Cell Biology C

[watermydoing14]

So Im new to cell biology but I am taking Ap bio and should have learnt all the topics by competition time. Is there anything I should worry about?

I would say that you might have to learn topics in more detail than your AP Bio class. There are topics in the rules and on the tests that probably won't be taught in your bio class and if they are taught in your class, they might not be taught to the same detail that you need to know them. For example, you should know (or at least have them on your cheat sheet) the specific molecules that are involved in cellular respiration. You will need to know categories of enzymes. Those are things you probably won't have to memorize/know for your AP bio class. In any case, it's always better to study more and be overprepared then get 1st place than to be underprepared and maybe not even medal.

[blueice]

Has anyone seen the tests online? Is it just me who is discouraged? It seems like nothing I studied is on there ... where can I find all those enzymes?

[watermydoing14]

Has anyone seen the tests online? Is it just me who is discouraged? It seems like nothing I studied is on there ... where can I find all those enzymes?

If you're referring to Maples6's test from SSSS 2016, that is hands down the hardest cell bio test I have ever seen (my score was only about 18/60 or 66 I think). Most of the tests I saw last year were a lot easier so, don't feel too discouraged. I would also say that you shouldn't worry about memorizing specific enzymes, instead, learn classes of enzymes and learn how enzymes are named so that you can guess the function of an enzyme based on its name or context clues. I would also reserve some space on your notes sheet for all the specific molecules and enzymes involved in cellular respiration just in case they ask about that.

Cell biology is a challenging event, but most regional/state tests will likely include questions about stuff you've studied because they're supposed to include questions with a variety of difficulties

[Uber]

Has anyone seen the tests online? Is it just me who is discouraged? It seems like nothing I studied is on there ... where can I find all those enzymes?

If you're referring to Maples6's test from SSSS 2016, that is hands down the hardest cell bio test I have ever seen (my score was only about 18/60 or 66 I think). Most of the tests I saw last year were a lot easier so, don't feel too discouraged. I would also say that you shouldn't worry about memorizing specific enzymes, instead, learn classes of enzymes and learn how enzymes are named so that you can guess the function of an enzyme based on its name or context clues. I would also reserve some space on your notes sheet for all the specific molecules and enzymes involved in cellular respiration just in case they ask about that.

Cell biology is a challenging event, but most regional/state tests will likely include questions about stuff you've studied because they're supposed to include questions with a variety of difficulties

So it WAS hard >.< I just figured out maples6 is last year's cell bio champion.
IMO, the only following questions matter (under national rules): matching 1,2,3,7,10, multiple choice 1,8,11,12,18,20 and short answer 1,2 (maybe),3,5,6,7,9 (I've seen Lineweaver-Burk plots everywhere for some reason)

Also, how much genetics and biotechnology should I study?

[watermydoing14]

Has anyone seen the tests online? Is it just me who is discouraged? It seems like nothing I studied is on there ... where can I find all those enzymes?

If you're referring to Maples6's test from SSSS 2016, that is hands down the hardest cell bio test I have ever seen (my score was only about 18/60 or 66 I think). Most of the tests I saw last year were a lot easier so, don't feel too discouraged. I would also say that you shouldn't worry about memorizing specific enzymes, instead, learn classes of enzymes and learn how enzymes are named so that you can guess the function of an enzyme based on its name or context clues. I would also reserve some space on your notes sheet for all the specific molecules and enzymes involved in cellular respiration just in case they ask about that.

Cell biology is a challenging event, but most regional/state tests will likely include questions about stuff you've studied because they're supposed to include questions with a variety of difficulties

So it WAS hard >.< I just figured out maples6 is last year's cell bio champion.
IMO, the only following questions matter (under national rules): matching 1,2,3,7,10, multiple choice 1,8,11,12,18,20 and short answer 1,2 (maybe),3,5,6,7,9 (I've seen Lineweaver-Burk plots everywhere for some reason)

Also, how much genetics and biotechnology should I study?

First of all, I can't speak for the national level of competition, but I did compete in this event up to the state level last year.

My bet is you won't have to know too much about biotech, just very basic stuff (know what PCR is and how it works, would be a good idea to know how gel electrophoresis works - those are just the examples I've seen in tests). I think I remember a test in which there was a free response question asking how to perform gel electrophoresis and I got lucky because I had just done that in AP bio class.
As for genetics, I don't remember seeing any questions about genetics on a cell bio test, really. There's already an event about genetics (it's out of rotation, called Designer Genes), so genetics isn't a topic included in cell bio rules. It's not as important as biotechnology, so as long as you have a very basic understanding of genetics, you should have enough background knowledge to answer questions on a cell bio test.

[batteryPack]

So there's still the possibility this event is a lab, correct? I mean, at every competition I've been to, including nationals, it has been a test. So I just want to know the likelihood of this situation...

[finagle29]

So there's still the possibility this event is a lab, correct? I mean, at every competition I've been to, including nationals, it has been a test. So I just want to know the likelihood of this situation...

I've been asked to determine which solution contains starch and which contains proteins given Lugol's Iodine, the Biuret reagent, and Benedict's reagent at one competition, but haven't seen labs at the three or four other invitationals my school has gone to this year.

[Skink]

So there's still the possibility this event is a lab, correct? I mean, at every competition I've been to, including nationals, it has been a test. So I just want to know the likelihood of this situation...

If the rules are followed as they are written, this is Bio-Process C, a laboratory event. The catch is, it's treated as a study event, as you observe, nine point x times out of ten. Other events get this treatment, too (e.g. Crave the Wave), of course. Given that, while I'd be prepared to think scientifically and perform common labs, being able to run circles around the first fifth of the Campbell book is probably better-serving to you.

[Physiofreak]

Essentially no matter how much I read about it, I am unable to understand how mass spectrometry works... someone help please? Also do you think we need to know all the different blotting techniques (i.e., western/northern/eastern/southern)? I think that bio-tech is definitely the most difficult part of cell bio and I'm not sure how much they will test on it at states. But it's best to just be prepared for everything!

[finagle29]

In mass spectrometry, matter is ionized and then sped up and put through a magnetic field and basically the radius of the circle the matter makes in the magnetic field can be used to determine the charge/mass ratio, and the relative amounts of matter at different charge/mass ratios can tell you about the percent-wise composition of the matter. (very vague and rather hand-wavey explanation that I recall from doing mass spec problems in AP Physics)