IB Questionbank

Outline the structures in M. tuberculosis that are not present in a human cell.

[3]

a.

Explain the production of antibodies when a patient is infected with the TB bacterium.

[7]

b.

Describe the risk to the human population of indiscriminate use of antibiotics.

[5]

c.

a. cell wall ✔

b. pili/flagella ✔

c. 70S ribosomes ✔

d. nucleoid / circular DNA
OR
naked DNA ✔

e. plasmids ✔

As candidates do not need to know the structure of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, all prokaryotic structures are accepted.

Ignore references to membrane bound organelles.

a.

a. phagocytes/lymphocytes are white blood cells ✔

b. TB bacterium has a specific antigen ✔

c. this antigen is recognised by white blood cells ✔

d. a clone of lymphocytes/plasma cells/B cells are produced ✔

e. antibodies are produced by lymphocytes ✔

f. each lymphocyte produces just one type of antibody ✔

g. (this is) specific immunity ✔

h. (part of the) antibody/immunoglobulin binds to the antigen / specific antibody binds to the specific antigen ✔

i. antibodies are proteins/immunoglobulins ✔

j. (some) plasma cells become memory cells ✔

k. memory cells reproduce quickly ✔

l. memory cells prevent infection in the future ✔

Allow annotated diagrams to explain the process.

b.

a. antibiotics block bacterial processes ✔

b. example of bacterial process ✔ e.g. cell wall formation

c. variations exist naturally in a population / some are naturally resistant to the antibiotic ✔

d. bacteria that are not resistant to this antibiotic will die / only resistant will survive (when antibiotic given) ✔

e. this characteristic could be passed to next generation ✔

f. (natural selection) leads to changes in the proportions/frequency in the population ✔

g. human population will be exposed to antibiotic resistant bacteria and will not have antibiotic to kill them ✔

h. (antibiotic resistant bacteria) may pass resistance to other bacteria species/types by means of plasmids (so other bacteria species turn resistant too) ✔

c.

(attempted by about 60 % of the cohort)

Part (a) was a departure from the 'draw a prokaryote' type of question that has appeared numerous times. In general, it was well answered. There were some good diagrams as answers which clearly showed only the prokaryotic characteristics. Part (b) asked for an explanation of the production of antibodies. Many weaker students wrote at length about non-specific phagocytosis which was not credited. Weaker students confused antibodies and antigens and even talked about antibiotics. This question was designed to be answered by the Standard Level students using Standard Level material. Some tried to include HL material and became very confused. Part (c) was really a question about Darwin's theory of evolution set in context. Many of the answers were very Lamarckian with the antibiotic causing the mutation, instead of some bacteria already having resistance. Better students opened with comments and an explanation that antibiotics only kill bacteria.

a.

(attempted by about 60 % of the cohort)

Part (a) was a departure from the 'draw a prokaryote' type of question that has appeared numerous times. In general, it was well answered. There were some good diagrams as answers which clearly showed only the prokaryotic characteristics. Part (b) asked for an explanation of the production of antibodies. Many weaker students wrote at length about non-specific phagocytosis which was not credited. Weaker students confused antibodies and antigens and even talked about antibiotics. This question was designed to be answered by the Standard Level students using Standard Level material. Some tried to include HL material and became very confused. Part (c) was really a question about Darwin's theory of evolution set in context. Many of the answers were very Lamarckian with the antibiotic causing the mutation, instead of some bacteria already having resistance. Better students opened with comments and an explanation that antibiotics only kill bacteria.

b.

(attempted by about 60 % of the cohort)

Part (a) was a departure from the 'draw a prokaryote' type of question that has appeared numerous times. In general, it was well answered. There were some good diagrams as answers which clearly showed only the prokaryotic characteristics. Part (b) asked for an explanation of the production of antibodies. Many weaker students wrote at length about non-specific phagocytosis which was not credited. Weaker students confused antibodies and antigens and even talked about antibiotics. This question was designed to be answered by the Standard Level students using Standard Level material. Some tried to include HL material and became very confused. Part (c) was really a question about Darwin's theory of evolution set in context. Many of the answers were very Lamarckian with the antibiotic causing the mutation, instead of some bacteria already having resistance. Better students opened with comments and an explanation that antibiotics only kill bacteria.

c.

Date	May 2021	Marks available	5	Reference code	21M.2.SL.TZ2.6
Level	Standard level	Paper	Paper 2	Time zone	Time zone 2
Command term	Describe	Question number	6	Adapted from	N/A

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