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Questions 1 - 10
1

Which of the following type(s) of cell movement are involved in the development of the neural plate into the neural tube?

Convergence and invagination

Convergence

Invagination

Neither convergence nor invagination

Explanation

During the formation of the neural tube, the neural plate—a thick layer of differentiated columnar cells—change shape and undergo certain cell movements. The formation of the neural tube is called primary neurulation. In a complex process, the cells of the neural plate change shape, invaginating the cell layer to form the neural groove. Convergence moves the cells of the neural folds towards the developing neural groove. Eventually, the two edges of the neural plate touch and join together to form the neural tube.

2

How many lone pairs of electrons exist on the following molecule?

BF3

1

0

9

10

11

Explanation

.. ..

:F — B — F: Boron can have a violated octet (6 e-) and each F has 3 lone pairs

.. | .. for a total of 9 pairs of unpaired electrons

:F:

..

3

Which of the following hormones is not involved in the menstrual cycle?

Prolactin

Estrogen

Luteinizing hormone (LH)

Progesterone

Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH)

Explanation

Prolactin is a hormone responsible for the production of milk in the mammary glands of mammals. It is not involved in the menstrual cycle, which is controlled by fluctuating levels of the hormones estrogen, progesterone, luteinizing hormone (LH), and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH).

4

What is the purpose of chromatin?

To maintain structure of the chromosome and assist in controlling the activity of the genes

To maintain structure of the chromosome only

To assist in controlling the activity of the genes only

To hold the sister chromatids together

Explanation

Chromatin serves as a scaffold for DNA and helps regulate gene activity. Chromatin can be condensed, as euchromatin, or loosely packed, as heterochromatin. The compactness of chromatin determines its level of activity. When it is loosely packed, it can be acted upon by DNA replication and/or transcription enzymes, and those genes may be expressed. Centromeres hold sister chromatids together.

5

Which of the following is true regarding meristem tissue in plants?

All of these

It contains undifferentiated cells

It is present in areas of growth

There is a shoot and root apical meristem

Explanation

Meristem tissue contains undifferentiated cells and allows for plant growth. Apical meristems are found in areas of growth, which include the shoot and roots—cells in these tissues divide rapidly.

6

What is the function of a phosphatase?

Remove a phosphate from its ligand

Add a phosphate to its ligand

Change the structure of its ligand

Add an ubiquitin to its ligand

Explanation

The addition and removal of phosphate groups can serve critical functions in the regulation of protein activity. The binding or uncoupling of phosphate groups frequently serves to activate or deactivate proteins.

A phosphatase removes a phosphate group from its ligand.

A kinase is an enzyme that phosphorylates—or adds a phosphate group to—its ligand.

Several different types of proteins can change the structure of a ligand, such as isomerases, and ubiquitin ligases add ubiquitin to their ligands.

7

A population of snails is originally in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. The snails come in two different colors: red, the dominant phenotype, and white, the recessive phenotype. The original population has a dominant allele frequency of and a recessive allele frequency of . A new predator is introduced to the habitat that is particularly fond of the red snails. After a few years the dominant allele frequency has been reduced to .

What is the recessive allele frequency after the introduction of this predator?

Explanation

Most of the information in the question is actually superfluous because we are given the final dominant allele frequency. The dominant allele frequency corresponds to the variable in the Hardy-Weinberg equations.

The question tells us that the dominant allele frequency after introduction of the predator is . Use this value in the first Hardy-Weinberg equation to solve for the recessive allele frequency, .

8

Which of the following ions are intracellularly released during the fertilized egg’s cortical reaction?

Calcium ions

Sodium ions

Chlorine ions

Potassium ions

Explanation

After fertilization and sperm cell penetration of the oocyte, the cortical reaction takes place. During the cortical reaction, a release of intracellular calcium ions triggers the exocytosis of cortical granules. Cortical granules are vesicles in the cortex of the oocyte that contain enzymes that prevent polyspermy. Exocytosis of the cortical granules releases their contents into the extracellular matrix—the zona pellucida in mammals—creating changes to prevent further sperm penetration.

9

Which is not a step of the light independent reaction?

carbon fixation

regeneration of RuBP

production of G3P

light absorption in photosystem II

Explanation

Absorption of sunlight in photosystem II is the first step of the light dependent reaction, not the light independent reaction. During the light independent reaction, or the Calvin Cycle, carbon fixation first occurs. CO2 produced during the light dependent reaction reacts with RuBP, ultimately producing PGA. This reaction is catalyzed by the enzyme Rubisco. Then, PGA is converted to G3P, using ATP and NADPH produced during the light dependent reaction. The G3P is ultimately converted to glucose. Every 3 cycles of the Calvin Cycle (light independent reaction), 6 molecules of G3P are produced; only 1 is used to produce glucose. The remaining 5 molecules of G3P are used to regenerate RuBP to allow the Calvin Cycle to continue.

10

What is the netproduction of ATP molecules in glycolysis?

2

1

3

4

5

Explanation

The net production of ATP is 2.

This is because for glycolysis to occur, 2 ATP must be used. Glycolysis goes on to produce 4 ATP. The loss of 2 ATP and the gain of 4 ATP results in a total net gain of 2 ATP molecules. Note that the ATP produced during glycolysis are via substrate level phosphorylation.

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