ULTIMATE AP BIOLOGY VOCABULARY
REVIEW TEST QUESTIONS WITH
COMPLETE ANSWERS
decent with modification - Answer-Darwin's way of referring to evolution.
MRSA - Answer-Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.
fitness - Answer-Individuals whose inherited traits confer an advantage have a better
chance of surviving in a given environment and will leave more offspring.
homology - Answer-Similarity resulting from common ancestry.
homologous structures - Answer-Same structure, different function. Comes from
common ancestor.
comparative embryology - Answer-Embryos of vertebrates share many anatomical
homologies.
vestigial structures - Answer-Are little or no importance to organism, but remain from an
ancestor.
biogeography - Answer-Geographic distribution of species.
microevolution - Answer-Change in genetic makeup of a population from generation to
generation.
macroevolution - Answer-Evolutionary change above the species level.
population - Answer-Group of individuals of the same species living in the same area.
population genetics - Answer-Study of allele frequency distribution and change under
the influence of evolutionary processes.
gene pool - Answer-All the genes in a given population at a given time.
allele frequency - Answer-Proportion of an allele in a gene pool.
Hardy-Weinberg Theorem - Answer-Helps measure changes in allele frequencies over
time
. Provides an "ideal" population to use as a basis of comparison.
mutation - Answer-Changes in the nucleotide sequence in DNA.
,sexual recombination - Answer-Crossing over and shuffling of genes during meiosis.
genetic drift - Answer-Change in allele frequencies due to chance.
bottleneck effect - Answer-When a population has been dramatically reduced, and the
gene pool is no longer reflective of the original population's.
founder effect - Answer-When a small number of individuals colonize a new area; the
new gene pool is not reflective of original population.
gene flow - Answer-When a population gains or loses alleles., movement of alleles into
or out of a population due to the migration of individuals to or from the population.
genetic variation - Answer-Heritable variations in a population.
discrete characteristics - Answer-Characteristics that are classified on an either-or
basis, determined by a single gene locus.
quantitative characteristics - Answer-Characteristics that vary along a continuum,
usually due to influence of two or more genes.
glycogen - Answer-Extremely branched polymer of glucose.
chitin - Answer-Polysaccharide found in arthropod exoskeletons and fungal cell walls.
-ose - Answer-Suffix of a sugar.
tryiacylglycerol - Answer-Glycerol and three fatty acids.
steroids - Answer-Made of four rings of carbon.
cholesterol - Answer-Steroid common in cell membranes, also in many hormones.
peptide bond - Answer-Bonds that connect amino acids.
Fredrick Sanger - Answer-Determined amino acid sequence of proteins.
disulphide bridges - Answer-Reinforce tertiary structure.
primary structure - Answer-Chain of amino acids.
secondary structure - Answer-Either an alpha helix or beta pleated sheet.
tertiary structure - Answer-Results from interactions between side chains.
,quaternary structure - Answer-Results from two or more polypeptide subunits.
-in - Answer-Suffix of a protein.
purines - Answer-Bases with a double-ring structure.
pyrimidines - Answer-Bases with a single-ring structure.
phosphodiester bonds - Answer-Bonds between phosphate group and pentose sugar in
nucleic acids.
synthesis - Answer-To put together.
digestion - Answer-To break apart.
dehydration synthesis - Answer-Condensation reaction where molecules are connected
by loss of a water molecule.
hydrolysis - Answer-Reaction where water split into
two hydrogens and one oxygen; this breaks a polymer.
anabolism - Answer-Metabolic pathways that construct molecules, requiring energy.
catabolism - Answer-Metabolic pathways that break down molecules, releasing energy.
natural selection - Answer-A population can change over time if individuals with more fit
traits leave more offspring than less fit individuals.
evolutionary adaptation - Answer-An accumulation of inherited characteristics that
enhance organisms' ability to survive and reproduce in specific environments.
artificial selection - Answer-Humans modifying species for desired traits through
selective breeding.
geographic variation - Answer-Difference in variation between population subgroups in
different areas.
cline - Answer-A graded change in a trait along a geographic axis.
relative fitness - Answer-Fitness of a particular genotype.
directional selection - Answer-Shift toward a favorable variation.
disruptive selection - Answer-Shift toward the extremes.
stabilizing selection - Answer-Shift that favors the mean.
, heterozygous advantage - Answer-Maintains recessive alleles in a population,
sexual selection - Answer-Natural selection for mating success.
sexual dimorphism - Answer-Differences between the sexes in secondary sexual
characteristics.
speciation - Answer-Origin of new species and the source of biological diversity.
biological species concept - Answer-Species is a group of populations whose members
have the potential to produce fertile offspring.
reproductive isolation - Answer-Barriers that impede members of two different species
fro producing fertile offspring.
prezygotic barriers - Answer-Barriers that impede mating or hinder fertilization.
habitat isolation - Answer-When two species encounter each other only rarely.
temporal isolation - Answer-When two species breed at different times of day, season,
or years.
behavioral isolation - Answer-Incompatible courtship rituals, pheromones, or bird songs.
mechanical isolation - Answer-Morphological differences prevent fertilization.
gametic isolation - Answer-When sperm can't fertilize the eggs.
postzygotic barriers - Answer-Barriers that prevent the hybrid zygote from becoming a
fertile adult.
reduced hybrid viability - Answer-When the genes of different species interact and
impair hybrid development.
reduced hybrid fertility - Answer-Sterile hybrids due to uneven chromosome number.
hybrid breakdown - Answer-Hybrid is fertile, but when they breed the next generation is
sterile.
allopatric speciation - Answer-When a population is divided; leads to speciation.
sympatric speciation - Answer-Speciation without a divided population.
polyploidy - Answer-In plants, the result of an extra set of chromosomes during cell
division.
REVIEW TEST QUESTIONS WITH
COMPLETE ANSWERS
decent with modification - Answer-Darwin's way of referring to evolution.
MRSA - Answer-Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.
fitness - Answer-Individuals whose inherited traits confer an advantage have a better
chance of surviving in a given environment and will leave more offspring.
homology - Answer-Similarity resulting from common ancestry.
homologous structures - Answer-Same structure, different function. Comes from
common ancestor.
comparative embryology - Answer-Embryos of vertebrates share many anatomical
homologies.
vestigial structures - Answer-Are little or no importance to organism, but remain from an
ancestor.
biogeography - Answer-Geographic distribution of species.
microevolution - Answer-Change in genetic makeup of a population from generation to
generation.
macroevolution - Answer-Evolutionary change above the species level.
population - Answer-Group of individuals of the same species living in the same area.
population genetics - Answer-Study of allele frequency distribution and change under
the influence of evolutionary processes.
gene pool - Answer-All the genes in a given population at a given time.
allele frequency - Answer-Proportion of an allele in a gene pool.
Hardy-Weinberg Theorem - Answer-Helps measure changes in allele frequencies over
time
. Provides an "ideal" population to use as a basis of comparison.
mutation - Answer-Changes in the nucleotide sequence in DNA.
,sexual recombination - Answer-Crossing over and shuffling of genes during meiosis.
genetic drift - Answer-Change in allele frequencies due to chance.
bottleneck effect - Answer-When a population has been dramatically reduced, and the
gene pool is no longer reflective of the original population's.
founder effect - Answer-When a small number of individuals colonize a new area; the
new gene pool is not reflective of original population.
gene flow - Answer-When a population gains or loses alleles., movement of alleles into
or out of a population due to the migration of individuals to or from the population.
genetic variation - Answer-Heritable variations in a population.
discrete characteristics - Answer-Characteristics that are classified on an either-or
basis, determined by a single gene locus.
quantitative characteristics - Answer-Characteristics that vary along a continuum,
usually due to influence of two or more genes.
glycogen - Answer-Extremely branched polymer of glucose.
chitin - Answer-Polysaccharide found in arthropod exoskeletons and fungal cell walls.
-ose - Answer-Suffix of a sugar.
tryiacylglycerol - Answer-Glycerol and three fatty acids.
steroids - Answer-Made of four rings of carbon.
cholesterol - Answer-Steroid common in cell membranes, also in many hormones.
peptide bond - Answer-Bonds that connect amino acids.
Fredrick Sanger - Answer-Determined amino acid sequence of proteins.
disulphide bridges - Answer-Reinforce tertiary structure.
primary structure - Answer-Chain of amino acids.
secondary structure - Answer-Either an alpha helix or beta pleated sheet.
tertiary structure - Answer-Results from interactions between side chains.
,quaternary structure - Answer-Results from two or more polypeptide subunits.
-in - Answer-Suffix of a protein.
purines - Answer-Bases with a double-ring structure.
pyrimidines - Answer-Bases with a single-ring structure.
phosphodiester bonds - Answer-Bonds between phosphate group and pentose sugar in
nucleic acids.
synthesis - Answer-To put together.
digestion - Answer-To break apart.
dehydration synthesis - Answer-Condensation reaction where molecules are connected
by loss of a water molecule.
hydrolysis - Answer-Reaction where water split into
two hydrogens and one oxygen; this breaks a polymer.
anabolism - Answer-Metabolic pathways that construct molecules, requiring energy.
catabolism - Answer-Metabolic pathways that break down molecules, releasing energy.
natural selection - Answer-A population can change over time if individuals with more fit
traits leave more offspring than less fit individuals.
evolutionary adaptation - Answer-An accumulation of inherited characteristics that
enhance organisms' ability to survive and reproduce in specific environments.
artificial selection - Answer-Humans modifying species for desired traits through
selective breeding.
geographic variation - Answer-Difference in variation between population subgroups in
different areas.
cline - Answer-A graded change in a trait along a geographic axis.
relative fitness - Answer-Fitness of a particular genotype.
directional selection - Answer-Shift toward a favorable variation.
disruptive selection - Answer-Shift toward the extremes.
stabilizing selection - Answer-Shift that favors the mean.
, heterozygous advantage - Answer-Maintains recessive alleles in a population,
sexual selection - Answer-Natural selection for mating success.
sexual dimorphism - Answer-Differences between the sexes in secondary sexual
characteristics.
speciation - Answer-Origin of new species and the source of biological diversity.
biological species concept - Answer-Species is a group of populations whose members
have the potential to produce fertile offspring.
reproductive isolation - Answer-Barriers that impede members of two different species
fro producing fertile offspring.
prezygotic barriers - Answer-Barriers that impede mating or hinder fertilization.
habitat isolation - Answer-When two species encounter each other only rarely.
temporal isolation - Answer-When two species breed at different times of day, season,
or years.
behavioral isolation - Answer-Incompatible courtship rituals, pheromones, or bird songs.
mechanical isolation - Answer-Morphological differences prevent fertilization.
gametic isolation - Answer-When sperm can't fertilize the eggs.
postzygotic barriers - Answer-Barriers that prevent the hybrid zygote from becoming a
fertile adult.
reduced hybrid viability - Answer-When the genes of different species interact and
impair hybrid development.
reduced hybrid fertility - Answer-Sterile hybrids due to uneven chromosome number.
hybrid breakdown - Answer-Hybrid is fertile, but when they breed the next generation is
sterile.
allopatric speciation - Answer-When a population is divided; leads to speciation.
sympatric speciation - Answer-Speciation without a divided population.
polyploidy - Answer-In plants, the result of an extra set of chromosomes during cell
division.
