VCE Biology Question Thread

[Coralista]

ok reading all of this is sort of freaking me out. I thought we didn't need to know that much detail in regards to action potential?

I mean I had a look at biology FAQs on the VCAA website and it states that

"Details related to the mechanism of the transmission of an action potential through an axon in terms of specific ionic changes are not required. "

and

"Mechanisms of action such as the mechanism of polarisation, depolarisation, repolarisation, hyperpolarisation and resting potential in terms of ion movement are not required, nor are details related to the mechanism of interference of nerve messages by drugs and toxins."

[grannysmith]

"Suggest a mechanism to explain how a tumour virus (a virus associated with cancer) may interfere with a host cell's ability to undergo apoptosis".

Would this have something to do with preventing the synthesis of second messengers or activation/production of caspase enzymes?

Also, what's a good description of apoptosis as an example of signal transduction?
A death ligand binds to a specific membrane receptor of the target cell. This triggers the synthesis of second messengers within the cell, and a cascade of intercellular events occurs leading to the activation of caspase enzymes. These enzymes break down cellular contents into apoptotic bodies, which are engulfed by phagocytes.

Don't know of that's accurate lol

[anat0my]

Can someone please explain Q.9 and 10 of 2005 unit 4 MC? thanks.

Also what type of teeth configuration would be associated with meat/plant diets?

[grannysmith]

ok reading all of this is sort of freaking me out. I thought we didn't need to know that much detail in regards to action potential?

I mean I had a look at biology FAQs on the VCAA website and it states that

"Details related to the mechanism of the transmission of an action potential through an axon in terms of specific ionic changes are not required. "

and

"Mechanisms of action such as the mechanism of polarisation, depolarisation, repolarisation, hyperpolarisation and resting potential in terms of ion movement are not required, nor are details related to the mechanism of interference of nerve messages by drugs and toxins."

It's just that in the sample exam, a question asks to "Explain, with the use of a diagram, how the message is transmitted along the axon of the post synaptic neuron."

I always thought we didn't need to know the specifics, as per the FAQs, but this question confused me.

[katiesaliba]

Thanks grannysmith!

Another question: for one of the VCAA questions which asked something along the lines of "suggest how this hormone can produce different responses in different cells", one of the answers were that they had different receptors. But how can one hormone with a specific shape bind to different receptors??

And how and why did humans develop cheekbones the way they did? And why did humans develop a more compact pelvis?

Exactly! I just wrote that different combinations of relay enzymes created a different response.

The zygomatic bone probably decreased in size so that skulls were less heavy and thus able to facilitate larger brains

ok reading all of this is sort of freaking me out. I thought we didn't need to know that much detail in regards to action potential?

I mean I had a look at biology FAQs on the VCAA website and it states that

"Details related to the mechanism of the transmission of an action potential through an axon in terms of specific ionic changes are not required. "

and

"Mechanisms of action such as the mechanism of polarisation, depolarisation, repolarisation, hyperpolarisation and resting potential in terms of ion movement are not required, nor are details related to the mechanism of interference of nerve messages by drugs and toxins."

You're right. We don't need to know this stuff.

[katiesaliba]

Also, what's a good description of apoptosis as an example of signal transduction?
A death ligand binds to a specific membrane receptor of the target cell. This triggers the synthesis of second messengers within the cell, and a cascade of intercellular events occurs leading to the activation of caspase enzymes. These enzymes break down cellular contents into apoptotic bodies, which are engulfed by phagocytes.

I think this is an excellent description

[maddihanna]

"Suggest a mechanism to explain how a tumour virus (a virus associated with cancer) may interfere with a host cell's ability to undergo apoptosis".

Would this have something to do with preventing the synthesis of second messengers or activation/production of caspase enzymes?

My teacher answered that question for us, his response was:
"by the tumour virus producing inhibitors which block the reception of the chemical messenger or production of secondary messengers responsible for apoptosis"

[Reus]

ok reading all of this is sort of freaking me out. I thought we didn't need to know that much detail in regards to action potential?

I mean I had a look at biology FAQs on the VCAA website and it states that

"Details related to the mechanism of the transmission of an action potential through an axon in terms of specific ionic changes are not required. "

and

"Mechanisms of action such as the mechanism of polarisation, depolarisation, repolarisation, hyperpolarisation and resting potential in terms of ion movement are not required, nor are details related to the mechanism of interference of nerve messages by drugs and toxins."

Where did you find this?

[maddihanna]

Where did you find this?

Google vce biology FAQ's

[vcestudent123]

ok reading all of this is sort of freaking me out. I thought we didn't need to know that much detail in regards to action potential?

I mean I had a look at biology FAQs on the VCAA website and it states that

"Details related to the mechanism of the transmission of an action potential through an axon in terms of specific ionic changes are not required. "

and

"Mechanisms of action such as the mechanism of polarisation, depolarisation, repolarisation, hyperpolarisation and resting potential in terms of ion movement are not required, nor are details related to the mechanism of interference of nerve messages by drugs and toxins."

You are right, we don't need to know these.

Some people like learning more than the course requires because it makes it easier to understand the simpler concepts (sometimes) or... they are just freaking out a day before the exam and learning everything they can.

[Reus]

Google vce biology FAQ's

How I wish I knew about this earlier

[akb]

how should we define what a hormone is? thanks

[Reus]

Do we need to know what mimicry is?

how should we define what a hormone is? thanks

A chemical messenger/substance which is transported via the bloodstream targeting a specific cell/tissue to initiate a regulatory response.

[doomdestroyer]

how should we define what a hormone is? thanks

A signalling molecule that is involved in the endocrine system that transports information from a stimulus to target cells, in hopes for a coordinated response to the stimulus from these target cells.

[katiesaliba]

Do we need to know what mimicry is?
A chemical messenger/substance that is produced by a cell which is transported via the bloodstream targeting a specific cell/tissue to initiate a regulatory response.

For pedantic markers^