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Science 12 - Biology: 1.Most organisms are active in a limited temperature range

Student learn

  • identify the role of enzymes in metabolism, describe their chemical composition and use a simple model to describe their specificity on substrates
  • identify data sources, plan, choose equipment or resources and perform a first-hand investigation to test the effect of: – increased temperature – change in pH – change in substrate concentrations on the activity of named enzyme(s)
  •  gather, process and analyse information from secondary sources and use available evidence to develop a model of a feedback mechanism
  • analyse information from secondary sources to describe adaptations and responses that have occurred in Australian organisms to assist temperature regulation
  • identify the pH as a way of describing the acidity of a substance
  • explain why the maintenance of a constant internal environment is important for optimal metabolic efficiency
  • describe homeostasis as the process by which organisms maintain a relatively stable internal environment
  • explain that homeostasis consists of two stages: – detecting changes from the stable state – counteracting changes from the stable state
  • outline the role of the nervous system in detecting and responding to environmental changes
  • identify the broad range of temperatures over which life is found compared with the narrow limits for individual species
  •  compare responses of named Australian ectothermic and endothermic organisms to changes in the ambient temperature and explain how these responses assist temperature regulation
  •  identify some responses of plants to temperature change

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