VCE Biology Question Thread

[Gogo14]

What are the monomers of lipids? My teacher says they technically have no monomers, so what should I write in the exam? Glycerol and fatty acids?

[cosine]

What are the monomers of lipids? My teacher says they technically have no monomers, so what should I write in the exam? Glycerol and fatty acids?

Your teacher is right, lipids are in fact not polymers, hence they do not have monomers. However, you can say there are subunits, or building blocks of lipids, and they are a glycerol backbone and three fatty acids (in the case of triglycerides), or a glycerol backbone, 2 fatty acid chains and a phosphate group (in the case of phospholipids).

[vox nihili]

What are the monomers of lipids? My teacher says they technically have no monomers, so what should I write in the exam? Glycerol and fatty acids?

You can either say "no monomers" or "glycerol and fatty acid". The question has been asked in the past and both were accepted.

[Gogo14]

Cheers

[TheAspiringDoc]

What do we call chromosomes that are composed of two sister chromatids?
Also, does anyone have any experience with the USABO biology curriculum?
edit: Hank green (crack course bio) calls them 'double chromosomes'. Is this correct?

[cosine]

What do we call chromosomes that are composed of two sister chromatids?
Also, does anyone have any experience with the USABO biology curriculum?
edit: Hank green (crack course bio) calls them 'double chromosomes'. Is this correct?

There is not an exact term for chromosomes that have already undergone the Synthesis stage.

Do not call them double chromosomes, this is not the official terminology, because there is none. If anything and to ensure full marks just refer to the chromosomes as sister-chromatid chromosomes.

[Gogo14]

Do plant cells have lysosomes? My textbook says only animal cells have them, but my teacher says they have them too.

[Photon]

Do plant cells have lysosomes? My textbook says only animal cells have them, but my teacher says they have them too.

Nah, plant cells break down wastes in the vacuole

[@#035;3]

Hi guys! Can someone please help me with the wording of this question?
Thanks in advance!

Describe the ways in which animal cells and plant cells change after being exposed to hypertonic and hypotonic solutions?

When exposed to Hypertonic solutions: Animal cells decrease in mass due to water diffusing out off the cell.
In Plants cells water diffuses out of the cell causing the cell membrane to move away from the cell wall.
When exposed to Hypotonic solutions: Animal cells increase in mass due to water diffusing into the cell until equilibrium is established, however the animal cell could burst before equilibrium is established.
In plant cells water diffuses into the cell causing the cell membrane to push against the cell wall.

[vox nihili]

What do we call chromosomes that are composed of two sister chromatids?
Also, does anyone have any experience with the USABO biology curriculum?
edit: Hank green (crack course bio) calls them 'double chromosomes'. Is this correct?

I'm with Cosine, I don't think there's a name for them.

Interestingly though, there are names for two homologous chromosomes that are paired and an unpaired chromosome as well. Go figure.

[TheAspiringDoc]

I know that in a practical experiment report we are supposed to refer to our aim at the start, and then talk bout what the results indicate, but should we also discuss in the conclusion whether the results support/contradict (is that the right word?!!!!!) the hypothesis?
Tanks (boom)

[melons]

I know that in a practical experiment report we are supposed to refer to our aim at the start, and then talk bout what the results indicate, but should we also discuss in the conclusion whether the results support/contradict (is that the right word?!!!!!) the hypothesis?
Tanks (boom)

You should refer back to the aim, and state whether you achieved it or not. You should also refer back to the hypothesis and whether it's supported or not. You could also briefly outline why it contradicts the hypothesis (if this is the case) - like errors etc

[Arithmetic]

Hey all!

So we are currently learning about the plasma membrane. Can someone explain to me the importance of having a high surface area: volume ratio for an organism?

[TheAspiringDoc]

Hey all!

So we are currently learning about the plasma membrane. Can someone explain to me the importance of having a high surface area: volume ratio for an organism?

It allows for higher efficiency of exchanges of materials across the membrane. Smaller objects have a higher SA:Vol. in general.

[geminii]

I have my Bio SAC tomorrow on the plasma membrane. We did an experiment with dialysis tubing. We put a dialysis tube filled with Solution A (containing glucose, starch, Na+ and Cl-, and proteins) into a beaker of distilled water and let it sit for 30 minutes. Before that, we tested the concentration of the glucose, starch, Na+ and Cl-, and protein both inside and outside the tube. After 30 minutes we tested it again.
So this was the experiment we did.
Anyone have any idea what sort of questions could be asked about this?

Thanks so much

EDIT: Also, I'm pretty sure "write a conclusion" will be a question asked tomorrow, does anyone know how to structure a good conclusion? It's the one part of a prac report I find the hardest!