Flashcards for:
AP Biology Curriculum Recap

Operons regulate gene expression by controlling the transcription of grouped genes using regulatory elements such as promoters, operators, and repressor proteins that respond to environmental signals.

Crossing over during prophase I of meiosis involves the exchange of genetic material between homologous chromosomes, increasing genetic diversity by producing new combinations of alleles.

Invasive species can outcompete native species for resources, disrupt food webs, and alter habitat conditions, leading to decreased biodiversity and reduced ecosystem stability.

The Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium model predicts allele and genotype frequencies will remain constant from generation to generation in the absence of evolutionary influences, assuming no mutations, random mating, no gene flow, infinite population size, and no selection.

CHNOPS (Carbon, Hydrogen, Nitrogen, Oxygen, Phosphorus, Sulfur) are the primary elements that compose biological macromolecules, essential for the structure and functions of living organisms.

The endosymbiosis theory proposes that mitochondria and chloroplasts originated from free-living prokaryotic cells that were engulfed by an ancestral eukaryotic cell, establishing a symbiotic relationship.

Symbiotic relationships include mutualism (both species benefit), commensalism (one species benefits, the other is unaffected), and parasitism (one species benefits at the expense of the other), shaping species interactions and ecosystem dynamics.

Dehydration synthesis involves the removal of water molecules to form bonds between monomers, creating polymers. Hydrolysis breaks down polymers into monomers by adding water molecules.

Active transport requires energy (ATP) to move substances against their concentration gradient, whereas passive transport involves the movement of substances down their concentration gradient without the use of energy.

Positive feedback mechanisms amplify changes and move the system away from homeostasis (e.g., contractions during childbirth). Negative feedback mechanisms counteract changes to maintain homeostasis (e.g., regulation of blood glucose levels).

Enzymes act as biological catalysts that lower the activation energy of metabolic reactions, thereby increasing the reaction rate without being consumed in the process.

Properties such as cohesion, adhesion, surface tension, high specific heat, and being a universal solvent arise from water’s polarity and the hydrogen bonds between water molecules.

Prokaryotic cells generally have a higher surface area to volume ratio than eukaryotic cells, which allows for more efficient nutrient uptake and waste removal relative to their size.

Saturated fatty acids have no double bonds between carbon atoms, resulting in straight chains that pack closely together, typically solid at room temperature. Unsaturated fatty acids contain one or more double bonds, causing kinks that prevent tight packing, often liquid at room temperature.

The mitotic cell cycle includes Interphase (G1, S, G2) where the cell prepares for division, and Mitosis (Prophase, Metaphase, Anaphase, Telophase) where the cell’s chromosomes are divided, followed by Cytokinesis where the cytoplasm divides, forming two daughter cells.

The key stages of the Calvin Cycle include carbon fixation, reduction phase, and regeneration of RuBP, and they occur in the stroma of chloroplasts.

Osmosis is the diffusion of water molecules across a semipermeable membrane from an area of higher water potential to lower water potential, while simple diffusion involves the movement of solutes down their concentration gradient, without the need for a membrane.

Aquaporins are channel proteins that facilitate the rapid transport of water molecules across cell membranes, essential for maintaining water balance in cells.