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AP® biology final exam Flashcards

AP® biology final exam
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  • What is the primary function of the mitochondria?
    To produce ATP through cellular respiration.
  • Define natural selection.
    The process where organisms better adapted to their environment tend to survive and produce more offspring.
  • What is the role of ribosomes in a cell?
    To synthesize proteins by translating mRNA.
  • Explain the significance of the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium.
    It describes a population that is not evolving, where allele frequencies remain constant.
  • What is the function of the Golgi apparatus?
    To modify, sort, and package proteins and lipids for secretion or delivery to other organelles.
  • Describe the structure of a DNA molecule.
    A double helix composed of two strands of nucleotides with a sugar-phosphate backbone and nitrogenous bases.
  • What is the role of chlorophyll in photosynthesis?
    To absorb light energy, which is then used to convert carbon dioxide and water into glucose.
  • Define osmosis.
    The diffusion of water across a selectively permeable membrane.
  • What is the central dogma of molecular biology?
    DNA -> RNA -> Protein; the flow of genetic information.
  • What is the function of tRNA during translation?
    To bring amino acids to the ribosome and match them to the coded mRNA message.
  • Explain the process of meiosis.
    A type of cell division that reduces the chromosome number by half, creating four haploid cells.
  • What is the significance of crossing over during meiosis?
    It increases genetic variation by exchanging DNA between homologous chromosomes.
  • What is an ecosystem?
    A community of living organisms interacting with their physical environment.
  • Define homeostasis.
    The maintenance of a stable internal environment in an organism.
  • What is the role of enzymes in biological reactions?
    To speed up chemical reactions by lowering the activation energy.
  • What is a keystone species?
    A species on which other species in an ecosystem largely depend, such that if it were removed the ecosystem would change drastically.
  • Describe the process of transcription.
    The synthesis of RNA from a DNA template.
  • What is the function of the cell membrane?
    To protect the cell and control what enters and leaves the cell.
  • Explain the concept of genetic drift.
    A change in allele frequencies in a population due to random events.
  • What is the role of the lysosome in a cell?
    To digest and break down waste materials and cellular debris.
  • Define biodiversity.
    The variety of life in the world or in a particular habitat or ecosystem.
  • What is the function of the endoplasmic reticulum?
    To synthesize proteins and lipids; rough ER has ribosomes, smooth ER does not.
  • What is the significance of the Calvin cycle?
    It is the set of chemical reactions that take place in chloroplasts during photosynthesis, producing glucose.
  • Explain the role of ATP in cellular activities.
    ATP provides energy for cellular processes by releasing a phosphate group.
  • What is the difference between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells?
    Prokaryotic cells lack a nucleus and membrane-bound organelles, while eukaryotic cells have both.