Units 1-8 Ap Bio Lecture Notes

What is biology?

The scientific study of life.

What are the seven properties of life?

• Order, Regulationn

• Growth and Development

• Energy Processing

• Response to the Environment

• Reproduction

• Evolution

What is the scientific method?

• observation

• questioning

• forming a hypothesis

• experimentation

• analysis

What does the theme of evolution describe in biology?

The descent with modification from common ancestors over time.

What is the basic unit of life?

Cells.

What is the difference between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells?

Prokaryotic cells lack membrane-bound organelles, while eukaryotic cells have them.

What organelle holds the DNA?

Nucleus.

Where is DNA found in prokaryotes compared to eukaryotes?

In prokaryotes, DNA is in the nucleoid region, while in eukaryotes, it is inside the nuclear envelope.

What is the function of ribosomes?

To synthesize proteins according to mRNA instructions.

What is the endomembrane system?

A group of membrane-bound organelles that modify and package materials, including the ER, Golgi apparatus, lysosomes, vacuoles, vesicles, and nuclear membrane.

What does the rough ER do?

Helps synthesize and package proteins.

What is the function of the Golgi apparatus?

To modify, fold, and package proteins.

What do mitochondria do?

Perform cellular respiration and contain their own DNA.

What are lysosomes responsible for?

Carrying out intracellular digestion with hydrolytic enzymes.

What is the role of vacuoles in plant cells?

To maintain turgor pressure through water and nutrient storage.

What is the importance of chloroplasts?

Site of photosynthesis; they have their own DNA and ribosomes.

Why are smaller cells more efficient?

They have a higher surface-area-to-volume ratio for exchanging materials.

What are the main components of the plasma membrane?

Phospholipids, embedded proteins, cholesterol, glycoproteins, and glycolipids.

What are peripheral proteins?

Proteins located on one side of the membrane.

What is the function of cholesterol in cell membranes?

To prevent excessive fluidity, stabilize proteins, and protect against freezing.

What is passive transport?

The movement of molecules from high to low concentration without energy.

What is facilitated diffusion?

The process that requires transport proteins to help molecules move across the membrane.

What is active transport?

The movement of molecules from low to high concentration that requires energy.

What is osmosis?

The diffusion of water from high to low water concentration.

What is a hypotonic environment?

An environment with a lower concentration of solutes than a cell.

What is the equation for water potential?

Ψ = Ψp + Ψs.

What is a mutation?

An alteration in the DNA sequence that can affect protein production and phenotype.

What is genetic drift?

A random change in allele frequencies due to chance events, especially significant in small populations.

What is artificial selection?

Human-driven change in allele frequencies through selective breeding.

What are prezygotic barriers?

Reproductive barriers that prevent fertilization before it occurs.

What is allopatric speciation?

Speciation that occurs when populations are separated by geographic barriers.

What is sympatric speciation?

Speciation that occurs without geographic barriers.

What role does natural selection play in evolution?

It favors individuals with traits that enhance survival and reproduction, leading to changes in allele frequencies in the population.

What is the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium?

The condition under which allele frequencies in a population remain constant over generations.