AP Biology Curriculum Overview

Introduction

• Speaker: Melanie King from Absolute Recap
• Goal: Recap all eight units of the AP Biology curriculum with key terms, concepts, and equations for the exam.
• Study Method: Triage approach (similar to emergency room triage)
  • Triage topics using a stoplight color-coding system:
    • Green: Fully understood topics
    • Yellow: Familiar topics
    • Red: Unfamiliar topics

Unit 1: Chemistry of Life

• Water Properties:
  • Polar molecule, hydrogen bonds
  • Properties: cohesion, adhesion, surface tension, high specific heat, universal solvent
• Elements: Carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, phosphorus, sulfur
• Biological Molecules:
  • Carbohydrates: C-H-O ratio, functions (energy storage, structure)
  • Lipids: Nonpolar, hydrocarbon chains, fatty acids (saturated/unsaturated)
  • Proteins: Polypeptides, diverse roles (enzymes, transport, receptors)
  • Nucleic Acids: DNA & RNA, nucleotide monomers
• Reactions: Dehydration synthesis and hydrolysis

Unit 2: Cell Structure and Function

• Cell Types: Prokaryotic vs Eukaryotic
• Cell Size: Importance of surface area to volume ratio
• Organelles: Membrane-bound (except ribosomes), endomembrane system
• Transport Types:
  • Active (requires ATP) vs Passive (diffusion, facilitated diffusion)
  • Osmosis, water potential, vesicle transport

Unit 3: Cellular Energetics

• Enzymes: Proteins that lower activation energy
• Photosynthesis: Light reactions, Calvin cycle
• Cellular Respiration: Glycolysis, Krebs cycle, electron transport chain
• Fermentation: Occurs without oxygen
• Fitness: Organisms adapt and survive

Unit 4: Cell Communication and Cell Cycle

• Signaling: Autocrine, paracrine, endocrine
• Signal Transduction: Reception, transduction, response
• Feedback: Positive and negative feedback mechanisms
• Cell Cycle: Interphase, mitosis, cytokinesis, regulation

Unit 5: Heredity

• Meiosis: Formation of gametes, genetic diversity
• Genetics: Mendelian and non-Mendelian inheritance
• Genetic Disorders: Non-disjunction, deletion, inversion, translocation

Unit 6: Gene Expression and Regulation

• DNA & RNA: Structure and function
• Replication: Semi-conservative, DNA polymerase, leading/lagging strands
• Protein Synthesis: Transcription and translation
• Mutations: Effects on proteins
• Biotechnology: PCR, gel electrophoresis, DNA sequencing

Unit 7: Natural Selection

• Evolution: Genetic variation, survival of the fittest
• Human Impact: Artificial selection
• Evidence of Evolution: Fossils, biogeography, structures

Unit 8: Ecology

• Energy Flow: Food webs, trophic levels
• Population Growth: Limiting factors, carrying capacity
• Community Dynamics: Niches, keystone species, symbiosis
• Human Impact: Habitat modification, extinctions

Conclusion

• Eight units with different exam weightings
• Focus study on red topics first, then yellow, skip green
• Additional resources available for further study