Mixed Deck — All CXC Topics Flashcards

Which market structure is characterized by a single seller controlling the entire supply of a good or service with no close substitutes?

Answer: Monopoly

A monopoly exists when one firm dominates the entire market with no close substitutes for its product.

When firms in an oligopoly secretly agree to fix prices, this is known as:

Answer: Collusion

Collusion occurs when oligopolistic firms secretly cooperate to set prices or output levels, reducing competition to maximize joint profits.

Which characteristic distinguishes an oligopoly from other market structures?

Answer: A few large firms with significant market power

An oligopoly is defined by a small number of large firms that are mutually interdependent and together control most of the market.

Which of the following is a MECHANICAL process of digestion rather than a chemical one?

Answer: Chewing (mastication) by the teeth

Chewing is a mechanical process that physically breaks food into smaller pieces, increasing surface area, whereas chemical digestion involves enzymes breaking molecular bonds.

A group of farmers in a rural Caribbean community decides to pool their resources to purchase equipment and market their produce collectively. They agree that each member will have one vote in making major decisions, regardless of the amount of capital they contributed. This form of business ownership is BEST described as a:

Answer: Co-operative

A co-operative is a business owned and operated by its members, who share common goals. Key principles include democratic control (one member, one vote) and a focus on providing services to members rather than maximizing profit. This scenario perfectly illustrates these principles.

Which market structure best describes the airline industry in the Caribbean?

Answer: Oligopoly

The Caribbean airline industry is dominated by a small number of large carriers, making it an oligopoly characterized by strategic interdependence.

Which of the following business structures is considered a separate legal entity from its owners, meaning the business can own assets, enter contracts, and be sued in its own name?

Answer: Limited Company

A limited company (both private and public) is legally incorporated, creating a 'separate legal entity'. This means the company is distinct from its owners (shareholders). This separation is the basis for limited liability, where owners are not personally responsible for the company's debts.

What is consumer surplus?

Answer: The difference between what consumers are willing to pay and what they actually pay

Consumer surplus is the economic benefit consumers receive when they pay less for a good than the maximum they would have been willing to pay.

Two resistors, one with a resistance of 6 Ω and the other with 3 Ω, are connected in parallel to a 12 V battery. What is the total equivalent resistance of the circuit?

Answer: 2 Ω

For resistors connected in parallel, the reciprocal of the total resistance (1/R_T) is the sum of the reciprocals of the individual resistances (1/R_1 + 1/R_2 + ...). So, 1/R_T = 1/6 Ω + 1/3 Ω. To add these fractions, find a common denominator: 1/R_T = 1/6 + 2/6 = 3/6 Ω⁻¹. Simplifying gives 1/R_T = 1/2 Ω⁻¹. Therefore, the total resistance R_T is the reciprocal of this value, which is 2 Ω. An important check is that the total resistance in a parallel circuit is always less than the smallest individual resistance.

A student studying a geological map of Trinidad observes that the Northern Range is primarily composed of metamorphic rocks like schists and quartzites that have been intensely folded. This landform is the result of which tectonic process?

Answer: Compression and folding at a convergent plate boundary.

The Northern Range in Trinidad is a series of fold mountains. Its formation is a result of intense compressional forces at the complex convergent boundary between the Caribbean and South American plates. This compression caused sedimentary and metamorphic rock layers to buckle and fold, uplifting them to create the mountain range.

Which of the following is a primary function of a Database Management System (DBMS)?

Answer: Enforcing data security and user access control.

A key function of a DBMS is to provide a security system that controls user access and enforces data privacy. This ensures that only authorized users can perform specific operations (like read, write, or delete) on the data.

In the context of CXC Human and Social Biology, why is it important to understand the digestive system?

Answer: Understanding digestion helps Caribbean students make informed dietary choices and relate bodily function to health and disease prevention

CXC HSB emphasizes the digestive system because understanding how nutrients are processed empowers students to make healthier food choices and recognize diet-related diseases common in the Caribbean region.

The name of this compaund C4H10

Answer: BUTANE

The chemical formula C4H10 corresponds to butane, which is an alkane hydrocarbon. Butane is a saturated hydrocarbon composed of four carbon atoms and ten hydrogen atoms. It belongs to the alkane family and is characterized by single bonds between carbon atoms.

Read the passage below and then answer the questions that follow. The village of Saltwind Point once clung to the coast like a determined mollusc, its lifeblood the turquoise sea. Every morning, the fishing fleet, a colourful regalia of hand-built pirogues, would venture out, returning with the ocean's bounty. The air, thick with the scent of salt and grilling fish, was punctuated by the boisterous haggling at the daily market. Now, a profound quiet has settled. The new coastal highway, a relentless serpent of grey tarmac, bypassed the village completely, redirecting the life-giving flow of tourists and traders. Furthermore, large-scale commercial trawlers, like insatiable leviathans, scour the deep waters miles offshore, leaving only meagre catches for the local fishermen. The young people, seeing no future in mending nets for a few fish, are lured away by the glittering promises of the city, leaving the old-timers to gaze at the horizon, their memories far richer than their current reality. What is the main purpose of the passage?

Answer: To explain the economic and social decline of a village.

The passage details the multiple factors (the new highway, commercial trawlers, youth migration) that have led to the downturn of Saltwind Point's economy and the change in its social fabric. While it mentions the beauty and traditions, the central focus is on the village's decline.

Name the group that has a single bond

Answer: Alkanes

Alkanes are a group of hydrocarbons that consist of single bonds between carbon atoms. They are also known as saturated hydrocarbons because each carbon atom in an alkane is bonded to four other atoms (hydrogen atoms), resulting in the maximum number of hydrogen atoms per carbon atom. The general formula for alkanes is CnH2n+2, where ""n"" represents the number of carbon atoms. Alkanes have straight-chain or branched-chain structures and are characterized by their stability and lack of reactivity due to the presence of single bonds.

Which of the following is a feature of perfect competition?

Answer: All firms are price takers selling homogeneous products

Perfect competition requires many sellers, homogeneous products, and no barriers to entry, meaning every firm must accept the prevailing market price.

Where does chemical digestion of food BEGIN in the human digestive system?

Answer: Mouth

Chemical digestion begins in the mouth, where salivary amylase starts breaking down starch while teeth perform mechanical digestion.

The main reason for the origin of the Caribbean Community is:

Answer: The need for economic cooperation

CARICOM was established with the primary objective of promoting economic integration and cooperation among its member states in the Caribbean region. It aims to enhance economic development, trade, and investment opportunities, as well as to strengthen the collective voice of Caribbean nations in international trade negotiations and other forums. CARICOM's founding in 1973 marked a significant step toward fostering economic collaboration and regional solidarity among its member countries.

In a perfectly competitive market, what happens to a firm's economic profit in the long run?

Answer: It is driven to zero by new entrants

In perfect competition, the absence of barriers to entry allows new firms to enter when profits exist, driving economic profit to zero in the long run.

Caricom is an example of a:

Answer: Multilateral Treaty

CARICOM (Caribbean Community) is an example of a multilateral treaty or agreement. It is a regional integration organization comprising multiple countries (currently 15 member states) in the Caribbean region. CARICOM was established by the Treaty of Chaguaramas in 1973 to promote economic integration, cooperation, and collaboration among its member states. The treaty outlines the objectives, principles, and institutional framework for regional integration, including the establishment of common policies, initiatives, and mechanisms to enhance economic development, trade, investment, and other areas of mutual interest. As a multilateral treaty, CARICOM involves multiple parties (member states) that have agreed to participate and cooperate within the framework of the organization. Decision-making and policy-setting within CARICOM involve consensus-building among member states to achieve collective goals and address common challenges faced by the region.