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AP Biology Key Terms

Core vocabulary across cells, genetics, evolution, energy and ecology.

123 cardsGrades 9–12, College#ap#biology

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  • EnzymeTerm
    A protein that speeds up a chemical reaction by lowering activation energy
  • SubstrateTerm
    The molecule an enzyme acts upon
  • Active siteTerm
    The region of an enzyme where the substrate binds
  • Activation energyTerm
    Energy needed to start a reaction
  • Competitive inhibitorTerm
    A molecule that blocks the active site
  • Allosteric regulationTerm
    Control of an enzyme by binding at a site other than the active site
  • DenaturationTerm
    Loss of a protein's shape and function
  • Hydrogen bondTerm
    A weak attraction between a partly positive hydrogen and a partly negative atom
  • CohesionTerm
    Attraction between molecules of the same substance
  • AdhesionTerm
    Attraction between different substances
  • Polar moleculeTerm
    A molecule with uneven charge distribution
  • MonomerTerm
    A small unit that links with others to make a polymer
  • Dehydration synthesisTerm
    Joining monomers by removing water
  • HydrolysisTerm
    Breaking a polymer by adding water
  • CarbohydrateTerm
    Sugars and starches; main quick energy source
  • LipidTerm
    Fats, oils and steroids; not water-soluble
  • PhospholipidTerm
    A lipid with a hydrophilic head and hydrophobic tails; forms membranes
  • Nucleic acidTerm
    DNA or RNA; stores and carries genetic information
  • Peptide bondTerm
    The covalent link between amino acids
  • Primary protein structureTerm
    The sequence of amino acids
  • Secondary protein structureTerm
    Alpha helices and beta sheets formed by hydrogen bonds
  • Tertiary protein structureTerm
    The overall 3-D folding of one polypeptide
  • Quaternary protein structureTerm
    Several polypeptides joined together
  • Fluid mosaic modelTerm
    The membrane is a flexible layer of lipids with embedded proteins
  • DiffusionTerm
    Movement of molecules from high to low concentration
  • OsmosisTerm
    Diffusion of water across a selectively permeable membrane
  • Facilitated diffusionTerm
    Passive transport through a channel or carrier protein
  • Active transportTerm
    Movement against a gradient using energy
  • EndocytosisTerm
    Cell takes in material by folding the membrane around it
  • ExocytosisTerm
    Cell releases material by vesicles fusing with the membrane
  • Hypotonic solutionTerm
    Lower solute concentration than the cell; cell gains water
  • Hypertonic solutionTerm
    Higher solute concentration than the cell; cell loses water
  • Isotonic solutionTerm
    Equal solute concentration; no net water movement
  • Water potentialTerm
    A measure of water's tendency to move; it moves from high to low
  • NucleusTerm
    Organelle holding DNA
  • Rough ERTerm
    Studded with ribosomes; makes proteins for export
  • Smooth ERTerm
    Makes lipids and detoxifies
  • Golgi apparatusTerm
    Modifies, sorts and packages proteins
  • LysosomeTerm
    Organelle containing digestive enzymes
  • EndosymbiosisTerm
    Theory that mitochondria and chloroplasts came from engulfed prokaryotes
  • ATPTerm
    The cell's main energy currency
  • GlycolysisTerm
    Splitting glucose into two pyruvate in the cytoplasm
  • Krebs cycleTerm
    Reactions in the mitochondrial matrix that release CO2 and carry electrons
  • Oxidative phosphorylationTerm
    ATP production using the electron transport chain and chemiosmosis
  • ChemiosmosisTerm
    ATP made as protons flow back through ATP synthase
  • FermentationTerm
    Making ATP without oxygen by regenerating NAD+
  • Light reactionsTerm
    Photosynthesis stage in thylakoids that makes ATP, NADPH and O2
  • Calvin cycleTerm
    Stage that uses ATP and NADPH to build sugar from CO2
  • RubiscoTerm
    The enzyme that fixes carbon dioxide in the Calvin cycle
  • ChlorophyllTerm
    The main pigment that absorbs light for photosynthesis
  • PhotosystemTerm
    A cluster of pigments and proteins that captures light energy
  • Cell cycleTerm
    The ordered life of a cell from one division to the next
  • InterphaseTerm
    G1, S and G2: growth and DNA copying
  • MitosisTerm
    Nuclear division producing two identical nuclei
  • CytokinesisTerm
    Division of the cytoplasm
  • CheckpointTerm
    A control point that decides whether the cell cycle continues
  • CyclinTerm
    A protein that regulates progress through the cell cycle
  • MeiosisTerm
    Two divisions that produce four haploid cells
  • Crossing overTerm
    Exchange of DNA between homologous chromosomes in prophase I
  • Independent assortmentTerm
    Random orientation of chromosome pairs, creating variety
  • NondisjunctionTerm
    Failure of chromosomes to separate properly
  • AlleleTerm
    A version of a gene
  • GenotypeTerm
    The set of alleles an individual has
  • PhenotypeTerm
    The observable trait
  • HomozygousTerm
    Having two identical alleles for a gene
  • HeterozygousTerm
    Having two different alleles for a gene
  • Law of segregationTerm
    The two alleles for a gene separate into different gametes
  • Law of independent assortmentTerm
    Genes for different traits are inherited independently if on separate chromosomes
  • Incomplete dominanceTerm
    Heterozygote shows a blend of the two phenotypes
  • CodominanceTerm
    Both alleles are fully expressed
  • Sex-linked traitTerm
    A trait whose gene lies on a sex chromosome
  • Linked genesTerm
    Genes close together on a chromosome that tend to be inherited together
  • ReplicationTerm
    Copying DNA before cell division
  • SemiconservativeTerm
    Each new DNA molecule has one old and one new strand
  • DNA polymeraseTerm
    Enzyme that adds nucleotides during replication
  • HelicaseTerm
    Enzyme that unwinds the DNA double helix
  • Okazaki fragmentsTerm
    Short DNA pieces made on the lagging strand
  • TranscriptionTerm
    Making RNA from a DNA template
  • TranslationTerm
    Making a protein from mRNA at a ribosome
  • CodonTerm
    Three mRNA bases that code for one amino acid
  • AnticodonTerm
    Three tRNA bases that pair with a codon
  • IntronTerm
    A noncoding region removed from RNA
  • ExonTerm
    A coding region kept in mature RNA
  • OperonTerm
    A cluster of bacterial genes controlled together
  • Lac operonTerm
    An inducible operon that lets bacteria digest lactose when it is present
  • Transcription factorTerm
    A protein that helps turn genes on or off
  • Point mutationTerm
    A change in a single DNA nucleotide
  • Frameshift mutationTerm
    An insertion or deletion that shifts the reading frame
  • PCRTerm
    A technique for copying a specific DNA segment many times
  • Gel electrophoresisTerm
    Separating DNA fragments by size using an electric current
  • Restriction enzymeTerm
    Enzyme that cuts DNA at a specific sequence
  • CRISPRTerm
    A gene-editing tool derived from a bacterial defense system
  • Recombinant DNATerm
    DNA combined from different sources
  • Natural selectionTerm
    Individuals with helpful heritable traits leave more offspring
  • FitnessTerm
    An organism's success at passing on its genes
  • Genetic driftTerm
    Random change in allele frequencies, strongest in small populations
  • Gene flowTerm
    Movement of alleles between populations
  • Founder effectTerm
    Drift caused by a small group starting a new population
  • Bottleneck effectTerm
    Drift caused by a sharp drop in population size
  • Hardy-Weinberg equilibriumTerm
    A model of a non-evolving population: p + q = 1

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