VCE Biology Exam Discussion and Solutions

[PhoenixxFire]

d)   Phenolic acid leads to the production of a cytotoxic compound that is safe to the plants but makes the caterpillar ill. 

Do you think VCAA would accept that it would make a protein that tastes bad? My psychology is coming in here but unless it was immediately ill it wouldn't realise it feeling ill was due to the plant it just ate.

[Pandable]

Do you think VCAA would accept that it would make a protein that tastes bad? My psychology is coming in here but unless it was immediately ill it wouldn't realise it feeling ill was due to the plant it just ate.

I honestly think it was because it tasted bad illness seems like a slow repellent, taste or smell changes is what i would assume to be the answer

[vox nihili]

Will be back to it after 10 with completed answers hopefully around 10.30-11.


4)   
a)   
i)   Free from microorganisms.
ii)   Cleaning of equipment with steam.
Strict procedures for “scrubbing in” to sterile fields. 
[there are plenty of potential answers here]
b)   The variable region of an antibody, to which the light and heavy chain both contribute components, is specific to a molecular motif on the antibody target. Thanks to this specificity, the antibody is thus able to bind to its target, thereby targeting it for phagocytosis, neutralising the pathogen or triggering agglutination of the pathogen.
[not sure how necessary the roles of antibodies are in the answer to this question. Again, a little vague. The most important information here is an understanding of the antibody’s specificity to their target]
c)   Natural passive immunity. By acquiring antibodies from its mother’s milk, the joey gains a level of protection from those pathogens against which the mother has been immunised.
d)   
i)   Innate immune system.
ii)   Venom inhibitors prevent pathogenic toxins from taking effect in the wallaby.
e)   They hope to find a way to make these potential new antibiotics viable and safe for use in humans and other animals.

I haven't read the question yet, but I suspect you're right. Anything that will inhibit a venom will be specific to that venom. It's by this way that you hear stories about old kings who used to take low levels of venom and thus become immune to snake bites. This is completely bioplausible.

Scratch that. Having done the question, these are molecules that have evolved over a long period of time to nullify the effects of pathogenic venoms to which wallabies have been exposed to over the ages. Grouped with the others, they are clearly innate.

Do you think VCAA would accept that it would make a protein that tastes bad? My psychology is coming in here but unless it was immediately ill it wouldn't realise it feeling ill was due to the plant it just ate.

Yes, I think they would accept either answer. Ill, dead or bad taste, all of these things might work. It could even change the colour of the clover. All reasonable answers.

[Pandable]

Hi would no specific im

[TRA0023]

Would they accept "free from pathogens" for sterile, or would only microorganism be applicable? Thanks.

[Jmano1420]

Would they accept non-specific immunity instead or innate cause I couldn’t remember what it was called?

[waterangel82]

Will be back to it after 10 with completed answers hopefully around 10.30-11.


4)   
a)   
i)   Free from microorganisms.
ii)   Cleaning of equipment with steam.
Strict procedures for “scrubbing in” to sterile fields. 
[there are plenty of potential answers here]
b)   The variable region of an antibody, to which the light and heavy chain both contribute components, is specific to a molecular motif on the antibody target. Thanks to this specificity, the antibody is thus able to bind to its target, thereby targeting it for phagocytosis, neutralising the pathogen or triggering agglutination of the pathogen.
[not sure how necessary the roles of antibodies are in the answer to this question. Again, a little vague. The most important information here is an understanding of the antibody’s specificity to their target]
c)   Natural passive immunity. By acquiring antibodies from its mother’s milk, the joey gains a level of protection from those pathogens against which the mother has been immunised.
d)   
i)   Innate immune system.
ii)   Venom inhibitors prevent pathogenic toxins from taking effect in the wallaby.
e)   They hope to find a way to make these potential new antibiotics viable and safe for use in humans and other animals.




Scratch that. Having done the question, these are molecules that have evolved over a long period of time to nullify the effects of pathogenic venoms to which wallabies have been exposed to over the ages. Grouped with the others, they are clearly innate.

Yes, I think they would accept either answer. Ill, dead or bad taste, all of these things might work. It could even change the colour of the clover. All reasonable answers.

Hi,

would 'free from presence of pathogens be okay for 4.) a.ii?

And for 4e, is it alright if you said that the scientists hoped that treating humans with these peptides would help them to recover from bacterial infection much faster than those being treated with antibiotics?

[Pandable]

Would hygienic be correct for sterile?

[Sine]

Would they accept non-specific immunity instead or innate cause I couldn’t remember what it was called?

i don't think so non-specific is a property of the innate immune system

[vox nihili]

Hi,

would 'free from presence of pathogens be okay for 4.) a.ii?

And for 4e, is it alright if you said that the scientists hoped that treating humans with these peptides would help them to recover from bacterial infection much faster than those being treated with antibiotics?

It's technically not correct to say that sterile=free from pathogens, but I'd be surprised if the VCE course made this distinction. Aseptic means free from pathogens, sterile means free from all microorganisms. I suspect they'll award marks to both, irrespective of the truth of it.

Yes, I think that would be ok.

Would hygienic be correct for sterile?

Unlikely, sorry

[biosista]

Will be back to it after 10 with completed answers hopefully around 10.30-11.


4)   
a)   
i)   Free from microorganisms.
ii)   Cleaning of equipment with steam.
Strict procedures for “scrubbing in” to sterile fields. 
[there are plenty of potential answers here]
b)   The variable region of an antibody, to which the light and heavy chain both contribute components, is specific to a molecular motif on the antibody target. Thanks to this specificity, the antibody is thus able to bind to its target, thereby targeting it for phagocytosis, neutralising the pathogen or triggering agglutination of the pathogen.
[not sure how necessary the roles of antibodies are in the answer to this question. Again, a little vague. The most important information here is an understanding of the antibody’s specificity to their target]
c)   Natural passive immunity. By acquiring antibodies from its mother’s milk, the joey gains a level of protection from those pathogens against which the mother has been immunised.
d)   
i)   Innate immune system.
ii)   Venom inhibitors prevent pathogenic toxins from taking effect in the wallaby.
e)   They hope to find a way to make these potential new antibiotics viable and safe for use in humans and other animals.




Scratch that. Having done the question, these are molecules that have evolved over a long period of time to nullify the effects of pathogenic venoms to which wallabies have been exposed to over the ages. Grouped with the others, they are clearly innate.

Yes, I think they would accept either answer. Ill, dead or bad taste, all of these things might work. It could even change the colour of the clover. All reasonable answers.

would the inflammatory response have been appropriate for the question about which part of the immune system that the chemicals are produced?

[zenith101]

Hey guys, what do you think A+ cutoff was for this year? Thanks

[Chchchh]

Q34: Isn't Taq polymerase used in PCR? Therefore C would be the most correct answer

[casematta]

Q34: Isn't Taq polymerase used in PCR? Therefore C would be the most correct answer

Taq polymerase is a type of DNA polymerase. Hence this is the most correct answer.

[pap0007]

Doea anyone have the copy of the whole vcaa exam for biology?