5 Steps to a 5: AP Biology 2017 (2016)

STEP 5

Build Your Test-Taking Confidence

AP Biology Practice Exam 1

AP Biology Practice Exam 2

PART A: MULTIPLE-CHOICE QUESTIONS

PART B: GRID-IN QUESTIONS

PART A: MULTIPLE-CHOICE QUESTIONS

Time—1 hour and 30 minutes (for Parts A and B)

For the multiple-choice questions that follow, select the best answer and fill in the appropriate letter on the answer sheet.

1 . Which of the following characteristics would allow you to distinguish a prokaryotic cell from an animal cell?

A. Ribosomes

B. Cell membrane

C. Chloroplasts

D. Cell wall

2 . Which of the following is the source of oxygen produced during photosynthesis?

A. H₂ O

B. H₂ O₂

C. CO₂

D. CO

3 . An organism exposed to wild temperature fluctuations shows very little, if any, change in its metabolic rate. This organism is most probably a

A. ectotherm.

B. endotherm.

C. thermophyle.

D. ascospore.

4 . Which of the following is a frameshift mutation?

A. CAT HAS HIS → CAT HAS HIT

B. CAT HAS HIS → CAT HSH ISA

C. CAT HAS HIS → CAT HIS HAT

D. CAT HAS HIS → CAT WAS HIT

5 . A researcher conducts a survey of a biome and finds 35 percent more species than she has found in any other biome. Which biome is she most likely to be in?

A. Tundra

B. Tiaga

C. Tropical rainforest

D. Temperate deciduous forest

6 . On the basis of the following crossover frequencies, determine the relative location of these four genes:

A.

B.

C.

D.

7 . A man contracts the same flu strain for the second time in a single winter season. The second time he experiences fewer symptoms and recovers more quickly. Which cells are responsible for this rapid recovery?

A. Helper T cells

B. Cytotoxic T cells

C. Memory cells

D. Plasma cells

8 . Which of the following are traits that are affected by more than one gene?

A. Heterozygous traits

B. Pleiotropic traits

C. Polygenic traits

D. Blended alleles

9 . A lizard lacking a chemical defense mechanism that is colored in the same way as a lizard that has a defense mechanism is displaying

A. aposometric coloration.

B. cryptic coloration.

C. Batesian mimicry.

D. Müllerian mimicry.

E. deceptive markings.

10 . Crossover would most likely occur in which situation?

A. Two genes (1 and 2) are located right next to each other on chromosome A.

B. Gene 1 is located on chromosome A, and gene 2 is on chromosome B.

C. Genes 1 and 2 are located near each other on the X chromosome.

D. Gene 1 is located on chromosome A; gene 2 is located far away but on the same chromosome.

11 . Imagine an organism whose 2n = 96. Meiosis would leave this organism’s cells with how many chromosomes?

A. 192

B. 96

C. 48

D. 24

12 . A student conducts an experiment to test the efficiency of a certain enzyme. Which of the following protocols would probably not result in a change in the enzyme’s efficiency?

A. Bringing the temperature of the experimental setup from 20°C to 50°C

B. Adding an acidic solution to the setup

C. Adding substrate but not enzyme

D. Placing the substrate and enzyme in a container with double the capacity

13 . You observe a species that gives birth to only one offspring at a time and has a relatively long life-span for its body size. Which of the following is probably also true of this organism?

A. It lives in a newly colonized habitat.

B. It is an aquatic organism.

C. It requires relatively high parental care of offspring.

D. The age at which the offspring themselves can give birth is relatively young.

14 . Which of the following is an example of a detritivore?

A. Cactus

B. Algae

C. Bat

D. Fungus

15 . In a certain population of squirrels that is in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, black color is a recessive phenotype present in 9 percent of the squirrels, and 91 percent are gray. What percentage of the population is homozygous dominant for this trait?

A. 21 percent

B. 30 percent

C. 49 percent

D. 70 percent

16 . Refer to question 15 for details on the squirrel population. Which of the following conditions is required to keep this population in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium?

A. Random mating

B. Genetic drift

C. Mutation

D. Gene flow

17 . A reaction that includes energy as one of its reactants is called a(n)

A. exergonic reaction.

B. hydrolysis reaction.

C. endergonic reaction.

D. redox reaction.

18 . To which of the following labeled trophic levels would a herbivore most likely be assigned?

A. A

B. B

C. C

D. D

19 . A population undergoes a shift in which those who are really tall and those who are really short decrease in relative frequency compared to those of medium size, due to a change in the availability of resources. This is an example of

A. directional selection.

B. stabilizing selection.

C. disruptive selection.

D. sympatric speciation.

20 . Which of the following statements is correct?

A. Water flows from hypertonic to hypotonic.

B. Germinating seeds use less oxygen than do nongerminating seeds.

C. The rate of transpiration decreases with an increase in air movement.

D. Smaller DNA fragments migrate more rapidly than do larger DNA fragments on gel electrophoresis.

21 . Which of the following is not a form of interspecies interaction?

A. Commensalism

B. Succession

C. Mutualism

D. Parasitism

22 . Sickle cell anemia is a disease caused by the substitution of an incorrect nucleotide into the DNA sequence for a particular gene. The amino acids are still added to the growing protein chain, but the symptoms of sickle cell anemia result. This is an example of a

A. frameshift mutation.

B. missense mutation.

C. nonsense mutation.

D. thymine dimer mutation.

For questions 23–26, please refer to the following structures:

A.

B.

C.

D.

23 . This represents the backbone of a structure that is vital to the construction of many cells and is used to produce steroid hormones.

24 . This structure plays a vital role in energy reactions.

25 . This structure is a purine found in DNA.

26 . This structure was synthesized in the ribosome.

For questions 27–30, please refer to the following answers:

A. Glycolysis

B. Chemiosmosis

C. Fermentation

D. Calvin cycle

27 . When oxygen becomes unavailable, this process regenerates NAD⁺ , allowing respiration to continue.

28 . This process leads to the net production of two pyruvate, two ATP, and two NADH.

29 . This process couples the production of ATP with the movement of electrons down the electron transport chain by harnessing the driving force created by a proton gradient.

30 . This process has as its products NADP⁺ , ADP, and sugar.

For questions 31–34, please refer to the following answers:

A. Desert

B. Tundra

C. Taiga

D. Deciduous forests

31 . This biome has cold winters and is known for its pine forests.

32 . This biome is the driest of the land biomes and experiences the greatest daily temperature fluctuations.

33 . This biome contains trees that drop their leaves during the winter months.

34 . This biome contains plants whose roots cannot go deep due to the presence of a permafrost.

Questions 35–36: A behavioral endocrinologist captures male individuals of a territorial bird species over the course of a year to measure testosterone (T) levels. In this population, males may play one of two roles: (1) they may stay in their natal group (the group they were born in) and help raise their younger siblings, or (2) they may leave the natal group to establish a new territory. Use this information and the two histograms that follow to answer the following questions.

35 . Testosterone level in this population may be an example of

A. adaptive radiation.

B. an adaptation.

C. divergent selection.

D. development.

36 . What can you infer about the role of testosterone in reproduction in this species?

A. It is detrimental to breeding.

B. It aids adult males only.

C. It ensures that all males reproduce equally.

D. It aids in breeding.

37 . Which of the following is the best explanation of the results presented in the preceding graph, collected from the same population in a different year?

A. The so-called helper males are actually breeding.

B. The population has stopped growing.

C. Females are equally attracted to adult and helper males.

D. Testosterone level is affected by many processes.

Questions 38–41: A researcher grows a population of ferns in her laboratory. She notices, after a few generations, a new variant that has a distinct phenotype. When she tries to breed the original phenotype with the new one, no offspring are produced. When she breeds the new variants, however, offspring that look like the new variant result.

38 . What originally caused the change in the variant?

A. Karyotyping

B. Balance polymorphism

C. Mutation

D. Polyploidy

39 . What kind of speciation does this example illustrate?

A. Allopatric

B. Sympatric

C. Isolated

D. Polyploidy

40 . Which of the following could possibly characterize the new variant?

A. Adaptive radiation

B. Divergent selection

C. Equilibrium

D. Polyploidy

41 . Which of the following is likely to exhibit the process described earlier?

A. Fallow deer

B. Fruit flies

C. Grass

D. Spotted toads

For questions 42–44, please refer to the following answers:

42 . The DNA placed in this electrophoresis gel separates as a result of what characteristic?

A. pH

B. Charge

C. Size

D. Polarity

43 . If this gel were used in a court case as DNA evidence taken from the crime scene, which of the following suspects appears to be guilty?

A. Suspect A

B. Suspect B

C. Suspect C

D. Suspect D

44 . Which two suspects, while not guilty, could possibly be identical twins?

A. A and B

B. A and C

C. B and C

D. B and D

Questions 45–48: The frequency of genotypes for a given trait are given in the accompanying graph. Answer the following questions using this information:

45 . What is the frequency of the recessive homozygote?

A. 15 percent

B. 19 percent

C. 25 percent

D. 40 percent

46 . What would be the approximate frequency of the heterozygote condition if this population were in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium?

A. 20 percent

B. 45 percent

C. 48 percent

D. 72 percent

47 . Is this population in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium?

A. Yes

B. No

C. Cannot tell from the information given

D. Maybe, if individuals are migrating

48 . Which of the following processes may be occurring in this population, given the allele frequencies?

A. Directional selection

B. Homozygous advantage

C. Hybrid vigor

D. Allopatric speciation

Questions 49–51: An eager AP Biology student interested in studying osmosis and the movement of water in solutions took a dialysis bag containing a 0.5 M solution and placed it into a beaker containing a 0.6 M solution.

49 . After the bag has been sitting in the beaker for a while, what would you expect to have happened to the bag?

A. There will have been a net flow of water out of the bag, causing it to decrease in size.

B. There will be have been a net flow of water into the bag, causing it to swell in size.

C. The bag will be the exact same size because no water will have moved at all.

D. The solute will have moved out of the dialysis bag into the beaker.

50 . If this bag were instead placed into a beaker of distilled water, what would be the expected result?

A. There will be a net flow of water out of the bag, causing it to decrease in size.

B. There will be a net flow of water into the bag, causing it to swell in size.

C. The bag will remain the exact same size because no water will move at all.

D. The solute will flow out of the dialysis bag into the beaker.

51 . Which of the following is true about water potential?

A. It drives the movement of water from a region of lower water potential to a region of higher water potential.

B. Solute potential is the only factor that determines the water potential.

C. Pressure potential combines with solute potential to determine the water potential.

D. Water potential always drives water from an area of lower pressure potential to an area of higher pressure potential.

Questions 52–54 all use the following pedigree, but are independent of each other:

52 . If the pedigree is studying an autosomal recessive condition for which the alleles are A and a, what was the probability that a child produced by parents A and B would be heterozygous?

A. 0.0625

B. 0.1250

C. 0.2500

D. 0.5000

53 . Imagine that a couple (C and D) go to a genetic counselor because they are interested in having children. They tell the counselor that they have a family history of a certain disorder and they want to know the probability of their firstborn having this condition. What is the probability of the child having the autosomal recessive condition?

A. 0.0625

B. 0.1250

C. 0.2500

D. 0.3333

54 . Imagine that a couple (C and D) have a child (E) that has the autosomal recessive condition being traced by the pedigree. What is the probability that their second child (F) will have the autosomal recessive condition?

A. 0.0625

B. 0.1250

C. 0.2500

D. 0.5000

For questions 55–56, please refer to the following diagram:

55 . The bold line that point C intersects is known as the

A. biotic potential.

B. carrying capacity.

C. limiting factor.

D. maximum attainable population.

56 . On the basis of what happens at the end of this chart, what is the most likely explanation for the population decline after point E ?

A. The population became too dense and it had to decline.

B. There was a major environmental shift that made survival impossible for many.

C. Food became scarce, leading to a major famine.

D. The population had become too large.

Questions 57 and 58

The solutions in the two arms of this U-tube are separated by a membrane that is permeable to water and sodium chloride, but not to sucrose. Side A is filled with a solution of 0.6 M sucrose and 0.2 M sodium chloride (NaCl), and side B is filled with a solution of 0.2 M sucrose and 0.3 M NaCl. Initially, the volume on both sides is the same.

57 . At the beginning of the experiment,

A. Side A is hypertonic to side B.

B. Side A is hypotonic to side B.

C. Side A is isotonic to side B.

D. Side A is hypotonic to side B with respect to sucrose.

58 . If you examine side A after a couple of days, you will see

A. an increase in the concentration of NaCl and sucrose and an increase in water level.

B. a decrease in the concentration of NaCl, an increase in water level, and no change in the concentration of sucrose.

C. no net change.

D. an increase in the concentration of NaCl and an increase in the water level.

59 . Tay-Sachs is a disease caused by a recessive allele. Individuals with the genetic disorder usually do not survive more than a few years, and thus are not able to reproduce and pass on the gene. What would explain how this allele and its associated disease is preserved in the population?

A. Heterozygous individuals will show no symptoms.

B. Spontaneous mutation converts the dominant allele to the recessive form.

C. Occasionally the gene will instead increase the fitness of the individual.

D. Tay-Sachs is asymptomatic in people who are homozygous recessive.

60 . A new plant was discovered and determined to have an unusually low number of stomata on the undersides of its leaves. For what environment would this plant most likely be best adapted?

A. Cold and rainy

B. Humid and sunny

C. Hot and humid

D. Hot and dry

61 . The first simple cells evolved approximately 3.5 billion years ago, followed by the more complex eukaryotic cells 2.1 billion years ago. Which of the following statements is correct?

A. Eukaryotic organelles helped create separate environments for metabolic reactions, thus increasing their metabolic efficiency.

B. Prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells have no structural similarities.

C. The organelles in larger eukaryotic cells took care of the problems of having a larger surface area–to–volume ratio.

D. Eukaryotic cells are able to multiply faster based on their more complex structure.

62 . Easily produced genetic variation is key to the rapid evolution of viral and microbial populations. Furthermore, pathogens that need to escape the immune system rely on this variation to generate new surface antigens that go unrecognized by the host’s immune system. Which of the following is an example of this antigenic variation?

A. HIV, which can remain integrated into the host genome for many years

B. The flu virus, which changes its envelope proteins

C. MRSA, which has become resistant to many antibiotics

D. Multiple sclerosis, which attacks the cells of the nervous system

63 . Two species of hamster (X and Y) are in the genus Cricetulus , whereas a third species (Z) is instead part of genus Mesocricetus . Which of the following phylogenetic trees shows the correct evolutionary relatedness?

A.

B.

C.

D.

PART B: GRID-IN QUESTIONS

Calculate the correct answer and enter it on the top line of the grid-in area with each number/symbol in a separate column. Then fill in the correct circle below each number/symbol you entered (only one filled-in circle per column).

1 . In a certain species of plant, the allele to produce green melons (G) is dominant over the allele to produce yellow melons (g). A student performed a cross between a plant that produced green melons and a plant that produced yellow melons. When the student observed the next generation, the 94 seeds that were produced from the cross matured into 53 plants with green melons and 41 plants with yellow melons. Calculate the chi-squared value for the null hypothesis that the green-melon parent was heterozygous for the melon-color gene.

2 . In a population of grasshoppers, the allele for tan color is dominant to the allele for green color. A drastic increase in rainfall leads to selection against the tan phenotype. When the rainy season ends, 23 percent of the remaining grasshoppers have the green phenotype. If this population is now in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, what will the frequency of the tan allele be in the next generation?

3 . The bacteria that cause pimples can be grown in the lab using a suitable nutrient broth, where they will eventually achieve exponential growth. Using the graph that follows, calculate the mean rate of growth, in millions of bacteria per hour, during their exponential phase.

4 . What is the water potential for a solution that is 0.1 M? The solution is in an open container. The equation for water potential is:

where:

i = ionization constant (assume that it is 1)

C = molar concentration

R = pressure constant (R = 0.00831 liter MPa/mole K)

T = temperature in Kelvin (assume a room temperature of 293 K)

5 . Determine the surface area–to–volume ratio for a cube that has a side length of 2.5 cm. The volume of a cube = (l )(w )(h ). The surface area = 6 × area of a single side.

6 . If C_i V_i = C_f V_f , where i is the initial solution concentration and f is the final concentration, how many milliliters of a 0.5 M glucose solution would you need in order to make 250 milliliters of a 0.1 M glucose solution?

FREE-RESPONSE QUESTIONS

Time—1 hour and 30 minutes

(The first 10 minutes is a reading period. Do not begin writing until the 10-minute period has passed.)
Questions 1 and 2 are long free-response questions that should require about 20 minutes each. Questions 3–8 are short-response questions that should require about 6 minutes each. Outline form is not acceptable. Answers should be in essay form.

1 . A murder trial court case ended up ruling against the defendant because of DNA evidence found at the crime scene and analyzed in the forensics lab.

A. Describe how a gel electrophoresis experiment works and is set up, why things move the way they do, and why the gel would be able to prove, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that the defendant was indeed guilty as charged.

B. Gel electrophoresis is also used to determine court paternity cases. Describe how a gel could be used to prove whether an individual is the father of a particular baby. Include all the pertinent experimental laboratory procedures in your description.

2 . Speciation, the process by which new species are formed, can occur by many mechanisms. Explain how three of the following are involved in the process of species formation.

A. Geographic barriers

B. Polyploidy

C. Balanced polymorphism

D. Reproductive isolation

3 . Life on Earth is made possible because of certain unique characteristics of water. Choose two characteristics of water.

A. For each characteristic that you choose, identify and define the property.

B. Describe one example of how the property affects the functioning of living organisms.

4 . Evolution is the change in allele frequencies in a population over time. This can occur through a variety of mechanisms, three of which are listed below.

• Natural selection

• Genetic drift

• Mutation

A. Define two of the three forces of evolution listed above and give an example.

B. You are studying a population of field mice that includes individuals with light and dark brown coats. Every six months you perform capture/recapture experiments to census the proportion of light and dark individuals. The following numbers indicate the percentage of dark-coat individuals caught in each successive census over the course of five years:

96, 94, 95, 91, 93, 95, 74, 73, 77, 76

Explain which of the three processes of evolution is most consistent with this data, and give a hypothetical explanation for the observed changes in phenotypic frequencies in this mouse population.

5 . Homeostasis, or the maintenance of a steady-state environment, is a characteristic of all living organisms. For each of the following physiological parameters describe how homeostasis is maintained:

A. Blood glucose levels

B. Body temperature

C. Blood calcium levels

6 . Membranes are vital to the transport of substances into and out of cells. Three important forms of cellular transport include:

A. Active transport

B. Endocytosis and exocytosis

C. Facilitated diffusion

For each of the forms listed above, explain how the organization of the cell membranes functions in the movement of specific molecules across membranes and explain the significance of each type of transport to a specific cell.

7 . Skin is coated with sebum, an oily substance that slows water loss and inhibits growth of some microorganisms.

A. Briefly explain how sebum is able to perform its function.

B. Explain why lungs are more vulnerable to infection than skin. Include the idea of surface area in your answer.

8 . The complete oxidation of a mole of glucose produces 686 kcal of free energy. The oxidation of a mole of glucose in a cell generates a maximum of 38 moles of ATP. Each mole of ATP stores about 7.3 kcal of energy. The efficiency of the ATP energy yield from the complete aerobic respiration of glucose is about 40 percent.

A. Using the laws of thermodynamics, explain what happens to the rest of the energy.

B. How do humans benefit from this energy loss?

C. Why would hibernating animals possess an adaptation to reduce efficiency of cellular respiration even further?

PART A: MULTIPLE-CHOICE QUESTIONS

1 . D —Cell walls are present in prokaryotes but not eukaryotic animal cells. Ribosomes and cell membranes are present in both of them. Chloroplasts and large central vacuoles are not seen in either of them. Animal cells have small vacuoles.

2 . A —The oxygen released by plants is produced during the light reactions of photosynthesis. The main inputs to the light reactions are water and light. Water is the source of the oxygen.

3 . B —Endotherms are organisms whose metabolic rates do not respond to shifts in environmental temperature.

4 . B —A frameshift mutation is one in which the reading frame for the protein construction machinery is shifted. It is a deletion or addition of nucleotides in a number that is not a multiple of 3. Often this can lead to premature stop codons, which lead to nonfunctional proteins.

5 . C

6 . C —We can see from the data that m and f have the highest crossover frequency. They must therefore be farthest apart of any pair along the chromosome. This leaves only answer choice C.

7 . C —Memory B cells are able to recognize foreign invaders if they come back into our systems and lead to a more rapid and efficient attack on the invader.

8 . C —Polygenic traits are traits that require the input of multiple genes to determine the phenotype. Skin color is a classic example of a polygenic trait; three genes combine to provide the various shades of skin tone seen in humans.

9 . C —This is a classic example of Batesian mimicry.

10 . D —Crossover is most likely to occur between two genes that are located far away from each other on the same chromosome.

11 . C —Meiosis reduces the number of chromosomes in an individual by half: 96 ÷ 2 = 48.

12 . D —The volume of the container is not a major factor that affects enzyme efficiency.

13 . C —The original question describes an organism that can be classified as a K -selected population. Individuals of this class tend to have fairly constant size, low reproductive rates, and offspring that require extensive care.

14 . D —A detritivore is an organism that includes the subcategory of decomposers. Fungi are decomposers.

15 . C —If 9 percent of the population is homozygous recessive, this means that q ² = 0.09, and that the square root of q ² = 0.30 = q . This means that p = 0.70 since p + q = 1. Thus, the percentage of the population that is homozygous dominant: p ² = (0.7)² = 0.49 or 49 percent.

16 . A —All the other answer choices are violations of the Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium.

17 . C —Exergonic reactions give off energy, and hydrolysis reactions are reactions that use water to break apart a compound. Redox reactions are reactions that involve the movement of electrons. Dehydration reactions are reactions that bring two molecules together, releasing water as a product.

18 . D —Herbivores tend to be the primary consumers of trophic pyramids, and thus would take up the first level up from the bottom.

19 . B —Stabilizing selection tends to eliminate the extremes of a population, directional selection is a shift toward one of the extremes, and disruptive selection is the camel-hump selection in which the two extremes are favored over the middle. Sympatric speciation is the formation of new species due to an inability to reproduce that is not caused by geographic separation. Sexual selection is evolution of characters that aid in mate acquisition.

20 . D —This is a lab experiment question based on the material in Chapter 15 . We threw it in here just to remind you that you should not ignore the concepts of this very important chapter. You will be asked about these concepts on the exam.

21 . B —Succession is an ecological process in which landforms evolve over time in response to the environmental conditions. Commensalism is when one organism benefits while the other is unaffected. Mutualism is when both organisms reap benefits from the interaction. Parasitism is when one organism benefits at the other’s expense. Competition is the situation in which organisms fight for some limited resource.

22 . B

23 . A —Cholesterol is one of the lipids that serves as the starting point for the synthesis of sex hormones.

24 . C

25 . D —Purines have a double-ring structure; pyrimidines, a single-ring one.

26 . B —The ribosome is the site of protein synthesis.

27 . C

28 . A

29 . B

30 . D

31 . D

32 . A

33 . D

34 . C

35 . B —Testosterone level is an adaptive trait in this population, one that has been molded by natural selection (or possibly sexual selection; we cannot determine this from the question) to aid in reproduction. Adaptive radiation is a process by which many speciation events occur in a newly exploited environment and does not apply here. This is not an example of divergent selection because both breeding and nonbreeding males have low testosterone levels during at least one part of the year; if the two male types always differed in testosterone level, this population could eventually split into two populations. Development and sperm production may be related to testosterone but are not addressed in this experiment.

36 . D —Since testosterone levels are increased only during the breeding season, we can infer that testosterone has some role in breeding. Since reproductive males express higher testosterone levels only during the breeding season, we hypothesize that testosterone is beneficial, as opposed to detrimental, to breeding.

37 . A —Since testosterone seems to be linked with reproduction, we infer from the new data that the “nonbreeding” males are actually breeding and therefore have elevated testosterone levels. Females, population growth, and number of offspring produced are not considered in this example. Finally, although testosterone does affect many physiological processes, none of these are discussed or illustrated in this example.

38 . C —Although several processes can affect the frequency of a new phenotype or genotype, once it is in place, the original genetic change must have been the result of a mutation (probably a chromosomal aberration).

39 . B —No physical barrier separated the two populations; this is therefore an example of sympatric, not allopatric speciation. The other answer choices are not types of speciation.

40 . D —Polyploidy is the only answer that can describe an individual . All the others are processes or states that describe population events. Polyploidy is the duplication of whole chromosomes that leads to speciation because the new variety can no longer breed with the original.

41 . C —Polyploidy is much more common in plants; mutations such as the duplication of whole chromosomes are usually lethal to animals.

42 . C —Gel electrophoresis separates DNA on the basis of size. Smaller samples travel a greater distance down the gel compared to larger samples.

43 . B —His DNA fingerprint seems to exactly match that of the evidence DNA sample.

44 . B —A and C seem to share the exact same restriction fragment cut of their DNA. Perhaps they are messing with our heads and added the DNA from the same individual twice.

45 . B —100 − 45 − 36 = 19 percent.

46 . C —36 percent of the population is AA. Taking the square root of 0.36, we find the frequency of the A allele to be 0.6. This means that the a allele’s frequency must be 1 − 0.6, or 0.4. From these numbers, we can calculate the expected Hardy-Weinberg heterozygous frequency is 2pq = 2(A)(a) = 2(0.6)(0.4) = 48.0 or 48 percent.

47 . B —The expected heterozygous probability does not match up with the actual. This population is not in Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium.

48 . B —The homozygous frequency is higher than expected; one explanation for this is that the homozygotes are being selected for.

49 . A —Water will flow out of the bag because the solute concentration of the beaker is hypertonic compared to the dialysis bag. Osmosis passively drives water from a hypotonic region to a hypertonic region.

50 . B —Water would now flow into the bag because the solute gradient has been reversed. Now the beaker is hypotonic compared to the dialysis bag. Water thus moves into the bag.

51 . C —Water potential = pressure potential + solute potential. Water passively moves from regions with high water potential toward those with lower water potential.

52 . D —The mother (person B) must be heterozygous Aa because she and her husband (aa) have produced children that have the double recessive condition. This means that person B (the mother) must have contributed an a and that the cross is Aa × aa—and the probability is 1⁄2.

53 . D —To answer this question, we must first determine the probability that person D is heterozygous. We know she is not aa because she does not have the condition. Since we know that the father has the condition, we know for certain that his genotype is aa. Both of mother D’s parents must be heterozygous since neither of them have the condition, but they have produced a child with the condition. The probability that mother D is heterozygous Aa is 2⁄3. The probability that a couple with the genotypes Aa × aa have a double recessive child is 1⁄2. The probability that these two will have a child with the condition is 1⁄2 × 2⁄3 = 1⁄3 = 0.333.

54 . E —If the couple has a child (person E) with the recessive condition, then we know for certain that mother D must be heterozygous. It is definitely an aa × Aa cross, leaving a 50 percent chance that their child will be aa.

55 . B

56 . B

57 . A —The total solute potential for side A is 1.0 MPa (remember that for NaCl, i = 2), and the total solute potential for side B is 0.8 MPa. Therefore, side A has a higher concentration of solute (hypertonic).

58 . D —Water will move from a hypotonic solution (side B) toward a hypertonic solution (side A). Sodium will diffuse from a region of more sodium (side B) to a region of less sodium (side A).

59 . A —Heterozygous individuals carry the recessive gene but are themselves healthy.

60 . D —Low numbers of stomata help to reduce water loss, helpful in hot and dry regions.

61 . A —Prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells do have similar structures, the organelles in eukaryotic cells took care of having a smaller surface area–to–volume ratio, and eukaryotic cells are not able to multiply faster.

62 . B —Changing envelope proteins are created because of genetic variation in the genes that code for these proteins.

63 . D —This cladogram shows a closer relationship between X and Y.

PART B: GRID-IN QUESTIONS

1 . 4.26 —If the green-melon parents were Gg, you would expect a cross with a yellow-melon plant (gg) to produce 50 percent Gg and 50 percent gg offspring. What you actually observed was 53 green and 41 yellow. Based on a total number of 94 offspring, your expected half-and-half ratios would be 47 of each color.

The chi-square value is 1.53 (less than the critical value of 3.84), so the null hypothesis is accepted.

2 . 0.52

tan = p ; green = q

green phenotype = q ² = 0.23; frequency of green allele = √0.23 = 0.48

Since p + q = 1, the tan allele (p ) = 1 − 0.48 = 0.52.

3 . 1.27 —Logarithmic growth takes place during the time where the slope is the greatest, approximately between 12 and 30 hours. During that time (18 hours), the bacterial population started at 10 million and increased to 33 million (a difference of 23 million). Therefore, 23 million divided by 18 hours gives a rate of 1.27 million bacteria per hour.

4 . –0.24 —The solute potential is –(1) × (0.1 M) × (0.00831 MPa/mole K) × (293 K) = –0.24 MPa. The pressure potential is zero because the solution is in an open container. Therefore (–0.24) + 0 = –0.24 MPa.

5 . 2.4

SA = 6 × (2.5 cm × 2.5 cm) = 37.5 cm²

V = (2.5 cm)³ = 15.6 cm³

SA/V = 37.5/15.6 = 2.4

6 . 50

(0.5 M)(V_i ) = (0.1 M)(250 mL)

V_i = 50 mL

Free-Response Grading Outline

1 . Gel electrophoresis question (10 points)

A. Electrophoresis experiment (maximum 5 points)

• Mentioning that smaller particles travel faster. (1 point)

• Mentioning that the fragments of DNA are placed into wells at the head of the gel to begin their migration to the other side. (1 point)

• Mentioning that the DNA migrates only as electric current is passed through the gel. (1 point)

• Mentioning that the DNA migrates from negative charge to positive charge. (1 point)

• Mentioning that when DNA samples from different individuals are cut with restriction enzymes, they show variations in the band patterns on gel electrophoresis known as restriction fragment length polymorphisms(RFLPs). (1 point)

• Mentioning that DNA is specific to each individual, and when it is mixed with restriction enzymes, different combinations of RFLPs will be obtained from person to person. (1 point)

• Definition of a DNA fingerprint as the combination of an individual’s RFLPs inherited from each parent. (1 point)

• Mentioning that if an individual’s electrophoresis pattern identically matches that of the crime scene evidence, the DNA has spoken and shown the individual to be the perpetrator, since the probability of two people having an identical set of RFLPs is virtually non-existent. (1 point)

B. Paternity (maximum 5 points)

• Mentioning that DNA samples would need to be taken from the disputed child and the potential parents involved. (1 point)

• Definition of a restriction enzyme as an enzyme that cuts DNA at a particular sequence and creates open fragments of DNA called “sticky ends.” (1 point)

• Mentioning that the DNA from all the different individuals involved must be cut by the same restriction enzyme(s) so that the RFLPs created can be compared with each other. (1 point)

• Mentioning that each sample of DNA must be placed into a different well at the top of the gel plate. (1 point)

• Mentioning that the DNA will migrate from negative charge to positive charge, once the current is applied, to create an RFLP pattern specific for each individual— this is a look at the DNA fingerprint of an individual. (1 point)

• Mentioning that some sort of dye should be added to the DNA samples that will allow for proper viewing of the bands after the current is disconnected. (1 point)

• Mentioning that one of the two DNA cuts from the child’s fingerprint should match up with one of the two DNA cuts from the father’s fingerprint and one from the mother’s fingerprint as well, because the child inherits one chromosome of each homologous pair from the mother and one from the father. (1 point)

2 . Speciation question (here, you can obtain 4 points from a couple of the answers; if 4 points are obtained for an answer, a maximum of 3 points can be obtained from each of the other 2 answers)

A. Geographic barriers (maximum 4 points)

• Mentioning how geographic barriers can lead to reproductive isolation of members from the same species. (1⁄2 point)

• Mentioning that if these geographically separated species are moved into regions that have different environments, natural selection might favor different characteristics from the same species in the different environments. (1 point)

• Mentioning that this is an example of allopatric speciation—interbreeding ceases because some sort of barrier separates a single population into two. (1 point)

• Definition of divergent evolution as the evolution of two species farther apart from each other as they are exposed to different environmental challenges. (1 point)

• Mentioning the Galapagos finches as an example of geographic barriers leading to reproductive isolation and divergent evolution. (1⁄2 point)

• Mentioning that if after a long period of time, these divergent species come back together and are unable to reproduce, they have become a new species. (1 point)

B. Polyploidy (maximum 4 points)

• Definition of polyploidy as a condition in which an individual has more than the normal number of sets of chromosomes. (1 point)

• Description of how polyploidy initially occurs—an accident during cell division could double the chromosome number in the offspring, producing a tetraploid (4n ) organism. (1 point)

• Alternate description of how polyploidy could initially occur—the breeding of two individuals from different species leads to a hybrid that is usually sterile and contains chromosomes that are not able to pair up during meiosis because they are not homologous. (1 point)

• Definition of an autopolyploid—organism with more than two chromosome sets all from the same species. (1⁄2 point)

• Definition of an allopolyploid—organism with more than two chromosome sets that come from more than one species. (1⁄2 point)

• Mentioning that although an individual may be healthy, it cannot reproduce with nonpolyploidic members of its species. (1 point)

• Mentioning that polyploidic individuals are able to mate only with other individuals who have the same polyploidic chromosomal makeup. (1 point)

C. Balanced polymorphism (maximum 3 points)

• Definition of balanced polymorphism—some characters have two or more phenotypic variants, such as tulip color. (1 point)

• Mention of the fact that if one phenotypic variant leads to increased reproductive success, directional selection will eventually eliminate all other varieties because only those who have the particular phenotypic variant of choice will survive to be able to reproduce, and thus only their genes will be passed along. (1 point)

• Mentioning that this requirement for a particular variant of the trait in order to survive reproductively isolates individuals of the same species from each other, opening the door for sympatric speciation. (1 point)

• Mentioning that if the balanced polymorphism causes the two variants to diverge enough to no longer be able to interbreed, speciation has occurred. (1 point)

• Citing an example of balanced polymorphism. (1 point)

D. Reproductive isolation (maximum 4 points)

• Mentioning that any barrier that prevents two species from producing offspring can be categorized as reproductive isolation. (1⁄2 point)

• Definition of prezygotic barriers as reproductive barriers that make the fertilization of the female ovum impossible. (1 point)

• Mentioning, as an example of prezygotic barriers, any of the following (1⁄2 point each, up to 1 point total for prezygotic barrier examples): (a) habitat isolation —two species live in different habitats (they just don’t see each other, so they cannot reproduce); (b) temporal isolation —two species mate at either different times of the year or different times of the day (either way, they are isolated from each other because they do not mate at the same time); (c) behavioral isolation —two species have different mating behaviors that do not mix well (members of the other species do not understand the actions of the other as mating signals—a simple communication breakdown ); (d) mechanical isolation —mating may actually be attempted, but the physical sexual structures do not function together properly (they are incompatible).

• Definition of postzygotic barriers as reproductive barriers that prevent a properly formed hybrid between two species from reproducing themselves. (1 point)

• Mentioning, as an example of postzygotic barriers, any of the following (1⁄2 point each, up to 1 point total for postzygotic barrier examples): (a) hybrid breakdown — sometimes the first generation of hybrids produced are able to reproduce with each other, but after that the wheels come off and the next generation is infertile; (b) reduced hybrid viability —the two different species are able to mate physically and the hybrid zygote is formed, but problems arise during the development of the hybrid that lead to prenatal death of the individual; (c) reduced hybrid fertility —the two different species are able to mate physically and produce a viable offspring, but the offspring is infertile.

3 . Life on Earth is made possible because of certain unique characteristics of water. (maximum 4 points for entire question)

A. Properties of water (maximum 2 points)

• Mentioning that hydrogen bonding holds water molecules together (cohesion). (1 point)

• Mentioning that water has high specific heat (water changes its temperature less than most substances when it absorbs or loses a certain amount of heat). (1 point)

• Mentioning that the solid form of water is less dense than its liquid form. (1 point)

• Mentioning water acts as a solvent for so many substances. (1 point)

B. Effects on living organisms (maximum 2 points)

• Mentioning that hydrogen bonding allows for flow of water through plants (xylem). (1 point)

• Mentioning that water’s high specific heat means large bodies of water store heat and leads to milder climates in coastal areas. (1 point)

• Noting that water’s unusual density means ice floats. If it sank, all bodies of water would freeze solid from the bottom up, and sustainable life on Earth would not be possible. (1 point)

• Mentioning that water’s ability as a solvent allows for many reactions to occur in the cell. (1 point)

4 . Evolution is the change in allele frequencies in a population over time. (maximum 4 points for entire question)

A. Definition and examples (maximum 2 points)

• Defining natural selection. (maximum 1 point)

a. Mentioning it is the process by which certain alleles increase in frequency in a population because of the survival or reproduction benefit they give to those individuals who possess them. (1/2 point)

b. Possible example: sickle cell allele persists in populations where malaria is present (having sickle-shaped red blood cells makes you less likely to contract malaria). (1/2 point)

c. Defining genetic drift. (maximum 1 point)

d. Describing how random processes can change allele frequencies. (1/2 point)

e. Possible example: allele frequencies in a new population are dependent on which alleles are present in the founders of that population (founder effect). (1/2 point)

• Defining mutation.

a. Mentioning that changes in DNA create genetic variation and new alleles. (1/2 point)

b. Mentioning that evolution by “neutral mutations” can occur even if the new alleles are not acted on by natural selection. (1/2 point)

c. Possible example: eye color gene mutates to a different color without any change in vision or behavior as a result of the mutation. (1/2 point)

B. Explanation of data (maximum 2 points)

• Mentioning the changes could not be the gradual process of natural selection because they occurred rapidly between two censuses. (1 point)

• Indicating that the changes could be caused by genetic drift. (1 point)

• Indicating that the changes could be caused by some environmental event (flood, fire) that randomly killed many dark-coated mice. (1 point)

5 . Homeostasis, or the maintenance of a steady-state environment, is a characteristic of all living organisms. (maximum 4 points for entire question)

A. Blood glucose levels (maximum 1 1/2 points)

• Mentioning insulin/glucagon is released from the pancreas. (1/2 point)

• Mentioning insulin stimulates uptake of glucose from the blood to the liver. (1/2 point)

• Mentioning insulin causes glucose to be stored as glycogen in the liver. (1/2 point)

• Mentioning insulin signals body cells to take up glucose for energy use. (1/2 point)

• Mentioning glucagon stimulates the liver to release glucose into the bloodstream. (1/2 point)

B. Body temperature (maximum 1 1/2 points)

• Describing how body insulation (hair, fat, feathers) reduces heat loss. (1/2 point)

• Mentioning that vasodilation results in increased blood flow and increased heat loss. (1/2 point)

• Mentioning that vasoconstriction results in decreased blood flow and decreased heat loss. (1/2 point)

• Mentioning that sweating results in evaporative cooling. (1/2 point)

• Mentioning that shivering generates energy. (1/2 point)

C. Blood calcium levels (maximum 1 1/2 points)

• Mentioning that parathyroid hormone (PTH) is released by the parathyroid gland. (1/2 point)

• Mentioning that PTH increases the amount of calcium in circulation. (1/2 point)

• Mentioning that PTH causes release of calcium from bones. (1/2 point)

• Mentioning that PTH leads to increased absorption of calcium by the intestines and kidneys. (1/2 point)

• Mentioning that calcitonin is released by the thyroid gland. (1/2 point)

• Mentioning that calcitonin decreases the amount of calcium in circulation. (1/2 point)

• Mentioning that calcitonin promotes reabsorption of calcium by the bones. (1/2 point)

• Mentioning that calcitonin leads to decreased absorption of calcium by the kidneys and intestines. (1/2 point)

6 . Membranes are vital to the transport of substances into and out of cells. (maximum 4 points for entire question)

A. Active transport (maximum 1 1/2 points)

• Describing active transport as the movement of a particle against its concentration gradient (from low concentration to high concentration), which requires input of energy. (1/2 point)

• Mentioning that it allows the cell to concentrate substances within the cell membrane. (1/2 point)

• Mentioning that it is performed by protein pumps in the membrane. (1/2 point)

• Possible example: sodium-potassium pump moves potassium into the cell and sodium out of the cell. (1/2 point)

B. Endocytosis and exocytosis (maximum 2 points)

• Mentioning that endocytosis brings a substance into a cell by enclosing it within a membrane-created vesicle. (1/2 point)

• Mentioning that the vesicle then fuses with lysosome (contains hydrolytic enzymes). (1/2 point)

• Possible example: phagocytes (white blood cells) of the immune system engulf foreign invaders. (1/2 point)

• Mentioning that receptor-mediated endocytosis uses proteins embedded in a membrane that contains receptors for specific molecules. (1/2 point)

• Mentioning that exocytosis expels waste substances for export by enclosing these substances in a vesicle that fuses with the membrane. (1/2 point)

• Possible examples: cells expelling waste or a pancreatic cell exporting insulin protein into the bloodstream. (1/2 point)

C. Facilitated diffusion (maximum 1 1/2 points)

• Describing facilitated diffusion as the diffusion of particles with the assistance of membrane transport proteins. (1/2 point)

• Mentioning that transport proteins are specific and have a binding site for the specific molecule of interest. (1/2 point)

• Mentioning that it does not require energy. (1/2 point)

• Mentioning that osmosis occurs from a hypotonic solution to a hypertonic solution. (1/2 point)

7 . Skin is coated with sebum, an oily substance that slows water loss and inhibits growth of some microorganisms. (maximum 4 points for entire question)

A. How sebum works (maximum 2 points)

• Mentioning that sebum (or any oily substance) is composed of lipids. (1 point)

• Mentioning that lipids are hydrophobic (repel water). (1 point)

• Mentioning that sebum creates a hydrophobic barrier on skin that slows water loss. (1 point)

B. Why lungs are more vulnerable to infection (maximum 2 points)

• Mentioning that lungs provide a moist environment, ideal for microbial growth. (1 point)

• Mentioning that lungs have a highly folded surface (high surface area). (1 point)

• Mentioning that a higher surface area provides more opportunities for invasion. (1 point)

8 . The complete oxidation of a mole of glucose produces 686 kcal of free energy. (maximum 4 points for entire question)

A. Loss of energy (maximum 3 points)

• Mentioning that energy cannot be created or destroyed but only transformed from one form to another (first law of thermodynamics). (1 point)

• Mentioning that every energy transformation results in some energy loss as heat (second law of thermodynamics). (1 point)

• Mentioning that the remaining 60 percent energy from glucose oxidation is lost as heat. (1 point)

B. Benefits from loss of energy (maximum 1 point)

• Mentioning that humans use some of the heat to maintain body temperature. (1 point)

C. Adaptation of hibernating animals (maximum 2 points)

• Mentioning that hibernating animals don’t need a lot of ATP because they are inactive. (1 point)

• Mentioning that they must still maintain internal body heat. (1 point)

• Mentioning that lower efficiency means heat generation without much ATP being produced. (1 point)

Scoring and Interpretation
AP BIOLOGY PRACTICE EXAM 1

Free-Response Questions:

1. ____ / 10

2. ____ / 10

3. ____ / 4

4. ____ / 4

5. ____ / 4

6. ____ / 4

7. ____ / 4

8. ____ / 4

Add up the total points accumulated in the eight questions and multiply the sum by 1.57 to obtain the free-response raw score:

CALCULATE YOUR SCORE

Now combine the raw scores from the multiple-choice and free-response sections to obtain your new raw score for the entire practice exam. Use the ranges listed below to determine your grade for this exam. Don’t worry about how we arrived at the following ranges, and remember that they are rough estimates on questions that are not actual AP exam questions . . . do not read too much into them.