HUBS1404 Biomedical Science Part 2
The Complete Exam Bible · S2 2026HUBS1404 Overview
- Semester 2 2026
- Level 1
- Three assessment components
- Formal final examination
- Restricted open book
HUBS1404 Biomedical Science Part 2 is a Level 1 University of Newcastle course that integrates cardiovascular, respiratory, metabolic, digestive, renal, reproductive and immune physiology.
- Assessment Six online tests contribute 30%, the mid-semester examination contributes 30%, and the final examination contributes 40%.
- Passing condition Both examinations must be attempted to pass, and Tutorial attendance has an 80 percent mandatory attendance requirement.
- Final format The final is a formal multiple choice examination covering all course material, with no negative marking.
- Permitted aid One A4 sheet may be used on both sides, with drawings and any font size.
- Best preparation Trace a changed variable through structure, mechanism, feedback and whole-body consequence before checking options.
How HUBS1404 is assessed
| Component | Weight | Format |
|---|---|---|
| Online Tests | 30% | Six bi-weekly multiple choice tests; the best five results contribute and incorrect responses receive no negative marks |
| Mid-Semester Exam · hurdle | 30% | Face-to-face invigilated written multiple choice examination on Lectures 1 to 12; closed book and must be attempted |
| Final Examination · hurdle | 40% | Formal multiple choice examination on all course material; one double-sided A4 memory aid permitted and must be attempted |
| Tutorial attendance requirement · hurdle | Level 1000 tutorials require 80% attendance and use a sign-in record |
Tutorial attendance has an 80 percent mandatory attendance requirement, and students must meet it alongside the two examination attempt conditions to pass.
What HUBS1404 covers
Ten chapters follow the official Semester 2 sequence from cardiovascular and respiratory physiology through metabolism, renal regulation, reproduction and immunity.
Heart Structure and Electrical Control
Cardiac chambers, valves, myocardium, conduction, action potentials and autonomic controlTwo routes explain one pump
Cardiac questions become clearer when blood movement and electrical activation are drawn as separate routes.
- Cardiac chambers and valves
- Heart wall and coronary supply
- Intrinsic conduction sequence
- Autorhythmic and contractile cells
- ECG and autonomic modulation
Haemodynamics, Perfusion and Blood Pressure
Pressure gradients, vascular resistance, capillary exchange, venous return and blood pressureBegin every flow claim with two points
Blood flow needs a pressure difference between an upstream and downstream location. Quoting pressure at one point is not enough because two equally high pressures provide no net driving gradient.
- Pressure gradients and flow
- Radius and vascular resistance
- Vessel classes and velocity
- Capillary exchange forces
- Cardiac output and pressure control
Respiratory Anatomy and Pulmonary Ventilation
Airways, alveoli, respiratory pressures, compliance, resistance and lung volumesFollow air from transport to exchange
The upper and lower respiratory passages conduct gas, condition it and protect more delicate regions.
- Conducting and respiratory zones
- Atmospheric and alveolar pressure
- Intrapleural pressure and coupling
- Compliance and surface tension
- Lung volumes and alveolar ventilation
Gas Exchange, Exercise and Respiratory Balance
Partial pressures, gas transport, ventilation-perfusion matching, exercise and respiratory pHEach gas follows its own gradient
A mixture can contain several gases, each contributing a partial pressure. Oxygen movement is governed by the oxygen partial-pressure difference, while carbon dioxide movement follows the carbon dioxide difference.
- Partial-pressure gradients
- Oxygen and carbon dioxide transport
- Ventilation-perfusion matching
- Obstructive and restrictive limits
- Exercise and respiratory pH
Energy Metabolism and Digestive Function
Digestive anatomy, absorption, oxidation, ATP production and nutrient pathwaysDigestion prepares molecules for transport
The digestive tract stores, mixes, propels and chemically breaks down food before absorbable products can cross the epithelium.
- Digestive wall and regional function
- Secretions and nutrient absorption
- Anabolism and catabolism
- Glycolysis and oxidative metabolism
- Carbohydrate, lipid and amino-acid fates
Pancreas, Liver and Metabolic States
Endocrine and exocrine pancreas, hepatic traffic, fed and fasting metabolismOne pancreas uses two delivery routes
Exocrine pancreatic tissue produces digestive secretions that travel through ducts to the intestine. Endocrine cells release hormones into blood.
- Endocrine and exocrine pancreas
- Hepatic blood and bile routes
- Insulin in the fed state
- Fuel mobilisation during fasting
- Glycogen, gluconeogenesis and ketones
Renal Filtration, Reabsorption and Secretion
Kidney anatomy, glomerular filtration, tubular transport and excretion balanceRenal anatomy places processes in series
Blood reaches glomerular capillaries, selected plasma components cross into Bowman’s space, and the resulting tubular fluid passes through specialised nephron segments before urine leaves the kidney.
- Kidney and nephron anatomy
- Glomerular filtration barrier
- Filtration-rate control
- Tubular reabsorption and secretion
- Excretion and clearance logic
Water, Minerals and Acid-Base Control
Fluid compartments, urine concentration, mineral regulation, buffers and renal pH controlWater amount and solute concentration are different variables
Body water is distributed among compartments separated by membranes with selective permeability.
- Body-fluid compartments
- Water gain and loss
- Medullary gradient and urine concentration
- Protein and phosphate buffers
- Respiratory and renal pH control
Reproduction and Human Development
Reproductive introduction, hormonal control and the sequence of human developmentUse anatomy to anchor endocrine control
Reproductive tissues produce gametes, support their maturation and transport them through structures suited to their roles.
- Reproductive-system organisation
- Central and pituitary control
- Gonadal hormone feedback
- Gamete production and transport
- Fertilisation and development sequence
Innate and Acquired Immunity
Barrier defence, inflammation, adaptive specificity, clonal expansion and memoryDefence begins before a pathogen enters
Physical and chemical barriers reduce access to vulnerable tissues. Their protective value depends on location, integrity and local conditions rather than a later antigen-specific response.
- Barrier defence
- Innate recognition and inflammation
- Antigen presentation
- B-cell and T-cell responses
- Adaptive specificity and memory
The Semester 2 2026 outline begins with the organisation and electrical control of the heart, then develops blood flow, vascular resistance, perfusion and pressure regulation. Respiratory anatomy and ventilation lead into partial pressures, gas transport, ventilation-perfusion matching, exercise and respiratory acid-base disturbances.
The middle block follows nutrients from digestion and absorption through energy pathways, pancreatic and liver function, and the shift between fed and postabsorptive states. Renal anatomy then provides the basis for filtration, reabsorption, secretion, water balance, mineral regulation and acid-base control.
The final scheduled topics introduce reproductive control and human development before distinguishing innate from acquired immunity.
How the systems connect
The course is most coherent when each topic is treated as a causal chain rather than a list.
Electrical activation controls cardiac contraction; contraction establishes pressure; pressure and resistance determine flow; flow carries respiratory gases and nutrients; metabolism changes oxygen demand, carbon dioxide production and fuel availability; the kidneys control volume, solutes and hydrogen ions; endocrine signals coordinate fuel use and reproduction; immune responses depend on barriers, tissues, circulation and signalling.
A change at one level can therefore appear as a consequence in another system.
What the assessment demands
All three components use multiple choice questions. Six bi-weekly online tests contribute 30 percent, with the best five results counted.
The closed-book, face-to-face mid-semester examination contributes 30 percent and covers Lectures 1 to 12. The formal final examination contributes 40 percent and covers all course material. Both examinations must be attempted to pass. Level 1000 tutorials also carry an 80 percent mandatory attendance requirement. The final is restricted open book and permits one double-sided A4 memory aid.
The outline states that incorrect answers receive no negative marks. It does not publish the final duration, question count or exact examination date, so this guide leaves those details open rather than guessing.
How to study efficiently
For every mechanism, name the relevant compartments, identify the first direct effect and only then add feedback or compensation.
Keep ratios and balance equations visible so that numerator, denominator and transfer direction cannot be swapped. Use the memory aid for signed relationships, formulas and easily confused contrasts, not for paragraphs.
The available official materials include no past examination paper, final practice paper, official solution set or topic-level marking rubric, so every worked problem here is original and its reasoning is shown for self-checking rather than presented as an official marking scheme.
HUBS1404 cheatsheet for the final exam
AskSia publishes a free HUBS1404 cheatsheet for the final exam, a memory aid planner that follows the official permitted-materials rule for this assessment and condenses the topics in this guide.
Worked example · free
Pressure and resistance act together
- 1Initial flow is 20 divided by 4, which equals 5 relative flow units.
- 1Final flow is 24 divided by 6, which equals 4 relative flow units.
- 1The change is 4 minus 5, which equals negative 1 unit.
- 1Relative change is negative 1 divided by 5 times 100, which equals a 20% fall.
Key terms
- Cardiac conduction
- Cardiac conduction is the ordered spread of electrical activation that coordinates atrial and ventricular contraction.
- Pressure gradient
- A pressure gradient is the pressure difference between two locations that can drive bulk flow.
- Vascular resistance
- Vascular resistance is the opposition to blood flow created by vessel geometry and blood properties.
- Alveolar ventilation
- Alveolar ventilation is the fresh gas reaching exchange regions per unit time after dead-space volume is excluded.
- Partial pressure
- Partial pressure is the contribution of one gas to the pressure of a gas mixture and determines its diffusion direction.
- Metabolic pathway
- A metabolic pathway is an ordered series of cellular reactions that transforms matter and transfers energy.
- Fed state
- The fed state is the post-meal condition in which absorbed nutrients support immediate use and replenishment of stores.
- Glomerular filtration
- Glomerular filtration is movement of water and suitable small solutes from glomerular blood into Bowman’s space.
- Tubular reabsorption
- Tubular reabsorption is movement of a substance from nephron fluid back toward blood.
- Tubular secretion
- Tubular secretion is movement of a substance from blood or renal tissue into nephron fluid.
- Acid-base balance
- Acid-base balance is coordinated control of hydrogen ions through buffers, ventilation and renal transport.
- Immune memory
- Immune memory is the persistence of antigen-experienced lymphocytes that can improve a later matched response.
HUBS1404 FAQ
How is this course assessed?
Online tests contribute 30%, the mid-semester examination contributes 30%, and the final examination contributes 40%. There are six bi-weekly online multiple choice tests and the best five results count. The three numeric weights total 100%.
What is the final examination format?
The outline describes a formal multiple choice examination covering all course material, with no negative marking. It permits one A4 memory aid used on both sides. The outline does not publish the final duration, question count or exact date.
What are the pass conditions and attendance rule?
The mid-semester and final examinations must both be attempted to pass. Tutorial attendance also has an 80 percent mandatory attendance requirement, which applies alongside the weighted assessment total.
What can go on the final memory aid?
The outline permits one A4 sheet used on both sides, allows drawings and does not restrict font size. A useful sheet prioritises equations, signed arrows, compartment maps and contrasts that are easy to reverse under time pressure.
How hard is the course?
The sources establish breadth, compulsory examination attempts and a 40% cumulative final, but they do not publish a difficulty rating, pass rate or claim about what most students fail. The clearest challenge is integrating mechanisms across the full topic sequence.
Are past papers included in the course materials?
The available official materials include no past examination paper, sample final, practice final or official solution set. This guide therefore uses original questions based on the published content and multiple choice format, without implying access to a past paper.
What is the best study method?
Start with a diagram or balance equation, change one variable and predict the first direct effect before adding feedback. Then test each option at the earliest causal link. This works across cardiovascular, respiratory, metabolic, renal and immune questions.
Questions students ask in each HUBS1404 chapter
- Why are ventricular walls thicker than atrial walls?
- Ventricles generate the pressure needed to eject blood into pulmonary and systemic vessels, whereas atria move blood a shorter distance into ventricles at lower pressure. Chapter 01 · Heart Structure and Electrical Control
- Does higher pressure always mean higher flow?
- No. Flow depends on pressure difference relative to resistance. If resistance rises by a greater proportion, flow can fall even while pressure difference rises. Both terms must be compared together. Chapter 02 · Haemodynamics, Perfusion and Blood Pressure
- Why does air enter during inspiration?
- Thoracic and lung expansion lowers alveolar pressure below atmospheric pressure, creating a gradient that drives air inward. Flow continues only while the relevant pressure difference exists. Chapter 03 · Respiratory Anatomy and Pulmonary Ventilation
- Can oxygen and carbon dioxide cross in opposite directions?
- Yes. Each gas follows its own partial-pressure gradient, so oxygen can enter blood while carbon dioxide leaves it across the same membrane. Their directions are independently determined by the two gradients. Chapter 04 · Gas Exchange, Exercise and Respiratory Balance
- Is digestion the same as cellular respiration?
- No. Digestion produces absorbable molecules, while cellular pathways transform and oxidise substrates after uptake into tissues. The processes occur in different compartments and answer different physiological questions. Chapter 05 · Energy Metabolism and Digestive Function
- Why does a pancreatic duct problem differ from endocrine failure?
- Exocrine products use ducts to reach the intestine, whereas endocrine hormones enter blood. The two routes can therefore fail separately. A shared organ does not imply a shared delivery pathway. Chapter 06 · Pancreas, Liver and Metabolic States
- Is filtration rate the same as urine flow?
- No. Much filtered water is reabsorbed, so urine flow can be far lower and independently adjusted. Filtration describes entry into nephrons, not final urinary output. Chapter 07 · Renal Filtration, Reabsorption and Secretion
- Does a small urine volume always mean concentrated urine?
- Not automatically. Concentration depends on solute relative to water, so urine volume alone is insufficient. Solute content and the amount of water excreted must be considered together. Chapter 08 · Water, Minerals and Acid-Base Control
- Why organise hormones as a loop?
- A loop identifies source, target and feedback direction, preventing the same hormone name from being assigned to the wrong level. It also reveals which change occurs upstream or downstream. Chapter 09 · Reproduction and Human Development
- Does innate immunity lack recognition?
- No. It recognises recurring microbial and damage patterns through an encoded repertoire rather than the highly diverse clonal system of adaptive lymphocytes. Rapid recognition is organised, not random. Chapter 10 · Innate and Acquired Immunity
How to study for the exam
Build revision around mechanisms rather than lecture titles. For the cardiovascular block, draw the blood pathway and conduction pathway separately, then link pressure difference, resistance and flow. For respiration, distinguish alveolar, atmospheric and intrapleural pressures before calculating ventilation or gas exchange. For metabolism, write the compartment and state, fed or fasting, beside every pathway.
For renal questions, begin with filtered minus reabsorbed plus secreted equals excreted and assign each transport direction before substituting numbers. For acid-base problems, identify the primary change and its time course before naming compensation. Reproduction and immunity are easiest when organised as timelines with source, target and feedback. Add only relationships you repeatedly reverse to the permitted A4 memory aid.
During practice, answer before reading the resolution, explain why one tempting alternative fails, and keep a short error log labelled vocabulary, direction, compartment, scale, calculation or timing. Revisit the categories that recur instead of rereading entire chapters. In the final week, mix questions across systems because the formal final covers all course material.
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