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GCSE OCR 21st Century Biology B7 16/6/14

How did everyone find the exam? I thought it was quite challenging...

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I did the Higher tier exam, I actually found it quite easy and so did my friends. The Helene diver question seemed quite irrelevant to the topics though. Which questions did you find difficult?
I found it quite easy, although I didn't really understand the diving question and I think I messed up the DNA testing one.
Original post by Pharaoh123
I found it quite easy, although I didn't really understand the diving question and I think I messed up the DNA testing one.


The diving question was mostly about using information from the two articles to make suggestions about how Helene can avoid 'the bends' caused by her deep sea diving. You could say that she shouldn't stay under water for too long (less air dissolves into her blood), she should ascend to the surface slowly (less air bubbles in her blood) and she should not dive too deep (less pressure on her body).
As for DNA testing, you just had to match the pictures with the statements, e.g. AATGTGCGTA represented DNA isolated from the white blood cells (first point).
the process is called negative feedback
Original post by Ichiko N.A.B.
The diving question was mostly about using information from the two articles to make suggestions about how Helene can avoid 'the bends' caused by her deep sea diving. You could say that she shouldn't stay under water for too long (less air dissolves into her blood), she should ascend to the surface slowly (less air bubbles in her blood) and she should not dive too deep (less pressure on her body).
As for DNA testing, you just had to match the pictures with the statements, e.g. AATGTGCGTA represented DNA isolated from the white blood cells (first point).



I made a couple of those points, so hopefully I'll get a few marks. I think I got at least a couple of them right, do you still think I will get one or two marks?
Reply 6
Avatar for quamquam
quamquam
1
Hey
For the 6 mark question about insecticides I talked about eutrification and it turns out everyone else talked about bioaccumulation. Do you think I'll get any marks?
Reply 7
Avatar for Sulfur
Sulfur
Original post by quamquam
Hey
For the 6 mark question about insecticides I talked about eutrification and it turns out everyone else talked about bioaccumulation. Do you think I'll get any marks?


I did this! I spoke about bioaccumulation and eutrophication.
Reply 8
Avatar for quamquam
quamquam
1
Original post by Sulfur
I did this! I spoke about bioaccumulation and eutrophication.


Aha think I'll get any marks if I only talked about eutrification?
Reply 9
Avatar for Sulfur
Sulfur
Original post by quamquam
Aha think I'll get any marks if I only talked about eutrification?


Completely unsure, people say that eutrophication was wrong but examiners only mark positively so I can't be sure at all, sorry.
Original post by KingThomas
the process is called negative feedback


Which question was that for?

Original post by Pharaoh123
I made a couple of those points, so hopefully I'll get a few marks. I think I got at least a couple of them right, do you still think I will get one or two marks?


I bet you will get 3/4 marks as long as you mentioned some of the aforementioned points AND you commented on what would happen to Helene's body when she rises back to the surface (i.e. Air bubbles form in her blood, thus reducing blood supply and this could cause organ damage)

Original post by quamquam
Hey
For the 6 mark question about insecticides I talked about eutrification and it turns out everyone else talked about bioaccumulation. Do you think I'll get any marks?


Yeah, that question was about bioaccumulation and loss of biodiversity. Eutrophication is to do with fertilisers, not insecticides. Insecticides don't affect algae. BTW do you do Latin (because 'quamquam').
Original post by Ichiko N.A.B.
Which question was that for?



I bet you will get 3/4 marks as long as you mentioned some of the aforementioned points AND you commented on what would happen to Helene's body when she rises back to the surface (i.e. Air bubbles form in her blood, thus reducing blood supply and this could cause organ damage)



Yeah, that question was about bioaccumulation and loss of biodiversity. Eutrophication is to do with fertilisers, not insecticides. Insecticides don't affect algae. BTW do you do Latin (because 'quamquam').



used to
Original post by quamquam
used to


What do you mean by 'used to'?
Original post by Ichiko N.A.B.
What do you mean by 'used to'?


i used to do latin
Original post by Ichiko N.A.B.
The diving question was mostly about using information from the two articles to make suggestions about how Helene can avoid 'the bends' caused by her deep sea diving. You could say that she shouldn't stay under water for too long (less air dissolves into her blood), she should ascend to the surface slowly (less air bubbles in her blood) and she should not dive too deep (less pressure on her body).
As for DNA testing, you just had to match the pictures with the statements, e.g. AATGTGCGTA represented DNA isolated from the white blood cells (first point).


i swear the question wasnt asking you to tell ways which she could reduce the effects or was it?
what order did you put for the question on gene probes and stuff?
Original post by quamquam
i used to do latin

I do Latin as well, it's a very fun subject. My final Latin exam is in a few days time.

Original post by ash119988
i swear the question wasnt asking you to tell ways which she could reduce the effects or was it?

I have a feeling that it did because it said something like 'How will Helene's body be affected as she rises to the surface and how might she overcome these problems?'

Original post by ash119988
what order did you put for the question on gene probes and stuff?


I can't remember all of it but I am pretty sure that I put E first and A last.
Original post by Ichiko N.A.B.
I do Latin as well, it's a very fun subject. My final Latin exam is in a few days time.


I have a feeling that it did because it said something like 'How will Helene's body be affected as she rises to the surface and how might she overcome these problems?'



I can't remember all of it but I am pretty sure that I put E first and A last.


ok thanx. I did same, now i can breathe because the majority of the answers everyones getting are the same as mine.
Reply 18
Avatar for mismash
mismash
2
hello can i ask u something?
did you find it hard
Original post by Sulfur
I did this! I spoke about bioaccumulation and eutrophication.


Yeah most of my answer was about eutrophication but then I realised and I added a little bit about bioaccumulation at the end. Now I think I should have talked about weed killers but oh well.

Put it this way guys - B7 is 25% of your biology GCSE and this is just one 6 mark question of however many we've done now, so I really wouldn't worry. I'm sure we'll all come out well. :smile:

I thought the diver question was quite clever. Took me a few minutes to realise what to write and it was one of the only questions where I've pulled a highlighter out to highlight the key details! :wink:

Overall I thought that the paper was good! It was perhaps a little more challenging than the June 2013 and specimen papers I did for revision but not too bad at all. To be brutally honest, I was more worried about B4-6 than I was about this.

Dreading C7 on Thursday! Arrgghh!

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