NCEA Level 2 Biology case studies
NCEA Level 2 Biology · Put your knowledge to work in context.
NCEA Level 2 Biology is the second level of the National Certificate of Educational Achievement, the main qualification for secondary school students in New Zealand, which comes in three levels named 1, 2 and 3. Level 2 is generally studied in year 12. Biology at this level is delivered through standards: each standard covers a specific set of skills and knowledge and is worth credits, and credits count towards the final qualification. Some standards are assessed by external examination at the end of the year, and others by internal assessment carried out in school during the year. The NCEA Level 2 Biology case studies are 5 cases and about 2,496 words.
1Catalase practical: a conclusion built on a confounded pH 7 trial
At a Year 12 practical, a student investigates how pH affects catalase activity in potato tissue. Five buffer solutions (pH 3, 5, 7, 9 and 11) are tested.
570 words, about 3 min2OxyBoost advertisement: alkaline water, enzymes and a 12-person trial
An online advertisement for a supplement called OxyBoost states: 'In our 30-day trial, 12 of 12 users reported feeling less tired. OxyBoost raises blood pH from 7.35 to 7.45, creating an alkaline environment where enzymes work at their optimum and toxins are flushed from cells.
471 words, about 2 min3Coastal shrub: adaptation or acclimatisation?
Two populations of the same shrub species grow 800 m apart on a windswept coastal headland and in a sheltered valley. Headland plants average 40 cm tall with leaves 2 mm thick, waxy and densely hairy.
474 words, about 2 min4PKU counselling: using family history instead of the population carrier rate
Ana and Ben are unrelated and both unaffected by phenylketonuria (PKU), an autosomal recessive condition caused by variants in the PAH gene. Ana's brother and Ben's sister both have PKU.
505 words, about 3 min5Rat control in a mainland reserve: can we infer a bird benefit?
A 400 ha mainland reserve has a ground-nesting bird species and introduced ship rats. Rat tracking indices were 32% before control and 4% after three years of 1080 bait stations.
476 words, about 2 min