Units 1, 2 and 5 - AP Biology Finals Review

Water Polarity

Water is polar because oxygen is more electronegative than hydrogen, allowing hydrogen bonding.

Cohesion vs Adhesion

Cohesion is water sticking to water, and adhesion is water sticking to other surfaces.

High Specific Heat

Water resists temperature change, helping organisms maintain stable internal conditions.

Ice Floats

Ice floats because hydrogen bonds form a crystalline structure that spaces molecules farther apart.

Hydrophobic vs Hydrophilic

Hydrophobic substances are nonpolar and do not dissolve in water; hydrophilic substances are polar and dissolve.

Macromolecules

Carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids make up living organisms, and all except lipids are polymers.

Protein Structure Order

Primary is amino acid sequence, secondary is helices and sheets, tertiary is 3D shape from R groups, and quaternary is multiple chains.

Surface Area to Volume Ratio

As cell size increases, volume increases faster than surface area, reducing efficiency.

Plasma Membrane

A phospholipid bilayer with hydrophilic heads and hydrophobic tails that is selectively permeable.

Rough ER

Synthesizes proteins and has ribosomes attached.

Smooth ER

Synthesizes lipids and detoxifies harmful substances.

Golgi Apparatus

Modifies, sorts, and packages proteins for transport.

Mitochondria

Produces ATP, and folded cristae increase surface area for energy production.

Ribosomes

Made of rRNA and protein, not membrane-bound, and synthesize proteins from mRNA.

Passive vs Active Transport

Passive transport requires no ATP, while active transport requires ATP to move substances against the gradient.

Tonicity

Hypertonic solutions cause cells to shrink, hypotonic solutions cause cells to swell, and isotonic solutions cause no net movement.

Vesicular Transport

Endocytosis moves materials into the cell, and exocytosis moves materials out of the cell.

Purpose of Meiosis

Meiosis produces four genetically different haploid gametes for reproduction.

Meiosis I vs Meiosis II

Meiosis I separates homologous chromosomes, and meiosis II separates sister chromatids.

Crossing Over

Occurs in prophase I and increases genetic variation.

Independent Assortment

Occurs in metaphase I when homologous chromosomes line up randomly.

Mitosis vs Meiosis

Mitosis produces two identical diploid cells, while meiosis produces four different haploid cells.

Complete Dominance

The dominant allele masks the recessive allele.

Incomplete Dominance

The heterozygous phenotype is a blend of both traits.