AP Biology Review: Graphing, Statistics, Chemistry, and Lab Safety (Video) - Vocabulary Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards covering key concepts from graphing, statistics, chemistry, and lab safety found in the lecture notes.

Best-fit line

A regression line on a scatter plot that best represents the relationship between variables by minimizing the distances between the data points and the line.

Bar graph vs histogram

Bar graph: compares discrete categories with spaces between bars. Histogram: shows frequency of continuous data based on bins with touching bars.

Change over time graph

A line graph that shows how a variable changes across time, with time on the x-axis.

Scatter plot (correlation)

A graph that plots two variables to assess whether there is a relationship; shows positive, negative, or no correlation.

Independent variable vs. dependent variable

Independent variable: what the experimenter changes (often on the x-axis). Dependent variable: what is measured (on the y-axis).

Bar graph to compare groups

Bar graph (or column chart) is best for comparing means or values across two or more groups.

Histogram to show distribution

Histogram displays the frequency distribution of a dataset by grouping values into bins; bars are typically touching.

Pie chart usage

Pie chart displays parts of a whole as percentages and is best when sum-to-100% representation is needed.

Common graph elements

Title, labeled axes with units, appropriate scale, legend, data source, sample size, and, if used, error bars.

n (sample size)

n represents the number of observations or data points in a dataset.

x (data value)

x denotes a data value or variable; often used for the value on the x-axis in a graph.

M (mean)

M represents the mean (the arithmetic average) of a data set.

Degrees of freedom

df is the number of independent values in a calculation; for estimating a mean with n observations, df = n − 1.

Normal distribution

A symmetric, bell-shaped probability distribution that describes many biological measurements when sample size is large.

Standard deviation (SD)

A measure of data dispersion around the mean; small SD means data are clustered near the mean, large SD means more spread.

Can two data sets have same mean but different SD?

Yes. Two data sets can share the same mean but differ in variability (SD).

2SEM

Two standard errors of the mean; used to approximate a 95% confidence interval around the mean.

SEM (Standard Error of the Mean)

An estimate of how far the sample mean is likely to be from the population mean; SEM = SD / sqrt(n).

Error bars

Vertical bars on a graph that represent variability or uncertainty (often based on SD or SEM).

Overlapping SEMs means no significant difference

If the error bars overlap, the means are not clearly significantly different.

No overlap between SEM bars implies significant difference

If the SEM intervals do not overlap, the means are likely significantly different.

Mode

The value that occurs most frequently in a data set.

Median

The middle value when data are ordered; less affected by outliers than the mean.

Mean

The arithmetic average of a data set (sum of values divided by count).

STDEV

Abbreviation for standard deviation; measures dispersion around the mean.

2SEM calculation

2 × (SD / sqrt(n)); equals twice the standard error of the mean.

Water polarity

Water is a polar molecule due to unequal sharing of electrons between oxygen and hydrogen and its bent shape.

Major properties of water

Cohesion, adhesion, high specific heat, high heat of vaporization, excellent solvent; ice is less dense than liquid water.

Functional groups

Hydroxyl (-OH), Carbonyl (C=O), Carboxyl (-COOH), Amino (-NH2), Phosphate (-PO4), Methyl (-CH3).

Atomic number vs. atomic mass

Atomic number equals the number of protons; atomic mass is the total number of protons and neutrons in an atom.

Isotope

Variants of an element with the same number of protons but different numbers of neutrons; some isotopes are radioactive.

Valence electrons

Electrons in the outermost electron shell that determine bonding behavior and reactivity.

Covalent vs ionic bonds (and polar vs nonpolar covalent)

Covalent: electrons shared; nonpolar covalent: equal sharing; polar covalent: unequal sharing; ionic: electrons transferred, creating ions.

Hydrogen bond

A weak attraction between a hydrogen atom in one molecule and a highly electronegative atom (e.g., O, N) in another molecule.

Electronegativity

A measure of an atom's ability to attract electrons in a bond; governs bond type and polarity.

Catalyst

A substance that increases the rate of a chemical reaction without being consumed; lowers activation energy.

pH scale

Logarithmic scale (0–14) of acidity/basicity:

Buffer

A solution that resists pH changes by neutralizing added acids or bases, typically a weak acid and its conjugate base.

a / an

Not, without (e.g., anaerobic, atypical).

hemo

Blood (e.g., hemoglobin, hemorrhage).

meso

Middle (e.g., mesoderm, mesophyll).

hyper

Above, excessive (e.g., hypertonic, hyperglycemia).

leuco

White (e.g., leukocyte, leucoplast).

hypo

Below, deficient (e.g., hypotonic, hypoglycemia).

aero

Air, oxygen (e.g., aerobic, anaerobic).

intra

Within, inside (e.g., intracellular, intravenous).

anti

Against (e.g., antibody, antibiotic).

-itis

Inflammation (e.g., arthritis, bronchitis).

amphi

Both sides, around (e.g., amphibian, amphipathic).

lateral

Side (e.g., bilateral symmetry, lateral inhibition).

aqua / hydro

Water (e.g., aquatic, hydrolysis).

-logy

Study of (e.g., biology, geology).

arthro

Joint (e.g., arthritis, arthroscope).

-lysis

Breaking down, split (e.g., glycolysis, hydrolysis).

auto

Self (e.g., autobiography, autoimmune).

-meter

Measure (e.g., thermometer, speedometer).

bi / di

Two (e.g., bicycle, disaccharide).

mono

One (e.g., monomer, mononucleotide).

bio

Life (e.g., biology, biodiversity).

morph

Form, shape (e.g., morphology, metamorphosis).

cephal

Head (e.g., cephalic, cephalopod).

micro

Small (e.g., microorganism, microscope).

chloro

Green (e.g., chlorophyll, chloroplast).

macro

Large (e.g., macromolecule, macroscopic).

chromo

Color (e.g., chromosome, chromatography).

multi / poly

Many (e.g., multicellular, polysaccharide).

cide

Kill (e.g., insecticide, herbicide).

pod

Foot (e.g., tripod, podiatry).

cyto

Cell (e.g., cytoplasm, cytology).

-phobia

Fear (e.g., hydrophobia, claustrophobia).

derm

Skin (e.g., epidermis, dermatology).

-philia

Loving, affinity for (e.g., hydrophilic, thermophilic).

haplo

Single, simple (e.g., haploid, haplotype).

proto

First (e.g., protozoa, proton).

ecto (exo)

Outside (e.g., ectoderm, exoskeleton).

photo

Light (e.g., photosynthesis, phototropism).

endo

Inside (e.g., endoplasmic, endoskeleton).

pseudo

False (e.g., pseudopod, pseudocoelom).

epi

Upon, above (e.g., epidermis, epiglottis).

synthesis

To make, to build (e.g., photosynthesis, protein synthesis).

gastro

Stomach (e.g., gastric, gastroenteritis).

sub

Under, below (e.g., submarine, subcellular).

genesis

Origin, creation (e.g., biogenesis, ontogenesis).

troph

Nourish, feed (e.g., autotroph, heterotroph).

herba

Plant (e.g., herbivore, herbal).

therm

Heat (e.g., thermometer, thermoregulation).

hetero

Different (e.g., heterozygous, heterosexual).

tri

Three (e.g., triglyceride, triploid).

homo

Same (e.g., homozygous, homogeneous).

zoo, zoa

Animal (e.g., zoology, protozoa).

ov

Egg (e.g., ovule, ovary).

-tropism

Turning, response to a stimulus (e.g., phototropism, gravitropism).

kary

Nucleus (e.g., prokaryotic, eukaryotic, karyotype).

-taxis

Movement in response to a stimulus (e.g., chemotaxis, phototaxis).

neuro

Nerve (e.g., neurology, neuron).

-stasis

Standing still, maintaining, state (e.g., homeostasis, hemostasis).

soma

Body (e.g., chromosome, somatic cell).

zyg / zygous

Joined, yoke (e.g., zygote, homozygous).

saccharo

Sugar (e.g., saccharide, monosaccharide).

phago

Eat, engulf (e.g., phagocytosis, bacteriophage).