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October 12, 2025, 02:51:57 pm

Author Topic: VCE Biology Question Thread  (Read 5169826 times)  Share 

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grannysmith

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Re: VCE Biology Question Thread
« Reply #3915 on: October 27, 2014, 09:33:54 pm »
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In the 2013 exam, the tertiary structure is defined as the "3D structure composed of secondary structures". Is it necessary to mention the " secondary structures "?

flares

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Re: VCE Biology Question Thread
« Reply #3916 on: October 27, 2014, 09:50:22 pm »
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Hi,
so i was looking at the study design changes and this comes up
"major trends in hominin evolution from the
genus Australopithecus to the genus Homo
including morphological, structural and cognitive
development resulting in cultural evolution and the
rise of technologies"

could someone please explain/break this down into a little more detail?

thanks :)
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Reus

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Re: VCE Biology Question Thread
« Reply #3917 on: October 27, 2014, 10:00:34 pm »
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In the 2013 exam, the tertiary structure is defined as the "3D structure composed of secondary structures". Is it necessary to mention the " secondary structures "?
I second this. I mentioned 'disulphide bridges' instead, would this compensate?
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alondouek

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Re: VCE Biology Question Thread
« Reply #3918 on: October 27, 2014, 10:01:15 pm »
+1
But a bats wing is both homologous and analogous to a birds wing? They have homologous bones but the wings are analogous.
No, they're homologous structures (pentadactyl limb). A bird's wing would be analogous to a fly's wing.

katiesaliba is sort of** correct; here's a bit of an elaboration.

A bat's wing looks like this:


While a bird's wing looks like this:


Can you tell an important difference between the two?

Spoiler
It's that with the bat's wing there are 5 digits (akin to fingers - pentadactyly). Bird wings usually only demonstrate three digital bones (tridactyly).

From that, we can infer that although both structures are involved in the same general function (flight), they are quite clearly anatomically and structurally distinct. There are several other ways of understanding this, such as presence/absence of feathers between the two animals.

Because function is roughly the same but other characteristics are not, we can say that the structures are analogous**.




**Edit: There is a bit of misunderstanding surrounding this concept. The flight structures of a bird and a bat are analogous (similar function, different structure), but their forelimbs are homologous (different function, similar structure). The wings are NOT the same as forelimbs; the assumption that they are the same is where the confusion arises.

Any question you see on the exam will state the specific structure they're after.
« Last Edit: October 28, 2014, 09:47:38 pm by alondouek »
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jessica666

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Re: VCE Biology Question Thread
« Reply #3919 on: October 27, 2014, 10:03:47 pm »
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Probably a bit vague, though perhaps not. You needed to be a little more specific I think. That said, there is a chance you would have got the marks. Just to be on the safe side though, more info.

The cell synthesises different secondary messengers.

For the same question, I wrote something like "Different molecular cascades would occur, activating different enzymes, causing a different response" - is that ok?

vox nihili

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Re: VCE Biology Question Thread
« Reply #3920 on: October 27, 2014, 10:07:25 pm »
+3
In the 2013 exam, the tertiary structure is defined as the "3D structure composed of secondary structures". Is it necessary to mention the " secondary structures "?

No. Personally I thought that was a bit odd.

Secondary structure occurs because of hydrogen bonding between the backbone of the polypeptide chain, whereas tertiary structure occurs because of bonding between the R groups of AA residues in the polypeptide chain.
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mahler004

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Re: VCE Biology Question Thread
« Reply #3921 on: October 27, 2014, 10:14:41 pm »
+1
I second this. I mentioned 'disulphide bridges' instead, would this compensate?

To emphasise, disulphide bonds aren't required for tertiary structure, many (if not most) structured proteins lack disulphide bonds and are still structured. I'd be sure to mention that in an answer.
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grannysmith

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Re: VCE Biology Question Thread
« Reply #3922 on: October 27, 2014, 10:14:47 pm »
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No. Personally I thought that was a bit odd.

Secondary structure occurs because of hydrogen bonding between the backbone of the polypeptide chain, whereas tertiary structure occurs because of bonding between the R groups of AA residues in the polypeptide chain.
Thanks. Also, Q12b i.
I said "to destroy the DNA", the answers say " nucleus ". Close enough or nah? :p

vox nihili

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Re: VCE Biology Question Thread
« Reply #3923 on: October 27, 2014, 10:29:31 pm »
+2
Thanks. Also, Q12b i.
I said "to destroy the DNA", the answers say " nucleus ". Close enough or nah? :p

Degrade would be better than destroy, but yep, that's fine. :)

To emphasise, disulphide bonds aren't required for tertiary structure, many (if not most) structured proteins lack disulphide bonds and are still structured. I'd be sure to mention that in an answer.

I feel like there are some biochemists who teach simply so they can remind people of this
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Scrono13

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Re: VCE Biology Question Thread
« Reply #3924 on: October 27, 2014, 10:34:16 pm »
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Can someone explain to me this bit from the study design and what it refers to?

The role of ATP and ADP in energy trasnformations

katiesaliba

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Re: VCE Biology Question Thread
« Reply #3925 on: October 27, 2014, 10:37:58 pm »
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To emphasise, disulphide bonds aren't required for tertiary structure, many (if not most) structured proteins lack disulphide bonds and are still structured. I'd be sure to mention that in an answer.

Disulphide bonds only occur between amino acids that possess sulphur, right? Hence why they are not necessarily common bonds in tertiary structures?
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mahler004

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Re: VCE Biology Question Thread
« Reply #3926 on: October 27, 2014, 10:39:47 pm »
+2
I feel like there are some biochemists who teach simply so they can remind people of this

 :P

Disulphide bonds only occur between amino acids that possess sulphur, right? Hence why they are not necessarily common bonds in tertiary structures?

Between cysteines, yeah (it's actually a tiny bit more complicated then this, but I won't complicate things too much a week before the exam.)
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nerdmmb

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Re: VCE Biology Question Thread
« Reply #3927 on: October 27, 2014, 10:40:00 pm »
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If a question asks what a organism whose genome has been modified is known as, will the answer be a transgenic organism or a genetically modified organism?

sparkyblossom

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Re: VCE Biology Question Thread
« Reply #3928 on: October 27, 2014, 10:43:08 pm »
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If a question asks what a organism whose genome has been modified is known as, will the answer be a transgenic organism or a genetically modified organism?

It can be either, it depends whether a foreign gene from another individual has been inserted into the organism.

darkknight98

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Re: VCE Biology Question Thread
« Reply #3929 on: October 27, 2014, 10:59:52 pm »
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Thanks scooby!

Just did the 2013 exam and got 100/110... I don't know if I should be happy haha

same here
i got 109/110 tho
not sure if i should be pleased or worried considering the exams are in four days