VCAA (VCE) Biology — How is scientific inquiry used to investigate cellular processes and/or biological change? Questions & Answers | AusGrader

Q: How many VCAA Biology questions cover How is scientific inquiry used to investigate cellular processes and/or biological change??

AusGrader has 76 VCAA Biology questions on How is scientific inquiry used to investigate cellular processes and/or biological change?, all with instant AI grading and detailed marking feedback.

Q17

2022

QCAA

Paper 1

1 mark

Q17

1 mark

Students used quadrats to investigate biodiversity in a grassland community with scattered distribution of plant species. The students agreed on a counting criteria for each quadrat to

A

reduce the time taken to count the different species.

B

minimise statistical uncertainty.

C

ensure all strata were sampled.

D

minimise bias.

Q24

2023

SCSA

1 mark

Q24

1 mark

Most vinegar flies have wild type (reddish-brown) eyes. However, some mutants have white eyes and cannot see. Biologists conducted a laboratory experiment to compare the fitness of flies with wild type and white eyes.

The dependent variable in the experiment is the

A

laboratory conditions.

B

eye colour of the flies.

C

vision of the flies.

D

fitness of the flies.

Q21

2024

QCAA

Paper 1

7 marks

Q21

In 2014, a group of scientists surveyed a plant community and determined Simpson’s diversity index (SDI) to be 0.84. They returned to the same site in 2024 and collected this data.

Species	Number of individuals
A	133
B	96
C	256

Q21a

2 marks

Calculate SDI in 2024 using the formula $SDI = 1 - \left( \frac{\sum n(n-1)}{N(N-1)} \right)$ . Show your working.

$SDI = 1 - \left(\frac{(133 \times 132) + (96 \times 95) + (256 \times 255)}{485 \times 484}\right)$

$= 0.61$

Marking Criteria

Descriptor	Marks
determines SDI as 0.61	1
provides appropriate working	1

Q21b

2 marks

The scientists noted that species richness was the same in 2024 and 2014.
Infer how species evenness changed over the 10-year period. Justify your response.

Species evenness decreased over the 10-year period. SDI considers both species richness and evenness — the greater the species richness and evenness, the higher the SDI value. As species richness was the same in both years but SDI decreased from 0.84 to 0.61, it can be inferred that species evenness was lower in 2024 than in 2014.

Marking Criteria

Descriptor	Marks
infers that species evenness decreased over the 10-year period	1
justifies inference using SDI data	1

Q21c

3 marks

Describe how sampling could be used to collect data for this investigation.
Include at least two strategies to minimise bias.

Quadrats could be randomly placed throughout the forest, and the number and type of plants observed in each quadrat recorded. This data could then be pooled and used to estimate the total number of each plant species at the site. The researchers could ensure that at least 10% of the site is sampled (by considering number and size of quadrats) and use a random-number generator to decide where to place the quadrats.

Marking Criteria

Descriptor	Marks
describes an appropriate surveying technique	1
identifies one strategy to minimise bias	1
identifies a second strategy to minimise bias	1

Q27

2024

QCAA

Paper 1

2 marks

Q27

2 marks

To determine the reliability of the capture–recapture technique and the Lincoln index $N = \frac{M \times n}{m}$ , two researchers collected data on a mouse population from the same site at the same time.

Researcher	Number of mice in first capture	Number of mice in second capture	Number of marked mice in second capture
I	160	140	80
II	100	60	?

If the reliability of the technique is high, how many marked mice would be expected in the second capture for researcher II? Show your working.

$N(\text{researcher I}) = \frac{M \times n}{m} = \frac{160 \times 140}{80} = 280$

$280 = \frac{100 \times 60}{m(\text{researcher II})}$

$m = \frac{100 \times 60}{280} = 21 \text{ mice}$

Marking Criteria

Descriptor	Marks
calculates N for researcher I	1
determines expected m for researcher II	1

Q8

2024

QCAA

Paper 2

6 marks

Q8

The table shows data from a transect study along a sand dune.

	Zone
	A	B	C	D
Distance from sea (m)	0–100	>100–150	>150–250	>250–300
Age of dune (years)	0–50	>50–100	>100–125	>125–150
pH of soil	8.4	7.4	6.9	6.0
Organic matter in soil (%)	1	2.5	5	30
Number of grass species	2	4	6	2
Number of tree species	0	1	3	8

Q8a

2 marks

Contrast species richness in zones A and D. Refer to data in your response.

Species richness is five times higher in zone D than zone A. Zone A has two different species, whereas zone D has 10.

Marking Criteria

Descriptor	Marks
Identifies species richness is higher in zone D	1
Provides appropriate data	1

Q8b

2 marks

Infer how organic matter affects the pH of soil. Justify your response.

As organic matter increased from 1% to 30%, the pH decreased from 8.4 to 6. This suggests that organic matter lowers soil pH.

Marking Criteria

Descriptor	Marks
Infers that organic matter lowers soil pH	1
Justifies response using data	1

Q8c

2 marks

Predict which zone would have the highest proportion of K-selected species. Explain your reasoning.

Zone D. Zone D is the oldest dune and has the highest species richness. This suggests it may be further along in succession. The number of K-selected species tends to increase as succession progresses.

Marking Criteria

Descriptor	Marks
Predicts zone D	1
Provides appropriate reasoning	1

VCAA Biology How is scientific inquiry used to investigate cellular processes and/or biological change?

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