Question 1
In pea plants, the allele for purple flowers (P) is dominant to the allele for white flowers (p). Two heterozygous plants are crossed. What percentage of the offspring are expected to have white flowers?
HSC Biology: the course and the exam
Four Year 12 modules with about equal weight, and one 3-hour paper in two sections. The current syllabus is examined for the last time in the 2027 HSC.
26 weeks, 104 hours in all
Start with Topic 5
Heredity: 24 of your hours. It is 5 of the 20 questions on our Section I practice papers, 25%.
| Topic | Your hours | Share of the checks |
|---|---|---|
| Topic 5: Heredity | 24 | 25% |
| Topic 6: Genetic Change | 24 | 25% |
| Topic 7: Infectious Disease | 24 | 25% |
| Topic 8: Non-infectious Disease and Disorders | 24 | 25% |
Week by week
- Week 1Topic 5: Heredity
- Week 2Topic 5: Heredity
- Week 3Topic 5: Heredity
- Week 4Topic 5: Heredity
- Week 5Topic 5: Heredity
- Week 6Topic 5: Heredity
- Week 7Topic 6: Genetic Change
- Week 8Topic 6: Genetic Change
- Week 9Topic 6: Genetic Change
- Week 10Topic 6: Genetic Change
- Week 11Topic 6: Genetic Change
- Week 12Topic 6: Genetic Change
- Week 13Topic 7: Infectious Disease
- Week 14Topic 7: Infectious Disease
- Week 15Topic 7: Infectious Disease
- Week 16Topic 7: Infectious Disease
- Week 17Topic 7: Infectious Disease
- Week 18Topic 7: Infectious Disease
- Week 19Topic 8: Non-infectious Disease and Disorders
- Week 20Topic 8: Non-infectious Disease and Disorders
- Week 21Topic 8: Non-infectious Disease and Disorders
- Week 22Topic 8: Non-infectious Disease and Disorders
- Week 23Topic 8: Non-infectious Disease and Disorders
- Week 24Topic 8: Non-infectious Disease and Disorders
- Week 25A Section I practice paper and a set of Section II items, then review every lost mark
- Week 26A Section I practice paper and a set of Section II items, then review every lost mark
| The paper | 100 marks, 3 hours plus 5 minutes reading time |
|---|---|
| Section I | Objective-response questions, 20 marks |
| Section II | 20 to 25 items, 80 marks |
| Modules | 5 to 8, approximately equal weighting |
The four Year 12 modules
Module 5 Heredity, Module 6 Genetic Change, Module 7 Infectious Disease and Module 8 Non-infectious Disease and Disorders. The exam gives them approximately equal weighting, Working Scientifically skills run through every module, and the Year 11 course is assumed knowledge.
The two sections of the paper
- Section I, 20 marks: objective-response (multiple-choice) questions.
- Section II, 80 marks: 20 to 25 items, which may contain parts. At least two items are worth 7 to 9 marks.
- A NESA-approved calculator is allowed.
Which HSC this course is for
The Biology Stage 6 Syllabus (2017) is the current syllabus, examined in the 2026 and 2027 HSC. NESA's curriculum reform timeline lists the new Biology syllabus as taught in schools from 2027 and first examined in the 2028 HSC.
Try 2 questions
Question 2
In a hypothetical investigation, a rabbit was injected with antigen X on day 0. On day 30 it was injected with antigen X and antigen Y together, in equal amounts. The graph shows the concentration of antibody against each antigen in its blood. How many times greater was the peak concentration of antibody against X after day 30 than the peak concentration of antibody against Y, and what best explains the difference?
Next step
Questions people ask
Which HSC does this syllabus cover?
The 2026 and 2027 HSC, so students sitting the HSC next year use this syllabus. NESA's timeline lists the new Biology syllabus as first examined in the 2028 HSC.
Is Year 11 Biology in the exam?
The exam is set on Modules 5 to 8, and the Year 11 course is assumed knowledge, so its ideas can appear inside Year 12 questions.
Can I use a calculator?
Yes, a NESA-approved calculator.