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Edexcel A2 Biology Unit 4(6BIO4) 13/06/11 - OFFICIAL THREAD !

Hey guys, I’m doing this exam in June & thought I might make a revision/study thread where we can go through the topics, post & answer questions together.


Topic 5: On the wild side

This topic builds an appreciation that photosynthesis is the primary process that underpins the majority of ecosystems, and provides students with an understanding of how ecosystems work. The topic continues by looking at whether climate change will lead to extinction of species or evolution by natural selection, and looks at the evidence for global warming and its effects on plants and animals. By the end of the topic students should appreciate how scientific understanding can make us aware of our responsibilities as stewards of the environment.

Topic 6: Infection, immunity and forensics

This topic starts by looking at how forensic pathologists use a wide variety of analytical techniques to determine the identity of a person or other animal, and to establish the time and cause of death of an organism, including humans. It then considers how bacteria and viruses use a variety of routes into their hosts and how hosts have evolved barriers and internal mechanisms to combat infections. These protections are not always successful and many people in the world still die from infectious diseases. This topic also investigates the evolutionary battles that take place between invading pathogens and their hosts.

This unit is assessed by means of a written examination paper, which carries 90 marks, lasts 1 hour 45 minutes and will include:
objective questions
structured questions
short-answer questions

and will also cover:
How Science Works
practical-related questions.
Positive Rating!
(edited 13 years ago)

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Reply 1
Avatar for Maria1234
Maria1234
2
hey dush.
do you know where I can get the pastpaper january 2011 for 6bio4?
I know they wont publish it yet,do you know any websote I can buy it ?
Reply 2
Avatar for dush_2
dush_2
OP
2
Original post by Maria1234
hey dush.
do you know where I can get the pastpaper january 2011 for 6bio4?
I know they wont publish it yet,do you know any websote I can buy it ?


hey i hv the papers if u need jst send me a pm or add me in fb
Can anyone explain what/how much do we need to learn for the following points on the spec:

10 Explain that the numbers and distribution of organisms in a habitat are controlled by biotic and abiotic factors.

12 Explain how the concept of niche accounts for distribution and abundance of organisms in a habitat.

Both the green textbook and the revision guide by Edexcel don't do these bits good :s-smilie:
Reply 4
Avatar for dush_2
dush_2
OP
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Original post by InItToWinItGetIt?
Can anyone explain what/how much do we need to learn for the following points on the spec:

10 Explain that the numbers and distribution of organisms in a habitat are controlled by biotic and abiotic factors.

12 Explain how the concept of niche accounts for distribution and abundance of organisms in a habitat.

Both the green textbook and the revision guide by Edexcel don't do these bits good :s-smilie:


yea i too need help in that !!
Reply 5
Avatar for Schoolio93
Schoolio93
9
Original post by dush_2
..


Original post by InItToWinItGetIt?
..



10. Basically what they want you to know in this question is that you do know the different abiotic factors that could affect the species diversity in an ecosystem, these include light, wind/water currents, temperature, water and oxygen availability – learn those in detail. So having deficient numbers of these factors would reduce the abundance of the different species since those will start to struggle for survival. Biotic factors are the living organisms in the ecosystem. These are predators and preys. So if you have deficient numbers of predators preys will increase and if you have deficient numbers of preys the predators will decrease because no food is available. So depending on the quality of abiotic and biotic factors different types of organisms can survive accordingly.

12. In question number 12 it only wants you to know what the concept of niche is. Niche is best described as the role of the organism in the community. So it describes its profession. There are a lot of organisms that share the same habitat (or living address lol) but have different niches (or professions). So for a habitat to be sustained different organisms must do different things for the survival of other organisms.
Original post by Schoolio93
...


Cool thanks :smile:
If anyone is using the green textbook by Ann Fullick, do we need to know the stuff on pages 84 and 85 (virus 'life cycles' etc.)

Doesn't mention it on the spec :s-smilie:

Man I am stressing over unit 4 and 5 :colone:
Reply 8
Avatar for Schoolio93
Schoolio93
9
Original post by InItToWinItGetIt?

Original post by InItToWinItGetIt?
Cool thanks :smile:


np - am happy to answer any questions in more detail.
Original post by Schoolio93
np - am happy to answer any questions in more detail.


What do you think of the post I made above? The one about the Ann Fullick book.
Reply 10
Avatar for Abnegation
Abnegation
Original post by InItToWinItGetIt?
What do you think of the post I made above? The one about the Ann Fullick book.


I've only sat the exam once and it didn't come up as a question there, but I'd personally learn it anyway just in case :smile:
Original post by Abnegation
I've only sat the exam once and it didn't come up as a question there, but I'd personally learn it anyway just in case :smile:


I suppose yeah. Thanks :smile:

What did you make of the overall paper? Our school only does bio units in june so I only got one shot at it.
Reply 12
Avatar for Abnegation
Abnegation
Original post by InItToWinItGetIt?
I suppose yeah. Thanks :smile:

What did you make of the overall paper? Our school only does bio units in june so I only got one shot at it.


Hmm, I didn't think it was too awful but it definitely wasn't easy. Our group did really quite poorly in it - I think over 2/3 are resitting - but the grade boundaries are so close together (I think it's 4 raw marks out of 90 between each grade) that it's quite easy to get one or two grades lower than expected, unfortunately. I'd say this paper more than those at AS was more about application of knowledge rather than regurgitating it, which may or may not be good depending on your own preference :tongue:
Original post by Abnegation
Hmm, I didn't think it was too awful but it definitely wasn't easy. Our group did really quite poorly in it - I think over 2/3 are resitting - but the grade boundaries are so close together (I think it's 4 raw marks out of 90 between each grade) that it's quite easy to get one or two grades lower than expected, unfortunately. I'd say this paper more than those at AS was more about application of knowledge rather than regurgitating it, which may or may not be good depending on your own preference :tongue:


Yeah I've heard about the close grade boundaries. I had a quick scan at the past papers and yeah lot of application questions. Don't really know how I feel about it as I haven't finished revising the whole unit but yeah just gotta hope for the best.

Thanks for your help :smile:
Reply 14
Avatar for dush_2
dush_2
OP
2
Original post by Schoolio93
10. Basically what they want you to know in this question is that you do know the different abiotic factors that could affect the species diversity in an ecosystem, these include light, wind/water currents, temperature, water and oxygen availability – learn those in detail. So having deficient numbers of these factors would reduce the abundance of the different species since those will start to struggle for survival. Biotic factors are the living organisms in the ecosystem. These are predators and preys. So if you have deficient numbers of predators preys will increase and if you have deficient numbers of preys the predators will decrease because no food is available. So depending on the quality of abiotic and biotic factors different types of organisms can survive accordingly.

12. In question number 12 it only wants you to know what the concept of niche is. Niche is best described as the role of the organism in the community. So it describes its profession. There are a lot of organisms that share the same habitat (or living address lol) but have different niches (or professions). So for a habitat to be sustained different organisms must do different things for the survival of other organisms.


have u got sample questions for unit 5 article ??
Original post by dush_2

Original post by dush_2
have u got sample questions for unit 5 article ??


I am sorry, I have already sat my Unit 5 in January, since my school done Unit 5 before Unit 4, so I am not revising for it. I'll only be focusing on Unit 4. But I'll see whether my friends have got any sample questions and then I'll post them here.
Reply 16
Avatar for dush_2
dush_2
OP
2
Original post by Schoolio93
I am sorry, I have already sat my Unit 5 in January, since my school done Unit 5 before Unit 4, so I am not revising for it. I'll only be focusing on Unit 4. But I'll see whether my friends have got any sample questions and then I'll post them here.


yea if u cn do it that would be a grate help for me ! coz im a private student !! so no contacts with a school ~~
Reply 17
Avatar for Maria1234
Maria1234
2
what is your facebook?

Original post by dush_2
hey i hv the papers if u need jst send me a pm or add me in fb
Hi, how is everyone doing with this unit? I pretty much covered all of 5.1, 5.2 and 5.3 of the green book. I will finish 5.4 and beginning of 6.1 tomorrow. Am hoping to start with past papers from next friday onwards!!

Good luck everyone!
Reply 19
Avatar for Maria1234
Maria1234
2
hey do you have ethe answers on end-topic questions for the green book??Let me know if you have thanks
Original post by Schoolio93
Hi, how is everyone doing with this unit? I pretty much covered all of 5.1, 5.2 and 5.3 of the green book. I will finish 5.4 and beginning of 6.1 tomorrow. Am hoping to start with past papers from next friday onwards!!

Good luck everyone!

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