AP Biology

Learning objectives

• Compare prokaryotic and eukaryotic cell structures and their functions
• Explain the structure and function of major organelles including the endomembrane system
• Describe mechanisms of passive and active transport across membranes
• Explain how compartmentalization organizes cell functions and increases efficiency
• Predict the direction of water movement across a semipermeable membrane given solute concentrations

Learning objectives

• Describe the stages of cellular respiration (glycolysis, Krebs cycle, oxidative phosphorylation) and their locations within the cell
• Explain the light-dependent and light-independent reactions of photosynthesis
• Compare photosynthesis and cellular respiration as complementary energy transformations
• Describe the role of ATP as the energy currency of the cell and the chemiosmotic mechanism
• Analyze how environmental factors like light intensity and CO2 concentration affect the rate of photosynthesis

Learning objectives

• Describe the three stages of cell signaling: reception, transduction, and response
• Explain how positive and negative feedback mechanisms maintain homeostasis
• Describe the stages and regulation of the cell cycle including checkpoints
• Explain how disruptions to cell cycle regulation can lead to cancer
• Compare signal amplification in different transduction pathways

Learning objectives

• Describe the process of meiosis and how it produces genetic variation
• Apply Mendel's laws of segregation and independent assortment to predict inheritance patterns
• Explain non-Mendelian inheritance including incomplete dominance, codominance, epistasis, and polygenic traits
• Describe how crossing over, independent assortment, and random fertilization contribute to genetic diversity
• Use chi-square analysis to evaluate whether observed genetic ratios match expected Mendelian ratios

Learning objectives

• Describe DNA structure and the process of semiconservative replication
• Explain the steps of transcription and translation in gene expression
• Describe mechanisms of gene regulation in prokaryotes (operons) and eukaryotes (transcription factors, epigenetics)
• Evaluate the impact of different types of mutations on protein structure and function
• Explain applications of biotechnology including gel electrophoresis, PCR, and genetic engineering

Learning objectives

• Describe multiple lines of evidence supporting biological evolution (fossil, molecular, anatomical, biogeographic)
• Explain how natural selection drives adaptation in populations
• Analyze Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium and identify the five causes of allele frequency change
• Distinguish between allopatric and sympatric speciation and the role of reproductive isolation
• Interpret phylogenetic trees and use them to determine evolutionary relationships

Learning objectives

• Trace energy flow through trophic levels in an ecosystem and explain the 10% rule
• Explain biogeochemical cycles including the carbon and nitrogen cycles
• Analyze population growth models (exponential vs logistic) and identify density-dependent and density-independent limiting factors
• Describe community interactions including symbiosis, competition, predation, and keystone species
• Evaluate the impact of human activity on biodiversity, climate change, and ecosystem stability