The Student Room Group

AQA A2 BIOL5 22nd June 2012

Scroll to see replies

Original post by thegodofgod
They could, but it would be very stupid of them to pull a stunt like that...

I'd forever sing AQA's praise if they did do that though :colondollar:


lol samee haha
Do you think there is still time to revise BIOL4 and 5 and still get a good grade? A/B?
Original post by markisanark
Do you think there is still time to revise BIOL4 and 5 and still get a good grade? A/B?


Get off tsr, turn off your phone, laptop, ipod etc... And start NOW.
Are people going to check the essay q before starting the paper in the real exam??
Reply 224
Original post by Smiley Face :)
Are people going to check the essay q before starting the paper in the real exam??


My teacher advised us to... So I probs will. It may allow more time to (subconsciously?) think the questions through and choose which of the two is best... However, if they're on topics which one is not confident with, it might not be such a good idea! As long as you've revised/practiced writing essays for every topic, I reckon it's safe to look at the essay questions first. :smile:
Cool, thanks!!
Can anyone explain gel electrophoresis ...
I understand that sanger method fine... Its just when they are put on the agar plate all the DNA fragments from each of the 4 testtubes are loaded on... And a voltage is applied and then due to resistance of the agar gel the smallest fragment moves the furthest..
Then agter this a photographic film is added to the agar gel and it is left for several hours and the fluorescent probes expose where the DNA fragments have travelled to...
Ok this is where my problem is ... why can you not have two lengths travelled by 2 different nucleotides being the same. And if you can have this how do you read the electropherisis results and does the terminator molecule the thing that identifies the nucleotides ... Really confused atm with this!! :frown:
Original post by al_habib
guys i know its too early to start with unit 5 but yeah am off to chapter 14, hopefully i finish this by tomorrow, and then do questions at the end of the chapter.
i'll post notes, essays and relevant websites on BIOL5 :smile:
this site have good bio notes --> http://www.heckgrammar.kirklees.sch.uk/index.php?p=10312
How to Write an outstanding Bio Essay.
-plan->write bullet points
-expand your points using spider diagrams or any method that is suitable.
-detail your essay, go as deep as you can, write all key words you can remember
-make sure you include all the 3 kingdoms, plant animal & bacteria
-keep to the point always don't waffle.


BIOLOGY TUITION AVAILABLE FROM £9/CLASS In Manchester.


Hi could u help me with the above q please .. :smile:
Nearly finished revising Unit 5 (got chapter 16, 9 and 10 to do) but haven't started essay practice yet!! I'm screwed!!

How many weeks left, like 4? :frown: How long will essay practice take usually? Or is it better to spread it out from like now?

Just wanted to say thank to all who went through essays on here and gave tips, nice to know I'll have resources when I get started :smile:
Original post by ALevelGirl
Nearly finished revising Unit 5 (got chapter 16, 9 and 10 to do) but haven't started essay practice yet!! I'm screwed!!

How many weeks left, like 4? :frown: How long will essay practice take usually? Or is it better to spread it out from like now?

Just wanted to say thank to all who went through essays on here and gave tips, nice to know I'll have resources when I get started :smile:


Start to spread your essay practice now. The key to doing well on it, is to know as many topics as you can from the syllabus and link them using the common theme that the question asks, like 'how is ATP used in biological processes' etc.

I've started to use post-it notes on pages (on my AS and A2 nelson thornes book) where i feel i could use for the essay question. For example, if the topic is on ATP, I would straight away know that I need to mention active transport (even go as far as giving examples, like, it's against a concentration gradient and is used in muscle contraction for the release of Ca2+ ions which allows for muscle contraction to occur) etc!
Original post by Smiley Face :)
Are people going to check the essay q before starting the paper in the real exam??

I plan to do the essay first, that way the time consuming part of the paper is over with :smile:
Reply 231
anyone got the january 2012 paper?
Original post by TheBigDog
anyone got the january 2012 paper?


Doesn't exist.
Original post by James A
Start to spread your essay practice now. The key to doing well on it, is to know as many topics as you can from the syllabus and link them using the common theme that the question asks, like 'how is ATP used in biological processes' etc.

I've started to use post-it notes on pages (on my AS and A2 nelson thornes book) where i feel i could use for the essay question. For example, if the topic is on ATP, I would straight away know that I need to mention active transport (even go as far as giving examples, like, it's against a concentration gradient and is used in muscle contraction for the release of Ca2+ ions which allows for muscle contraction to occur) etc!


Good advice, thanks James. I'll try and start by thursday or friday then. I think i'm going to look through past and potential essay questions and make up plans for them first (using the books and notes). Then that'll give me an idea of the type of synoptic topics to revise properly. I'll then start writing essays and time myself so I don't go overboard :tongue:

Do we need to revise all/most of AS? That's what I'm a bit confused over or are there certain topics we can skip all together?

So, does my plan seem do-able or should changes be made.

Oh and taking the ATP question as an example, would you have to talk about structure of ATP and how it releases energy, uses etc (Unit 4), uses in muscle contractions as an example as you've said (UNIT 5), photosynthesis and respiration (UNIT 4), active transport (UNIT 1), active processes such as sodium-potassium pump? Conversion of ATP to cyclic AMP in second messenger model? So along those sorts of lines?

Thanks :smile:
Oh and I was wondering if anybody had the specimen paper for UNIT 5. I found the mark scheme but not paper. Some links for it I've found don't work.
Original post by ALevelGirl
Good advice, thanks James. I'll try and start by thursday or friday then. I think i'm going to look through past and potential essay questions and make up plans for them first (using the books and notes). Then that'll give me an idea of the type of synoptic topics to revise properly. I'll then start writing essays and time myself so I don't go overboard :tongue:

Do we need to revise all/most of AS? That's what I'm a bit confused over or are there certain topics we can skip all together?

So, does my plan seem do-able or should changes be made.

Oh and taking the ATP question as an example, would you have to talk about structure of ATP and how it releases energy, uses etc (Unit 4), uses in muscle contractions as an example as you've said (UNIT 5), photosynthesis and respiration (UNIT 4), active transport (UNIT 1), active processes such as sodium-potassium pump? Conversion of ATP to cyclic AMP in second messenger model? So along those sorts of lines?

Thanks :smile:


Your welcome!!

The part of the quote i highlighted in bold, is a very good question. The problem with the synoptic questions is that AQA can throw in any topic for you to discuss.

From the AS book, Unit 1, you will NOT need to know about magnification and ultracentrifugation, microscopes. They can't ask for topics that will require you to recall these things.

From unit 1, look over chemical digestion (hydrolysis by enzymes), proteins (the sequence of amino acids resulting in the primary structure, twisting and bending for the secondary structure etc. factors affecting enzyme rate e.g. temperature , pH, also remember that enzymes no longer catalyse reactions efficiently when their tertiary structure denatures, hence no ES complexes form. Learn about the different organelles, especially mitochondria which produces ATP etc). Learn about lysosomes and how they contain various enzymes that can be used to break down pathogens in phagocytosis. Learn about active transport, osmosis, protein carriers, diffusion, cholera, structure of a prokarotic cell (e.g. the cholera bacterium), Oral rehydration therapy restores the ions lost from the body and re hydrates the tissues in the body.

Learn about how the lungs are adapted for the rapid diffusion of oxygen and CO2. Maybe learn about one or two of the diseases as you could refer to them (e.g. emphysema)

Learn about phagocytosis as I mentioned above, learn about antibodies, their structure, how the sequence of amino acids give rise to variable regions that can bind precisely to the antigen they are complementary to.

That's just for Unit 1, but once you see the questions for yourself, you will gain a great understanding as to which topics to revise from. The same goes for unit 2 as well + unit 4 (:frown:)

Best of luck!
Reply 236
Have a mock next week and saw the paper, don't understand one bit.
Do you think I have enough time to revise and get an A.
Need an A for uni. :frown:
So far I have 323 UMS from unit 1, 2, 3 and 4
Reply 237
Question:
Insulin can be made using genetically modified bacteria. The human insulin gene is obtained from mRNA, rather than DNA. Suggest why. (2 marks)

Thanks in advance.
Reply 238
Original post by Anamika19
Question:
Insulin can be made using genetically modified bacteria. The human insulin gene is obtained from mRNA, rather than DNA. Suggest why. (2 marks)

Thanks in advance.


I think it could be the fact that its easier to find the gene of interest if using mRNA compared to DNA.. you know cuz its single stranded......
I hate how science works questions...... :frown:
Reply 239
Original post by ezeffy
I think it could be the fact that its easier to find the gene of interest if using mRNA compared to DNA.. you know cuz its single stranded......
I hate how science works questions...... :frown:

Erm maybe when you splice the mRNA there will
Be no introns but DNA contains introns

Quick Reply