AP Biology Terms

Question 1

Mitosis

Accepted Answer

Cell division producing two genetically identical daughter cells. Phases: prophase, metaphase, anaphase, telophase.

Question 2

Meiosis

Accepted Answer

Cell division producing four genetically unique haploid gametes. Involves two rounds of division and crossing over.

Question 3

Natural Selection

Accepted Answer

Mechanism of evolution where organisms with favorable traits are more likely to survive and reproduce, passing those traits on.

Question 4

ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate)

Accepted Answer

The primary energy currency of cells. Energy is released when the terminal phosphate bond is broken (ATP -> ADP + Pi).

Question 5

Photosynthesis Equation

Accepted Answer

6CO2 + 6H2O + light energy -> C6H12O6 + 6O2. Occurs in chloroplasts in two stages: light reactions and the Calvin cycle.

Question 6

Cellular Respiration Equation

Accepted Answer

C6H12O6 + 6O2 -> 6CO2 + 6H2O + ATP. Occurs in three stages: glycolysis, Krebs cycle, oxidative phosphorylation.

Question 7

DNA Replication

Accepted Answer

Semi-conservative process where each strand serves as a template. Key enzymes: helicase, primase, DNA polymerase, ligase.

Question 8

Transcription

Accepted Answer

Process of copying DNA to mRNA by RNA polymerase. Occurs in the nucleus in eukaryotes.

Question 9

Translation

Accepted Answer

Process of building a protein from an mRNA template at the ribosome. tRNA brings amino acids matching mRNA codons.

Question 10

Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium

Accepted Answer

p^2 + 2pq + q^2 = 1; p + q = 1. Conditions: large population, no mutation, no migration, random mating, no selection.

Question 11

Enzyme

Accepted Answer

Biological catalyst (usually a protein) that speeds up reactions by lowering activation energy. Specific to substrate (lock-and-key or induced fit model).

Question 12

Cell Membrane Structure

Accepted Answer

Phospholipid bilayer with embedded proteins (fluid mosaic model). Selectively permeable; regulates transport.

Question 13

Osmosis

Accepted Answer

Diffusion of water across a selectively permeable membrane from high to low water concentration (low to high solute).

Question 14

Krebs Cycle (Citric Acid Cycle)

Accepted Answer

Occurs in the mitochondrial matrix. Acetyl-CoA is oxidized, producing CO2, NADH, FADH2, and ATP (GTP).

Question 15

Endosymbiotic Theory

Accepted Answer

Mitochondria and chloroplasts were once free-living prokaryotes engulfed by ancestral eukaryotic cells. Evidence: double membranes, own DNA, binary fission.

Question 16

Homologous Structures

Accepted Answer

Anatomical features with similar structure but different functions across species, indicating common ancestry (e.g., human arm vs. whale flipper).

Question 17

Gene Expression Regulation

Accepted Answer

Control of when and how much of a gene product is made. Levels: transcriptional, post-transcriptional, translational, post-translational.

Question 18

Ecological Succession

Accepted Answer

Process of community change over time. Primary: starts on bare substrate. Secondary: occurs after disturbance in an existing community.

Question 19

Trophic Levels

Accepted Answer

Feeding levels in an ecosystem. Producers -> primary consumers -> secondary consumers -> tertiary consumers. Energy decreases ~90% per level.

Question 20

Carrying Capacity (K)

Accepted Answer

Maximum population size an environment can sustain indefinitely given available resources.

Question 21

Genetic Drift

Accepted Answer

Random changes in allele frequency in a population. More significant in small populations (bottleneck and founder effects).

Question 22

Signal Transduction Pathway

Accepted Answer

Process by which an extracellular signal is converted to a cellular response. Steps: reception, transduction (often via phosphorylation cascade), response.

Question 23

Feedback Mechanisms

Accepted Answer

Negative feedback: counteracts a change to maintain homeostasis. Positive feedback: amplifies a change (e.g., childbirth contractions).

Question 24

CRISPR-Cas9

Accepted Answer

Gene-editing tool using a guide RNA to direct Cas9 enzyme to cut specific DNA sequences, allowing insertion, deletion, or modification of genes.

Question 25

Phylogenetics

Accepted Answer

Study of evolutionary relationships among organisms. Represented by cladograms/phylogenetic trees based on shared derived characters (synapomorphies).

AP Biology Terms

Card Preview

Preview Complete!