe, as in 93/110
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: Reus on October 31, 2014, 06:09:16 pm
What did everyone write for the ZZ and ZW chromosome question?
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: dankfrank420 on October 31, 2014, 06:10:45 pm
What did everyone write for the ZZ and ZW chromosome question?

Z^R Z^r X Z^r W

ceebs typing it out, but thats the cross i did
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: soNasty on October 31, 2014, 06:11:30 pm
What SS Am i looking at if i get a low A+ with A+ sacs and rank 1?
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: Sup on October 31, 2014, 06:12:37 pm
Can anyone explain question 12 of MC?
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: anat0my on October 31, 2014, 06:14:14 pm
Hey what did you guys write for the facilitated diffusion question? I feel like some of the questions were broad and ambiguous.
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: Coralista on October 31, 2014, 06:16:29 pm
What SS Am i looking at if i get a low A+ with A+ sacs and rank 1?

probably 39+ but it depends on numerous factors such as overall cohort strength etc..

Can anyone explain question 12 of MC?

For question 12, option A cannot be correct as most of the ATP is made in electron transport, option B is incorrect as pyruvic acid is converted to acetyl CoA under aerobic conditions, option C is also incorrect as the breakdown of glucose under anaerobic conditions will result in 2 ATP. Leaving us with option D, its correct as fat and lipids are able to store more energy due to their lack of affinity for water molecules
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: Reus on October 31, 2014, 06:17:41 pm
Z^R Z^r X Z^r W

ceebs typing it out, but thats the cross i did
Thank God! At first I did Rr x rr but then changed it haha. I think I went with Z^R Z^R X Z^r W though...
Hey what did you guys write for the facilitated diffusion question? I feel like some of the questions were broad and ambiguous.
I just said the accumulation of glucose inside the cell is high concentrated so through facilitated diffusion it wants to rebalances the low levels of glucose outside hence diffuses (high to low concentration gradient) I had to retain this memory from units 1 and 2 tbh.
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: Aman476 on October 31, 2014, 06:18:54 pm
Crap, as if pyruvic acid can be used exactly the same way as the ion (pyruvate), thought it was some other path haha so didnt see any O2 so i chose B damn! 38/40

That question 20 got me ahaah
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: katiesaliba on October 31, 2014, 06:20:38 pm
Z^R Z^r X Z^r W

ceebs typing it out, but thats the cross i did

Same!
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: Reus on October 31, 2014, 06:20:58 pm
Crap, as if pyruvic acid can be used exactly the same way as the ion (pyruvate), thought it was some other path haha so didnt see any O2 so i chose B damn! 38/40

That question 20 got me ahaah
Better than my 35 ._.
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: Aman476 on October 31, 2014, 06:24:37 pm
Did everyone say carrier protein for glucose (talk about conformation change?) and moving from high conc to low con? (with concentration gradient) for that question?? I nearly said through a protein channel but got lucky in remembering that its carrier for glucose and channel for ions and such (smaller).
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: Aman476 on October 31, 2014, 06:28:23 pm
Better than my 35 ._.

haha well done man, i reckon high 40's are still probable if we don't lose more than 7-9 marks, since this exam was more on par with the old u3 and u4 exams (a+ was over 76% a lot of the time) last years was i think a little easier (hence the higher a+ cut off 85) so we should do well if we get 101-103 out of 110 (92-94%)  :D :D
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: Vicbelgaus on October 31, 2014, 06:30:54 pm
Did everyone say carrier protein for glucose (talk about conformation change?) and moving from high conc to low con? (with concentration gradient) for that question?? I nearly said through a protein channel but got lucky in remembering that its carrier for glucose and channel for ions and such (smaller).

Fak i said protein channel -_-


oh dear this isn't looking so good anymore
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: yvyngu on October 31, 2014, 06:36:19 pm
Guys I did 3 x 90 = 210 I'm so angry kicking myself in the head
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: katiesaliba on October 31, 2014, 06:38:40 pm
Fak i said protein channel -_-


oh dear this isn't looking so good anymore

To be honest, I reckon they would accept either protein channels or carrier proteins. Maybe not though, dunno.
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: Aman476 on October 31, 2014, 06:40:44 pm
I don't get why 270 is wrong, if you were to count the start and stop codons (bases that  code for a acids  which aren't actually part of the polymer) then why stop there? Why exclude the promoter sequence, and the other bases that get added to it (adenine tail, methylated cap?) I reckon it was 270, only because it used the word 'coding'.

"Stop codons signal the termination of this process by binding release factors, which cause the ribosomal subunits to disassociate, releasing the amino acid chain. While start codons need nearby sequences or initiation factors to start translation, stop codon alone is sufficient to initiate termination." - wiki

Stop and Start aren't translated  :-\
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: Vicbelgaus on October 31, 2014, 06:42:21 pm
I don't get why 270 is wrong, if you were to count the start and stop codons (bases that  code for a acids  which aren't actually part of the polymer) then why stop there? Why exclude the promoter sequence, and the other bases that get added to it (adenine tail, methylated cap?) I reckon it was 270, only because it used the word 'coding'.

"Stop codons signal the termination of this process by binding release factors, which cause the ribosomal subunits to disassociate, releasing the amino acid chain. While start codons need nearby sequences or initiation factors to start translation, stop codon alone is sufficient to initiate termination." - wiki

Stop and Start aren't translated  :-\


that is the same conclusion i came to in regards to that question.
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: Vicbelgaus on October 31, 2014, 06:44:04 pm
To be honest, I reckon they would accept either protein channels or carrier proteins. Maybe not though, dunno.

i hope you are right there  :-[ ,really need to get all the marks i can get in short answer since i dropped 3 in multiple choice
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: dankfrank420 on October 31, 2014, 06:45:22 pm
For the glucose question, I said something like

glucose is unable to pass directly through the phospholipid bilayer, so it must pass through the membrane through specific protein channels embedded in the membrane.This process does not require energy.


I don't get why 270 is wrong, if you were to count the start and stop codons (bases that  code for a acids  which aren't actually part of the polymer) then why stop there? Why exclude the promoter sequence, and the other bases that get added to it (adenine tail, methylated cap?) I reckon it was 270, only because it used the word 'coding'.

"Stop codons signal the termination of this process by binding release factors, which cause the ribosomal subunits to disassociate, releasing the amino acid chain. While start codons need nearby sequences or initiation factors to start translation, stop codon alone is sufficient to initiate termination." - wiki

Stop and Start aren't translated  :-\

I wrote:

90 amino acids, and 3 nucleotides per amino acid hence 90*3=270
However, add 3 nucleotides for STOP codon
Therefore 270+3=273 bases needed
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: katiesaliba on October 31, 2014, 06:46:28 pm
I don't get why 270 is wrong, if you were to count the start and stop codons (bases that  code for a acids  which aren't actually part of the polymer) then why stop there? Why exclude the promoter sequence, and the other bases that get added to it (adenine tail, methylated cap?) I reckon it was 270, only because it used the word 'coding'.

"Stop codons signal the termination of this process by binding release factors, which cause the ribosomal subunits to disassociate, releasing the amino acid chain. While start codons need nearby sequences or initiation factors to start translation, stop codon alone is sufficient to initiate termination." - wiki

Stop and Start aren't translated  :-\

The start codon is translated and codes for the amino acid met.
Promotor and terminator regions are not transcribed into mRNA (at least, I don't think they are)
The question asked for the number of nucleotides that allowed for the coding of the polypeptide (paraphrasing here). Therefore, stop codons are necessary for the translation process.
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: katiesaliba on October 31, 2014, 06:47:42 pm
For the glucose question, I said something like

glucose is unable to pass directly through the phospholipid bilayer, so it must pass through the membrane through specific protein channels embedded in the membrane.This process does not require energy.


I wrote:

90 amino acids, and 3 nucleotides per amino acid hence 90*3=270
However, add 3 nucleotides for STOP codon
Therefore 270+3=273 bases needed

Same, however I said that it goes with its concentration gradient instead of not requiring energy. 
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: dankfrank420 on October 31, 2014, 06:49:13 pm
Same, however I said that it goes with its concentration gradient instead of not requiring energy.

I think that's implicit anyway, but yeah should have wrote that.
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: katiesaliba on October 31, 2014, 06:50:38 pm
I think that's implicit anyway, but yeah should have wrote that.

Exactly! I feel like I should have written that it doesn't require energy :') ahaha
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: Aman476 on October 31, 2014, 06:50:50 pm
Yeah, logically i would say 270 - but a vcaa exam, too easy for 1 mark just to multiply by 3 and i really dont remember the specific wording, if it said allowed then defs have to add the extra stuff (still dont get why we have to dismiss the other added bases but...)

Oh yeah you're completely right, start codon is translated - but wouldn't that just be one of the 90 monomer subunits?
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: dankfrank420 on October 31, 2014, 06:52:41 pm
Exactly! I feel like I should have written that it doesn't require energy :') ahaha

No I meant I should have written your answer, that the process goes with conc. gradient
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: Sup on October 31, 2014, 07:00:31 pm
Would it be sufficient to write specific protein channel in regards to the facilitated diffusion question?
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: Reus on October 31, 2014, 07:03:07 pm
I wrote about the concentration gradient however did not make mention of no requiring energy... I thought that was self explanatory since it was 'facilitated diffusion' haha pls suffice
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: vcestudent123 on October 31, 2014, 07:04:08 pm
37/40 .. errr I guess I did okay... tbh I really shouldn't have lost any of these, hopefully I did alright on short answer.

I probably got something like 35/70 for S.A :/
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: davomac on October 31, 2014, 07:05:16 pm
can anyone remember their phenotype and genotype ratios for those two questions???   :)
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: dankfrank420 on October 31, 2014, 07:08:49 pm
can anyone remember their phenotype and genotype ratios for those two questions???   :)

For the ZZ x ZW question, pretty sure phenotypic was just 1 of each
For the Bb^1b question, I think phenotypic was 2 purple: 1 lilal: 1 white
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: Reus on October 31, 2014, 07:09:43 pm
For the ZZ x ZW question, pretty sure phenotypic was just 1 of each
For the Bb^1b question, I think phenotypic was 2 purple: 1 lilal: 1 white
Woooooo!!
Do you make mention of the gender too in the phenotype?
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: davomac on October 31, 2014, 07:10:18 pm
For the ZZ x ZW question, pretty sure phenotypic was just 1 of each
For the Bb^1b question, I think phenotypic was 2 purple: 1 lilal: 1 white
Yeah thats what I thought!
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: Idolift on October 31, 2014, 07:10:54 pm
DAMNNN!!

On the double checking of MC i changed 3 answers and they were all wrong, so i got 37/40
That sucks...
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: dankfrank420 on October 31, 2014, 07:13:36 pm
Woooooo!!
Do you make mention of the gender too in the phenotype?

Yes, only in the ZZ ZW question though
The b question was autosomal

Hoping these questions where the answers are pretty straightforward can drag me over the line. I think I might get marked down alot due to the ambiguity of questions/VCAA's strict answers.
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: tzacchary on October 31, 2014, 07:23:53 pm
38/40 on multiple choice, not too bad!  :)

I misunderstood/misread the first S.A question, lost 3 out of 4 easy marks :/ and for some reason (I don't know how, looking back at the exam) managed to completely screw up the # of nucleotides (the one where the answer was 273 or something). Apart from that, I think I did decent, far much more unit 4 stuff than I was anticipating.

Slightly harder than last years I reckon, just the different content made it seem worse than it is.
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: vcestudent123 on October 31, 2014, 07:40:46 pm



I wrote:

90 amino acids, and 3 nucleotides per amino acid hence 90*3=270
However, add 3 nucleotides for STOP codon
Therefore 270+3=273 bases needed
Damn.. I thought they were trying to trick us with that question... I guess it was more straightforward then I thought.
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: dankfrank420 on October 31, 2014, 07:54:19 pm
What did you all say for the making more copies of Otzi's DNA question?

It was basically asking you to describe the PCR
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: Idolift on October 31, 2014, 07:59:06 pm
Did everyone say Otzi was involved in a mass cult suicide?

jks aside, you said bar fight and he was left in the snow yeah?
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: doomdestroyer on October 31, 2014, 08:02:19 pm
Did everyone say Otzi was involved in a mass cult suicide?

jks aside, you said bar fight and he was left in the snow yeah?

I said blood from the animals that Otzi hunted got onto his shirt and that another possibility was blood from another person. I could have explained this a lot more, but i was running out of time.
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: Vicbelgaus on October 31, 2014, 08:03:56 pm
Did everyone say Otzi was involved in a mass cult suicide?

jks aside, you said bar fight and he was left in the snow yeah?


I said ''it was hypothesised that he was in a fight with three other individuals''
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: SarahLoria on October 31, 2014, 08:11:34 pm
What did you guys say for the pancreas/liver SA in regards to the hormone stimulating the process within the cell?
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: selinasch on October 31, 2014, 08:14:53 pm

I said ''it was hypothesised that he was in a fight with three other individuals''

Yeah I said exactly the same, figured 3 other blood samples that aren't his, therefore 3 other people  :)
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: doomdestroyer on October 31, 2014, 08:17:37 pm
What did you guys say for the pancreas/liver SA in regards to the hormone stimulating the process within the cell?

I just described the usual pathway in signal transduction for a hydrophilic hormone. How it binds to the specific receptor on the outside surface of the cell membrane as it is unable to pass across the cell membrane. How that activates a G protein which in turn activates enzymes that produce second messengers. That a cascade of events occurs resulting in a coordinated response. I referred specifically to the hormone and response as well.
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: someone011 on October 31, 2014, 08:18:14 pm
I did

- two large groups of polypeptides, one with lys in third sport and one with not-lys in third spot
- insert groups in cells
- stating which results would support hypothesis

I said you'd need 20 different polypeptide sequences; all sequences must be the same, except for the 3rd amino acid (which will be lots of different amino acids, including lys) - is this completely wrong?
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: TimewaveZero on October 31, 2014, 08:22:17 pm
For the drawing of the monomers question, did you guys draw a line of connected amino acids for the protein? Or the structure with the R group, carboxyl group, amino group and hydrogen? My teacher said this was ambiguous and even he didn't know which one they where talking about. I did the latter.

also, dropped 5 marks on MC :(
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: dankfrank420 on October 31, 2014, 08:24:15 pm
Maybe VCAA will be nice and award everyone full marks for that question  ::)
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: doomdestroyer on October 31, 2014, 08:35:00 pm
Maybe VCAA will be nice and award everyone full marks for that question  ::)

Ha...Ha....Ha...
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: Reus on October 31, 2014, 08:40:30 pm
Well the satisfaction of burning practice exam s ;D
And damn 100+ viewing this topic...  8)
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: vella97 on October 31, 2014, 08:45:46 pm
Hey guys are these answers 100% verified because for question 12 it seems like the answer would be B rather than D? If I'm wrong could someone explain why it would be D? Thanks :)
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: dankfrank420 on October 31, 2014, 08:46:28 pm
Ha...Ha....Ha...

It's not unheard of, a few VCAA past exams I did gave full marks to everyone if the question wasn't clear.
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: Reus on October 31, 2014, 08:47:42 pm
Hey guys are these answers 100% verified because for question 12 it seems like the answer would be B rather than D? If I'm wrong could someone explain why it would be D? Thanks :)
Yeah I put in B... but it seems like everyone put in D and the explanation seems legit. Meh.
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: vcestudent123 on October 31, 2014, 08:48:13 pm
Maybe VCAA will be nice and award everyone full marks for that question  ::)
Crazier things have happened...wait no... nothing is crazier than that.
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: milica96 on October 31, 2014, 08:50:08 pm
Hey guys, to everyone who messaged me for a copy of the exams multiple choice, I will send them to you ASAP, I just haven't had my laptop with me all day. Sorry about that!! :(
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: katiesaliba on October 31, 2014, 08:52:06 pm
Hey guys are these answers 100% verified because for question 12 it seems like the answer would be B rather than D? If I'm wrong could someone explain why it would be D? Thanks :)

The conversion of pyruvate to acetyl-CoA is a part of aerobic respiration, as pyruvate oxidation is included in the krebs cycle in VCE bio :)
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: bonkbadonk on October 31, 2014, 08:52:23 pm
It's not unheard of, a few VCAA past exams I did gave full marks to everyone if the question wasn't clear.

2011 Biology Exam Paper 2 (Unit 4)
http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/Documents/exams/biology/2011biology2-w.pdf

The very first question.

There was a picture of a cell with different things as Structure __, Structure ___.

In which structure would RNA Polymerase be found?

Problem was, the nucleus didn't have a structure name attached to it - full marks for all. I doubt they're going to this time though
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: dankfrank420 on October 31, 2014, 08:54:55 pm
Crazier things have happened...wait no... nothing is crazier than that.

It's happened...
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: dankfrank420 on October 31, 2014, 08:56:38 pm
Also when do VCAA release their solutions?

Is it on the same day as we get our results?
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: vella97 on October 31, 2014, 08:58:51 pm
The conversion of pyruvate to acetyl-CoA is a part of aerobic respiration, as pyruvate oxidation is included in the krebs cycle in VCE bio :)

Ah okay fair enough. I guess cos we weren't taught the whole process of pyruvates being converted to acetyl coA at our school :/ and I thought that if the cell naturally used glucose as an energy source it was only possible that the most ATP produced would be through the normal process. But now as I'm typing this I just realise that lipids store more energy than monosaccharides so option D does make more sense. Thanks for clearing it up!! :)
so I know for certain I've gotten one wrong in MCQ. :/
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: vcestudent123 on October 31, 2014, 08:59:38 pm
It's happened...
Oh wow, I take it back.
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: walkec on October 31, 2014, 09:23:26 pm
It's happened...

I still have hope of gaining marks for this exam.
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: nerdmmb on October 31, 2014, 09:40:38 pm
I'm so angry at myself because of the amino acid question.

Apparently the answer to the number of nucleotide bases was 273 including the stop codon.

Did anyone else write 270?
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: doomdestroyer on October 31, 2014, 09:43:04 pm
I'm so angry at myself because of the amino acid question.

Apparently the answer to the number of nucleotide bases was 273 including the stop codon.

Did anyone else write 270?

I wrote 270 as well, to find out by my peers that the answer was 273 due to the "Stop" codon, i felt the rage rise up in me.
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: dankfrank420 on October 31, 2014, 09:47:16 pm
I'm so angry at myself because of the amino acid question.

Apparently the answer to the number of nucleotide bases was 273 including the stop codon.

Did anyone else write 270?

Why? Hardly anyone I know got the full mark for drawing an amino acid... TBH as I've said before that there is a tiny chance that VCAA turn around and say "hey look, kids who did chem 3/4 had a major leg up on kids who haven't done it, so we'll give everyone the mark"

And lots of other people wrote 270

I also had a look in the study design, and nowhere does it say that we need to know the exact structure of an amino acid.

Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: Reus on October 31, 2014, 09:49:12 pm
I'm so angry at myself because of the amino acid question.

Apparently the answer to the number of nucleotide bases was 273 including the stop codon.

Did anyone else write 270?
I wrote 270 nucleotides for the monomers and 3 nucleotides for a stop codon. I didn't say '273' per se, but I hope it suffices haha.


Why? Hardly anyone I know got the full mark for drawing an amino acid... TBH as I've said before that there is a tiny chance that VCAA turn around and say "hey look, kids who did chem 3/4 had a major leg up on kids who haven't done it, so we'll give everyone the mark"

And lots of other people wrote 270

I also had a look in the study design, and nowhere does it say that we need to know the exact structure of an amino acid.



Truth.
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: nerdmmb on October 31, 2014, 10:07:00 pm
I honestly didn't even know what to draw. My mind just went completely blank because i never thought they would actually ask that. I drew a diagram which included the carboxyl group, the amine group, the R group and the hydrogen group and forget about the carbon group. Mind you, they were all over the place. I really wish they give us all full marks for that one. I'm so devastated :(
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: Reus on October 31, 2014, 10:09:04 pm
I honestly didn't even know what to draw. My mind just went completely blank because i never thought they would actually ask that. I drew a diagram which included the carboxyl group, the amine group, the R group and the hydrogen group and forget about the carbon group. Mind you, they were all over the place. I really wish they give us all full marks for that one. I'm so devastated :(
At least you drew something! :P
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: nerdmmb on October 31, 2014, 10:12:51 pm
At least you drew something! :P

What did you do for that question?
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: Reus on October 31, 2014, 10:19:25 pm
What did you do for that question?
DNA -  drew a nucleotide. HAHA screwed.
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: nerdmmb on October 31, 2014, 10:22:36 pm
DNA -  drew a nucleotide. HAHA screwed.


Nah you're right. It asked us to draw both monomers of the macromolecules.

And I don't know why but I have the feeling that 3 out of the 4 marks may be for the nucleotide because it's got 3 parts so I hope we got that right atleast :)
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: Stick on October 31, 2014, 10:23:32 pm
Did anyone manage to get a copy of the short answer? This is the part I'm mainly interested in seeing.
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: dankfrank420 on October 31, 2014, 10:24:13 pm

Nah you're right. It asked us to draw both monomers of the macromolecules.

And I don't know why but I have the feeling that 3 out of the 4 marks may be for the nucleotide because it's got 3 parts so I hope we got that right atleast :)

Wait wasn't two marks for naming nucleic acid/polypeptide and another two for the monomers?

Edit: We didn't have to name the monomers did we? Just draw them?
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: nerdmmb on October 31, 2014, 10:29:09 pm
Wait wasn't two marks for naming nucleic acid/polypeptide and another two for the monomers?

Edit: We didn't have to name the monomers did we? Just draw them?

Oh wait, sorry I get you know :) yeah that makes more sense
The first part asked us to name 'macromolecule 1' and 'macromolecule two'.
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: dankfrank420 on October 31, 2014, 10:34:07 pm
I think we did if I'm not mistaken. Because the first part asked us to name 'macromolecule 1' and 'macromolecule two'
But you probably got it right, the stress is just getting to us right now. :P

Dunno, because I guess you have to infer the monomers from your answers above - naming them is kind of redundant.

yeah, should probably stop stressing. What's done is done.
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: Reus on October 31, 2014, 10:46:37 pm
Did anyone manage to get a copy of the short answer? This is the part I'm mainly interested in seeing.
@milica96 said she'll put up the SA tomorrow.
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: heymanhru on October 31, 2014, 11:04:51 pm
I honestly didn't even know what to draw. My mind just went completely blank because i never thought they would actually ask that. I drew a diagram which included the carboxyl group, the amine group, the R group and the hydrogen group and forget about the carbon group. Mind you, they were all over the place. I really wish they give us all full marks for that one. I'm so devastated :(

lol exactly the same thing here! i just drew a circle in a middle out of desperation.
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: tiah on October 31, 2014, 11:40:06 pm
So how did it go? Was it harder than last year's exam?

Proposed answers within the spoiler!
Spoiler
1 C
2 C
3 A
4 B
5 B
6 A
7 B
8 D
9 C
10 A
11 D
12 D
13 C
14 C
15 B
16 A
17 D
18 C
19 B
20 A
21 D
22 A
23 B
24 C
25 A
26 B
27 A
28 B
29 C
30 B
31 D
32 C
33 A
34 C
35 D
36 A
37 C
38 D
39 B
40 C


>>Here<< is a copy of the 2014 MCQ. Thanks a heap to milica96 for taking the time to scan the exam and to write her answers on it. Credit to Mr T-RAV for hyperlinking the OP and verifying answers.

for 27 though it said they were distantly related, so how could it be A?
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: Reus on October 31, 2014, 11:48:13 pm
for 27 though it said they were distantly related, so how could it be A?
Read the rest, it says "from different families" I thought the same until i read the whole question haha.
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: katiesaliba on November 01, 2014, 12:10:56 am
Read the rest, it says "from different families" I thought the same until i read the whole question haha.

Just to add to this, it also says distantly related as opposed to 'recent common ancestor'. Every organism is distantly related theoretically, so the keyword 'recent' is missing which infers convergent evolution (especially when considering the structures with similar purposes)
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: Vicbelgaus on November 01, 2014, 12:20:31 am
Just to add to this, it also says distantly related as opposed to 'recent common ancestor'. Every organism is distantly related theoretically, so the keyword 'recent' is missing which infers convergent evolution (especially when considering the structures with similar purposes)


Also just to add to this when you read the scientific names of the two cacti plants they came from different genera, as they had different genus names
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: milica96 on November 01, 2014, 12:28:10 am
Me again! (girl who posted up the exam - soz vcaa) :)

I'm so sorry for not getting back to everyone's messages, I haven't been at home all day. From what I heard from the mods the files have been re-uploaded, so everyone should be able to access them. As to how I got the exam, I got a couple of friends to distract the assessors before I tackled the main one who had the spares - nah kidding, I just asked them after the exam and they gave me a spare copy haha  ;D

Just wanted to let you guys know what was going on from my side, since everyone was being super nice in their messages :D


Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: anat0my on November 01, 2014, 11:42:42 am
Hey for the CTP question, would it be okay to say something along the lines of  when CTP is in high concentration, the repressor protein would bind to the promotor to stop ATCase(?) production? I had written that CTP would bind to the ATCase enzyme but later crossed this out . . .
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: infecthead on November 01, 2014, 12:29:12 pm
I thought it was natural disaster because there was only one genotype in the population that survived. It couldn't be migration that only that genotype migrated could it?

The question specifically referred to founder effect, which is caused by migration.

Overall I found the exam pretty good. MC was very easy (I hope, or else I'm absolutely screwed) and whilst a few short answer questions threw me off (how da fuck do you draw an amino acid) it wasn't too bad.
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: doomdestroyer on November 01, 2014, 12:34:49 pm
Hey for the CTP question, would it be okay to say something along the lines of  when CTP is in high concentration, the repressor protein would bind to the promotor to stop ATCase(?) production? I had written that CTP would bind to the ATCase enzyme but later crossed this out . . .

I wrote that it changed the shape of ATCase rather than stop ATCase production.
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: iamunoriginal on November 01, 2014, 01:09:19 pm
Can someone please explain question 36? About the geological timescale? I don't get why it's A. I put down C, anyway.
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: doomdestroyer on November 01, 2014, 01:15:50 pm
Can someone please explain question 36? About the geological timescale? I don't get why it's A. I put down C, anyway.

I think it's because the time periods shift based on milestones, for example, one period there are dinosaurs, the mass extinction of dinosaurs is what shifts into the next time period, so i put A.
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: bonkbadonk on November 01, 2014, 01:16:12 pm
Can someone please explain question 36? About the geological timescale? I don't get why it's A. I put down C, anyway.

When you see the places where the trilobites go extinct, it's always around where the geological timescale changes name. So it has to be A. Either that or your teacher taught you that.
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: milica96 on November 01, 2014, 02:59:29 pm
Here is a link to the Short Answer section of the exam which I've uploaded on Google Drive.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0Bw7-VGBp94N_UXRDSEJJblEyVVk/view?usp=sharing

And this is the link to the MC section which I'm pretty sure has been reuploaded anyway, so this is just for convenience.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0Bw7-VGBp94N_Wi1BekZlNFhVT1U/view?usp=sharing

- Milica  ;D
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: tsouls on November 01, 2014, 03:59:41 pm
Hey guys, I just did my own rough marking of the exam, and I got around 80-85%. I got high A+ for my sacs. Does anyone want to estimate what I may get?
I'm not too please with my exam but am hoping to get 38-40, do you think these marks will get me that?
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: vox nihili on November 01, 2014, 04:00:52 pm
Hey guys, I just did my own rough marking of the exam, and I got around 80-85%. I got high A+ for my sacs. Does anyone want to estimate what I may get?
I'm not too please with my exam but am hoping to get 38-40, do you think these marks will get me that?

They should do, but there's really no use speculating; it's out of your hands now :) Just be happy with the effort you put in and hope that the VCAA Gods are kind to you...
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: crisnorris on November 01, 2014, 04:35:55 pm
I remember when I did bio back in 2011, it was WAY easier
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: achre on November 01, 2014, 04:42:05 pm
Slowpoke here, is there a copy of the short answer questions floating around somewhere in these 20 pages?
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: katiesaliba on November 01, 2014, 04:56:55 pm
Slowpoke here, is there a copy of the short answer questions floating around somewhere in these 20 pages?

Literally look up 4 posts  ::) :P
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: achre on November 01, 2014, 05:00:36 pm
Literally look up 4 posts  ::) :P
do you think people will believe me if I say I posted that from page one?  :-X
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: katiesaliba on November 01, 2014, 05:27:37 pm
do you think people will believe me if I say I posted that from page one?  :-X

Maybe ;)

Hey guys. Speaking from a too unrealistic and overly optimistic point of view, how many marks can one afford to lose if they want to get a 50?
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: vox nihili on November 01, 2014, 05:32:26 pm
Have linked the SAQ to the original post too.

Maybe ;)

Hey guys. Speaking from a too unrealistic and overly optimistic point of view, how many marks can one afford to lose if they want to get a 50?

Depends on the year. Very, very few though. Once you get into the 40s, there's really not a lot of difference between the students. Kind of sad really.
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: Han123 on November 01, 2014, 05:39:50 pm
I'm starting to think that the question where they asked us to draw an amino acid technically shouldn't have even been allowed to be asked, VCAA haven't specified it on the study design or a Biology FAQs page, even when structures of glucose and the structures of proteins in terms of primary, secondary etc. are specified.

How likely they will pick up on this and give everybody the mark?
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: vox nihili on November 01, 2014, 05:41:24 pm
I'm starting to think that the question where they asked us to draw an amino acid technically shouldn't have even been allowed to be asked, VCAA haven't specified it on the study design or a Biology FAQs page, even when structures of glucose and the structures of proteins in terms of primary, secondary etc. are specified.

How likely they will pick up on this and give everybody the mark?

Well it depends on what level of detail they expect. They just wanted a general idea of the monomer I think.
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: davomac on November 01, 2014, 05:52:25 pm
With the karyotype question, would it be okay to say "the person only had one sex chromosome, and they should have two." Because wasn't the single chromosome in the position where the X chromosome should be????
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: vox nihili on November 01, 2014, 05:58:51 pm
With the karyotype question, would it be okay to say "the person only had one sex chromosome, and they should have two." Because wasn't the single chromosome in the position where the X chromosome should be????

That should be fine. It's an odd place to put X though...
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: katiesaliba on November 01, 2014, 06:01:38 pm
Have linked the SAQ to the original post too.

Depends on the year. Very, very few though. Once you get into the 40s, there's really not a lot of difference between the students. Kind of sad really.

That's so annoying  :-\

I'm starting to think that the question where they asked us to draw an amino acid technically shouldn't have even been allowed to be asked, VCAA haven't specified it on the study design or a Biology FAQs page, even when structures of glucose and the structures of proteins in terms of primary, secondary etc. are specified.

How likely they will pick up on this and give everybody the mark?

I don't think that they will give everyone a mark because it's in your textbook and, although not explicitly stated in the SD, the monomers of biomacromolecules are emphasised. I think our cohort was just unlikely because it looks like VCAA are stepping up their game  :-\
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: davomac on November 01, 2014, 06:04:35 pm
That should be fine. It's an odd place to put X though...

Yeah, that's where it was put in my textbook (nature of biology)?
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: rosieee on November 01, 2014, 06:05:32 pm
For multiple choice question 33, why is the answer A (migration) ??
I don't maybe im just thinking too deep into the question but I thought that answer would be B (natural disaster) because I interpreted that the whole arrow kinda represented the process of migration and then event x was something that prevented further gene flow??
Did anyone think the same?
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: katiesaliba on November 01, 2014, 06:08:11 pm
For multiple choice question 33, why is the answer A (migration) ??
I don't maybe im just thinking too deep into the question but I thought that answer would be B (natural disaster) because I interpreted that the whole arrow kinda represented the process of migration and then event x was something that prevented further gene flow??
Did anyone think the same?

It's representing the founder effect which has nothing to do with natural disasters (that's the bottleneck effect). Migration is the only viable answer essentially. 
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: Han123 on November 01, 2014, 06:11:49 pm
I don't think that they will give everyone a mark because it's in your textbook and, although not explicitly stated in the SD, the monomers of biomacromolecules are emphasised. I think our cohort was just unlikely because it looks like VCAA are stepping up their game  :-\

Oh bummer, I was so annoyed by that question, would never have guessed it would be something we'd be tested on :(
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: rosieee on November 01, 2014, 06:15:13 pm
It's representing the founder effect which has nothing to do with natural disasters (that's the bottleneck effect). Migration is the only viable answer essentially.
oh okay yeah I knew that it was referring to the founder effect but the way they put  in the line for event x made me misinterpret it
oh well 
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: vox nihili on November 01, 2014, 07:14:34 pm
That's so annoying  :-\

It is; but it's just the nature of VCE.

For multiple choice question 33, why is the answer A (migration) ??
I don't maybe im just thinking too deep into the question but I thought that answer would be B (natural disaster) because I interpreted that the whole arrow kinda represented the process of migration and then event x was something that prevented further gene flow??
Did anyone think the same?

Just confirming, definitely migration.
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: Stick on November 01, 2014, 07:28:21 pm
It is; but it's just the nature of VCE.

It actually isn't so bad for Biology - if I recall correctly people lost 5 marks on the exam last year and still walked away with a 50; back in the old study design people lost 3-4 marks on each exam and got 50s. If this year's exam was harder (and it seems slightly harder than 2013) perhaps even a few more marks can be lost. This definitely isn't the case in other subjects, where 1-2 marks lost can have a relatively large impact. It's still competitive though, because the reason for "large" number of marks lost corresponding with top study scores still is that Biology has an incredibly pesky marking scheme, particularly when it comes to wording.
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: vox nihili on November 01, 2014, 07:47:17 pm
It actually isn't so bad for Biology - if I recall correctly people lost 5 marks on the exam last year and still walked away with a 50; back in the old study design people lost 3-4 marks on each exam and got 50s. If this year's exam was harder (and it seems slightly harder than 2013) perhaps even a few more marks can be lost. This definitely isn't the case in other subjects, where 1-2 marks lost can have a relatively large impact. It's still competitive though, because the reason for "large" number of marks lost corresponding with top study scores still is that Biology has an incredibly pesky marking scheme, particularly when it comes to wording.

It's stuck in an odd spot between the maths subjects and psychology. Maths you can't afford to lose anything, psychology is pathetically pedantic about marking.
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: Teagan_18 on November 01, 2014, 08:26:40 pm
What were some other peoples answers for SA Question 12 Part B ii?  :)
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: Reus on November 01, 2014, 09:09:02 pm
I don't think that they will give everyone a mark because it's in your textbook and, although not explicitly stated in the SD, the monomers of biomacromolecules are emphasised. I think our cohort was just unlikely because it looks like VCAA are stepping up their game  :-\
What burns more is that I know how to draw it cause of chemistry but I didn't identify it :(
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: heymanhru on November 01, 2014, 09:11:42 pm
What were some other peoples answers for SA Question 12 Part B ii?  :)

I said something along the lines of one dying out and another surviving in flashy bio terms, I've already forget most of what I wrote lol.

Edit:
This is the answer according to scooby:
ii)
•   Major environmental changes occurred
•   M. primigenius was unable to adapt to these changes and extinction occurred
•   E. maximus was able to adapt this change, possibly because of a greater genetic diversity than M. primigenius
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: vox nihili on November 01, 2014, 09:33:03 pm
Some of the questions over the last two years have been challenging, and I know a lot of you are disappointed with the exam, but it will actually help you more in the future. Both exams have been a lot less vague and have actually presented biology as a more serious science. They've also got students thinking a lot more.

To me, they've felt a lot more like uni biology than VCE biology, which is definitely a good thing. VCE biol used to feel like the "other science". It's kind of nice that that's changed a little bit for you guys. It should also, hopefully, make exams a little more straight forward.
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: skybluemaniac on November 01, 2014, 09:35:26 pm
The question specifically referred to founder effect, which is caused by migration.

Overall I found the exam pretty good. MC was very easy (I hope, or else I'm absolutely screwed) and whilst a few short answer questions threw me off (how da fuck do you draw an amino acid) it wasn't too bad.

infecthead. I have the multi choice scan up and the question does not mention founder effect at all. it simply says it shows the changes in allele frequencies over two generations. so I have no idea what the answer is...somebody help!
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: someone011 on November 01, 2014, 09:35:55 pm
What were some other peoples answers for SA Question 12 Part B ii?  :)

I said humans wanted the woolly mammoth's fur/wool (which elephants don't have), and so they hunted all of them down until they became extinct. Better than nothing!
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: someone011 on November 01, 2014, 09:39:28 pm
infecthead. I have the multi choice scan up and the question does not mention founder effect at all. it simply says it shows the changes in allele frequencies over two generations. so I have no idea what the answer is...somebody help!

"If the diagram above models the founder effect"
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: katiesaliba on November 01, 2014, 10:05:20 pm
What burns more is that I know how to draw it cause of chemistry but I didn't identify it :(

At least you'll know for chem then  ;) But I totally understand  :(
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: skybluemaniac on November 01, 2014, 10:45:32 pm
"If the diagram above models the founder effect"

Bottleneck effect is a form of founder effect though! I mean it's not conincidence that the smaller population only had one type of genotype. my thought process was that that genotype was able to survive the natural disaster hence there only being one genotype..
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: vox nihili on November 01, 2014, 10:56:53 pm
Bottleneck effect is a form of founder effect though! I mean it's not conincidence that the smaller population only had one type of genotype. my thought process was that that genotype was able to survive the natural disaster hence there only being one genotype..

They're distinct. Functionally, they do the same thing, but they are distinct. Founder effect is the result of migration, whereas bottleneck is the result of a mass death (naturally induced or human induced)
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: shivaji on November 01, 2014, 11:15:30 pm
They're distinct. Functionally, they do the same thing, but they are distinct. Founder effect is the result of migration, whereas bottleneck is the result of a mass death (naturally induced or human induced)

i thought when i did the paper that migration meant when members of a population bred with another, whilst founder effect was members colonising a new area, so thought migration didn't refer to founder ... oh well guess i know what migration actually means now :P
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: vox nihili on November 01, 2014, 11:36:30 pm
i thought when i did the paper that migration meant when members of a population bred with another, whilst founder effect was members colonising a new area, so thought migration didn't refer to founder ... oh well guess i know what migration actually means now :P

That's gene flow, but is the result of migration between populations.
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: skybluemaniac on November 02, 2014, 12:30:06 am
They're distinct. Functionally, they do the same thing, but they are distinct. Founder effect is the result of migration, whereas bottleneck is the result of a mass death (naturally induced or human induced)

mmm i don't know..that's what our teacher taught us. She reckons the answer is bottleneck (natural disaster). I mean why else would the new population conincidently only have the homozygous recessive genotype. It's not like they somehow all migrated and didn't let anyone else go with a different genotype. Wikepedia says that the bottleneck can cause the founder effect even though it's not strictly a new population
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: vox nihili on November 02, 2014, 12:43:38 am
mmm i don't know..that's what our teacher taught us. She reckons the answer is bottleneck (natural disaster). I mean why else would the new population conincidently only have the homozygous recessive genotype. It's not like they somehow all migrated and didn't let anyone else go with a different genotype. Wikepedia says that the bottleneck can cause the founder effect even though it's not strictly a new population

I'm still sticking with migration. Founder effect is about establishing a new population, not about a bottleneck. It all comes down to semantics, but I think Wikipedia might have it wrong there.

It is possible that they didn't let anyone else go with a different genotype. What if the homozygous recessive conferred a greater capacity to travel (better stamina, more developed hippocampus etc)? Then those without the genotype may very well be excluded.
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: vor0005 on November 02, 2014, 01:10:59 am
Yeah I second Migration. While a natural disaster may(read below) relate to a bottleneck (as depicted in the diagram), the question asks you to relate to the Founder effect. The definition of founder effect is: The colonization of an area by a limited number of individuals from a parent population, that is not representative of the original population. Colonization is synonymous with migration and that's why 'A' is most likely correct.

Also, a natural disaster doesn't always result in a bottle neck. Only if the population is reduced by a substantial amount (generally over 50%) such that the resultant population is no longer a representative of the original population. Not to mention, it's impossible to guarantee that it was a natural disaster; could be disease or several other causes. Regardless, none of these reasons relate to the Founder effect.

just a quick thought: would an outbreak of a disease be considered a natural disaster? If so, then disease would be a bad example. Maybe humans hunted only a specific type of one animal; lets say a male elephant for his tusks. Pretty confident that wouldn't be considered a natural disaster lol
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: someone011 on November 02, 2014, 07:07:55 am
It is possible that they didn't let anyone else go with a different genotype. What if the homozygous recessive conferred a greater capacity to travel (better stamina, more developed hippocampus etc)? Then those without the genotype may very well be excluded.

Yeah, anything can happen by chance
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: Yacoubb on November 02, 2014, 08:21:22 am
Just interested in seeing what people wrote for q1C.
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: Reus on November 02, 2014, 08:26:04 am
Do you mean 1bii?
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: Yacoubb on November 02, 2014, 08:53:26 am
Do you mean 1bii?

Yeah sorry my bad! Had a lot of questions asking about it... I simply thought that the synthesised product (I forgot its name now) attaches to the allosteric region of the ATCase --> active site shape changes --> cannot properly bind to A and B substrate, production rate of D decreases as a result.

^ in simplified terms, of course.
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: stirfrynoodles on November 02, 2014, 09:03:37 am
What did everyone write for question 3 in short answer? And was question 10 part a and b both monohybrid crosses? (if not then I am so dead  :-\)

Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: Reus on November 02, 2014, 09:17:08 am
Yeah sorry my bad! Had a lot of questions asking about it... I simply thought that the synthesised product (I forgot its name now) attaches to the allosteric region of the ATCase --> active site shape changes --> cannot properly bind to A and B substrate, production rate of D decreases as a result.

^ in simplified terms, of course.
Yeah I wrote that the high production of CTP inhibits the rate of the enzyme ATCase in which the production of D is regulated in a decrease - thus an equilibrium. I didn't put much detailed into it however realising it was worth 3 marks now I wish I did haha

What did everyone write for question 3 in short answer? And was question 10 part a and b both monohybrid crosses? (if not then I am so dead  :-\)
For 3a. I wrote about the binding to a plasma membrane receptor because of the hydrophilic property of the hormone. This initiates secondary messengers in which signal transduction takes place - cascade of events/chemical reactions. This then stimulates glycogenolysis where glycogen is converted to glucose. Glucose then leaves the liver going into the blood.

3b. A net movement of glucose molecules from a higher glucose concentration -inside the cell- to a lower glucose concentration -outside the cell-. The high concentration facilitates the movement outside the cell hence glucose molecules released in the blood. (I forgot to mention that it needed protein carriers and that it was passive - not requiring energy. Ah well hope I get the marks)

3c. Mitochondria the site of aerobic respiration - energy production. (32-34 ATP). I then went on to explain cellular respiration and how the mitochondria is needed for cells that require a constant supply of oxygen.

For 10 you might want to check Scooby's suggested answers! - 2014 VCE Biology Exam Solutions by Scooby
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: stirfrynoodles on November 02, 2014, 09:49:13 am
I feel so relieved now that someone else answered question 3 the same way as I did. TBH I only learnt that secondary messenger thing like 5 days ago.
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: Reus on November 02, 2014, 10:20:03 am
I feel so relieved now that someone else answered question 3 the same way as I did. TBH I only learnt that secondary messenger thing like 5 days ago.
Yeah, I just hope VCAA accepts varying answers cause it seems like their assessor's report is pretty standard.
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: katiesaliba on November 02, 2014, 10:48:45 am
I'm just so worried about that experimental design question  :-\ I overthought it way too much. I included the elements necessary in those kind of questions, but my experiment was rather strange ahaha ahh  :'(
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: Reus on November 02, 2014, 10:52:47 am
I'm just so worried about that experimental design question  :-\ I overthought it way too much. I included the elements necessary in those kind of questions, but my experiment was rather strange ahaha ahh  :'(
Yeah definitely. Especially when they gave half of the experiment and so we had to explain other factors ugh
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: grannysmith on November 02, 2014, 11:06:39 am
Yeah sorry my bad! Had a lot of questions asking about it... I simply thought that the synthesised product (I forgot its name now) attaches to the allosteric region of the ATCase --> active site shape changes --> cannot properly bind to A and B substrate, production rate of D decreases as a result.

^ in simplified terms, of course.
Yeah this is exactly what I wrote, but I wasn't sure if we had to specify non/ competitive inhibition
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: katiesaliba on November 02, 2014, 11:11:35 am
Yeah definitely. Especially when they gave half of the experiment and so we had to explain other factors ugh

That's what confused me so much! They had already performed the experiment so I was thinking what? ahh oh well, I think my experiment will at least be original :') 8 groups of identical cells...LOL.
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: grannysmith on November 02, 2014, 11:12:51 am
That's what confused me so much! They had already performed the experiment so I was thinking what? ahh oh well, I think my experiment will at least be original :') 8 groups of identical cells...LOL.
20 groups here LOL
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: katiesaliba on November 02, 2014, 11:20:08 am
20 groups here LOL

OMG! haha so glad I'm not the only one :') They should give us marks for originality  ;)
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: Litsy03 on November 02, 2014, 12:27:06 pm
Hey guys. For the question regarding number of nucleotides in mRNA strand to form 90 monomers, I wrote that one codon= one monomer. And I knew that they were trying to trick us, so I wrote +starting codon. However, I dont know what I was thinking but I accidentally wrote down the number of codons instead of the number of nucleotides. To make matters worse, I combined the number of codons (90) with the number of nucleotides in the starting codon 3. Considering I showed all working do you think I may still get one mark?
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: infecthead on November 02, 2014, 02:35:29 pm
Hey guys. For the question regarding number of nucleotides in mRNA strand to form 90 monomers, I wrote that one codon= one monomer. And I knew that they were trying to trick us, so I wrote +starting codon. However, I dont know what I was thinking but I accidentally wrote down the number of codons instead of the number of nucleotides. To make matters worse, I combined the number of codons (90) with the number of nucleotides in the starting codon 3. Considering I showed all working do you think I may still get one mark?

Tough to say, I think they'll give one mark for saying 270 nucleotides = 90 amino acids, and one mark for saying there would be 273 nucleotides total as you have to account for the stop codon, which doesn't code for an amino acid (the start codon does however, so that's part of the 90 amino acid chain).
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: nerdmmb on November 02, 2014, 02:39:00 pm
Tough to say, I think they'll give one mark for saying 270 nucleotides = 90 amino acids, and one mark for saying there would be 273 nucleotides total as you have to account for the stop codon, which doesn't code for an amino acid (the start codon does however, so that's part of the 90 amino acid chain).

Wasn't one mark allocated for the number of nucleotides and one mark for the explanation?

Either way, I hope they give us atleast one mark :)
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: shivaji on November 02, 2014, 02:47:34 pm
Wasn't one mark allocated for the number of nucleotides and one mark for the explanation?

Either way, I hope they give us atleast one mark :)

i reckon they will accept a wide variety of answers for this (like within 270,273,276 range)
Title: Re: Biology exam discussion!
Post by: 2NE1 on November 02, 2014, 03:39:50 pm
mmm i don't know..that's what our teacher taught us. She reckons the answer is bottleneck (natural disaster). I mean why else would the new population conincidently only have the homozygous recessive genotype. It's not like they somehow all migrated and didn't let anyone else go with a different genotype. Wikepedia says that the bottleneck can cause the founder effect even though it's not strictly a new population

Did Bio last year and the answer is definitely migration because it specifically says "founder effect" and although a natural disaster can account for what is happening in the diagram, migration is more correct as founder effect implies that those group of organisms have MOVED, reducing the allele pool.
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: Reus on November 02, 2014, 04:35:37 pm
i reckon they will accept a wide variety of answers for this (like within 270,273,276 range)
I feel like they'll purposely won't hahaha
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: TimewaveZero on November 02, 2014, 04:40:30 pm
Hey guys, I know you don't like people asking these questions, but I'm just curious. I have around 85% SAC average and I'd probably be in the 5-10 rank range (out of about 50), and I think I'll probably pull of around a 90% on the exam. Do you think this will be enough to get me to a 40 SS?
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: Reus on November 02, 2014, 04:41:53 pm
Hey guys, I know you don't like people asking these questions, but I'm just curious. I have around 85% SAC average and I'd probably be in the 5-10 rank range (out of about 50), and I think I'll probably pull of around a 90% on the exam. Do you think this will be enough to get me to a 40 SS?
Considering the exam was much harder this year, yas.
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: TimewaveZero on November 02, 2014, 04:47:21 pm
Considering the exam was much harder this year, yas.

Ahh that's good to hear haha
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: 2NE1 on November 02, 2014, 05:40:22 pm
Hey guys, I know you don't like people asking these questions, but I'm just curious. I have around 85% SAC average and I'd probably be in the 5-10 rank range (out of about 50), and I think I'll probably pull of around a 90% on the exam. Do you think this will be enough to get me to a 40 SS?

94% so around 103/110 was already high 40s last year
so if you got 90% you should be mid-high 40s this year :)
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: nerdmmb on November 02, 2014, 05:55:27 pm
94% so around 103/110 was already high 40s last year
so if you got 90% you should be mid-high 40s this year :)

What would a 85-90% equate to?
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: 2NE1 on November 02, 2014, 06:01:13 pm
What would a 85-90% equate to?

It is hard to say because it depends on your cohort and sac marks, some girls from my school got A+ like 85-87% and got under 40 because their Sac marks pulled them down.
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: 2NE1 on November 02, 2014, 06:03:08 pm
How many marks can you approximately lose to get a 40 raw?

Given that your SAC avg is around 90%

I would say lose no more than around 15 marks on the exam because thats 95/110 and 86% ish.
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: Damo23 on November 03, 2014, 09:53:17 am
On the topic of studyscores, what would I have to get on the exam to get a studyscore of 35 or 40?(sac avg 84%). I know how the grading changes, but around about what would get me a 35?

Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: dankfrank420 on November 04, 2014, 03:53:36 pm
On the topic of studyscores, what would I have to get on the exam to get a studyscore of 35 or 40?(sac avg 84%). I know how the grading changes, but around about what would get me a 35?

It's pretty useless discussing raw, unmoderated SAC scores. After all, all schools sit different level of SACs so an 70% in one school may be a 95% in another. There's really no point basing study scores on your SAC marks.

However, for the exam it's a fair bit easier. To get a 35, you need to be in the top 25% which last year was around the low 80 mark range. Condsidering this year was a little harder, I'd say you can get a 35 if you got between 77-80 marks.

For a 40, last year was 93 so for this year I'd say a 87-89.
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: langfordlm on November 05, 2014, 07:21:55 pm
are there answers to the Short Answer? so keen to find out
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: Reus on November 05, 2014, 07:29:21 pm
are there answers to the Short Answer? so keen to find out
The download is on the OP. :)
2014 VCE Biology Exam Solutions by Scooby
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: morganbain on November 05, 2014, 07:47:31 pm
Thanks heaps! :)
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: Aatif on November 08, 2014, 09:18:19 am
Does anyone have a copy of the multiple choice answers?
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: Reus on November 08, 2014, 09:21:45 am
Does anyone have a copy of the multiple choice answers?
https://www.mediafire.com/download/7byjfrtq2vjl2d6/CCF31102014_0001.compressed.pdf
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: Aatif on November 08, 2014, 10:07:45 pm
https://www.mediafire.com/download/7byjfrtq2vjl2d6/CCF31102014_0001.compressed.pdf

Thanks!
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: berkouras on November 13, 2014, 04:02:42 pm
39/40 fffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffff
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: DJA on November 14, 2014, 03:30:50 pm
Overall for me harder than last year’s exam - quite a lot of specific knowledge required. There were a few dodgy multiple choice questions for me.
Also lost 2 marks guaranteed for the twin question which got me good…haha

Otherwise was good!
Title: Re: Biology Exam: Answers and Discussion!
Post by: stirfrynoodles on November 18, 2014, 09:19:12 pm
I am so scared to find out my result on the 15th of December - like literally this would break or make my Christmas. If I get a bad score the dinner is going to be so awkward. #sodonewithbiology