[JJMick]

1st choice for me: Inorganic ions
Second: Proteins
Third: Exchange across membranes

[Erotas]

(Original post by Zubby77)
Just thought another couple of little points for inorganic ions - iodine/iodide is used in testing for starch and copper (II) ions are used in Benedict's/Biuret tests.
Not the best points you could come up with but probably useful if you need any more

Nice one!

[Saraah_x]

How would you write about the Nitrogen cycle for the inorganic ions essay? Little bit stuck!

[jessplease]

Are any of these prediction based on patterns or purely random predictions?

[JJMick]

What are people's thoughts on doing the essay first?

[Alfie1993]

I think I might do the essay first, as I panic when I'm short on time and better to miss out a few short questions that to lose a lot of marks on the essay?

I also thought an essay on proteins might come up as its never been asked before.

[fredrum]

I wouldn't do the essay first, it's too easy to waste too much time on. I'm going to check the essay questions at the start so I can think about it during the rest of the paper (and maybe get a few ideas from the questions/answers), do the rest of the paper, skipping any I don't know, then do the essay and then go back to any questions I missed if there's time left.

[Alfie1993]

Can an essay on ecosystems/ energy transfer really come up? Are these not too narrow?

[Wick3d]

(Original post by Saraah_x)
How would you plan/write that essay?

Well you mention everything to do about enzymes/proteins, it would actually be quite a simple essay in terms of what other topics they could use.

[TheDeviant]

(Original post by Erotas)
Along with what you have I also have:
-Osmosis in root hair cells requiring active transport of ions (K and nitrate)
-Photosynthesis (Mg ion in chlorophyll, photolysis and H+ ions)
-Phosphate ion phosphorylating glucose in glycolysis and also co-enzymes and H+ ions
-Fe3+ ions attached to haem (haemoglobin) to attach to 4 O2 molecules
-Ca+ ions also in synapses and to make membrane permeable for inserting a plasmid
-and finally chloride ions involved in making the epithelial membrane moist (cholera chapter)

(Original post by Zubby77)
Just thought another couple of little points for inorganic ions - iodine/iodide is used in testing for starch and copper (II) ions are used in Benedict's/Biuret tests.
Not the best points you could come up with but probably useful if you need any more

Cheers guys, these are all really useful!

Something for the off-spec marks: Ca2+ ions are also important in the fusing of membranes during exocytosis, endocytosis, cytokinesis etc.

I didn't think of ions in biochemical tests, but that's a really good idea!

[thenumber2goose]

Say the essay title was "The structure and function of proteins"

For structure you would talk about primary, secondary, tertiary & quaternary in detail?

Then for function- hormones, receptors (glycoproteins), enzymes (inhibition, denaturation, temperature), antibodies and any more

[JJMick]

(Original post by leeandrewarmstrong)
Say the essay title was "The structure and function of proteins"

For structure you would talk about primary, secondary, tertiary & quaternary in detail?

Then for function- hormones, receptors (glycoproteins), enzymes (inhibition, denaturation, temperature), antibodies and any more

For structure don't forget the basic structure of amino acids and dipeptide formation.

Function - Enzymes (e.g. ATPase), transport proteins (e.g.Na+/K+ pump), antigens/antibodies in immunology, haemoglobin

in addition to what you put

[thenumber2goose]

(Original post by JJMick)
For structure don't forget the basic structure of amino acids and dipeptide formation.

Function - Enzymes (e.g. ATPase), transport proteins (e.g.Na+/K+ pump), antigens/antibodies in immunology, haemoglobin

in addition to what you put

Thank you

[Disaster Button]

What kind of question would you get for proteins? Structure and Function or something else entirely? If so, what would you write?

[ZahraSmiley]

(Original post by Disaster Button)
What kind of question would you get for proteins? Structure and Function or something else entirely? If so, what would you write?

I'm not sure if they could ask about enzymes because it was mentioned in the 'Writing a synoptic essay' book but I sort of doubt it. I think they will probs ask about structure and function if they're going to ask about proteins. Don't take my word for it though

For that essay I've got:

- Sequence of amino acids- primary structure, tertiary structure
- Link the first paragraph into the second paragraph by talking about active sites and going onto talking about enzymes
- Hormones e.g Insulin and Glucagon
- Proteins in muscle contraction e.g myosin and actin
- Channel proteins- Co transport proteins
- Keratin and Collagen
- Pathogen, antigens, antibodies...

Hope that helped or gave you some more ideas

[Disaster Button]

(Original post by ZahraSmiley)
I'm not sure if they could ask about enzymes because it was mentioned in the 'Writing a synoptic essay' book but I sort of doubt it. I think they will probs ask about structure and function if they're going to ask about proteins. Don't take my word for it though

For that essay I've got:

- Sequence of amino acids- primary structure, tertiary structure
- Link the first paragraph into the second paragraph by talking about active sites and going onto talking about enzymes
- Hormones e.g Insulin and Glucagon
- Proteins in muscle contraction e.g myosin and actin
- Channel proteins- Co transport proteins
- Keratin and Collagen
- Pathogen, antigens, antibodies...

Hope that helped or gave you some more ideas

Yeah that helps a lot, thanks a bunch. I was just worried they might pull something out about proteins that was (somehow) completely unrelated to structure and function.

I wrote a plan earlier and included stuff on all the structures and related tertiary to enzymes then linked quaternary to haemoglobin. I also have a bit on amino acids and how they form to make proteins (though not a lot as I don't think it's as relevant to structure and function as other points). Then I've got hormones (insulin and glucagon) and how they act as well as how they are recognised by receptors due to unique structures.

[ZahraSmiley]

(Original post by Disaster Button)
Yeah that helps a lot, thanks a bunch. I was just worried they might pull something out about proteins that was (somehow) completely unrelated to structure and function.

I wrote a plan earlier and included stuff on all the structures and related tertiary to enzymes then linked quaternary to haemoglobin. I also have a bit on amino acids and how they form to make proteins (though not a lot as I don't think it's as relevant to structure and function as other points). Then I've got hormones (insulin and glucagon) and how they act as well as how they are recognised by receptors due to unique structures.

Yesss you're doing exactly what the examiners want you to do - sticking to relevant items and giving examples.

In each paragraph you gotta include 2 key points and 2 examples, if you have then don't waste your time on anything else because that's the maximum mark you can get for that paragraph. (If you didn't already know this)

It sounds like to me that you will get a good grade because you've already grasped what a good essay needs

[jessplease]

(Original post by ZahraSmiley)
Yesss you're doing exactly what the examiners want you to do - sticking to relevant items and giving examples.

In each paragraph you gotta include 2 key points and 2 examples, if you have then don't waste your time on anything else because that's the maximum mark you can get for that paragraph. (If you didn't already know this)

It sounds like to me that you will get a good grade because you've already grasped what a good essay needs

Do you think its not worth planning cycles, disease, carbon dioxide, DNA technology etc because its come up before?

[ZahraSmiley]

(Original post by Alfie1993)
Can an essay on ecosystems/ energy transfer really come up? Are these not too narrow?

Nope, it's not too narrow but tbh I would hate if this essay came up. Out of all the predictions I hated this one the most

Here's a link to writing synoptic essays that I got from a previous person on the thread.

http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/atta...1&d=1339807137

Scroll down and you'll find it

[ZahraSmiley]

(Original post by jessplease)
Do you think its not worth planning cycles, disease, carbon dioxide, DNA technology etc because its come up before?

Yeah defnitely, I don't think cycles or DNA tech is gonna come up this time. I mean it would be extremely awesome if it did come up but AQA would be incredibly stupid to do that.

But I think you should still know them a little because you might need to put them in another essay, like the nitrogen cycle- you would need it for the inorganic ions essay. DNA technology like genetic engineering may be needed for something like variation maybe?