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HSC Biology Past Paper Answers: Maintaining a Balance Most organisms are active in a limited temperature range

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1.1 Identify the role of enzymes in metabolism, describe their chemical composition and use a simple model to describe their specificity on substrates
Multiple choice

4. B to determine the effect of pH, all factors other than pH must be kept constant. 2001 5. B Boiling denatures the enzyme, which means the sugar is not converted to starch so the corn remains sweet. 2001 7. B Point A is the maximum level of enzyme activity. The curve is then a flat line, so enzyme activity does not increase as the substrate concentration increases, so (B) is the only possible answer. 2003 10. D an enzyme acts on a substrate to form a product(s), and remains unaltered in a chemical reaction and so must be present before and after the reaction. 2004 1. D A substrate changes after interacting with an enzyme, whereas the enzyme itself remains unchanged. Thus A and B are the substrate as in (D), as they are originally separate and then change to be joined after interacting with C, which is the enzyme. 2007 2. B all the statements given are correct regarding enzymes, but only (B) answers the question about why a cell requires multiple enzymes. 2007 10. A the enzyme activity increases until its optimum temperature is reaches. At higher temperatures it begins to denature because it is a protein. This (A) is the answer. 2009

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9. C in both experiments, the measured enzyme activity remained zero or close to zero when the inhibitor was present. The pH and the temperature are the independent variables and the enzyme activity is the dependant variable. Presence or absence of an inhibitor is another independent variable affecting the enzyme activity, so (C) is the answer. 2010
Short answer and extended response

29. Hypothesis: Enzymes work best at an optimal pH. Aim: To compare enzyme activity in the two bacteria at different pH. Equipment: 6 sterile test tubes, water bath, thermometer, heat source Materials: Bacteria X, bacteria E, 2 identical substrates- one at pH 6 and one at pH 8 Method: 1. Using equal amounts, put substrate with pH 6 into 3 test tubes and substrate with pH 8 into 3 test tubes. Label test tubes with pH used. 2. Using equal amounts, add some bacteria X into a test tube with pH 6 and to a test tube with pH 8. Repeat using the bacteria E. Label test tube with X or E. Leave remaining test tube at each pH without bacteria as a control. 3. Place all test tubes into a water bath at 50oC and leave for 20 minutes. 4. Observe test tubes every minute and record if any gas is produces/ 5. Repeat experiment several times to increase the sample size and to ensure its reliability. 6. Compare the production of gas by both bacteria at the different pH. Risk Assessment: Sterile techniques should be used so that bacterial contamination does not occur, disposable gloves should be worn to protect hands, and all materials should be correctly disposed of afterwards. Dependent Variable: Activity of the enzyme. Independent Variable: The Different pH 2004

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2008

22. (a) To determine the optimal pH for enzyme activity OR To test the effect of pH on the activity of an enzyme (b) Controls without an enzyme solution should have been used at each pH, and Test a greater number of pH values including neutral and basic values. (c) Student Volume of enzyme solution (mL) 1 2 3 4 5 6 5 5 5 5 5 5 Temperature (oC) pH Volume of cloudy suspension(mL) Time(min) Observation as end of trial

37 37 37 37 37 37

2 2 4 4 6 6

10 10 10 10 10 10

40 40 40 40 40 40

Clear Clear Clear Clear Cloudy Cloudy 2011

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1.2 identify the pH as a way of describing the acidity of a substance

Multiple Choice

12. C Bubbling CO2 through water would increase the [CO2] in the water over time and the pH decreasing over time indicates that the water is becoming more acidic. Thus (C) is the answer and (B) is incorrect as it is the opposite. 2009 1.3 explain why the maintenance of a constant internal environment is important for optimal metabolic efficiency
Multile choice

3. B Enzymes work best at specific temperatures (and pH). 2011 1.4 describe homeostasis as the process by which organisms maintain a relatively stable internal environment
Multible choice

9. D homeostasis is the process by which multicellular organisms maintain a constant internal environment and involves more than just controlling temperature, so (D) is the answer. 2004 4. B homeostasis is the maintenance a constant internal environment, and when a change from the stable state occurs, mechanisms in the organism act to restore the normal state. So (B) is the answer. Enantiostasis is the maintenance of metabolic and physiological functions by an organism in response to variation in its environment be careful not to confuse it with Enantiostasis. 2008

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1.5 explain that homeostasis consists of two stages: detecting changes from the stable state, counteracting changes from the stable state
Multiple choice

3. C A rise in body temperature results in the hypothalamus sending a nervous impulse to activate the sweat glands. As sweat evaporates on the surface of an organism, it takes heat from the organism, causing the body to cool down. If the body temp drops too low, the hypothalamus stops sending messages to the sweat glands, so sweat production decreases as in (C). 2001 9. D 2005

2003 26. Homeostasis maintains a constant internal environment, whereas enantiostasis maintains metabolic and physiological functions by altering the internal state in response to variations in the internal environment. Estuarine plants undergo enantiostasis to survive fluctuating salt concentrations. They can tolerate more salt in their tissue that normal plants as they have mechanisms to adjust osmotic pressure and adaptations to resist salt, e.g. mangroves exclude salt at their roots and have special glands to pump salt out their leaves. 2009
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1.6 outline the role of the nervous system in detecting and responding to environmental changes
Short answer and extended response

17. The nervous system maintains a constant internal body temperature. An increase/decrease in the external temperature is detected by receptor cells. These relay this message to the CNS, which sends the message to the hypothalamus. The hypothalamus sends messages via the nervous system to an effector organ to bring about an increase/decrease in temperature, e.g. to increase temperature the muscles shiver, skin blood vessels constrict, perspiration begins. Once the required temperature is established, negative feedback to the hypothalamus occurs to prevent overcorrection. 2005
Short answer and extended response

23. (a) if this technology becomes commonly used and many people are screened, it will change the genetic diversity of the population by decreasing the frequency of this gene. However, it will have very little effect on the population if only this one family uses the technology. (b) Genetically engineering a transgenic species such as Bt cotton by inserting the Bt gene for insect resistance into it has altered its genetic diversity. Therefore it has altered its evolutionary pathway because natural selection is not dictating the direction of its evolution. It will also alter evolution of the bollworm moth whose larvae feed on the cotton plants, as it decreases their chance of survival. 24. (a) Dependent variable: changes in sweating and heart rate. Independent variable: Temperature of the room (b) Nervous system (c)

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2009 1.7 identify the broad range of temperatures over which life is found compared with the narrow limits for individual species
Multiple choice

3. D The graph only indicates the temperature range for 4 species, not all bacteria, so (A) and (D) are incorrect. The graph shows that each of the 4 species can only reproduce within a narrow band of temperature, with the largest band having only a range of 30oC. This (D) is the answer. 2002 8. B the body temperature of ectothermic animals varies with the environment, and varies over a number of degrees. Thus species I is ectothermic. The body temperature of endothermic animals is controlled internally and varies by only a small number of degrees, despite external temperatures. Thus species II is endothermic. 2006 1.8 compare responses of named Australian ectothermic and endothermic organisms to changes in the ambient temperature and explain how these r esponses assist temperature regulation
Multiple choice

2. C Endotherms generate heat as a result of their metabolic activity, so a sudden and prolonged decrease in ambient temperature results in increase metabolic activity, e.g. shivering which increases muscle activity. A decreased blood flow to the skin surface enables the organism to have a lower skin temperature to help it maintain a more normal internal body temperature. 2002 3. B in cold environments, mammals need a low surface area to volume ratio to reduce heat loss which allows the body to conserve heat. This is provided by short ears, rounded body and short legs, so (B) is the answer. 2003 6. D the observation in (D) indicates that the organism is affected by the external temperature and so it is an ectotherm. Thus (D) is the answer. 2008

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Short answer and extended response

20. (a) Endothermic animal: Spinifex hopping mouse OR Red Kangaroo Ectothermic animal: Brown snake OR Blue tongued lizard Animal Brown snake Responses to Change 1 -moves into a sheltered or shady spot during heat of the day. -reduces daytime activity, and becomes active in the evening. Responses to Change 2 -shelters from the cold and basks in sunlight when available. -less active, metabolism slows down and uses fat reserves (may hibernate) -nocturnal -goes into underground -shelters in underground burrows to shelter from cold burrows during hear of day. conditions. -curls up, tucks legs under and curls tail around body. -huddles in groups. Or -sweats and pants -shivers, causing muscles to -licks forelimbs to lose blood generate more heat. heat by evaporation of -moves to bask in the sunlight moisture. when available. - moves to shady spot to lie -grows a thicker layer of fur down, and sometimes digs a closer to the skin to jeep warm shallow hole to reach cooler (in winter) soil to lie in. -feeds mostly at night. -moves under dead leaves or -exposes a larger body surface into shade of bushes in heat of area to sun to absorb more day. heat by turning at right angles -reduces activity to sun -flattens its body to increase surface area exposed to Sun. Shelters from cold and moves out into sun on warmer days. 2001 16 (a) Endothermic (b) Thorny devil lizard (c) Organism II would move out of the sun into a shaded spot or burrow into the ground to avoid exposure to the sun. This would reduce its body temperature so that it could maintain correct biological functioning. 2003

Spinifex hopping mouse

Red kangaroo

Blue Tongued lizard

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27. The total increase in temp over 100 years in only 0.7oC, which is much less that the variation of several oC which occurs currently from one year to another. Each species has a narrow temp range in which they can live, according to the optimal temp for their enzymes. In the short-term, most Australian plants and animals have adaptations that enable them to survive the current fluctuating temps, e.g. sunken stomates in many plants helps them to lose less water and thus survive in hot climates, other plants have water storage in either fleshy leaves or in their trunks like the boab tree, some marsupials such as the bilby have big ears to lose heat and avoid overheating as it lives in hot dry climates, many endothermic animals such as the spinifex hopping mouse are nocturnal and live in burrows to escape the heat of the day, ectotherms such as snakes and reptiles move in and out of the heat of the sun to warm and cool themselves, etc. Therefore, if they are suited to their current environments now they will continue to survive in these environments, as the warming trend is very slight over the life span of most plants and animals. Trees that can live several hundred years can also survive small changes in average temperature. In the long-term, if the trend of temperature increases continues over thousands of years, then only those species with variations that suit them to the changed environment will survive. These organisms with favourable variation will survive and pass their genes to their offspring. Over time, the species as a whole will evolve, and shift towards a majority having these genes for adaptation allowing them to survive in warmer climates, while those less suited will die out. Some species may migrate and colonise new habitats at higher altitudes where the temperature range is more similar to the temps where they are currently found. Species without suitable adaptations may not be able to survive or will have to live in different ecosystems, e.g. alpine species will be the most at risk as they would have to adapt as migration will not be an option. 2007 1.9 identify some responses of plants to temperature change
Multiple choice

1. D they reduce the loss of water by transpiration (evaporation through the stomata), so (D) is the answer. 2003 6. D plants are cooled when water evaporates from the stomata in leaf surfaces in transpiration, so (D) is the answer. 2004 11. D in a dry environment, plants must conserve water. In some desert plants, the stomata are only opened minimally during the day to reduce transpiration. The plant still needs CO2 for photosynthesis, so the stomata open during the cool of the night when transpiration is reduces, This allows CO2 in, and it is stored in large vacuoles (as malate) until it can be used in the presence of light during the day for photosynthesis. This is only shown in (D). 2009

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