Biology II AP Summer Reading and Study Questions
for Cherry Hill High School West Students
Dear Students and Parents,
Welcome to Biology II AP! We are delighted that you have chosen this exciting and demanding course. With
the recent advances in such areas as molecular biology and genetics, this is an especially wonderful time to be studying
biology. Moreover, this Advanced Placement course will give you the opportunity to accept the challenge of learning
at the first year college level while still in high school. The general curriculum of our course, including specific
laboratory activities, was designed by a select group of college professors and high science teachers. The Biology (6th
edition) text by Campbell and Reece that we will be using is a popular college level text. The comprehensive scope of
this course necessitates that we adhere to a strict schedule and move at a rapid pace. This requires that students keep
up to date with the text readings, class work and laboratory assignments. Participation is an important part of the
class; this may involve discussions, student presentations, laboratory experimentation, interactive online activities and
scientific research. Much study and review, however, will have to be done outside of class.
As your teacher, my responsibilities will focus on helping you organize your studies so that you will be prepared to
take the AP Biology exam on May 14, 2007. Since many schools in the south begin in August, we are at a slight
disadvantage in terms of the number of class days prior to the AP Biology Exam. Because of the time constraints and
the amount of material that must be covered, it is advised that students complete the summer assignment included in
this letter. The assignment covers the Chemistry of Life Unit which represents 7% of the AP Biology curriculum.
Moreover, the information contained in these chapters provides a foundation for much of the material covered during
the year. By completing this unit during the summer, we can have more time for the balance of the syllabus. This unit
will be our first in September (covered quickly) and students will be tested on it within the first week or so of school.
The summer assignment is strongly suggested, but not mandatory. Specifically, the assignment consists of
three parts: reading chapters 2-5 in the Chemistry of Life portion of Biology (6th edition) by Campbell and Reece,
answering the discussion questions below, and reading The Hot Zone by Richard Preston or Tears of the Cheetah by
Stephen J. O’Brien. The study questions have been chosen to help students develop a better understanding of the
material. The Campbell text is available as an e-book and can be accessed from the Campbell website (see
instructions on following page). The Hot Zone is an extremely exciting book which may pose many questions to
explore during the year. Tears of the Cheetah has been described as a “nonfiction Da Vinci Code for the conservationist”
by the Washington Times. Both books are available in paperback at local bookstores and can be also found in
community libraries. Reading the assigned material and completing the discussion questions will get students off to a
running start in September.
We hope that you will support our efforts to enhance our students' science education. We know that you join
with us in our goal to provide a quality education for our young people and we thank you in advance for your
assistance. If you have any inquiries into this matter, please contact me at the email addresses below. Have a great
summer.
Sincerely,
Roberta Abramowitz - AP Biology Teacher
Rabramow@comcast.net or RAbramowitz@chclc.org
You are responsible for the material covered in chapters 2-5 of the Campbell and
Reese Biology text (6th edition). Campbell has a superb website which includes an online
text (e-book), supportive activities and great additional links. You may use other
appropriate websites that you find. The Campbell website can be accessed at:
www.Campbellbiology.com
Click on the 6th edition (green). You will need a Login Name and a Password.
(This information is for your use only*) E-mail me at rabramowitz@chclc.org for
this information. When you get into the website, click on the left where it says “ebook” and you will again be prompted for a Login Name and Password which are
the same as the previous ones. When you enter the e-book, click on “Unit I:
Chemistry of Life”. The reading for this assignment is from chapters 2 through 5.
Other helpful websites include:
http://library.thinkquest.org/3659/
http://www.biology.arizona.edu/biochemistry/tutorials/chemistry/main.html
http://www.dist214.k12.il.us/users/asanders/carbon.html
http://personal.tmlp.com/Jimr57/textbook/chapter2/chapter2.htm
http://www.biology.arizona.edu/biochemistry/problem_sets/large_molecules/large_molec
ules_problems.html
Written Assignment: (Answer on separate paper.)
1. Which elements make up approximately 96% of the human body weight? Which
elements might account for most of the remaining 4%? These percentages of
naturally occurring elements are similar to the percentages of elements found in other
organisms. How could you account for the similarity among organisms?
2. Distinguish between the following terms: atom, ion, element, molecule, and
compound.
3. The difference between the mass number and the atomic number of an atom is equal to
the number of __________. An atom pf phosphorous, P, contains ___ protons,
____electrons and ____neutrons. The atomic weight of phosphorous is _____.
Draw a Bohr diagram of the phosphorous atom.
4. What is the octet rule and how does if affect the chemical behavior of atoms?
5. How do the isotopes of a single element differ from each other? Give an example of
a radioactive isotope that can be used as important medical diagnostic tool.
6. The half-life of radium-226 is 1620 years. If a sample of material contains 16 grams
of radium-226, how much will it contain in 1620 years? How much will it contain in
3240 years?
7. Discuss the differences between the following types of bonding: ionic, polar covalent
and non-polar covalent. List an example of a substance exhibiting each type of
bonding. (Be sure to include the role of electronegativity.)
8. What is hydrogen bonding? List five characteristics that result from hydrogen
bonding. Explain how hydrogen bonds contribute to water’s high specific heat.
9. Describe the biological significance of the cohesiveness of water.
10. Explain how water’s high specific heat, high heat of vaporization and expansion upon
freezing influence living things in both aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems.
11. What types of molecules are hydrophilic? What types are hydrophobic? Why do
these two types of molecules behave differently in water?
12. Fill in the table below that summarizes the properties of water that contribute to the
fitness of the environment for life:
Property
a.
High Specific Heat
Explanation of Property
Hydrogen bonds hold molecules
together and enable them to adhere to
hydrophilic surfaces.
c.
Example of Benefit to Life
b.
Temperature changes in
environment and organisms are
moderated.
e.
d.
Hydrogen bonds must be broken for
water to evaporate.
f.
g.
Ice floats
Water molecules with high kinetic
energy evaporate; remaining molecules
are cooler.
h.
j.
k.
Most chemical reactions in life
involve solutes dissolved in water.
i.
13 .In agricultural areas, farmers pay close attention to the weather forecast. Right before
a predicted overnight freeze, farmers spray water on crops to protect plants. Use the
properties of water to explain how this works.
14. Explain the basis for the pH scale. How do acids and bases directly (or indirectly)
affect the hydrogen ion concentration of a solution?
15. What is the pH of a solution that has a hydrogen ion concentration of 10-3moles/liter?
Would such a solution be acidic or basic?
16. What is meant by the term buffer? The carbonic acid/bicarbonate system is an
important biological buffer. Find the equation for buffer reaction and discuss its
biological significance in humans.
17. How many grams of salt (NaCl) must be dissolved in water to make 2 liters of a 2 M
salt solution? (23Na, 34Cl)
18. Complete the following table:
Functional Group
Name of
Group
Compound
containing
Chemical
the group
Properties
(with the
Produced
group
by the
circled in
group
the
compound)
19 .Define the term organic? Would you consider either CO2 (carbon dioxide) or CaCO3
(marble) to be organic compounds? Explain.
20. Why is the carbon atom considered the most versatile building block in molecules?
What are some of the ways that the feature of carbon to carbon bonds influence the
stability and three-dimensional structure of organic molecules?
21. Draw pairs of simple sketches comparing two a) structural isomers, b) geometric
isomers and c) enantiomers. Discuss each type of isomer.
22. What is the chemical similarity between gasoline and fat?
23. Distinguish between monomer and polymer. Complete the table below:
Class
Carbohydrates
Lipids
Proteins
Nucleic acids
Monomer
Functions
24. What types of molecules are formed by dehydration synthesis (also called
condensation) reactions? What types of molecules are formed by hydrolysis?
25. Compare the structures and functions of starch, chitin and cellulose; what, in specific,
about the structures of these molecules allows humans to digest starch, but not
cellulose?
26. What are the two kinds of subunits that make up a fat molecule, and how are they
arranged in the molecule? How do phospholipids and steroids differ from triglycerides?
27. Describe the differences between a saturated fat and an unsaturated fat; why are
saturated fats considered less healthy to consume?
28. Food labels now include the % of cis and trans fats. Distinguish between these two
types of fats and explain which type should be avoided.
29. Draw a structural formula of a simple amino acid and identify the carboxyl group,
amino group and R group. Diagram the formation of a dipeptide.
30. What is meant by the primary, secondary, tertiary and quaternary structure of a protein?
Explain how the primary structure of a polypeptide influences its secondary and
tertiary structure.
31. What role do chaperonins play in the determination of protein structure?
32. Explain the relationship between the conformation of a protein and its function. What
might disrupt (denature) the conformation of a protein? Give a specific example.
33. From this list, identify the carbohydrate, fatty acid, amino acid and polypeptide:
A) +NH3-CHR-COO- __________________________
B) C12H22O11 ________________________
C) (glycine)20 _______________________________
D) CH3(CH2)16COOH __________________________
34. What are the 3 major components of a nucleotide? How are nucleotides linked to form
nucleic acids?
35. Distinguish between purines and pyrimidines. Which purines and pyrimidines are
capable of forming base-pairs with each other?
36. What are the two major functions of DNA?
37. In what way are all species alike biochemically? How do species differ from one
another biochemically?
38. You are studying a cellular enzyme involved in breaking down fatty acids for energy.
Looking at the R groups of the amino acids, what amino acids would you predict to
occur in the parts of the enzyme that interact with the fatty acids? Why might this
region of the enzyme need to be sequestered(hidden) in a pocket rather than on the
enzyme’s surface?
39. Some amateur and professional athletes take anabolic steroids to help them “bulk up”
or build strength. Research the health risks involved. Apart from health considerations,
how do you feel about the use of chemicals to enhance athletic performance? Is an
athlete who takes anabolic steroids cheating, or is his or her use of such chemicals just
part of the preparation required to succeed in a competitive sport? Defend your answer.