AP Biology Study Notes  – Get free AP Biology Study Notes

The AP Biology exam is a college-level biology test that is conducted by the College Board, and it is usually taken by high-school students who want to show that they have strong understanding in biology. It is the process where different parts of biology like molecules and cells, organisms, and ecosystems are studied, and the exam also checks the ability of the student to analyse data, interpret experiments, and answer scientific questions. The paper is about 3 hours long and it is divided into two main parts, each contributing half of the total marks.

In the first part, there are 60 multiple-choice questions which must be completed in 90 minutes. These questions include conceptual statements, graphs, diagrams, and reasoning-based problems. In the second part, students answer free-response questions for 90 minutes, where there are 2 long questions and 4 short-answer questions. It is written by hand even though the questions are viewed digitally. The free-response part is used to check how well a student can design an experiment, explain a biological process, work with data, and describe relationships among biological systems.

The exam is scored from 1 to 5, where 5 is the highest. Many universities accept scores of 3 or above for credit or placement, but this depends on each institution. Students take the AP Biology exam because it helps them to present mastery of biology at a level higher than normal school exams. It is also the process which may help them get college credit or skip introductory biology courses in university, and it strengthens college applications. In short, the AP Biology exam is considered challenging, but it is helpful for students who want to study biology or other science fields.

Unit 1: Chemistry of Life

1. Structure of Water and Hydrogen Bonding
2. Elements of Life
3. Introduction to Macromolecules
4. Carbohydrates – Carbohydrates Types
5. Lipids
6. Nucleic Acids –
   • RNA
   • DNA
7. Proteins

Unit 2: Cells

1. Cell Structure and Function
2. Cell Size
3. Plasma Membrane and Models of Plasma Membrane
4. Membrane Permeability
5. Membrane Transport
6. Facilitated Diffusion – Facilitated Diffusion vs Active transport
7. Tonicity and Osmoregulation
8. Mechanisms of Transport – Transport of Ions across cell membrane
9. Cell Compartmentalization – Cell Organelles – Structure, Functions, Diagram
10. Origins of Cell Compartmentalization

Unit 3: Cellular Energetics

1. Enzymes
2. Environmental Impacts on Enzyme Function
3. Cellular Energy
   • ATP Synthase – Structure, Mechanism, Inhibition, Diseases
   • Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) – Structure, Synthesis, Functions
   • Energy Rich Compounds – Phosphoenolpyruvate, 1,3 Bisphosphoglycerate, Thioesters, ATP
4. Photosynthesis
5. Cellular Respiration – Electron Transport Chain , Glycolysis, Krebs Cycle

Unit 4: Cell Communication and Cell Cycle

1. Cell Communication
   • Cell Signaling 
2. Introduction to Signal Transduction
3. Signal Transduction Pathways
4. Feedback Mechanism –
   • Negative Feedback
5. Cell Cycle
6. Regulation of Cell Cycle –
   • Checkpoints in the Cell Cycle

Unit 5: Heredity

1. Meiosis
2. Meiosis and Genetic Diversity –
   • Genetic variation 
3. Mendelian Genetics
4. Non-Mendelian Genetics
5. Environmental Effects on Phenotype

Unit 6: Gene Expression and Regulation

1. DNA and RNA Structure
2. DNA Replication –
   • Eukaryotic DNA Replication
   • Prokaryotic DNA Replication
3. Transcription and RNA Processing
   • Eukaryotic Transcription
   • Transcription In Prokaryotes
   • Post-transcriptional Modification
   • Transcription vs Translation
4. Translation
   • Translation In Eukaryotes 
   • Translational regulation
5. What is Gene Expression?
   • Regulation of Gene Expression
   • Gene Expression Profiling 
6. Gene Expression and Cell Specialization
7. Mutations
   • Types of Mutations
   • Silent Mutation – Definition, Causes, Mechanism, Examples, Applications
   • Missense Mutation – Definition, Types, Causes, Examples
   • Point mutation – Definition, Causes, Types, Examples
   • Nonsense Mutation – Definition, Causes, Mechanism, Examples
   • Frameshift Mutation – Definition, Types, Causes, Examples
   • Deletion Mutation – Definition, Causes, Mechanism, Examples
   • Chromosomal Mutation – Definition, Causes, Mechanism, Advantages,
8. Biotechnology
   • Applications of Biotechnology

Unit 7: Natural Selection

1. Introduction to Natural Selection
2. Natural Selection
   • Natural vs artificial selection
3. Artificial Selection
4. Population Genetics
5. Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium
6. Evidence of Evolution
7. Common Ancestry
8. Continuing Evolution
9. Phylogeny
10. Speciation
11. Variations in Populations
    • Lamarck’s Theory of Evolution – Postulates, Examples, Drawbacks
    • Effect of Density of Populations – AP Biology Notes
    • Population genetics – Unitary and modular population, Hardy-Weinberg law
    • Population Characteristics
    • Population – Definition, Characteristics, Growth, Regulation, Types
12. Origins of Life on Earth – Chemogeny or Chemical Evolution of Life

Unit 8: Ecology

1. Responses to the Environment
2. Energy Flow Through Ecosystems
   • Models of Energy Flow in a Ecosystem – Linear and Y-shaped food chains
   • Detritus Food Chain – Definition, Energy Flow, Examples
   • Energy Flow in Ecosystem
3. Population Ecology
4. Effect of Density on Populations
5. Community Ecology
6. Biodiversity
7. Disruptions in Ecosystems
   • Structure and Function of Ecosystems – Definition, Types