AP Bio Remove

What are elements in the context of chemistry of life?

Substances that cannot be broken down into smaller substances by chemical means.

What four elements make up 96% of the mass of all living organisms?

Oxygen (O), Carbon (C), Hydrogen (H), Nitrogen (N).

What is an atom?

The smallest unit of an element, serving as the building blocks of the physical world.

What subatomic particles are found in the nucleus of an atom?

Protons and neutrons.

What defines an isotope?

Same element with different amounts of neutrons in the nucleus.

What are ionic bonds?

Chemical bonds formed by the transfer of electrons from one atom to another, resulting in attraction between oppositely charged ions.

What is a covalent bond?

A bond formed when electrons are shared between atoms.

What is the distinction between polar and nonpolar covalent bonds?

In polar covalent bonds, electrons are shared unequally; in nonpolar covalent bonds, they are shared equally.

What does electronegativity refer to?

An atom’s attraction for the atoms in a covalent bond.

How do hydrogen bonds form?

A hydrogen atom covalently bonded to one electronegative atom is attracted to another electronegative atom.

What does it mean for water to be a polar molecule?

In water, electrons are not shared equally between hydrogen and oxygen, leading to partial positive and negative charges.

What is cohesion in the context of water?

The tendency for water molecules to stick to each other.

What is adhesion in the context of water?

The tendency of water molecules to stick to other substances.

What is the heat capacity of a substance?

The ability of a substance to resist temperature changes.

What are the functions of enzymes?

Biological catalysts that speed up chemical reactions by lowering activation energy.

What is the function of ribosomes in the cell?

Sites of protein synthesis.

What is glycolysis?

The process that splits glucose into two pyruvate molecules, generating ATP and NADH.

What is the central dogma of molecular biology?

The process of DNA being transcribed into RNA and then translated into proteins.

What is the function of chlorophyll in photosynthesis?

To absorb light energy necessary for the process of photosynthesis.

Define heredity.

The transmission of traits from one generation to the next.

What is the significance of the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium in population genetics?

It describes a population that is not evolving with respect to a particular gene.

What is the difference between homologous and analogous structures?

Homologous structures arise from a common ancestor, while analogous structures have similar functions but different evolutionary origins.

Define natural selection.

The process through which organisms better adapted to their environment tend to survive and produce more offspring.

What is an ecosystem?

The interaction of living and nonliving things in a particular environment.

What is the difference between R-strategists and K-strategists in terms of reproduction?

R-strategists reproduce quickly and have many offspring, while K-strategists invest more in fewer offspring and have longer lifespans.