Cell Biology C

batteryPack
Member
Member
Posts: 4
Joined: December 2nd, 2015, 2:53 pm
Division: Grad
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 0

Re: Cell Biology C

Post by 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...
User avatar
finagle29
Exalted Member
Exalted Member
Posts: 51
Joined: January 28th, 2013, 11:37 am
Division: Grad
State: PA
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 0

Re: Cell Biology C

Post by finagle29 »

batteryPack wrote: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.
Bayard Rustin HS Alum

2013 Events: Thermo, Circuit Lab, Experiment, Robot Arm
2014 Events: Circuit Lab, Experiment, TPS, Mat Sci, Astro
2015 Events: Astro, Chem Lab, Compound Machines, Experiment, Time, TPS
2016 Events: Astro, Cell Bio, Chem Lab, Electric Vehicle, Time, Protein Modeling, Wind Power
Skink
Exalted Member
Exalted Member
Posts: 948
Joined: February 8th, 2009, 12:23 pm
Division: C
State: IL
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 5 times

Re: Cell Biology C

Post by Skink »

batteryPack wrote: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
Member
Member
Posts: 6
Joined: March 27th, 2016, 12:13 pm
Division: C
State: CA
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 0

Re: Cell Biology C

Post by 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!
User avatar
finagle29
Exalted Member
Exalted Member
Posts: 51
Joined: January 28th, 2013, 11:37 am
Division: Grad
State: PA
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 0

Re: Cell Biology C

Post by 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)
Bayard Rustin HS Alum

2013 Events: Thermo, Circuit Lab, Experiment, Robot Arm
2014 Events: Circuit Lab, Experiment, TPS, Mat Sci, Astro
2015 Events: Astro, Chem Lab, Compound Machines, Experiment, Time, TPS
2016 Events: Astro, Cell Bio, Chem Lab, Electric Vehicle, Time, Protein Modeling, Wind Power
Physiofreak
Member
Member
Posts: 6
Joined: March 27th, 2016, 12:13 pm
Division: C
State: CA
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 0

Re: Cell Biology C

Post by Physiofreak »

What are some of the hardest questions you guys have been asked? It seems to me that the practice tests on here are more difficult than any test I've ever actually taken...
User avatar
watermydoing14
Member
Member
Posts: 108
Joined: July 25th, 2013, 8:53 pm
Division: C
State: WA
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 0
Contact:

Re: Cell Biology C

Post by watermydoing14 »

Physiofreak wrote:What are some of the hardest questions you guys have been asked? It seems to me that the practice tests on here are more difficult than any test I've ever actually taken...
I don't think I've ever really been asked any questions that are much harder than something I would get asked in my AP or IB Biology courses, unless you count questions about specific intermediates/enzymes in cellular respiration. Beware of questions about National topics that might show up on State-level exams because test-writers sometimes don't pay much attention to the rules. At least know what the national topics are so you can point it out to the supervisor and maybe they won't count that question. If you have time, study the basics of each topic so you have the upper hand on other teams who don't expect to see those topics.

I also notice that for most questions, thinking about it more doesn't help much. You either know the answer or you don't. Of course, making an educated guess based on other information that you know can be helpful occasionally, but since of lot of this event is just memorization, you need to be able to learn a broad range of specific pieces of information.

For me, lab stations are the most difficult because it's often something I've never done, or there's very little time to adjust the microscope and look at the specimen, etc, but the actual questions are usually pretty straightforward/simple.
2013~Designer Genes~Disease Detectives~Forensics~Remote Sensing
2014~Anatomy~Experimental Design~Mission Possible
2015~Anatomy~Cell Biology~Experimental Design~Mission Possible
2016~Air Trajectory~Anatomy~Cell Biology~Experimental Design~Protein Modeling~Robot Arm~Wright Stuff
Interlake High School
GO SAINTS!
Uber
Member
Member
Posts: 58
Joined: October 1st, 2015, 4:33 pm
Division: C
State: TX
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 0

Re: Cell Biology C

Post by Uber »

Physiofreak wrote:What are some of the hardest questions you guys have been asked? It seems to me that the practice tests on here are more difficult than any test I've ever actually taken...
Heh, maples16 was last year's champion, so don't get too caught up in that. I have to agree with watermydoing, usually nothing obscure pops up, or if it does (like COPI and COPII), the test writers explain what it is. On one or two tests, I've gotten literally all experiment questions, so test styles and difficulty are usually all over the place.
Harvard '22
Liberal Arts and Science Academy '18
Locked

Return to “2016 Study Events”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 7 guests