AP Biology Flashcards Review

Flashcards covering key vocabulary and concepts from AP Biology for exam preparation.

Endosymbiotic Theory

The theory that mitochondria and chloroplasts evolved from free-living prokaryotic cells that were engulfed by an ancestral eukaryotic cell.

Phospholipid Bilayer

The structure of cell membranes, consisting of hydrophilic heads and hydrophobic tails, that creates a semi-permeable barrier.

Active Transport

The movement of molecules across a cell membrane from a region of lower concentration to a region of higher concentration, requiring energy.

Facilitated Diffusion

The process by which substances are transported across a cell membrane with the help of a carrier protein from an area of higher concentration to an area of lower concentration, without the use of energy.

Aquaporins

Channel proteins in the cell membrane that facilitate the transport of water across the membrane.

Concentration Gradient

A difference in the concentration of a substance across a space; molecules tend to move from areas of higher concentration to areas of lower concentration.

Osmosis

The diffusion of water through a selectively permeable membrane.

Isotonic Solution

A solution where the concentration of solutes is equal inside and outside of the cell, resulting in no net movement of water.

Hypertonic Solution

A solution with a higher concentration of solutes compared to the inside of a cell, leading to net water loss from the cell.

Hypotonic Solution

A solution with a lower concentration of solutes compared to the inside of a cell, causing net water gain for the cell.

Golgi Apparatus

An organelle involved in modifying, sorting, and packaging proteins and lipids for secretion or delivery to other organelles.

Cell Membrane

A biological membrane that separates and protects the interior of all cells from the external environment.

Cytoplasm

The jelly-like fluid inside the cell membrane that contains organelles and cell components.

Lysosomes

Organelles that contain digestive enzymes to help break down waste materials and cellular debris.

Nucleus

The organelle that contains the genetic material (DNA) of a cell.

Mitotic Spindle

A structure formed by microtubules that separates chromosomes during cell division.

Ribosome

Cellular structures responsible for synthesizing proteins by translating messenger RNA.

Mitochondria

Organelles known as the powerhouse of the cell, responsible for producing ATP through aerobic respiration.

Endocytosis

The process by which cells engulf substances from their external environment.

Exocytosis

The process by which a cell transports packaged substances out of the cell membrane.

Steroids

Lipid molecules that are used as signaling molecules in the body.

Plasma Membrane

A selectively permeable membrane that surrounds the cell, composed of a phospholipid bilayer embedded with proteins.

Chemical Gradient

A difference in concentrations of ions or molecules across a membrane.

Cell Wall

A rigid layer of polysaccharides lying outside the plasma membrane of the cells of plants, fungi, and bacteria, which provides structural support.

Cilia and Flagella

Hair-like structures that extend from the surface of cells and assist in movement.

Chloroplasts

Organelles found in plant cells that conduct photosynthesis, converting light energy into chemical energy.

Cellular Respiration

The process by which cells convert glucose and oxygen into energy (ATP), carbon dioxide, and water.