School / IB / BIOLOGY HL / Viral Structure and Life Cycles Exam-style + marking analysis
Viral Structure and Life Cycles Original English practice on selected HL viral biology, not a complete assessment.
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Original English practice Independently authored English questions with worked reasoning. Selected practice is not exhaustive syllabus coverage or exam-board approval.
Choose practice topic Theme A: Unity and diversity (HL) (17) Theme B: Form and function (HL) (17) Theme C: Interaction and interdependence (HL) (18) Theme D: Continuity and change (HL) (23) Origins of Cellular Life (5) Cell Architecture and Microscopy (5) Viral Structure and Life Cycles (6) Species, Genomes and Identification (5) Biodiversity Threats and Conservation (5) Carbohydrate and Lipid Structure (7) Protein Folding and Function (5) Stem Cells and Specialized Tissues (5) Receptors and Signal Transduction (5) Action Potentials and Synaptic Integration (5) Ecosystem Stability and Sustainable Harvest (5) Climate Feedbacks and Ecological Timing (5) Collaborative Urban-Heat Planning (5) Investigation Rate Models and Uncertainty (5)
All topics Biology HL Viral Structure and Life Cycles
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6 original questions · 0 derived marking activities. Teaching explanations are AI-authored; independent teacher review is pending.
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Question 1Compare a virus particle with a bacterial cell in terms of genetic material, protein synthesis and the production of new particles or cells. Explain why a virus cannot multiply on a sterile nutrient medium without suitable host cells. AI checked Standard 4 marks No calculator +
Question 2After lambda bacteriophage infects a bacterium, one pathway rapidly produces phages and lyses the host; another integrates viral DNA into the host chromosome. Contrast the pathways and explain how the integrated viral DNA can persist through many bacterial generations before phage production resumes. AI checked Standard 4 marks No calculator +
Question 3In a hypothetical influenza population, a pre-existing surface-protein variant is less strongly bound by antibodies than the common variant. Explain how its frequency could rise in an immune host population and why this does not mean antibodies deliberately induced a useful mutation. AI checked Standard 4 marks No calculator +
Question 4In a hypothetical bacterial culture infected with lambda phage, some cells divide for many generations while carrying integrated phage DNA. After a DNA-damaging treatment, many cells produce phage particles and lyse. Distinguish the two stages and explain why phage DNA can be inherited before cell lysis occurs. AI checked Standard 4 marks No calculator +
Question 5Two influenza strains infect the same host cell. Some offspring viruses contain genome segments from both strains. Explain how this can generate variation, distinguish it from a point mutation, and explain why it does not guarantee a successful new epidemic strain. AI checked Challenge 4 marks No calculator +
Question 6Two hypothetical viruses contain RNA in protein capsids. E also buds through a host-cell membrane and retains a lipid envelope with proteins needed for entry; N has no envelope. A supplied lipid-disrupting treatment is applied to particles, then removed before they contact healthy host cells. E's RNA remains detectable, but its infectivity falls sharply. Explain the source of E's envelope and why retaining RNA need not preserve infectivity. Explain why this result alone cannot show that N is unaffected, and identify a control addressing host-cell damage. AI checked Standard 5 marks No calculator +
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Specific topic Select a topic Viral capsids and host dependence Lambda phage lytic and lysogenic pathways Influenza variation and selection Prophage inheritance and lytic induction Influenza genome reassortment Host-derived envelopes and particle integrity versus RNA detection Another topic 