AP Biology Exam Review Flashcards

These flashcards cover key terms and concepts from AP Biology related to cell biology, genetics, evolution, and ecology.

Hydrogen bond

A weak bond formed between a hydrogen atom and an electronegative atom, significant in water's properties.

Macromolecules

Large complex molecules, such as carbohydrates, proteins, nucleic acids, and lipids, required by living organisms.

Independent variables

Variables that are manipulated in an experiment to test their effect on the dependent variable.

Dependent variables

Variables that are measured in an experiment in response to changes in the independent variable.

Chi-square hypothesis testing

A statistical method to determine if there is a significant association between categorical variables.

Transcription

The process of synthesizing RNA from a DNA template.

Translation

The process by which the sequence of nucleotides in mRNA is converted into an amino acid sequence to form a protein.

Signal transduction pathway

A series of molecular events and cellular processes that lead to a cellular response after a signal is received.

Apoptosis

Programmed cell death that occurs in multicellular organisms as a regulated process.

Phenotype plasticity

The ability of an organism's phenotype to change in response to environmental conditions.

Allopatric speciation

Speciation that occurs when populations are geographically isolated from one another.

Sympatric speciation

Speciation that occurs without geographic separation, often due to reproductive isolation.

Niche partitioning

The division of resources and habitat among competing species to reduce competition.

Homeostasis

The ability of an organism to maintain stable internal conditions despite changes in the external environment.

Natural selection

The process by which individuals with favorable traits are more likely to survive and reproduce.

Genetic drift

The change in allele frequencies in a population due to random sampling of organisms.

Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium

A principle that describes a population that is not evolving and maintains constant allele frequencies.

Cooperativity

The phenomenon where the binding of a substrate to one active site increases the affinity of remaining active sites.

Endosymbiotic theory

The theory that eukaryotic cells arose from prokaryotic cells engulfing other prokaryotes, leading to the formation of organelles.

Polygenic inheritance

A trait that is influenced by multiple genes, often resulting in a range of phenotypes.

Genotype

The genetic constitution of an individual, often expressed in terms of alleles.

Ecological niche

The role or function of an organism or species within an ecosystem, including its habitat, resource use, and interactions with other organisms.

Fitness

The ability of an organism to survive and reproduce in its environment.

Interconnectedness of ecosystems

The relationships and dependencies between different ecosystems and their organisms.