Syllabus Edition
First teaching 2023
First exams 2025
The table below shows four biological molecules and their component elements.
Which of the rows, A to D, correctly identifies the elements in each molecule?
| Sucrose | Triglyceride | Insulin | DNA nucleotide | |
| A | C, H, O | C, H, O, N | C, H, O | C, H, O, N, P |
| B | C, H, O, N | C, H, O | C, H, O, N, P | C, H, O, N, S |
| C | C, H, O | C, H, O | C, H, O, N, S | C, H, O, N, P |
| D | C, H, O, N | C, H, O, P | C, H, O, N, P | C, H, O, N, S |
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DNA is described as a double-helix, antiparallel structure. Which of the following statements best explains the term, 'antiparallel'?
One strand possesses deoxyribose sugar, the opposite strand possesses ribose sugars.
The nitrogenous bases invert their orientation on the sense strand versus the antisense strand.
The alignment of the sugar-phosphate backbone of each strand runs in opposite directions.
The alignment of the two strands of nucleotides runs in opposite directions.
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The electron micrograph below shows a root vascular system. The magnification of the image is ×200. A student uses a ruler to measure distance X and finds it to be 10 mm.
What is the diameter of the cell labelled Y?
100 µm
50 µm
10 µm
5 µm
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1 markThe diagram below shows a component of a triglyceride.
Which of the following correctly identifies this component?
Saturated fatty acid
Monounsaturated fatty acid
Polyunsaturated fatty acid
Phospholipid
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1 markThe denaturation of three different proteins (P, Q and R) at different temperatures were investigated. The more denatured a protein is, the less stable the molecule becomes. The following graph shows the results of this investigation.
Which of the following would be the most valid conclusion that the scientists can draw from these results?
Protein R would be less stable and had a lower rate of denaturation above 70°C compared to protein Q, while protein P was fully denatured by 80°C
Protein R would be more stable and had a lower rate of denaturation above 70°C compared to protein Q, while protein P was the least heat tolerant of all the proteins
Protein Q would be more stable and had a lower rate of denaturation below 70°C compared to protein R, while protein P was fully denatured by 80°C
Protein Q would be less stable and had a higher rate of denaturation below 70°C compared to protein R, while protein P was the least heat tolerant of all the proteins
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A student sketches a section of a cell surface membrane to show the fluid mosaic model.
How would they correctly label their sketch?
| W | X | Y | Z | |
| A. | Integral protein | Peripheral protein | Phospholipid | Glycoprotein |
| B. | Peripheral protein | Integral protein | Glycoprotein | Phospholipid |
| C. | Glycoprotein | Peripheral protein | Integral protein | Phospholipid |
| D. | Integral protein | Integral protein | Glycoprotein | Phospholipid |
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1 markWhich set of conditions is required to allow the intake of air into the lungs during ventilation?
Contracted diaphragm, increased volume and increased pressure inside the thorax.
Relaxed diaphragm, increased volume and decreased pressure inside the thorax.
Relaxed diaphragm, decreased volume and increased pressure inside the thorax.
Contracted diaphragm, increased volume and decreased pressure inside the thorax.
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1 markWhen a very narrow glass tube known as a capillary tube is dipped into water, water can flow up the tube despite the opposing force of gravity.
What is this model demonstrating?
Translocation
A hydrostatic pressure gradient
Cohesion between water molecules
Adhesion between water molecules
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1 markWhich of the statements about biomes is correct?
Biome distribution is affected primarily by biotic factors.
For any given temperature and rainfall pattern there are a range of ecosystem types that can develop.
A tropical rainforest biome will have high annual rainfall and low levels of biodiversity.
Average temperatures and rainfall patterns are significant factors in determining the development of a biome.
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Which of the options below refers to the features of catabolism?
E xergonic, condensation reaction, an example is polypeptide synthesis
Endergonic, hydrolysis reaction, an example is respiration
Endergonic, condensation reaction, an example is photosynthesis
Exergonic, hydrolysis reaction, an example is deamination
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The graph shows the effect of enzyme concentration on the rate of an enzyme-controlled reaction. The substrate concentration is constant.
Which statement about the graph is correct?
Between X and Z, the number of enzyme molecules is limiting.
Between Y and Z, the number of enzyme molecules is limiting.
Between X and Z, the number of substrate molecules is limiting.
Between Y and Z, the number of substrate molecules is limiting.
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The diagram below shows a respirometer used to measure the respiration rate of germinating bean seeds.
What direction will the manometer fluid move and what is the role of the liquid placed in the bottom of each tube?
| Direction of movement of the manometer fluid | Role of liquid at the bottom of the tubes | |
| A | Up the left side | To release energy |
| B | Down the right side | To absorb carbon dioxide |
| C | Down the left side | It is the independent variable |
| D | Down the right side | To react with the oxygen produced |
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What happens when ATP is converted to ADP?
A net release of energy.
A net amount of energy is destroyed.
It can never be reconverted to ATP.
A phosphate is added.
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Which of the following statements best describes why the majority of plants appear green?
Chlorophyll reflects the light most strongly in the green portion of the visible spectrum.
Chlorophyll absorbs light most strongly in the green portion of the visible spectrum, followed by the red portion.
When chlorophyll absorbs light, it releases electrons.
The human eye is more sensitive to green light.
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1 markStudy the diagram below.
Which of the following table rows correctly identifies I - VI?
| I | II | III | IV | V | VI | |
| A. | Acetylcholine | Acetyl-cholinesterase | Cholinergic receptor | Choline | Acetyl group | Acetyl-CoA |
| B. | Acetyl-cholinesterase | Acetyl-CoA | Acetylcholine | Cholinergic receptor | Choline | Acetyl group |
| C. | Acetylcholine | Cholinergic receptor | Acetyl-cholinesterase | Acetyl group | Choline | Acetyl-CoA |
| D. | Acetylcholine | Cholinergic receptor | Acetyl-CoA | Choline | Acetyl group | Acetyl-cholinesterase |
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1 markWhich of the following statements about melatonin are correct?
I. Melatonin secretion increases in the evening in response to darkness and decreases at dawn in response to light.
II. Increasing melatonin levels stimulate the body, preparing it for waking up and staying awake during the day.
III. Melatonin is secreted by the hypothalamus.
IV. The night-time drop in core body temperature triggers an increase in melatonin secretion.
V. Melatonin levels vary during a 12-hour cycle known as a circadian rhythm.
II, IV and V
I, III and IV
I only
II and V
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Which of the following statements about plasma cells is incorrect?
Plasma cells contain large amounts of rough endoplasmic reticulum
Plasma cells originate from B-cells
Plasma cells divide by mitosis to produce memory cells
Plasma cells produce specific antibodies
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1 markThe diagram represents the process of blood clot formation.
What is the correct sequence of events
| I | II | III | IV | |
| A | Prothrombin | Thrombin | Fibrin | Fibrinogen |
| B | Clotting factors | Thrombin | Fibrinogen | Fibrin |
| C | Fibrin | Fibrinogen | Thrombin | Clotting factors |
| D | Clotting factors | Thrombin | Fibrin | Fibrinogen |
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If a patient is given a transfusion of the wrong blood type, an immune response results. This response involves agglutination followed by haemolysis, where red blood cells are destroyed and blood may then coagulate. Blood typing involves mixing blood samples with antibodies. The diagram below shows the results of a blood typing test, showing the reactions between blood types (rows) and antibody serums (columns). The first column shows the appearance of each blood sample before testing occurred.
Identify the row in the table below that correctly identifies the blood type of blood samples I - IV.
| I | II | III | IV | |
| A | O | O | O | AB |
| B | A | B | AB | O |
| C | AB | AB | AB | O |
| D | B | A | AB | O |
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1 markA polypeptide has the following amino acid sequence:
histidine - glutamine - lysine - alanine - valine - histidine - valine
The table below gives the tRNA anticodons for each amino acid.
| Amino acid | tRNA anticodons |
| histidine | CAU |
| valine | GUA |
| lysine | AAA |
| alanine | GCU |
| glutamine | CAG |
A mutation causes the 18th base in the DNA sequence to be deleted.
Which of the following would represent the amino acid sequence after this deletion?
histidine - glutamine - lysine - alanine - valine - histidine
histidine - glutamine - lysine - alanine - valine
histidine - glutamine - lysine - alanine - valine - glutamine
histidine - glutamine - lysine - alanine - valine - histidine - valine
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The photomicrograph shows cells in different stages of mitosis.
In which order do these stages occur?
4 → 1 → 3 → 2 → 5
4 → 1 → 2 → 3 → 5
4 → 3 → 5 → 1 → 2
4 → 5 → 1 → 2 → 3
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1 markWhen investigating osmosis in plant tissue any changes to mass and length are recorded over a period of time.
What are the most appropriate units of measurement for mass and length during this investigation?
kg and cm
g and cm
g and mm
kg and mm
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1 markThe diagram shows the female reproductive system.
Which row correctly identifies the structures?
| I | II | III | IV | V | |
| A | Oviduct | Ovary | Uterus | Vagina | Cervix |
| B | Ovary | Oviduct | Uterus | Vagina | Cervix |
| C | Oviduct | Ovary | Uterus | Cervix | Vagina |
| D | Oviduct | Ovary | Cervix | Uterus | Vagina |
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A species of plant can have either blue or white flowers. The colour of the flower is controlled by a single gene where the dominant allele codes for blue flowers.
Two heterozygous plants are crossed; which of the observed outcomes matches up most accurately to the expected ratio of blue to white flowers.
| Blue | White | |
| A | 93 | 46 |
| B | 77 | 203 |
| C | 107 | 33 |
| D | 127 | 42 |
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1 markWhich of the following statements are true for the determination of sex?
I and II only
III only
II and III only
I, III and IV only
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The graph below shows the filtration, reabsorption, and excretion of glucose by the kidneys at different plasma glucose concentrations. Note that a healthy blood glucose concentration is around 100 mg 100 ml-1. 
Which of the following is not a correct conclusion from the graph?
The maximum rate at which the kidneys can reabsorb glucose is 300 mg min-1.
Glucose in the urine can be normal for a healthy individual.
At plasma glucose concentrations higher than 300 mg 100 ml-1:
filtration rate - reabsorption rate = excretion rate.
At a plasma glucose concentration of around 200 mg 100 ml-1 the glucose transporters in the proximal convoluted tubule become fully saturated.
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Which of the following does not describe the process of natural selection?
A species of antelope where the population has stronger muscles after the individuals with weak muscles are eaten by predators
When a bacteria is exposed to a new type of antibiotic the exposure causes the bacteria to become resistant
Sharks adapting to store more oxygen in their blood because the sharks with less oxygen were more likely to die
Dark peppered moths increasing in number during the industrial revolution in response to increased predation of the light colour moths
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1 markA team of scientists used mesocosms to investigate the effect of invasive species A and B on native species of frog, toad and newt that would normally be found in a wetland ecosystem. Their mesocosms contained the frog, toad and newt species in the absence of invasive species, in the presence of each invasive species individually, and in the presence of both invasive species at the same time. 20 mesocosms, set up on land in 400 litre tanks, allowed each condition to be replicated 5 times. Some of the results are shown in the graph. The error bars show standard error.
Which of the statements about the mesocosm experiment are correct?
It can be concluded that introducing species B to a wetland ecosystem would damage populations of frogs.
The mesocosms provide a realistic representation of the wetland habitat of the frog, newt and toad species.
The mesocosms provided a model that allowed data on the effect of the invasive species to be collected.
Invasive species B had a significant impact on all of the native amphibian species.
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1 markThe pH content of a water body in Australia was measured over a 10 year period. Scientists are concerned about the general downward trend of the data, which shows less alkali conditions than is characteristic.
Which of the statements suggests why the scientists may have cause for concern?
I and II only
II and III only
None of the above
II only
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