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AQA AS BIOLOGY UNIT 1 - 21st MAY 2013

Hi everyone :smile:
How is everybody's revision going for this exam so far? I think I'm finding writing notes from the textbook the least painful at the moment since every time I look at a past paper I can't help but panic :colondollar:

I've heard mixed emotions/views from people who took the January version of the exam this year so I am praying the exam will not be a 'super toughie' which AQA love to do with one of the two exams every year.

This will be my first attempt at this exam and my last hopefully. It would be nice to hear other people's opinions who did the January paper or who are in the same boat as me and did not do the January paper.

Feel free to use this thread to ask for help on any topics in the syllabus I know I certainly will lol

Good luck with revision!
(edited 11 years ago)

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Reply 1
I thought the Jan paper was okay, but the big hsw question ruined it..having to go back to unit 1 feels horrible, but yeah if anyone needs any help on immunity ask because I'm becoming an expert at it;D
Came out with a D in this exam in January :frown: any advice on how to get an A?


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Reply 3
Original post by Jimmy20002012
Came out with a D in this exam in January :frown: any advice on how to get an A?


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Me too, feels **** doesn't it
Reply 4
Can someone explain chapter 5 exam style question 3)a)ii) if you can
v.m appreciated
Original post by Jimmy20002012
Came out with a D in this exam in January :frown: any advice on how to get an A?


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i also got a D(50/0100) despite getting mostly Bs on past papers, I was shocked when i got my result
i got my script back so only option is to retake
(edited 11 years ago)
I unfortunately have to resit this paper as well coming out with a B when I need an A :frown:
Reply 7
I got A's on all of the mocks, and felt really confident until I got to the paper in January. Some of the questions were tricky (The HIV one in particular). I got full marks on the 5 markers though, it was just the HSW and some of the immunity questions that got me. Well I got 67 UMS (1 raw from a B!). So yeah, I am retaking because I want to get an A. If anyone needs any help with revision, or wants to revise with a partner, then I'm happy to help!
Reply 8
Original post by myah_94
Can someone explain chapter 5 exam style question 3)a)ii) if you can
v.m appreciated



one full cycle = 0.8 seconds

how many cycles can you ‘fit’ into 12 hours?

Seconds in 12 hours = 60 x 60 x 12 = 43,200

so 43,000 = 54,000cycles or beats
0.8

In each of these 54,000 beats, 0.3s was ventricularcontraction

so total time ventricular contraction = 54,000 x 0.3s
=16,200s
in minutes = 16,200/60 = 270
in hours = 270/60 = 4.5
(edited 11 years ago)
im starting my revision for this exam tomorrow as my easter holidays only started on friday
Reply 10
i am also resitting this as i got a B and need to up my UMS. best tips i can give for revision are read the specification and ick off once you know it and also i know its cliche but do past papers and learn the mark scheme type answers! this helped me out a lot because a lot of questions keep coming up only worded slightly differently. also khan academy is really useful for revision its got some really good video lectures.
http://www.khanacademy.org/science/biology
hope this helps :smile: good luck to everyone revising! i have 3 biol exams in summer :frown:
x
Original post by craizer
I got A's on all of the mocks, and felt really confident until I got to the paper in January. Some of the questions were tricky (The HIV one in particular). I got full marks on the 5 markers though, it was just the HSW and some of the immunity questions that got me. Well I got 67 UMS (1 raw from a B!). So yeah, I am retaking because I want to get an A. If anyone needs any help with revision, or wants to revise with a partner, then I'm happy to help!

how did you find the question on TK and the one on white coat hypertension? When i got a photocopy of my paper i found out that my mark for those two questions was lower than for the HIV question
Has anyone got any how science works questions they could ask me just as practice?
Original post by craizer
I got A's on all of the mocks, and felt really confident until I got to the paper in January. Some of the questions were tricky (The HIV one in particular). I got full marks on the 5 markers though, it was just the HSW and some of the immunity questions that got me. Well I got 67 UMS (1 raw from a B!). So yeah, I am retaking because I want to get an A. If anyone needs any help with revision, or wants to revise with a partner, then I'm happy to help!


Heyyy :smile: want to be my revision buddy? lol how's your revision going? i started this week and it's taken me forever to do chapter 3 :frown: i'm sitting it for the first time in May so a bit nervous :s
has anyone got any advice/top tips for the application of knowledge and HSW questions
I too am resitting this exam. On all the mocks I got marks ranging from 59-48 but on the actual exam a meager 75 UMS. I though I had done enough for it (I was working until 9PM on Christmas Eve and even worked on Christmas day and New Years Eve / Day but still, it was clearly not enough.

I'm awaiting getting my paper back so I can see what I fell down on. Once the EMPA's out of the way then that would be a load off. I need an A in unit 1 to have any hope of getting a B overall.
I too am resitting this exam. On all the mocks I got marks ranging from 59-48 but on the actual exam a meager 75 UMS. I though I had done enough for it (I was working until 9PM on Christmas Eve and even worked on Christmas day and New Years Eve / Day but still, it was clearly not enough.

I'm awaiting getting my paper back so I can see what I fell down on. Once the EMPA's out of the way then that would be a load off. I need an A in unit 1 to have any hope of getting a B overall.

Original post by dtin
has anyone got any advice/top tips for the application of knowledge and HSW questions


They're pretty much the same so just learn the answer and apply it to the questions. For example, the answer to how should a control group be treat is always, 'The same as the experimental group except for the IV where they're given a placebo instead.' and so on.
Could anyone send me a link to the Human
Biology unit 1 jan 13 paper, as many of the questions relate to our spef andit's no fun doing past papers again which you know the answers to? Also apparantly the human biology chief examiner is now writing are exams also, so could some one send me the link to the paper?
Could anyone help me on how ORS prevents diarrhoea?


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Reply 19
Original post by Jimmy20002012
Could anyone help me on how ORS prevents diarrhoea?


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Diarrhoea causes dehydration since lots of fluid is lost from the body which cannot be replenished fully.
I don't think ORS prevents diarrhoea so to speak but it is used as a therapy. ORS use other carrier proteins available found in cell surface membranes of epithelial cells in the intestines which are able to take in/absorb sodium ions. The absorbed sodium ions then create a more negative water potential for the epithelial cells in intestines allowing water to enter again by osmosis and hence rehydrate intestines.

ORS require;
Water to rehydrate tissues
Sodium to replace sodium ions lost through epithelium of intestines & to be used for sodium-glucose carrier proteins which also exist in epithelium
Glucose to provide energy + trigger uptake of the ions
Potassium which stimulates appetite again & replaces potassium ions
Electrolyes to prevent electrolyte imbalance ( electroytes required = chloride ions & citrate ions)

Those are my notes I made from the official AQA textbook so that's why they may be similar lol but I hope this helped anyway :smile: