MARIST COLLEGE KOGARAH

Biology
General Instructions

Reading time 5 minutes

Working Time 1 hour 30

minutes

Board Approved calculators

may be used

Write using black or blue pen

Write all answers in the space

provided

Total Marks 60
This paper has two parts, Part A and
Part B
Part A
Total marks (15)
Attempt all questions 1-15
Allow about 20 minutes for this part
Part B
Total marks (45)
Attempt questions 16-25
Allow about 1 hour 30 minutes for this
par

1. The word equation below outlines a process that occurs in living cells.
glucose + oxygen carbon dioxide + water
What is the name of this process?
(A)
(B)
(C)
(D)

photosynthesis
respiration
protein synthesis
fermentation

2. Why are decomposers so important in an ecosystem?

(A) They convert energy from the Sun into a form that can be used by animals
(B) They change atmospheric nitrogen into a from that can be used by plants
(C) They release oxygen gas into the atmosphere
(D) They break down organic material and return nutrients to the soil

3. What type of interaction does the photograph below shows?

(A)
(B)
(C)
(D)

parasitism
mutualism
commensalism
allelopathy

4. At which level of classification are living things least alike?

(A) genus
(B) phylum
(C) species
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(D) order

5. Consider a simple ecosystem in an aquarium. A correct grouping of abiotic and

biotic components for ecosystem could be:
(A)
(B)
(C)
(D)

Abiotic Components
Fish, water plants, Nitrobacter
(bacteria)
Fish, water plants, water, gravel,
nitrogen gases
Water, gravel, temperature, light,
nitrogen gases
Temperature, light

Biotic Components
Water, gravel, temperature, light,
nitrogen, gases
Temperature, light
Fish, water plants, Nitrobacter
(bacteria)
Water plants, Nitrobacter (bacteria),
water, gravel, nitrogen gases

6. The food web below shows the feeding relationships between six species in a
pond.
Fish
Mosquito larvae
Heron

Tadpole
Pond weed

Kingfisher

Which organism in the food web is both a herbivore and a carnivore (or an omnivore)?
(A)
(B)
(C)
(D)

Kingfisher
Pond weed
Mosquito
Tadpole

7. There is considerable evidence that life originated on Earth about 3.8 billion years
ago. Which combination of conditions is thought to be most like those on earth at
around this time?
(A)
(B)
(C)
(D)

oxic, high temperature and low radiation

oxic, low temperature and high radiation
anoxic, high temperature and high radiation
anoxic, low temperature and high radiation

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.
8. The graph below shows the expected relationship between prey population density
and predator population density over an extended period of time.

What is the BEST conclusion to be drawn from the graph?

(A) Predators have no direct effect on the numbers of prey organisms
(B) When the prey population increases, there is more food for the predator and therefore the predator
population increases.
(C) When the numbers of predators are at a maximum, the numbers of prey are at a minimum.
(D) The numbers of prey will always be less than the numbers of predators
9. Why is it often difficult to classify an extinct organism?
(A)
(B)
(C)
(D)

There may be no other similar type of living or extinct organism to compare it to.
We cannot see any structure in an extinct organism.
This organism was living before any classification system was developed.
There are often many types of similar extinct organisms, making it very difficult to classify.

10. Which technological advance has contributed most to our understanding of Procaryotic organisms?
(A) The light microscope
The electron microscope
Staining techniques
(D) The stereomicroscope

(B)
(C)

11.

How did the development of an ozone layer around the Earth contribute to the evolution of life?

(A) Ozone was used as an energy source by early organisms.

(B) Ozone was converted to oxygen which created a breathable atmosphere.
(C) Ozone formed a protective layer, shielding organisms from harmful ultraviolet
radiation.
(D) Ozone increased the growth of anaerobic organisms enabling them to colonise
swamps and bogs.
12. A student drew a biomass energy pyramid of organisms, which she thought would be found in
the ocean.

Why is the population of sharks small in number?

(A) Sharks prey on humans and have thus been hunted to reduce their numbers.

(B) Sharks do not reproduce rapidly because they are primitive animals.
(C) There is limited space available because organisms get bigger and bigger as you go up the
energy pyramid.
(D) There is much less energy available for organisms at the top of energy pyramid.

13. The capture/recapture technique was used to estimate the abundance of scrub
wrens in an area. In the first capture, 4 were trapped. In the recapture, 8 were
caught and 2 of these were marked. From this data, the abundance of scrub wrens in
the area is about:
(A)
(B)
(C)
(D)

4
8
16
24

14. Hostile environments in existence today support procaryotic archaea, once

thought to be extinct. From this we can conclude that:
(A) the hostile environments of today are similar to the environments in which
procaryotic life existed billions of years ago.
(B) these archaea live for billions of years.
(C) these archaea will soon become fossils.
(D) these archaea are similar to present day aerobic bacteria.

15. Use the key and picture of an Australian animal to answer the question below.

la
lb
2a
2b

Has a backbone
go to
Does not have a backbone go to
Has gills
Has lungs
go to

2
6
Girella tricuspidata
3

3a

Has scaly or naked skin

go to

3b
4a

Has covering over skin

No scales

go to

5
Litoria andiirmalin

4b

Scaly skin

Chlamvdosaurus kinf(ii

5a

Has feathers

Dromaius novaehollandiae

5b

Has fur or hair

Dasvurus Reoffroii

6a

Has wings

Prosotas dubiosa

6b

Has claws

Cherax destructor

What is the scientific name of the animal shown in the picture?

(A) Chlamydosaurus kingii
(B) Cherax destructor
(C) Litoria andiirmalin
(D) Girella tricuspidata

Section II
Total marks (45)
Attempt Questions 16 - 25
Allow about 1 hour 30 minutes for this section
Answer the questions in the spaces provided.
Question 16 (5 marks)
In the 1950s Urey and Miller performed a series of classic experiments. Their results
were to have a significant effect on our understanding of chemical evolution.
They subjected a mixture of methane, carbon dioxide, ammonia, nitrogen, hydrogen and
water vapour to electrical discharges and heat.
(a) Outline the reason for their experiments.

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(b) Outline the results of their experiments.

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(c) Discuss the importance of their experiments in illustrating the nature and practice of
science.
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(d) Describe the contribution that their experiments made to hypotheses about the origin
of life.
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Question 17 (4 marks)
Evaluate the impact of ONE technological change on the development and/or revision of
biological classification systems.
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Question 18 (4 marks)
Construct a table to describe some of the palaeontological and geological evidence that
suggests when life originated on Earth? Include examples of both types of evidence in
your table.

Question 19 (3 marks)
This question refers to the two food webs shown below.

Food web A represents a situation with a high biodiversity. Food web B represents situation with
very low biodiversity where at some levels the food path involves only a single type of organism.
(a) If all the lizards were to die out in food web A, what effect would this have on the
population of snakes? Explain your answer.

..

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(b) Explain why organisms in Food Webs with a low biodiversity, such as Food Web B are at
risk of dying out.
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Marks
Question 20 (4 marks)
(a) Define the terms genus and species.

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(b) Describe the main features of the binomial system of classification.

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Question 21 (3 marks)
(a) Define the term abiotic factor.

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(b) In the space below, construct a table to compare aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems in
terms of ONE abiotic factor.
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Question 22 (7 marks)

To survive and reproduce, organisms must deal effectively with factors in their environment
such as:
Maintaining water balance
Exchanging gases
Obtaining food
Support and movement
During your study of A Local Ecosystem you examined adaptations of organisms.
(a) NAME an organism that you have studied.
For the organism, identify specific adaptations and describe how they assist the organism in
dealing with any TWO of the above factors.
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(b) Not all features of an organism can be considered as adaptations. Discuss ONE problem
associated with assuming that certain features are adaptations for living in a particular habitat.
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(c)

Describe ONE trophic interaction between the named plant or animal you studied and

ONE other organism.

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(d)

Identify TWO impacts humans have had on the area you studied.

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Question 23 (5 marks)
(a) Define the term procaryotic organism .

(b) Choose an organism from the following list:

Archaea

Eubacteria

Stromatolites

Nitrogen Fixing Bacteria

Deep sea bacteria

Methanogens
Organism chosen: ....................................................................................................
(i) Describe the main features of the environment this organism occupies.

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(ii) Identify the role this organism plays in its ecosystem.

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Question 24 (6 marks)
Much of our current knowledge about the history of life on Earth is based on the
study of palaeontology.
a) Describe ONE problem that may arise when using palaeontological evidence
to develop a timeline for the history of life on Earth.
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b) The study of fossils has revealed several trends in the evolution of life forms on
the Earth.
Identify ONE such trend
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c)

Using an example, explain why social conflict arises with developments in

scientific knowledge.
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Question 25 (4 marks)
During your study of this course you were required to perform an investigation
to use the transect method.
(a)

Explainwhythetransectmethodwasused.
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(b) Describehowyoucarriedoutthisprocess.
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.
(c)

Analysetheadvantagesanddisadvantagesofusingthetransectmethod.
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