AP Bio Exam Study Outline

Introduction

• Designed for AP Bio students preparing for the AP Bio exam.
• Combines College Board’s AP Biology Course and Exam Description with additional insights.
• Provides a structured guideline for assessing key AP Bio concepts and skills.

How to Use the Outline

• Engage in retrieval practice: Recall and write down information based on outlined objectives.
• Identify topics needing review based on your ability to respond to outlined objectives.
• Utilize links to interactive tutorials for further learning.

Additional Study Resources

• Use College Board questions for study.
• Access multiple-choice questions and flashcards for practice.

Unit 1: Chemistry of Life

Topics at a Glance

• Structure of Water and Hydrogen Bonding
• Elements of Life
• Monomers and Polymers
• Carbohydrates and Lipids
• Proteins
• Nucleic Acids

Learning Objectives

Structure of Water and Hydrogen Bonding

1. Molecular structure of water.
2. Physical and chemical properties of water.
3. Cohesion, adhesion, and surface tension due to hydrogen bonding.
4. Importance of water’s properties for life.

Carbon and Life’s Key Elements

• Roles of carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus.
• Dehydration synthesis vs. hydrolysis reactions.
• Structures and functions of carbohydrates and lipids.

Proteins and Nucleic Acids

• Structure and function of amino acids and proteins.
• DNA vs. RNA structure and function.
• DNA and RNA directionality.

Unit 2: Cell Structure and Function

Topics at a Glance

• Cell Parts: Introduction; Animal Cells; Plant Cells
• Cell Size
• Plasma Membranes
• Membrane Transport
• Tonicity and Osmoregulation
• Cellular Compartmentalization
• Origins of Cell Compartmentalization

Learning Objectives

Cell Structure and Function

1. Cell theory basics.
2. Prokaryotic vs. Eukaryotic cells.
3. Cell part structures and functions.

Membrane Structure and Function

• Fluid mosaic model.
• Selective permeability.
• Active vs. passive transport.

Cellular Compartmentalization

• Endomembrane system functions.
• Organelle structures and functions.
• Origins of mitochondria and chloroplasts (endosymbiotic theory).

Unit 3: Cellular Energetics

Topics at a Glance

• Enzyme Structure and Function
• Cellular Energy
• Photosynthesis
• Cellular Respiration

Learning Objectives

Enzymes

• Enzyme properties and functions.
• Effects of environmental changes on enzymes.
• Enzyme inhibition and regulation.

Cell Energy

• Energy flow in cells.
• ATP structure and function.

Photosynthesis

• Photosynthesis location and phases.
• Light reactions and the Calvin cycle.

Cellular Respiration

• Aerobic respiration pathways.
• Glycolysis, Krebs cycle, and electron transport chain.

Unit 4: Cell Communication, Cell Cycle, Feedback

Topics at a Glance

• Cell Communication
• Signal Transduction
• Feedback
• Cell Cycle
• Regulation of the Cell Cycle

Learning Objectives

Cell Signaling and Signal Transduction

• Types of cell communication.
• Signal transduction components.
• Cellular responses to signaling.

Feedback and Homeostasis

• Negative and positive feedback mechanisms.

Cell Cycle

• Eukaryotic cell division.
• Phases and regulation of the cell cycle.

Unit 5: Heredity

Topics at a Glance

• Meiosis and Genetic Diversity
• Mendelian Genetics
• Non-Mendelian Genetics
• Environmental Effects on Phenotype
• Chromosomal Inheritance

Learning Objectives

Meiosis and Genetic Diversity

• Meiosis vs. mitosis.
• Genetic diversity mechanisms.
• Mendel’s laws and genetic variation.

Mendelian Genetics

• Inheritance patterns and probability.
• Sex-linked inheritance.

Non-Mendelian Genetics

• Linkage and recombination.
• Polygenic traits and non-nuclear inheritance.

Unit 6: Gene Expression and Regulation

Topics at a Glance

• Structure of DNA and RNA; DNA Replication
• Transcription and RNA Processing
• Translation
• Regulation of Gene Expression
• Mutation
• Biotechnology

Learning Objectives

DNA and RNA Structure

• Differences between DNA and RNA.
• DNA replication enzymes and processes.

Transcription and Translation

• Central dogma of molecular biology.
• mRNA, tRNA, and rRNA roles.
• RNA processing in eukaryotes.

Gene Regulation

• Operons in prokaryotes.
• Eukaryotic transcription factors.
• Epigenetics.

Biotechnology

• Genetic engineering and electrophoresis.
• PCR and transformation.

Unit 7: Evolution

Topics at a Glance

• Natural and Artificial Selection
• Population Genetics and Hardy-Weinberg
• Evidence of Evolution and Common Ancestry
• Phylogeny
• Speciation and Extinction
• Origin of Life

Learning Objectives

Natural Selection

• Adaptation and fitness.
• Selection effects on allele frequencies.

Population Genetics

• Hardy-Weinberg principles.
• Genetic drift and gene flow.

Evidence of Evolution

• Fossil records and molecular homologies.

Phylogeny

• Inferring evolutionary relationships.
• Phylogenetic trees and molecular clocks.

Speciation

• Mechanisms and concepts of speciation.

Origin of Life

• Key steps in the emergence of life.
• RNA world hypothesis.

Unit 8: Ecology

Topics at a Glance

• Responses to the Environment
• Energy Flow through Ecosystems
• Population and Community Ecology
• Biodiversity and Ecosystem Disruptions

Learning Objectives

Energy Flow

• Endotherms vs. ectotherms.
• Energy flow representation.

Population Ecology

• Exponential vs. logistic growth.
• Density-dependent and independent factors.

Community Ecology

• Species interactions and niche partitioning.
• Keystone species roles.

Disruptions to Ecosystems

• Invasive species and human impacts.

Science Practices

• Concept explanation.
• Visual representation analysis.
• Scientific questioning and methods.
• Data representation and description.
• Statistical tests and data analysis.
• Argumentation and justification.