AP Biology

Learn about the chemistry of life in unit 1 of the AP Biology course. We'll cover topics such as the structure of water, hydrogen bonding, elements of life, biological macromolecules, and nucleic acids. Prepare for the exam with these resources and you be on your way to crush the AP Bio exam!

Unit 1 – Chemistry of Life

Unit 2 of AP Biology covers cell structure and function. We'll go over key topics such as subcellular components, cell size, plasma membranes, membrane permeability, membrane transport, facilitated diffusion, tonicity, osmoregulation, and cell compartmentalization. 

Unit 2 – Cell Structure & Function

Unit 3 of AP Biology is all about cellular energetics. Review topics such as enzyme structure, enzyme catalysis, environmental impacts on enzyme function, cellular energy, and photosynthesis. 

Unit 3 – Cellular Energetics

Learn about how cells communicate and reproduce in unit 4 of AP Biology. Our study guides for unit 4 cover cell communication, signal transduction, changes in signal transduction pathways, feedback, cell cycle basics, and regulation of the cell cycle. 

Unit 4 – Cell Communication & Cell Cycle

Get a solid understanding of heredity in unit 5 of the AP Biology exam. We'll cover topics such as meiosis, genetic diversity, mendelian genetics, non-mendelian genetics, environmental effects on phenotype, and chromosomal inheritance. 

Unit 5 – Heredity

Join us in exploring gene expression and regulation for the AP Biology exam. We'll cover all the topics in unit 6, such as DNA and RNA structure, replication, transcription, RNA processing, translation, regulation of gene representation, cell specialization, mutations, and biotechnology. 

Unit 6 – Gene Expression & Regulation

Understanding natural selection is crucial to learning about how ecosystems function. Learn about unit 7 of AP Biology as we cover topics such as artificial selection, population genetics, hardy-weinberg equilibrium, evidence of evolution, common ancestry, continuing evolution, phylogeny, speciation, extinction, and origin of life on earth. 

Unit 7 – Natural Selection

Ecology is all about the interactions that organisms have amongst themselves and with their environment. In unit 8 of AP Biology, we'll cover topics such as responses to the environment, energy flow, population ecology, the effect of density of populations, community ecology, etc. 

Unit 8 – Ecology

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Caroline reviews the latest updates from CollegeBoard, tips to organizing yourself to study on your own, and goes over some practice FRQs.

Water

Macromolecules

Unit 1 Overview: Chemistry of Life

Water Molecules 💧

Hydrogen Bonding 

Properties of Water 

Structure of Water and Hydrogen Bonding

Atoms

Isotopes

Electron Shells

Elemental Building Blocks 

Functional Groups

Elements of Life

Chemical Bonds

Metallic Bonds

Polymers and Monomers

Covalent Bonds

Dehydration Synthesis & Hydrolysis

Introduction to Biological Macromolecules

Carbohydrates 

Lipids

Saturated and Unsaturated Fatty Acids

Phospholipids 

Steroids

Proteins

Nucleic Acids

Big Fat Summary

Properties of Biological Macromolecules

Four Types of Macromolecules: A Refresher

Structure Determines Function

🧬 Nucleic Acids

🥩 Proteins

🍩 Carbohydrates

Other Things of Notable Importance

More About Carbs: Disaccharides and Polysaccharides

Structure and Function of Biological Macromolecules

Deoxyribonucleic Acid

Purines and Pyrimidines

Chargaff’s Rule

Example (with Arithmetic)

DNA vs. RNA


Subcellular and Organelle Components

Cell Size

Plasma Membrane

Membrane Transport

Tonicity and Osmoregulation

Unit 2 Overview: Cell Structure and Function

Subcomponents

Nucleus

Ribosomes

Endoplasmic Reticulum

The Golgi Apparatus

Mitochondria

Lysosomes

Vacuoles

Chloroplast

Centrioles

Plant Cells vs. Animal Cells

Cell Structure: Subcellular Components

Cell Compartmentalization

Internal Membranes


Endosymbiotic Theory

Prokaryotic Cells

Evidence

Origins of Cell Compartmentalization

Cell Structure & Function

Lysosome

Cell Structure and Function

Comparative Cell Size 

Plasma Membranes

Membrane Permeability

Diffusion Across the Plasma Membrane

Cell Walls

Different Modes of Membrane Transport

When and Why Does Facilitated Diffusion Occur?

Channel Proteins 

Carrier Proteins 

Active Transport

Facilitated Diffusion

Tonicity & Osmoregulation

Osmosis

Water Potential

Public Transit... in Cells?

Passive Transport

Endocytosis

Exocytosis

Practice Problems

Answers

Mechanisms of Transport

Cells Require Energy?!

3.1 - 3.3 Enzymes

3.4 Energy

3.5 Photosynthesis 

3.6 Cellular Respiration and Fermentation

3.7 Fitness

Major Formulas

Unit 3 Overview: Cellular Energetics

Shape of Enzymes

Active Site 

Induced Fit

Enzyme Structure

Remember… Constant Energy Input!

Hold up! What is Catalysis?

How Does This Relate to Enzymes?

Competitive and Noncompetitive Inhibitors

Test Your Knowledge

Enzyme Catalysis

Temperature

Concentration

Inhibitors

Environmental Impacts on Enzyme Function

Meet Adenosine Triphosphate!

Order & Entropy

Energy & Metabolism

Cellular Energy

Light-Dependent Reactions (Electron Transport Chain)

Light-Independent Reactions (Calvin Cycle)

Summary

Photosynthesis

Glycolysis

Krebs Cycle

Electron Transport Chain

Fermentation

Cellular Respiration

Big Idea: Variation = Yay!

Example 1: Phospholipids

Example 2: Hemoglobin

Example 4: Chlorophyll

Fitness

Intro to Unit 4

Before we begin…

4.1 Cell Communication

4.2 Introduction to Signal Transduction

4.3 Signal Transduction

4.4 Changes in Signal Transduction Pathway

4.5 Homeostasis and Feedback Loops

4.6 Cell Cycle

4.7 Regulation of Cell Cycle

Important Vocabulary 

Unit 4 Overview: Cell Communication and Cell Cycle

Juxtacrine Signaling

Paracrine Signaling

Autocrine Signaling

Endocrine Signaling

Cell Communication

Reception

Examples of cell surface receptors

Transduction

Phosphorylation

Amplification

Transduction has a link to evolution

Response

Special Cases

Lipid Hormones

Secondary Messenger

Introduction to Signal Transduction

Gene Expression

Signal Transduction Pathways

Signal Transduction

Cellular Processes

Mutations

Chemicals

Changes in Signal Transduction Pathways

Homeostasis & Feedback Loops

❎ Negative Feedback Loops

✅ Positive Feedback Loops

Ending Notes

Interphase

Mitosis

Cytokinesis 

Cell Cycle

Cell Cycle Checkpoints

Cdk-Cyclin Complex

Genes and Proteins

Cancerous Cells

Regulation of Cell Cycle

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