** LC BIOLOGY 2014 - Before and after discussion **

b3rnade11e

What will the cat drag in this year ladies and gents?

Vito Corleone

I wish I was sitting this paper and had a week to revise, seriously. :P

Good luck everyone!!

marno21

Photosynthesis, Respiration, Enzymes, Ecology, Genetics, Human Immunity, Bacteria and the IAA experiment would be a good start

Badwulf

marno21 wrote: »

Photosynthesis, Respiration, Enzymes, Ecology, Genetics, Human Immunity, Bacteria and the IAA experiment would be a good start

That would be beautiful :O maybe some breating and excretion and some plant reproduction and ive got myself an A!

K6Y

Is it possible to not study plants and still get a high B or an A? Completely hate them, but I find the rest of the course to be more or less do-able.

aleatorio

What stuff on the course has never been asked/hasnt been asked in a very long time? Theres usually something that pops up that hasnt been in the past papers :P

little sis...

aleatorio wrote: »

What stuff on the course has never been asked/hasnt been asked in a very long time? Theres usually something that pops up that hasnt been in the past papers :P

hmm lymphatic system... I'd say it will make an appearance this year.

Kevink7501

I've 17 chapters left any shortcuts ?

aleatorio

little sis... wrote: »

hmm lymphatic system... I'd say it will make an appearance this year.

In the marking scheme it says we only need to know:
The lymphatic system:
• structure: lymph nodes, lymph vessels
• any three functions

So they cant throw anything toooo nasty at us :pac:

little sis...

aleatorio wrote: »

In the marking scheme it says we only need to know:
The lymphatic system:
• structure: lymph nodes, lymph vessels
• any three functions

So they cant throw anything toooo nasty at us :pac:

Yep that's all it is really Pretty handy if it came up to be honest.
I just need to go over alooooot of bio this weekend and the day before because it tends to slip from my memory so fast!

aleatorio

little sis... wrote: »

Yep that's all it is really Pretty handy if it came up to be honest.
I just need to go over alooooot of bio this weekend and the day before because it tends to slip from my memory so fast!

Im aiming for an A1, for sure, so Ive been doing an exam paper every 2 days and Im planning on reading the whole book the night before to refresh all the little details

RingoIRL

K6Y wrote: »

Is it possible to not study plants and still get a high B or an A?

I want to know this too, it seems that way from the past papers and the mock but we all know how sadistic the SEC are. If I at least cover the plant experiments, will I be safe?

XtotheZ

I heard you can get 80% by knowing unit 1,2 and the experiements?

Badwulf

XtotheZ wrote: »

I heard you can get 80% by knowing unit 1,2 and the experiements?

Knowing them off by heart inside out to a perfect chalk line, yes it can get you 80 percent, I've only studied

all unit 1
all unit 2
all experiments
then from unit 3 all ive studied is
plant reproduction
human reproduction
disease, defences and immunity
breating
excretion

Shane15

This is the only exam I'm excited for. I love biology (though it's definitely not my strongest subject, I still love it).

Jones82

How are ye studying the experiments?

leavingcert problems

Jones82 wrote: »

How are ye studying the experiments?

I intend to watch the DVD that came with the book Monday night! Hope that refreshes them!

RingoIRL

leavingcert problems wrote: »

I intend to watch the DVD that came with the book Monday night! Hope that refreshes them!

Haha, with the state of my book, that DVD is looong gone...

Fudge dice

I've learned all unit 1,2 and all experiments.. Plants, diversity of Organisms and blood, immunity and lymph
So hopefully I'll be ok looking back over previous exam papers it looks alright and since there was a full q on endocrine and Sexual reproduction last year plants seem likely this year
I hate the human biology!!

Johnjoeboy

I'm leaving out the genetic chapters and Evolution.its only 4 chapters but I am doing every other chapter.is this a good idea cause I know genetics comes up but only as one Q

oncex

Johnjoeboy wrote: »

I'm leaving out the genetic chapters and Evolution.its only 4 chapters but I am doing every other chapter.is this a good idea cause I know genetics comes up but only as one Q

No... 1 question in long questions and 1 short pretty much every year../ that's 80 marks

Johnjoeboy

oncex wrote: »

No... 1 question in long questions and 1 short pretty much every year../ that's 80 marks

I just find them too hard to understand.i have every other chapter we'll learned so I have 5 options in long Qs to answer so I would say il be alright?

oncex

Johnjoeboy wrote: »

I just find them too hard to understand.i have every other chapter we'll learned so I have 5 options in long Qs to answer so I would say il be alright?

Why don't you do the chapters that aren't that hard ie variation and evolution? Leave out protein synthesis if you need to... Depends on ur grade if it's an a1, then no

Johnjoeboy

I was hoping an A2 or a high B.i know reproduction ecology and respiration and photosynthesis come up most years so that might be 3 Qs sorted and just one left.I didn't do evolution because I saw it come up as part of genetic Qs before.i left out gentics DNA/RNA and evolution

Poliana.xo

I hate the genetics chapters too but going for an A1 I am not leaving them out.. Sometimes the genetics question can be really nice and actually quite easy to answer.

Johnjoeboy

Yeah some aren't to bad but I always seem to make a mess of them.but I will say I have done enough.

2014lchelp

K6Y wrote: »

Is it possible to not study plants and still get a high B or an A? Completely hate them, but I find the rest of the course to be more or less do-able.

You probably could, but you're not going to have much of a choice in your exam then. Last year they mixed the endocrine system and plant responses (they love doing that) . I have an awful feeling they're going to be mixing human and plant reproduction together this year. I had originally said I wasn't going to do them, but i'm aiming for the A1 so I need myself covered. Maybe its a bit late to be doing full chapters, but I would learn growth regulators, adhesion, cohesion, the different plant responses, formation of plant zygote and the differences between a monocot and dicot.

Johnjoeboy

Yeah thanks

Ka_yl_ei_gh

I haven't even started studying biology..

Poliana.xo

I'm planning on doing like 3 or 4 full papers today :pac:

Saskatchewan

Poliana.xo wrote: »

I'm planning on doing like 3 or 4 full papers today :pac:

Same! I just talk myself through the section C questions so im not taking too long if its stuff I already know. Anything a bit different I just write down and check the marking scheme!

ejayy

I haven't started yet either but I have all day tomorrow off and Tuesday morning so be grand

Poliana.xo

I actually like doing out a few papers and marking myself to see how I do :P That way I know the marking schemes as well so I kind of know what they're looking for and have a fair idea of marks going for the questions

peanut.lover22

Anyone know what experiments are rumoured to come up or at least important ones to know?

Ka_yl_ei_gh

ejayy wrote: »

I haven't started yet either but I have all day tomorrow off and Tuesday morning so be grand

I have full day tomorrow and I have a Tuesday morning exam, I'm definitely failing biology.

Saxo

Anyone have any tips of how to learn off Respiration? it's the only chapter I get very stuck on, I think it's to do with ATP and NADP & light/dark stages?

ita1995

Anyone have any tips or predictions for the experiments?

Saskatchewan

Saxo wrote: »

Anyone have any tips of how to learn off Respiration? it's the only chapter I get very stuck on, I think it's to do with ATP and NADP & light/dark stages?

I just repeatedly draw out the first and second stage. Its a lot easier if you can visually see what's happening.

Hollister11

ejayy wrote: »

I haven't started yet either but I have all day tomorrow off and Tuesday morning so be grand

how do you have all day tomorrow off ?
Maths paper 2

little sis...

Saxo wrote: »

Anyone have any tips of how to learn off Respiration? it's the only chapter I get very stuck on, I think it's to do with ATP and NADP & light/dark stages?

I think firstly it's important to recognise the differences between photosynthesis and Respiration. There in no light/dark stage in respiration and NADP+ is the carrier in photosynthesis. NAD+ is the one for respiration.

I'd say use the diagrams and know the steps involved in each stage. Or just practice with exam q's as they are very repetitive

ejayy

Hollister11 wrote: »

how do you have all day tomorrow off ?
Maths paper 2

I'm a repeat don't do English , Irish or maths

aleatorio

Saxo wrote: »

Anyone have any tips of how to learn off Respiration? it's the only chapter I get very stuck on, I think it's to do with ATP and NADP & light/dark stages?

Ok well firstly, NADP and light/dark stages are Photosynthesis!

Quick trick for remembering the electron/hydrogen carriers:
In Respiration its NAD
In Photosynthesis its NADP

In respiration NAD combines with electrons and protons/hydrogen (Protons are essentially hydrogen) to form NADH
ADP (Adenosine Diphosphate) combines with a Phosphate to form a high energy bond and the molecule ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate)

So, in respiration NAD/NADH is said to be a hydrogen/electron (and energy) carrier, and ADP/ATP is an energy carrier

Basic breakdown of respiration would be:

Glycolysis
Krebs Cycle
Electron Transport Chain

The main molecules are Glucose -> Pyruvate -> Acetyl CoA -> CO2

Learn the products, location and output of each stage and you should be set

Saxo

little sis... wrote: »

I think firstly it's important to recognise the differences between photosynthesis and Respiration. There in no light/dark stage in respiration and NADP+ is the carrier in photosynthesis. NAD+ is the one for respiration.

I'd say use the diagrams and know the steps involved in each stage. Or just practice with exam q's as they are very repetitive

Wow really? my teacher sort of threw the whole lot in together, and we never got exam papers.
my teacher sucks. every year before us has said it, not making excuses but yeah.. would I be okay learning units 1 & 2 ? I have unit 1 learned and plan on starting unit 2 today

Hollister11

ejayy wrote: »

I'm a repeat don't do English , Irish or maths

Ahhh lucky.

Saxo

aleatorio wrote: »

Ok well firstly, NADP and light/dark stages are Photosynthesis!

Quick trick for remembering the electron/hydrogen carriers:
In Respiration its NAD
In Photosynthesis its NADP

In respiration NAD combines with electrons and protons/hydrogen (Protons are essentially hydrogen) to form NADH
ADP (Adenosine Diphosphate) combines with a Phosphate to form a high energy bond and the molecule ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate)

So, in respiration NAD/NADH is said to be a hydrogen/electron (and energy) carrier, and ADP/ATP is an energy carrier

Basic breakdown of respiration would be:

Glycolysis
Krebs Cycle
Electron Transport Chain

The main molecules are Glucose -> Pyruvate -> Acetyl CoA -> CO2

Learn the products, location and output of each stage and you should be set

Thank you! explained it perfectly it's starting to make sense already we have the really old thick textbook and it's kinda bad for these chapters! a lot of stuff in it that doesn't really need to be known.

2014lchelp

Saxo wrote: »

Anyone have any tips of how to learn off Respiration? it's the only chapter I get very stuck on, I think it's to do with ATP and NADP & light/dark stages?

light/dark stage is in photosynthesis........

aleatorio

Saxo wrote: »

Thank you! explained it perfectly it's starting to make sense already we have the really old thick textbook and it's kinda bad for these chapters! a lot of stuff in it that doesn't really need to be known.

Biology is my best subject so if you want me to go into more detail about anything I'm happy to help, good revision for me too :rolleyes:

2014lchelp

Literally done every exam paper ever in biology the questions are all the same!!!!!!!

Saxo

aleatorio wrote: »

Biology is my best subject so if you want me to go into more detail about anything I'm happy to help, good revision for me too :rolleyes:

It used to be my best subject, got 34% in the pre's so now I'm beginning to think otherwise we've only covered 4 experiments this year, 4!! enzymes are a b****

tsire

aleatorio wrote: »

Biology is my best subject so if you want me to go into more detail about anything I'm happy to help, good revision for me too :rolleyes:

Could you try explain the enzyme immobilisation experiment? I can never remember anything for that - only if that's something you feel like revising though!

aleatorio

tsire wrote: »

Could you try explain the enzyme immobilisation experiment? I can never remember anything for that - only if that's something you feel like revising though!

Ok

So basically the point of it is to fix the enzyme in an inert material, gel or to eachother in order to allow the product to be purified easier and to allow the enzymes to be reused.

The main parts to remember are:

Sodium Alginate - This is the substance you mix the enzyme with as a liquid, it's what forms the gel
Calcium Chloride - This hardens the 'blobs' of sodium alginate+enzyme into solid beads

The enzyme (that I used anyway) is yeast, which acts on sucrose to form glucose

So the reaction that this immobilised yeast carries out when being used is Sucrose ---> Glucose

You mix the yeast and sodium alginate, and use a syringe to pump a steady stream of the mix into the calcium chloride, where the beads harden.
Stir the beads to prevent them sticking to each other.
Rinse with distilled water to remove any excess calcium chloride.