2012 Biology ASOE Section A and B

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2012 Australian Science Olympiad Examination - Biology

!Australian Science Innovations ABN 81731558309

BIOLOGY
2012 Australian Science Olympiad Examination

Time Allowed
Reading Time: 10 minutes
Examination Time: 120 minutes

MARKS

SECTION A 36 multiple choice questions 36 marks
SECTION B 12 short answer questions 15 marks
SECTION C 8 written answer questions 64 marks

Total marks for the paper 115 marks
INSTRUCTIONS

! Attempt all questions in ALL sections of this paper.
! Permitted materials: Non-programmable, non-graphical calculator, pens, pencils,
erasers and a ruler.
! Answer SECTIONS A and B on the Multiple Choice Answer Sheet provided. Use a
pencil.
! Answer SECTION C in the answer booklet provided. Write in pen and use pencil only
for graphs.
! Ensure that your diagrams are clear and labelled.
! All numerical answers must have correct units.
! Marks will not be deducted for incorrect answers.
! Do not write on this question paper. It will not be marked.
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SECTION A: MULTIPLE CHOICE
USE THE ANSWER SHEET PROVIDED

1. Three test tubes, X, Y and Z, contain the same volume of dilute hydrogen peroxide
solution. Equal volumes of raw potato are added to each tube but the potato is cut into
different sized pieces, or mashed as in test tube Z.

When the potato was added the solutions started to bubble, but at different rates. Which of
the following options ranks the rate of bubbling in the tubes from lowest rate to highest rate?

Lowest rate Medium Highest rate
a. X Y Z
b. X Z Y
c. Y X Z
d. Y Z X
e. Z X Y

2. What is a characteristic of all living things?

a. Breathing.
b. Locomotion.
c. Egestion.
d. Sensitivity.

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3. The cell membrane of the red blood cell will allow water, oxygen, carbon dioxide, and
glucose to pass through. Because other substances are blocked from entering, this
membrane is called:

a. perforated.
b. semi-permeable.
c. non-conductive.
d. permeable.
e. non-selective.

4. Which of the following chemical properties do all types of lipids in the plasma membrane
share?

a. Polar head.
b. Polar fatty acid chains.
c. Glycerol backbone.
d. A soluble fatty acid.
e. Hydrophobic regions.

5. A thought experiment: if instead of 20 different amino acids, proteins were composed of
12 different amino acids, what is the smallest possible codon size in a genetic system with
four different nucleotides?

a. 1.
b. 2.
c. 3.
d. 4.

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Use the following information to answer question 6.
DNA replication is a semi-conservative process, this means that new strands of DNA are
created complementary to an existing strand, and thus half of the new DNA is derived
from the precursor DNA. This was tested by Messelson and Stahl (1958), who grew
Escherichia coli first on a medium of light nitrogen (
14
N), then suddenly switched the E.
coli to a growth medium containing heavy nitrogen (
15
N). After each generation they
extracted DNA samples from the E. coli and centrifuged it at very high speeds, separating
it out based on weight. After just growing on light nitrogen they found only one band of
DNA after centrifugation:

6. After one generation of growing on heavy nitrogen, the sample still contained one band
of DNA. What would the centrifuged sample of DNA look like after the second
generation grown on heavy nitrogen?

(a) (b) (c) (d)

14
N
14
N
14
N
15
N
15
N
15
N
15
N
15
N
14
N
15
N
14
N
14
N
15
N
15
N
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7. The pedigree below shows the inheritance of a recessive characteristic in a family.
Which of the lists given in the answer key below contains individuals in this pedigree
who are definitely heterozygous for this characteristic?

a. 1, 2 and 7.
b. 3, 6 and 7.
c. 1, 3 and 6.
d. 1, 5 and 6.
e. 1, 2, 5 and 6.

8. Equal lengths of three different blood vessels were threaded on to the horizontal arm of a
retort stand. Weights were then hooked on the vessels until they broke. Which letter, A-E,
shows the most likely results?

Mass needed (in grams) to cause breakage
800 3500 5000
a. dorsal aorta pulmonary artery vena cava
b. vena cava dorsal aorta pulmonary artery
c. vena cava pulmonary artery dorsal aorta
d. pulmonary artery vena cava dorsal aorta
e. pulmonary artery dorsal aorta vena cava

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9. To celebrate the gold medal at the London Olympics last week, Harold and his brother
went sky-diving. On leaving the aircraft, he fell faster and faster until he reached a
maximum steady speed known as terminal velocity. He fell at this speed until the
parachute opened. The parachute slowed him down until a much smaller steady speed
was reached. This speed remained constant until he touched the ground.

Which of these graphs could show this information?

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10. Many flowers have adapted to have specialised patterns of pigments on their petals which
only show in the ultraviolet (UV) range of light, thus being invisible to the human eye. It
is found that these flowers are pollinated by insects such as the European honey bee (Apis
mellifera) whose vision includes this ultraviolet range.

What is a reasonable inference to draw from this relationship?

a. The ultraviolet pigments assist the plant in the light capture phase of photosynthesis.
b. Insect pollinators evolved ultraviolet vision after several generations of trying to
locate their food sources.
c. These flowers were genetically modified for commercial purposes and have
established themselves in natural ecosystems.
d. The plants which developed ultraviolet pigmentation attracted more pollinators and
thus were more reproductively successful.

11. Insects have a structure analogous to the mammalian kidney called Malpighian tubules,
which remove metabolic nitrogenous wastes from the insects haemolymph. What sort of
nitrogenous waste would the Malpighian tubules be removing?

a. C
6
H
12
O
6

b. Uric acid
c. CO
2

d. Amino acid

12. Maltose can be broken down into glucose molecules by the enzyme maltase. Which of
the following would slow the reaction rate?

a. Adding maltase.
b. Adding maltose.
c. Removing glucose.
d. Diluting with water.
e. Adding both maltase and maltose.

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13. After which of the following treatments (I-III) would an enzyme still be expected to have
activity?

I Protease treatment.
II Heating almost to the point of denaturation and then cooling once only.
III Freezing and then thawing once only.

a. I only.
b. III only.
c. I and II only.
d. II and III only.
e. I, II and III.

14. The graph below shows the birth rate and death rate for a population in country Z.

From 1950 to 2010, the population has:

a. Increased.
b. Decreased.
c. Stayed the same.
d. Increased until 1960 then decreased.
e. Decreased until 1985 then increased.

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15. Frogs have an unusual life cycle. They hatch from moist eggs in water. What is the best
description of the skin of a mature frog?

a. Scaly and moist.
b. Scaly and dry.
c. Without scales and moist.
d. Without scales and dry.

16. In the London Olympics, a large number of athletes will be measured and tested before
and after their events. Which types of variation are shown by blood group and breathing
rate?

Blood group Breathing rate
a. Continuous Continuous
b. Continuous Discontinuous
c. Discontinuous Continuous
d. Discontinuous Discontinuous

17. The diagram below shows examples of how substances in organisms are moved.

Which process is taking place in all three examples?

a. Absorption.
b. Accommodation.
c. Assimilation.
d. Diffusion.
e. Osmosis.
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Use the following information to answer questions 18 and 19.

www.sciencegeek.net/.../graphics/CST/Species.gif

18. According to this information, which group demonstrated the greatest biodiversity during
the Cretaceous period?

a. Dinosaurs.
b. Crocodilians.
c. Snakes.
d. Lizards.
e. Turtles.

19. According to this information, which group has persisted for the longest period?
a. Dinosaurs.
b. Crocodilians.
c. Snakes.
d. Lizards.
e. Turtles.

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20. Which of the following is not present in viruses?

a. Nucleic acid replication enzymes.
b. Capsid assembly enzyme.
c. Capsid synthesis proteins.
d. Intracellular transport proteins.

21. A number of mosquito populations today are resistant to insecticides that were once quite
effective. Biologists think that insecticide resistance evolved in mosquitoes because:

a. individual mosquitoes built up an immunity to an insecticide after being exposed to it.
b. mosquitoes needed to develop insecticide resistance to survive after the insecticide
was used.
c. mosquitoes attempted to adapt to their environment.
d. a few mosquitoes were probably resistant to the insecticide before it was ever used,
and these individuals were more likely to survive and reproduce.
e. a new allele developed in response to the insecticide that provided future generations
the benefit of resistance.

22. A plant deficient in which of the following nutrients will not be able to make DNA?

a. Phosphorus.
b. Zinc.
c. Manganese.
d. Iron.
e. Sulphur.

23. Most of the mass of organic material of a plant comes from:
a. Water.
b. Carbon dioxide.
c. Soil minerals.
d. Atmospheric oxygen.
e. Nitrogen.

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24. Tay-Sachs disease, which is lethal, results from having the homozygous recessive
condition of the responsible gene. Which one of the following statements is true?

a. Because homozygous recessive individuals die, the recessive allele will eventually
be lost from the population.
b. Only homozygous dominant individuals will be able to survive and reproduce.
c. Heterozygous individuals will survive and may pass the recessive allele on to their
offspring.
d. In the heterozygous condition, the dominant allele will overcome the recessive
allele and only the dominant allele will be passed on to offspring.
e. Homozygous dominant individuals will be more likely to reproduce than
heterozygous individuals.

Use the following information and graph below to answer question 25.
Five dialysis bags, impermeable to sucrose, were filled with sucrose solution of various
concentrations. These were then placed into a beaker of 0.6 M sucrose solution. The bags
were weighed every 10 minutes and the percentage change in mass graphed.

25. Which line represents the bag that contains a solution that is hypertonic at the end of 60
minutes?
a. A.
b. B.
c. C.
d. D.
e. E.
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26. Molecules of single stranded DNA from species P were hybridized with homologous
molecules of single stranded DNA molecules from five different species. The hybridized
DNA molecules were heated and the temperature at which denaturation occurred was
recorded. Using the data in the table below, determine which species is the most closely
related to species P.

Species Temperature at which hybridized DNA denatured (
o
C)
a. 30
b. 42
c. 60
d. 74
e. 85

27. Taxol is one of the common drugs prescribed for the treatment of breast cancer.
Originally extracted from the bark of the Pacific Yew tree, ecologists voiced concerns
over the harvesting of the trees. In 1988, a French biochemist, Potier, synthesised the
active chemical from the more common yew trees in Europe. This paved the way for
large-scale production of taxol using plant cell fermentation. Its potency as an anti cancer
drug is due to the interference in mitosis. In animal cells, taxol disrupts microtubule
formation by binding to the microtubules and accelerating their assembly from the protein
precursors. Which of the following is affected by taxol?

a. Fibres of the mitotic spindle.
b. Anaphase.
c. Formation of the centrioles.
d. S phase of the cell cycle.
e. Chromatid assembly.

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28. The diagram below shows the seasonal changes in the pyramid of biomass in the English
Channel.

In winter the pyramid of biomass is inverted because:

a. The primary production decreases dramatically and results in a die-off of
zooplankton.
b. The primary production decreases and as the producers are rapidly consumed by the
zooplankton they never develop a large population size.
c. The primary production remains the same all year but the cold means that the
zooplankton and secondary consumers migrate elsewhere.
d. The primary production is increased but the phytoplankton have a shorter turnover
time in winter.

29. You will have observed that many athletes participating in the Olympics appear to be
rather out of breath on completion of their events. This is true for non-athletes after a
short bout of exercise running for a bus, for example. At the end of a normal inhalation
the breath can be held from between 30 to 50 seconds. The breath-holding time
immediately after exercise is shorter. The least likely cause of this would be:

a. an increase in the CO
2
concentration in the blood.
b. a decrease in pH of the blood.
c. an increase in the lactic acid concentration of the blood.
d. fatigue of the intercostal muscles.
e. stimulation of the breathing centre in the medulla.

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30. Humans catch large numbers of Patagonian and Antarctic toothfish, and there is a danger
these fish could be over-exploited.

www.landcareresearch.co.nz

Using the information from the food web above, what is the most likely immediate effect of
overfishing the toothfish?

a. The number of Weddell seals will decrease and the number of silverfish will
increase.
b. The number of silverfish will increase.
c. The number of silverfish and squid will increase.
d. The number of orca-1 will decrease and the number of silverfish will increase.
e. The number of marine birds will increase as the number of silverfish increase.

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31. The table below shows the amount of plant hormone passing through short segments of
young stems when supplied either to the end nearest to the shoot tip (apical end) or to the
end furthest from the shoot tip (basal end). Three experiments were carried out as
indicated. Potassium cyanide was applied with the hormone in experiment 3.

Site of hormone
application
Amount of hormone passing through stem (in arbitrary units)
at 3 C at 25 C at 25 C + potassium cyanide
Basal end 3.3 3.8 3.9
Apical end 3.5 15.9 4.2

The best interpretation of these results is that:
a. the hormone used was auxin.
b. the hormone shows unidirectional movement.
c. active transport of the hormone occurs.
d. diffusion accounts for the transport of the hormone.


Cardiac output is a the measurement of how much blood the heart pumps per minute and can
be calculated by the formula below,
CO = HR x SV
where CO is the cardiac output, HR is the heart rate (in beats/second) and SV is the stroke
volume (the measure of the amount of blood pumped per heartbeat, in mL/beat). A contestant
in the Olympics steeplechase event lost a large volume of blood after falling on the track.

32. What immediate physiological response would be expected in order for the contestant to
maintain a normal cardiac output (which is required for tissue perfusion)? Choose the
response that will compensate the most for the blood loss.
a. Increased stroke volume.
b. Increased heart rate.
c. Decreased heart rate.
d. Increased uptake of water in the collecting duct of the nephron.

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The thyroid hormones, thyroxine (T3) and tri-iodothyronine (T4) are released from the
thyroid gland in mammals and require iodine to be produced. These hormones are important
in regulating metabolism and are under the control of the pituitary hormone thyroid-
stimulating hormone (TSH) and the hypothalamus, which produces thyrotropin-releasing
hormone (TRH). Levels of T3 and T4 exert an influence on the levels of TSH and TRH
through a feedback system so that a normal level of the thyroid hormones is maintained.

33. Which of the following is the correct effect of hyperthyroidism (excess production of
thyroid hormone) on TRH, TSH, and the thyroid hormones T3 and T4?

Use the key to indicate levels of the different hormones as follows:
!: increase ": decrease !: remains unchanged

TRH TSH T3 T4
a. ! !
!
!
b. ! ! !
!
c. " " ! !
d. " " " "
e. " ! ! !

34. Tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) infects tobacco plants and other plants of the Solanaceae
family. Rosalind Franklin (who provided the X ray crystallography evidence for Watson
and Crick about the structure of DNA) speculated that the RNA was single stranded and
this was later confirmed after her death. In an experiment, the RNA from TMV was
mixed with proteins from a DNA virus to produce a mixed virus. This mixed virus then
infected cells. What would you expect the resulting mixed virus to most closely resemble?

a. Tobacco Mosaic Virus.
b. A DNA virus.
c. A hybrid between TMV RNA and protein from the DNA virus.
d. A hybrid between TMV protein and DNA from the DNA virus.

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Use the following information and diagram below to answer question 35.

A cladogram is a branching diagram in which groups of closely related species (i.e. those
sharing many characteristics) are shown to have branched away from the common line of
descent via the same ancestor. The table gives a number of characteristics which are found in
a group of four species, W, X, Y and Z. Shading indicates that the characteristic is present.

Characteristic
Species
W X Y Z
Fingers and toes
Endothermy
3 ear ossicles
Amnion
Placenta
Internal fertilisation
Mammary glands
Oviparity (lays eggs)
Webbed feet
Hair
Feathers

35. Which one of the cladograms below is the most likely hypothesis explaining the
distribution of characters?

Z Y W X
A
Z Y W X
B
Z Y W X
C
Z Y W X
D
W Z X Y
E
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Use the following information below to answer question 36.

Insulin is a hormone secreted by the pancreas to regulate blood sugar levels by causing
glucose in the blood to be stored as glycogen. Insulin also inhibits glycogenolysis (the
breakdown of glycogen to glucose) and gluconeogenesis (making sugars from proteins and
lipids).

Some diabetics carry small kits, with a 1 mg dose of the hormone glucagon for injection into
a muscle during certain diabetic emergencies. Glucagon is an insulin antagonist (acts to
reverse the effects of insulin).

36. A diabetic might inject glucagon to:

a. lower blood glucose levels, by promoting gluconeogenesis and glycogenolysis.
b. raise blood glucose levels, by promoting gluconeogenesis and glycogenolysis.
c. lower insulin levels, by promoting its excretion through the kidney.
d. raise blood glycogen, by promoting its transportation from hepatocytes into
systemic circulation.
e. lower blood glycogen, by promoting its uptake into hepatocytes.

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SECTION B: 12 SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS
USE THE ANSWER SHEET PROVIDED

Use the following information to answer questions 37 - 39.

A protein is a class of biological macromolecule, composed of individual subunits known as
amino acids. The general structure of an amino acid is shown below, where R is a variable
side group that changes between amino acids:

Amino acids polymerise to form the primary structure of proteins through peptide bonding, as
shown below:

37. Calculate the molecular mass of the oligopeptide formed by peptide bonding of the three
amino acids below, expressing your solution in Daltons (where 1 Dalton = 1 Atomic
Mass Unit [AMU]). Mark the answer sheet provided with your answer. (2 marks)

Use the molecular masses as given:
Carbon = 14 AMU ; Hydrogen = 1 AMU; Oxygen = 16 AMU.
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Proteins are often located in the plasma membrane of the cell, many of these proteins are
referred to as transmembrane proteins, possessing at least one region extending through the
hydrophobic core of the phospholipid bilayer, and regions sticking out into the aqueous
environments of the intracellular and extracellular space. The different R groups of amino
acids can make them either hydrophobic or hydrophilic.

38. Looking at the R groups of the amino acids making up the oligopeptide in question 37,
suggest where it would be located if found as part of a transmembrane protein. Mark the
correct box on the answer sheet. (1 mark)

In another investigation, scientists noticed that a frameshift mutation occurred in the gene
encoding this protein such that the oligopeptide was now made up of the following amino
acids.

39. Suggest where this new peptide would lie in relation to the plasma membrane. Mark the
correct box on the answer sheet. (1 mark)

a. Inside the membrane
b. Projecting into the extra/intracellular space
a. Inside the membrane.
b. Projecting into the extra/intracellular space.
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Use the following information to answer questions 40 44.

A physiologist has been studying muscle biopsies of elite athletes in the lead-up to the
summer Olympics. He finds that a mutant version of an enzyme associated with the synthesis
of creatine phosphate is much more common in sprinters than in marathon runners. Creatine
phosphate is involved in energy storage in fast twitch or white muscle fibres allowing short,
unsustained bursts of energy potential. The mutant version of the enzyme leads to much more
efficient synthesis of creatine phosphate.

On the answer sheet mark in which of the listed sports you would expect a higher distribution
of individuals possessing this mutation (T), and which you would not (F). (0.5 marks for
each question).

40. Marathon.
41. Weight lifting.
42. Triathlon.
43. 65 km road cycling.
44. 50m swimming.

Exercise increases the oxygen demand of muscles. Determine which of the following
physiological response(s) could you expect in order to meet this demand by marking each
statement as true (T) or false (F). (0.5 marks for each question).

45. Increased heart rate.
46. Increased rate of breathing (respiratory rate).
47. Increased stroke volume (blood volume pumped per heart beat).
48. Decreased production of thyroid hormones.

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Harold the hippopotamus had planned a lovely day at the 2012 Olympic games to watch his
brother George perform in gymnastics. Unfortunately on the way on the London underground,
he developed a headache. Stopping off at the pharmacy he decided to buy a local brand of
anaesthetic. Anaesthetics are commonly used for pain relief by interrupting nerve impulses in
the nervous system. Harold wanted to see his brother win a medal and his headache to be
gone. Mark on the answer sheet which of the following chemicals may function as an
anaesthetic (T) and which would not (F)? (0.5 marks for each question).

A chemical that:
49. induces calcium ion channels to open on the pre-synaptic neuron.
50. opens voltage gated potassium channels on the post-synaptic neuron.
51. stimulates synthesis of ependymal cells.
52. inhibits voltage gated sodium channels.
53. blocks the sodium potassium pump in nerve cell membranes.

The graph below is from a study of the protein content in algae (Lopez et al, Bioresource
Tech. 2010 vol. 101).

Protein content was measured using elemental analysis and the Kjeldahl method (a titrometric
analysis), then compared against a 'gold standard' technique, the Lowry method. Assume the
Lowry method gives the most accurate results.
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Determine whether the following statements are true (T) or false (F). (0.5 marks for each
question).

54. The r
2
value is a measure of how well a trend line represents data.
55. Elemental analysis is the more accurate method, as it has the lowest r
2
.
56. If a method equalled the Lowry method in accuracy, it would be plotted as y = x
57. The x-axis should give the independent variable, while the y-axis should give the
dependent variable.
58. Elemental analysis is the dependent variable, while the Kjeldahl method is independent
variable

Use this additional information to answer questions 59 - 60.
Elemental analysis reveals only how much of a particular element there is in a sample.
Protein content is approximated from nitrogen content, but the presence of other nitrogenous
compounds (such as nucleic acids) introduces an error. One day a researcher says, I have a
great idea. Lets add a powerful nuclease enzyme to our samples of algae. It will chop up the
nucleic acids, therefore making the determination of protein content by elemental analysis
more accurate.

59. Will this work? (0.5 mark).

60. Why? Select one of the following statements as a justification for your answer. (1 mark).

a. A nuclease enzyme will degrade nucleic acids.
b. It is bacteriophyll and not nucleic acids that most alter nitrogen content.
c. The enzyme will be made of protein too and this will itself cause error.
d. Nitrogen from the nucleic acid will still be present in the sample.
e. There is no such thing as a nuclease enzyme.

a. Yes
b. No

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2012 Australian Science Olympiad Examination - Biology

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