VCE Biology case studies
VCE Biology · Put your knowledge to work in context.
VCE Biology is a Victorian Certificate of Education study from the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority, set out in a study design with an accreditation period of 2022 covering Units 1 to 4. It suits secondary students building a science pathway who want a structured, externally examined biology course. The study design describes areas of study, outcomes and assessment for all four units, with Units 1 and 2 assessed within school and Units 3 and 4 including school-based assessment plus an external written examination. VCAA publishes examination specifications and a sample written examination, along with a sample multiple-choice answer sheet, so candidates can see the expected style of questions and recording of answers. The VCE Biology case studies are 5 cases and about 2,459 words.
1Membrane Transport in a Salt-Tolerant Crop
A researcher compares two cultivars of a salt-tolerant grass. Cultivar A grows in soil with a solute potential of -0.8 MPa; cultivar B grows in soil at -0.4 MPa.
457 words, about 2 min2Enzyme Kinetics with a Competitive Inhibitor
Students assay an enzyme that converts substrate X to product Y. In trial 1 they use enzyme plus increasing concentrations of X and record reaction rate.
492 words, about 2 min3Inheritance of a Metabolic Disorder in a Family
A couple, Priya and Daniel, have a son with a metabolic disorder. Neither parent is affected.
478 words, about 2 min4Interpreting a Field Trial of a Biological Control Agent
A biocontrol beetle is released to control an invasive weed on a 200-hectare reserve. Monitoring over five years records weed cover and beetle density: Year Weed cover (%) Beetle density (per m²) --- --- --- 0 62 0 (release) 1 58 0.4 2 40 1.8 3 22 3.1 4 24 1.2 5 35 0.3 Rainfall in years 3–5 was below average.
541 words, about 3 min5Cell Cycle Checkpoints and a Chemotherapy Drug
A chemotherapy drug, compound M, is tested on cultured human cells. Flow cytometry shows that after 24 hours of treatment, the proportion of cells in S phase falls from 35% to 8%, while the proportion in G2/M rises from 15% to 52%.
491 words, about 2 min