Biology: Discussion, Questions & Potential Solutions

[LOL_ABC]

Guys rip i thought the dependent variable was measuring from the stopwatch and not the rate of photosynthesis itself ripppp

[Anne Boleyn]

Guys rip i thought the dependent variable was measuring from the stopwatch and not the rate of photosynthesis itself ripppp

WHATT!! I said rate of carbon dioxide absorption 😩

[vox nihili]

I still haven't got a copy of the exam, but the DV can really be what you actually measure or what you're looking for. Personally, I think that the better answer for the dependent variable is the thing you actually measure, not what it means. So if you used carbon dioxide levels as a surrogate for the rate of photosynthesis, carbon dioxide levels is a better answer than the rate of photosynthesis.

[Elsa//768]

I was initially quite confident going into the exam since my SAC marks have been quite good for the whole year and I've done many practice exams... But now I am just so disappointed in myself   

[Bri MT]

I was initially quite confident going into the exam since my SAC marks have been quite good for the whole year and I've done many practice exams... But now I am just so disappointed in myself   

I'm sorry to hear that you feel that way. Your exam score may not be what you fear, but hopefully even if it is, your study score can be pulled up by the good work you've been doing for the rest of the year. It's really difficult to be kind to yourself when you feel like that, but I promise that the work you've been doing and all the effort isn't meaningless no matter what exam score you get. You now have better understanding of yourself, not only in a biological sense, but in how you can push past stress and frustration to keep doing good work, as well as learning more about where your interests lie. All the self dicipline and time management you've been practicing may seem shallow now, but these skills are incredibly valuable in all aspects of life - so even if you don't get the score you want out of your bio journey you're still getting important value.

You're allowed to feel however you're feeling now, but know that this will pass and the strength and understanding you've practiced will stay.

Best of luck

[Hiea]

Aaahhhhhh, I don't know why I clicked into this threaaaaaadddddddddddddddddddddd--I promised myself I wouldn't look at bio discussssioooooooooon and now my heart rate is out of control aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahh better get out before the sample solutions come in . . .

On that note, I really can't gauge how well I did. I'm just kind of . . . acknowledging the fact that it's over? Is that just me? 

[Tadd12345]

For the Botox question I said Botox injections would have increasingly weaker results due to
- increased presence of memory T cells
- increased presence of memory B cells
- increased presence of molecules able to neutralize toxin
I literally made stuff up and tried to get down 3 dot points
Also for last question I said presence of random errors (due to small sample size) may have affected results and maybe a confounding variable. I spoke in very general terms and I’m sure I got it wrong

On the other hand multiple choice was pretty easy!

Mod edit: pls don't double post

[vox nihili]

For the Botox question I said Botox injections would have increasingly weaker results due to
- increased presence of memory T cells
- increased presence of memory B cells
- increased presence of molecules able to neutralize toxin
I literally made stuff up and tried to get down 3 dot points
Also for last question I said presence of random errors (due to small sample size) may have affected results and maybe a confounding variable. I spoke in very general terms and I’m sure I got it wrong

On the other hand multiple choice was pretty easy!

Mod edit: pls don't double post

You should pick up 1 or 2 marks for that! Good on you for bullshitting well

[Owlbird83]

For the last question I wrote that the algae might have different concentrations of enzymes for photosynthesis, and that they may  have different optimum temperatures.

I wasn't really sure about the botox question, I described both cell mediated and humeral immunity. I just wrote down a lot of stuff hoping some would be what they were looking for.

I was't too sure about the transitional fossil one, I said fins for swimming and lungs for breathing, and described what transistional fossils were. Hopefully I got one or two marks out of that.

The multiple choice was quite easy.

I was relieved that the experimental design stuff wasn't too bad, it was better than last year's.

[Snickitty]

Yikes, the ATAR notes book really let me down on that plant defence question, all it says is that chemicals can be used kill pathogenic organisms but not any specific examples. 

Also what did everyone put down for the 3 organelles involved in transport of protein around the cell? I could only think of endoplasmic recticulum and golgi body. I suppose nucleolus might have been acceptable??

[Owlbird83]

Also what did everyone put down for the 3 organelles involved in transport of protein around the cell? I could only think of endoplasmic recticulum and golgi body. I suppose nucleolus might have been acceptable??

I did rough ER and golgi and I wasn't too sure about the last one, I did mitochondria for providing ATP. But it did say 'directly involved' and I don't know if its direct. Some of my friends did plasma membrane and vesicles for the third one.

[Agimo]

What do you guys think the A+ cutoff will be for this year?

[Tadd12345]

Oh yeah for the plant defense question I wrote down
- “Chemicals such as resin”
- “pheromones to attract predators to engulf pathogens”
What did everyone else write? @snickitty I’d right neither the textbook nor the ATARNOTES book mention anything more than “chemicals and toxins (I.e. resin)”

[PhoenixxFire]

Hey,
I’ll be getting a copy of the exam tomorrow so we’ll have solutions up by tomorrow night sometime at the latest

[briv01]

I wrote down phytoalexins and defensins for the plant chemicals
Also, the organelles for export I wrote were Rough ER, Golgi apparatus and secretory vesicles