AP BIOLOGY EXAM TERMS QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS
chemiosmosis - Answer-coupling of the movement of electrons down the ETC with the
formation of ATP using the driving force provided by the proton gradient; occurs in both
cell respiration and photosynthesis to produce ATP
ATP synthase - Answer-enzyme responsible for using protons to actually produce ATP
from ADP
fermentation - Answer-process that regenerates NAD+ so glycolsis can begin again;
occurs in absence of oxygen
alcohol fermentation - Answer-occurs in fungi, yeast, and bacteria; causes conversion of
pyruvate to ethanol
lactic acid fermentation - Answer-occurs in humans and animal muscles; causes
conversion of pyruvate -> lactate; causes cramping sensation when oxygen runs low in
muscles
photosynthesis - Answer-process by which plants use the energy from light to generate
sugar; occurs in chloroplasts; light reactions (thylakoid), and Calvin cycle (stroma)
autotroph - Answer-self-nourishing organism that is also known as a producer (plants)
heterotrophs - Answer-organisms that must consume other organisms to obtain
energy--consmers
transpiration - Answer-loss of water via evaporation through the stomata
photophosphorylation - Answer-process by which ATP is made during light reactions
photolysis - Answer-process by which water is split into hydrogen ions and oxygen
atoms (light reactions)
stomata - Answer-structure through which CO2 enters a plant, and water vapor and
oxygen leave plant
pigment - Answer-molecule that absorbs light of a particular wavelength (chlorophyll,
carotenoid, phycobilins)
C4 plants - Answer-plants that have adapted their photosynthetic process to more
efficiently handle hot and dry conditions
,C4 photosynthesis - Answer-process that first converts CO2 into a 4-carbon molecule in
the mesophyll cells, converts that product to malate and then shuttles it to the bundle
sheath cells, where the malate releases CO2 and rubisco picks it up as if all were
normal
CAM plants - Answer-plants close their stomata during the day, collect CO2 at night,
and store the CO2 in the form of acids until it is needed during the day for
photosynthesis
binary fission - Answer-prokaryotic cell division; double the DNA, double the size, then
split apart
cell cycle - Answer-growth 1 -> synthesis -> growth 2 -> mitosis
cytokinesis - Answer-physical separation of newly formed daughter cells of cell division
cell division control mechanisms - Answer-growth factors, checkpoints, density-
dependent inhibition, and cyclins and protein kinases
growth factors - Answer-factors then when present, promote growth, and when absent,
impede growth
checkpoints - Answer-a cell stops growing to make sure it has the nutrients and raw
materials to proceed
density-dependent inhibition - Answer-cell stops growing when certain density is
reached
cyclins and protein kinases - Answer-cyclin combines with CDK to form a structure
known as MPF that pushes cell into mitosis when enough is present
haploid (n) - Answer-one copy of each chromosome
diploid (2n) - Answer-two copies of each chromosome
homologous chromosomes - Answer-chromosomes that are similar in shape, size, and
function
spermatogenesis - Answer-the process of male gamete formation (four sperm from one
cell)
oogenesis - Answer-the process of female gamete formation (one ovum from each cell)
rough ER - Answer-found in eukaryotes; synthesizes proteins to secrete or send to
plasma membrane; contains ribosomes on cytoplasmic surface
, Golgi - Answer-found in eukaryotes; modifies lipids, proteins to secrete or send to
plasma membrane; contains ribosomes on cytoplasmic surface
mitochondria - Answer-found in eukaryotes; power plant of cell; hosts major energy-
producing steps of respiration
lysosome - Answer-found in eukaryotes; contains enzymes that digest organic
compounds; serves as cell's stomach
nucleus - Answer-found in eukaryotes; control center of cell; host for transcription,
replication, and DNA
peroxisome - Answer-found in eukaryotes; breakdown of fatty acids, detoxification of
alcohol
chloroplast - Answer-found in plant cells eukaryotes; site of photosynthesis in plants
cytoskeleton - Answer-found in eukaryotes; skeleton of cell; consists of microtubules,
microfilaments, and intermediate filaments
vacuole - Answer-large in plant cells and small in animal cells; storage vaults of cells
centrioles - Answer-found in animal cells eukaryote; part of microtubule separation
apparatus that assist cell division in animal cells
fluid mosaic model - Answer-plasma membrane is selectively permeable phosolipid
bilayer with proteins of various lengths and sizes interspersed with cholesterol among
the phospholipids
integral proteins - Answer-proteins implanted within lipid bilayer of plasma membrane
diffusion - Answer-passive movement of substances down their concentration gradient
(from high to low concentrations)
osmosis - Answer-passive movement of water from the side of low solute concentration
to the side of high solute concentration
facilitated diffusion - Answer-assisted transport of particles across membrane (no
energy input)
active transport - Answer-movement of substances against concentration gradient (low
to high concentrations; requires energy input)
endocytosis - Answer-phagocytosis of particles into cell through the use of vesicles
AND ANSWERS
chemiosmosis - Answer-coupling of the movement of electrons down the ETC with the
formation of ATP using the driving force provided by the proton gradient; occurs in both
cell respiration and photosynthesis to produce ATP
ATP synthase - Answer-enzyme responsible for using protons to actually produce ATP
from ADP
fermentation - Answer-process that regenerates NAD+ so glycolsis can begin again;
occurs in absence of oxygen
alcohol fermentation - Answer-occurs in fungi, yeast, and bacteria; causes conversion of
pyruvate to ethanol
lactic acid fermentation - Answer-occurs in humans and animal muscles; causes
conversion of pyruvate -> lactate; causes cramping sensation when oxygen runs low in
muscles
photosynthesis - Answer-process by which plants use the energy from light to generate
sugar; occurs in chloroplasts; light reactions (thylakoid), and Calvin cycle (stroma)
autotroph - Answer-self-nourishing organism that is also known as a producer (plants)
heterotrophs - Answer-organisms that must consume other organisms to obtain
energy--consmers
transpiration - Answer-loss of water via evaporation through the stomata
photophosphorylation - Answer-process by which ATP is made during light reactions
photolysis - Answer-process by which water is split into hydrogen ions and oxygen
atoms (light reactions)
stomata - Answer-structure through which CO2 enters a plant, and water vapor and
oxygen leave plant
pigment - Answer-molecule that absorbs light of a particular wavelength (chlorophyll,
carotenoid, phycobilins)
C4 plants - Answer-plants that have adapted their photosynthetic process to more
efficiently handle hot and dry conditions
,C4 photosynthesis - Answer-process that first converts CO2 into a 4-carbon molecule in
the mesophyll cells, converts that product to malate and then shuttles it to the bundle
sheath cells, where the malate releases CO2 and rubisco picks it up as if all were
normal
CAM plants - Answer-plants close their stomata during the day, collect CO2 at night,
and store the CO2 in the form of acids until it is needed during the day for
photosynthesis
binary fission - Answer-prokaryotic cell division; double the DNA, double the size, then
split apart
cell cycle - Answer-growth 1 -> synthesis -> growth 2 -> mitosis
cytokinesis - Answer-physical separation of newly formed daughter cells of cell division
cell division control mechanisms - Answer-growth factors, checkpoints, density-
dependent inhibition, and cyclins and protein kinases
growth factors - Answer-factors then when present, promote growth, and when absent,
impede growth
checkpoints - Answer-a cell stops growing to make sure it has the nutrients and raw
materials to proceed
density-dependent inhibition - Answer-cell stops growing when certain density is
reached
cyclins and protein kinases - Answer-cyclin combines with CDK to form a structure
known as MPF that pushes cell into mitosis when enough is present
haploid (n) - Answer-one copy of each chromosome
diploid (2n) - Answer-two copies of each chromosome
homologous chromosomes - Answer-chromosomes that are similar in shape, size, and
function
spermatogenesis - Answer-the process of male gamete formation (four sperm from one
cell)
oogenesis - Answer-the process of female gamete formation (one ovum from each cell)
rough ER - Answer-found in eukaryotes; synthesizes proteins to secrete or send to
plasma membrane; contains ribosomes on cytoplasmic surface
, Golgi - Answer-found in eukaryotes; modifies lipids, proteins to secrete or send to
plasma membrane; contains ribosomes on cytoplasmic surface
mitochondria - Answer-found in eukaryotes; power plant of cell; hosts major energy-
producing steps of respiration
lysosome - Answer-found in eukaryotes; contains enzymes that digest organic
compounds; serves as cell's stomach
nucleus - Answer-found in eukaryotes; control center of cell; host for transcription,
replication, and DNA
peroxisome - Answer-found in eukaryotes; breakdown of fatty acids, detoxification of
alcohol
chloroplast - Answer-found in plant cells eukaryotes; site of photosynthesis in plants
cytoskeleton - Answer-found in eukaryotes; skeleton of cell; consists of microtubules,
microfilaments, and intermediate filaments
vacuole - Answer-large in plant cells and small in animal cells; storage vaults of cells
centrioles - Answer-found in animal cells eukaryote; part of microtubule separation
apparatus that assist cell division in animal cells
fluid mosaic model - Answer-plasma membrane is selectively permeable phosolipid
bilayer with proteins of various lengths and sizes interspersed with cholesterol among
the phospholipids
integral proteins - Answer-proteins implanted within lipid bilayer of plasma membrane
diffusion - Answer-passive movement of substances down their concentration gradient
(from high to low concentrations)
osmosis - Answer-passive movement of water from the side of low solute concentration
to the side of high solute concentration
facilitated diffusion - Answer-assisted transport of particles across membrane (no
energy input)
active transport - Answer-movement of substances against concentration gradient (low
to high concentrations; requires energy input)
endocytosis - Answer-phagocytosis of particles into cell through the use of vesicles
