VCE Biology Question Thread

[Chocolatepistachio]

Nope that’s the question there isn’t anymore to it

For this question cells assemble macromolecules from monomer building blocks. Where do organisms obtain these building blocks.

Is this a sufficient answer:
glucose is the building block that makes up carbohydrates. Organisms obtain glucose during the process of photosynthesis.

For this question describe the difference between a monomer and a polymer
-Could I say a monomer is a molecule that forms the basic unit for a polymer. 

[Chocolatepistachio]

What is triploidy?

[Sine]

What is triploidy?

Combine what "tri" means with what "ploidy" means

[tiredandstressed]

Combine what "tri" means with what "ploidy" means

Just to be more clear
Triploidy: refers to the presence of an additional set of chromosomes in the cell
Meaning the cell will have 69 chromosomes (this is lethal and very rare)

[Chocolatepistachio]

This may be beyond the study design but what’s Peripatric and parapatric speciation.

[Chocolatepistachio]

Is this a good summary of the process of antibody- mediated immunity.

1. Antigen presenting B cells or macrophages move to the lymph nodes
2. These antigen presenting cells are inspected by helper T cells that have the antigen receptor that corresponds to the antigen being presented
3. Helper T cells release cytokines to stimulate the cloning of millions of the B cells that are specific to the antigen being presented.
4. Millions of memory B cells that are specific for that antigen are also cloned
5. The activated B cells produce plasma cells that remain in the lymph nodes
6. Plasma cells secrete antigen- specific antibodies that then move via the blood and lymph to the infected areas
7. The antibodies then combine with the antigen to form the antigen- antibody complex which inactivated the pathogen or its toxin
8. The inflammatory response is activated attracting phagocytes and leading to the clearing of the debris.

[Owlbird83]

This may be beyond the study design but what’s Peripatric and parapatric speciation.

It isn't in the study design. I googled it and it says that Peripatric speciation is where a small group break off a larger one and then overtime because they are isolated from the rest, they become separate species.
Parapatric speciation is when the species are spread out over a large area, and so they only reproduce with the ones in the area and overtime they evolve to suit the different environments of the areas they live in. (So there isn't a barrier separating the groups like in peripatric speciation)

[Bri MT]

It isn't in the study design. I googled it and it says that Peripatric speciation is where a small group break off a larger one and then overtime because they are isolated from the rest, they become separate species.
Parapatric speciation is when the species are spread out over a large area, and so they only reproduce with the ones in the area and overtime they evolve to suit the different environments of the areas they live in. (So there isn't a barrier separating the groups like in peripatric speciation)

Great answer!

Something to clarify here (for those interested) is that in parapatric speciation there is still gene flow between nearby subpopulations but not far ones within the metapopulation.

E.g. you could have:
a <-> b <-> c <- d -> e

a and b still experience geneflow, b and c experience geneflow etc. but a and e do not have gene flow

overtime differences can accumulate to the extent that a and b might be able to reproduce and produce fertile offspring but a and e can't. This is one case where the clear cut definition of a species you're taught in VCE bio doesn't really work.

Rather than having clear separate subpopulations it could also just be a gradual change without clear boundaries.

[Chocolatepistachio]

Bananas change colour from green when unripe to yellow when ripe and brown when overripe. What hormone is responsible for this and how does it do this.

[whys]

Bananas change colour from green when unripe to yellow when ripe and brown when overripe. What hormone is responsible for this and how does it do this.

It's ethylene, a type of phytohormone that is a gas and is responsible for ripening, abscission and ageing of fruit. I assume it either travels through the phloem or the xylem (endocrine). It may also be able to effect a response via diffusion in the air (exocrine). Depending on the question, it might be asking for you to describe the signal transduction process.

[Chocolatepistachio]

Does active transport always occur via a carrier protein?

Do prokaryotes not have a nucleus at all or do they just not have a membrane bound nucleus.

[whys]

Does active transport always occur via a carrier protein?

Do prokaryotes not have a nucleus at all or do they just not have a membrane bound nucleus.

Yes, active transport always occurs via a carrier protein (as far as VCE bio goes).

Prokaryotes have no nucleus. Instead, they have a circular chromosome with its genetic material that kind of just floats around in the cytosol. It would be impossible for any cell to have a non-membrane bound nucleus because the contents would just spill out anyway and the nucleus wouldn’t exist anymore.

[Chocolatepistachio]

What is the Golgi vessel function?

Is speciation essentially the process by which new species arise from existing species.

What is Phototropism?

[Bri MT]

What is the Golgi vessel function?

Is speciation essentially the process by which new species arise from existing species.

What is Phototropism?

What are you thinking for these?

[Chocolatepistachio]

The Golgi vessels are the the vesicles that the Golgi body sends the proteins to for the distribution around the cytoplasm and out of the cell

Speciation is the process by which new species arise from existing species?

Phototropism is when plants move towards the light