HSC Biology Year 11 practice exams and worked solutions

What the course asks of you

Cells as the basis of life

Cell structure, membrane transport, and enzymes and what alters them.

Organisation of living things

Exchange surfaces, transport systems, and the relationship between structure and function.

Biological diversity

Adaptation, selection pressures, and the evidence for evolutionary change.

Ecosystem dynamics

Past and present ecosystems, the fossil record, and interpreting strata.

Sample questions

Written for this site, in the style of the exam. Answer first, then see the model response and what the marks were for.

1. Question 1

   1 mark

   Which process requires a cell to expend energy in the form of ATP?
   A. OsmosisB. Simple diffusionC. Active transportD. Facilitated diffusion
   Check answer

2. Question 2

   5 marks

   A student investigated the effect of pH on the activity of the enzyme catalase by measuring the volume of oxygen produced in one minute at each pH. a. Identify the independent and dependent variables. b. Identify two variables that should be controlled, and explain why one of them matters.
   Show the model answer

3. Question 3

   4 marks

   Explain how the structure of the alveoli increases the efficiency of gas exchange in the lungs.
   Show the model answer

4. Question 4

   3 marks

   A layer of sedimentary rock containing fossil species X lies directly beneath a layer containing fossil species Y. Using a principle of relative dating, state which species is older and justify your answer.
   Show the model answer