AP Biology Review Sheet for the Midterm Exam
Unit 1 – Evolution:
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MATH:
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LABS:
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Evolution by natural selection as Darwin saw it and as we see it today
Evidence of evolution – data or information that is collected by scientists – Data analysis
Examples of evolution – specific evolutionary events that are/were observed
Other mechanisms of evolution -- processes that change the allele frequency in a population
and with that change organisms over time.
Causes of genetic variety in populations – Data analysis
Direction of natural selection in populations, types of natural selection
Populations in equilibrium – the Hardy-Weinberg principle – Solving problems
Coevolution
Biological species concept
Speciation
Reproductive isolation – pre-zygotic and post-zygotic isolation
Geographic isolation (allopatric and sympatric speciation)
The pace of speciation – mostly just definitions
The origin and history of life on earth (including theories and evidence for appearance of first
monomers of organic molecules, macromolecules, protobionts, RNA world, endosymbiotic
theory and eukaryotes, first multicellular life forms, life on land)
Continental drifts, mass extinctions
Phylogeny
Constructing cladograms and phylogenetic trees
The principle of parsimony – define and apply
Molecular evidence and phylogeny – data analysis
Hardy-Weinberg Principle
Natural Selection in Humans -- Hardy-Weinberg Principle -- complete the handout only
Creating Phylogenetic Trees by using BLAST
Winogradsky Column Setup -- requires complete lab report in December
Unit 2 – Ecology
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Interactions of biotic and abiotic factors in ecosystems
The effects of human impact on ecosystems (ozone depletion, acid rain, global climate change
due to greenhouse effect, biomagnification, invasive species, decreased biodiversity)
Heat energy transfer between the oceans and the atmosphere
Global and local climates – analyze data
Definition of populations
Methods of estimating and measuring population size and density
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MATH:
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Factors that influence population size and density (infectious agents, genetic diversity and the
ability of populations to respond to environmental changes, climate changes and responses of
populations to them)
Population growth models
Density-dependent and density-independent limiting factors of population growth
Predicting population size and density over time
Interspecific interactions and their types
The fundamental and realized niche
The competitive exclusion principle and resource partitioning
Dominant and keystone species
Disturbance and ecological succession
Parasite and host relationships and their coevolution
The first and second laws of thermodynamics and their influence on ecosystems
The flow of energy through ecosystems
Food chains and food webs
Primary and secondary production in ecosystems
The recycling of matter in ecosystems (carbon, water, nitrogen and phosphorous cycles)
Human impact on global element cycle
Biodiversity and its significance
Fixed action patterns and their significance
Know various specific examples of
Animal communication
behavior
Learned behaviors in animals
Hibernation, migration, circadian rhythms
Mating behaviors
Mean, median, mode calculations
Percent calculations
Growth rate calculations
Energy dynamics calculations (net and gross primary and secondary production)
Chi-Square Calculations
LABS:
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Cricket Behavior Lab -- complete lab report
Energy Dynamics Lab – did this as a worksheet on converting and passing on energy among
trophic levels
Unit 3
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The chemical structure of one water molecule and how they combine with each other
The physical properties of water and the chemical properties that explain them
The biological significance of water and the physical properties that explain them
Acids and bases, pH
Indicators and buffers
Most important elements in living organisms and their functions
The characteristics of carbon
Isomers – structural isomers, geometric isomers and stereoisomers (enantiomers)
Monomers and polymers
Dehydration synthesis and hydrolysis
The structure and function of carbohydrates
Examples of carbohydrates
The structure and functions of lipids
Types of lipids
The structure and function of proteins (including all levels of protein structure)
Protein folding
The structure and function of nucleic acids
Types of nucleic acids
Activation energy and the role of catalysts
Enzyme structure and function
Cofactors, coenzymes
Enzymes and environmental conditions
Inhibitors and activators
MATH:
 Mean, median and mode calculations
 Rate calculations
LABS:
 Laboratory Investigation 13 – Enzyme Activity
Unit 4
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State the cell theory
Calculate the cell’s surface area to volume ratio and explain how it determines cell size
Compare and contrast prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells
Identify the structures of eukaryotic cells
Relate the structure of all eukaryotic organelles to their function
Compare and contrast the structures of animal and plant cells
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Compare and contrast the structure and function of the elements of the cytoskeleton
Explain the functions of cytoskeletal proteins
Explain the process and importance of microtubular instability
Explain how microtubules cause flagellar movement
Explain how cells use the cytoskeleton for intracellular trafficking
Describe the structure of the extracellular matrix and intracellular junctions in animals
Describe the extracellular structures of plant cells
Describe the role of the plasmodesmata in plant cell communication
Explain why prokaryotes are so diverse
Explain the various ways prokaryotes can transfer genes
Explain how prokaryotes reproduce
Prokaryotic cell structures and their functions – focus on structure and function relationship
Identify the structures of prokaryotic cells
Summarize the diversity of prokaryotic nutrient metabolism
Describe prokaryotic cooperative metabolism
Describe how prokaryotes contribute to our lives
Describe the fluid mosaic model of membranes
Draw and label the parts of the cell membrane and explain the role of each of its components
Describe the importance of polarity when determining membrane structure, permeability and
protein orientation
Discuss the various adaptations that organisms have to maintain membrane fluidity
Compare and contrast diffusion and osmosis
Compare and contrast the behavior of animal and plant cells in hypertonic, hypotonic and
isotonic solutions
Compare and contrast passive and active transport
Compare and contrast endocytosis and exocytosis
Compare and contrast phagocytosis, pinocytosis and receptor-mediated endocytosis
Recognize the relationship between structure and function in living things
Describe the basic levels of organization in animals
Identify the different animal cell and tissue types
Summarize the role of homeostasis
Describe feedback mechanisms used by animals to maintain homeostasis
Explain thermoregulation
Identify various thermoregulatory mechanisms employed by animals
Compare and contrast osmoconformer and osmoregulatory organisms in marine and
freshwater environments
Explain osmoregulation in land animals
Discuss energy use in osmoregulation
Describe osmolarity and its role in homeostasis
Identify osmotic conditions in various situations
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MATH:
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LAB:
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Describe the general process of excretion in animals
Summarize fluctuating osmotic needs in an organism
Describe hormone regulatory mechanisms affecting the kidney
Determine the water potential of plant cells
Describe how blood glucose concentration is regulated in humans.
Describe the causes, consequences and treatment of type I and type II diabetes
Water potential calculations
Surface area and volume ratio calculations
Laboratory Investigation 4 – Diffusion and Osmosis
Winogradsky Column Lab
Unit 5
 Explain how the laws of thermodynamics govern metabolic processes
 Explain how free energy changes in chemical reactions and relate these changes to metabolic
processes
 Define metabolism and relate to transformations of energy and matter
 Distinguish between anabolic and catabolic processes
 Analyze free energy changes in energy coupling that uses ATP hydrolysis
 Describe the role of ATP in energy-coupling reactions
 Explain how ATP hydrolysis performs cellular work
 Describe how organisms use food molecules as fuel
 Explain the role of cellular respiration in the catabolism of fuel molecules and release of
energy for cellular work
 Relate glycolysis and the citric acid cycle to catabolic and anabolic processes
 Explain how cellular respiration controls the energy release from glucose and ultimately
transfers energy to ATP
 Describe how redox reactions change the potential energy of electrons and explain their use
in cellular respiration
 Describe the details of oxidative phosphorylation
 Explain how oxidative phosphorylation transforms energy of electrons by using concentration
gradients and ATP synthase
 Describe how glycolysis catabolizes glucose to release energy and form pyruvate
 Distinguish between obligate anaerobes and facultative anaerobes
 State the main purpose and location of fermentation
 Give examples of fermentation
 Explain how cellular components help to capture and convert energy in a cell.
 Explain the difference between the efficiency of aerobic respiration and fermentation.
 Explain the ecological importance of photosynthesis
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Explain the role of photosynthesis in the evolution of aerobic life
Describe the main purpose, location and main process of photosynthesis
Explain the process of the light reaction in detail
Explain the process of the Calvin cycle