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VCE Stuff => VCE Science => VCE Mathematics/Science/Technology => VCE Subjects + Help => VCE Biology => Topic started by: slothpomba on March 27, 2010, 11:37:43 pm

Title: Fractioning
Post by: slothpomba on March 27, 2010, 11:37:43 pm
What exactly is fractioning?

I'm not sure if we need to know it.

I havent came across it in my nature of biology text book yet.

I have, however, seen it in biozone and a previous exam.

So, do we need to know it/ where can i find it in biozone/ is it even in the area of study im looking at (Unit 3 AOS1)?

Thanks guys
Title: Re: Fractioning
Post by: stonecold on March 27, 2010, 11:56:44 pm
yeah you need to know it.

it is called cell fractionation, and it is somewhere in the biozone book.
the main principle behind it is that heavier/denser organelles, will sink to the bottom
main purpose is to get samples of individual types of organelles.

basically what happens is:
-cells put in some kind of blender, chopped up to break cell membrane, releasing all of the organelles.
-sample is then put into a test tube, and placed into a machine called a centrifuge.
-the thing then spins, applying a force to the solution.  heavier organelles will fall to the bottom the easiest. (i.e. at a slow speed).  once the heaviest organelles have been separated to the bottom of the test tube, forming what is called a pallet, the solution above it, the supernatant, is removed, placed in another test tube.
-the process is then repeated, at a higher speed, and the next heaviest organelles will form a pellet.  Process continues until you have separated all of the organelles.

As heaviest organelles form a pellet the easiest, the order of collection is usually nuclei, mitochondria, ribosomes etc...

here is a pic which might make it clearer...
http://www.freewebs.com/ltaing/chpt7.3Cellfractionation.gif
Title: Re: Fractioning
Post by: simpak on March 31, 2010, 06:06:13 pm
It was on 2009 exam 1 multi-choice :).
It gave you a lil bit of background info though, but you had to know the order of heaviest components.

I got that question wrong because I didn't understand the ordering.
BE WARNED, ALL.
Title: Re: Fractioning
Post by: akira88 on March 31, 2010, 08:58:05 pm
So...what is the order? :angel:
Title: Re: Fractioning
Post by: shinny on March 31, 2010, 09:07:53 pm
It was on 2009 exam 1 multi-choice :).
It gave you a lil bit of background info though, but you had to know the order of heaviest components.

I got that question wrong because I didn't understand the ordering.
BE WARNED, ALL.

Shows how you can lose a few marks in Biology and STILL get a 50, whereas in methods its basically 10 marks gone and you score a high 30...

Not really. I lost like 3 marks minimum. Depends on the year really...
Title: Re: Fractioning
Post by: m@tty on March 31, 2010, 09:21:41 pm
Also, in Methods, I lost 10.5 and got 42...

That said, I did have first ranking, so you could drop into the thirty's with lower SAC's...
Title: Re: Fractioning
Post by: shinny on March 31, 2010, 09:31:55 pm
It was on 2009 exam 1 multi-choice :).
It gave you a lil bit of background info though, but you had to know the order of heaviest components.

I got that question wrong because I didn't understand the ordering.
BE WARNED, ALL.

Shows how you can lose a few marks in Biology and STILL get a 50, whereas in methods its basically 10 marks gone and you score a high 30...

Not really. I lost like 3 marks minimum. Depends on the year really...

Yeah you lost 3 and got 49? Maybe I should write "couple" instead of "few" next time..

Sorry I meant for Methods.
Title: Re: Fractioning
Post by: simpak on March 31, 2010, 11:08:22 pm
Yeah I lost like 5 marks on exam one and 7 in exam 2, hence I never expected 50 for Bio.
METHODS, on the other hand.  I lost like, 13 marks on exam 2 and like 11 on exam 1 or something.
Good.