AP BIOLOGY MIDTERM REVIEW 2026/2027 VERIFIED
QUESTIONS WITH ANSWERS
Dehydration - ANSWER-connecting monomers together by the removal of water
Hydrolysis - ANSWER-disassembling polymers by the addition of water
Disaccharides - ANSWER-glucose + glucose = maltose / glucose + fructose = sucrose /
glucose + galactose = lactose
Polysaccharides - ANSWER-Plants: starch (energy) and cellulose (structure)
Animals: glycogen (energy) and chitin (structure)
*Lipids - ANSWER-hydrophobic (very non-polar), consist of long hydrocarbon chains
Fats - ANSWER-consist of glycerol and 3 fatty acids, store long term energy, saturated
= no double bond in hydrocarbon tails (no kink), unsaturated = double bond (kink)
Phospholipids - ANSWER-consist of phosphate head, glycerol, and 2 fatty acid tails, tail
is hydrophobic, head is hydrophillic
Protein structure and organization - ANSWER-composed of an amino group, a carboxyl
group, hydrogen, and an R group, joined by peptide bonds and folded numerous times;
1) Primary (linear sequence) 2) Secondary (helix or pleat) 3) Tertiary 4) Quaternary
(globular)
Protein functions (8) - ANSWER-1) enzymes 2) antibodies 3) storage proteins 4)
transport proteins 5) hormones 6) receptor proteins 7) motor proteins 8) structural
proteins
*Nucleic Acids - ANSWER-DNA (A+T, G+C) carries genetic info, RNA (A+U, G+C)
manufactures proteins
Nuclear Envelope - ANSWER-double membrane enclosing the nucleus (where genetic
info is stored) perforated with pores, continuous with ER
Chromatin - ANSWER-uncondensed DNA that forms chromosomes during cell division
Nucleolus - ANSWER-nonmembranous structure involved in production of ribosomes, a
nucleus has one or more of these
Rough ER - ANSWER-covered in ribosomes, secretes and transports proteins
produced by ribosomes
, Smooth ER - ANSWER-metabollic processes (synthesis of lipids, metabolism of carbs,
detoxification of drugs and poisons)
Golgi - ANSWER-stores, transports, and secretes cell products
Cytoskeleton - ANSWER-supports cell, maintains its shape, aids in movement of cell
products
Centrosomes (2 centrioles) - ANSWER-only in animal cells, microtubules used for cell
division
Lysosomes - ANSWER-only in animal cells, digestive organelles
Flagella - ANSWER-only in animal cells, cluster of microtubules for motility
Extracellular Matrix - ANSWER-only in animal cells, made of proteins that provide
support for cells and relay information for communication between the environment and
the cell
Central Vacuole - ANSWER-only in plant cells, stores water and sugar, breaks down
waste, and used as a mechanism for plant growth (when it swells)
Prokaryotic vs. Eukaryotic - ANSWER-nucleoid / nucleus; only ribosomes / complex
membrane-bound organelles; both have same genetic coding, sugars, and amino acids
Phospholipid Bilayer - ANSWER-tails of phospholipids are loosely packed and are in
constant motion; membrane contains integral and peripheral proteins, cholestrol, and
glycopreotins and glycolipids; cholesterol makes the membrane less permeable to water
and other substances; non-polar and small polar molecules can pass through unadied
Passive trasport - ANSWER-movement of molecules without requirement of energy: 1)
diffusion 2) osmosis (across a membrane) 3) facilitated diffusion (helped by transport
proteins)
Active transport - ANSWER-movement of molecules that requires energy: 1) sodium-
potassium pumps 2) exocytosis 3) endocytosis (phagocytosis, pinocytosis)
Membrane Potential - ANSWER-voltage across a membrane due to difference in
positive and negative ions, electrons move from high to low concentration (ex. sodium-
potassium pumps in neurons)
Electrochemical Gradient - ANSWER-diffusion gradient resulting in combination of
membrane potential and concentration gradient
Hypertonic - ANSWER-solution with higher concentration of solutes, animal/plant cell in
this solution would become shiveled/plasmolyzed
QUESTIONS WITH ANSWERS
Dehydration - ANSWER-connecting monomers together by the removal of water
Hydrolysis - ANSWER-disassembling polymers by the addition of water
Disaccharides - ANSWER-glucose + glucose = maltose / glucose + fructose = sucrose /
glucose + galactose = lactose
Polysaccharides - ANSWER-Plants: starch (energy) and cellulose (structure)
Animals: glycogen (energy) and chitin (structure)
*Lipids - ANSWER-hydrophobic (very non-polar), consist of long hydrocarbon chains
Fats - ANSWER-consist of glycerol and 3 fatty acids, store long term energy, saturated
= no double bond in hydrocarbon tails (no kink), unsaturated = double bond (kink)
Phospholipids - ANSWER-consist of phosphate head, glycerol, and 2 fatty acid tails, tail
is hydrophobic, head is hydrophillic
Protein structure and organization - ANSWER-composed of an amino group, a carboxyl
group, hydrogen, and an R group, joined by peptide bonds and folded numerous times;
1) Primary (linear sequence) 2) Secondary (helix or pleat) 3) Tertiary 4) Quaternary
(globular)
Protein functions (8) - ANSWER-1) enzymes 2) antibodies 3) storage proteins 4)
transport proteins 5) hormones 6) receptor proteins 7) motor proteins 8) structural
proteins
*Nucleic Acids - ANSWER-DNA (A+T, G+C) carries genetic info, RNA (A+U, G+C)
manufactures proteins
Nuclear Envelope - ANSWER-double membrane enclosing the nucleus (where genetic
info is stored) perforated with pores, continuous with ER
Chromatin - ANSWER-uncondensed DNA that forms chromosomes during cell division
Nucleolus - ANSWER-nonmembranous structure involved in production of ribosomes, a
nucleus has one or more of these
Rough ER - ANSWER-covered in ribosomes, secretes and transports proteins
produced by ribosomes
, Smooth ER - ANSWER-metabollic processes (synthesis of lipids, metabolism of carbs,
detoxification of drugs and poisons)
Golgi - ANSWER-stores, transports, and secretes cell products
Cytoskeleton - ANSWER-supports cell, maintains its shape, aids in movement of cell
products
Centrosomes (2 centrioles) - ANSWER-only in animal cells, microtubules used for cell
division
Lysosomes - ANSWER-only in animal cells, digestive organelles
Flagella - ANSWER-only in animal cells, cluster of microtubules for motility
Extracellular Matrix - ANSWER-only in animal cells, made of proteins that provide
support for cells and relay information for communication between the environment and
the cell
Central Vacuole - ANSWER-only in plant cells, stores water and sugar, breaks down
waste, and used as a mechanism for plant growth (when it swells)
Prokaryotic vs. Eukaryotic - ANSWER-nucleoid / nucleus; only ribosomes / complex
membrane-bound organelles; both have same genetic coding, sugars, and amino acids
Phospholipid Bilayer - ANSWER-tails of phospholipids are loosely packed and are in
constant motion; membrane contains integral and peripheral proteins, cholestrol, and
glycopreotins and glycolipids; cholesterol makes the membrane less permeable to water
and other substances; non-polar and small polar molecules can pass through unadied
Passive trasport - ANSWER-movement of molecules without requirement of energy: 1)
diffusion 2) osmosis (across a membrane) 3) facilitated diffusion (helped by transport
proteins)
Active transport - ANSWER-movement of molecules that requires energy: 1) sodium-
potassium pumps 2) exocytosis 3) endocytosis (phagocytosis, pinocytosis)
Membrane Potential - ANSWER-voltage across a membrane due to difference in
positive and negative ions, electrons move from high to low concentration (ex. sodium-
potassium pumps in neurons)
Electrochemical Gradient - ANSWER-diffusion gradient resulting in combination of
membrane potential and concentration gradient
Hypertonic - ANSWER-solution with higher concentration of solutes, animal/plant cell in
this solution would become shiveled/plasmolyzed
