AP BIOLOGY EXAM REVIEW (KEY
TERMS AND CONCEPTS) QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS
Polymer - Answer-A large molecule consisting of many repeating chemical units or
molecules linked together.
Lipids - Answer-Energy-rich organic compounds, such as fats, oils, waxes, and steroids
that are made of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen.
Hydrophilic - Answer-Attracted to water.
Hydrophobic - Answer-Having an aversion to water; tending to coalesce and form
droplets in water.
Are lipids hydrophilic or hydrophobic? - Answer-Lipids are hydrophobic because
molecules consist of long, 16-18 carbon, hydrocarbon backbones with only a small
amount of oxygen containing groups.
Polar - Answer-Having a pair of equal and opposite charges.
Give an example of a polar molecule. Explain. - Answer-Water
- Oxygen: Electronegative
- Hydrogen: Slightly Positive
What does the highly polar (having a pair of equal and opposite charges) water
molecule allow to occur? - Answer-Hydrogen Bonding
- The strong hydrogen interactions between molecules of water.
What are the characteristics of water? - Answer-Cohesion, Adhesion, Capillary Action,
Surface Tension, High Specific Heat, High Heat of Vaporization, and that ice is less
dense than water.
Cohesion - Answer-Attraction between molecules of the same substance. This is due to
the hydrogen bonds holding the water molecules together.
Adhesion - Answer-An attraction between molecules of DIFFERENT substances.
Example: Adhesion keeps the water drops on the surfaces of leaves and flowers in
place.
Surface Tension - Answer-A measure of how difficult it is to stretch or break the surface
of a liquid.
TERMS AND CONCEPTS) QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS
Polymer - Answer-A large molecule consisting of many repeating chemical units or
molecules linked together.
Lipids - Answer-Energy-rich organic compounds, such as fats, oils, waxes, and steroids
that are made of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen.
Hydrophilic - Answer-Attracted to water.
Hydrophobic - Answer-Having an aversion to water; tending to coalesce and form
droplets in water.
Are lipids hydrophilic or hydrophobic? - Answer-Lipids are hydrophobic because
molecules consist of long, 16-18 carbon, hydrocarbon backbones with only a small
amount of oxygen containing groups.
Polar - Answer-Having a pair of equal and opposite charges.
Give an example of a polar molecule. Explain. - Answer-Water
- Oxygen: Electronegative
- Hydrogen: Slightly Positive
What does the highly polar (having a pair of equal and opposite charges) water
molecule allow to occur? - Answer-Hydrogen Bonding
- The strong hydrogen interactions between molecules of water.
What are the characteristics of water? - Answer-Cohesion, Adhesion, Capillary Action,
Surface Tension, High Specific Heat, High Heat of Vaporization, and that ice is less
dense than water.
Cohesion - Answer-Attraction between molecules of the same substance. This is due to
the hydrogen bonds holding the water molecules together.
Adhesion - Answer-An attraction between molecules of DIFFERENT substances.
Example: Adhesion keeps the water drops on the surfaces of leaves and flowers in
place.
Surface Tension - Answer-A measure of how difficult it is to stretch or break the surface
of a liquid.
