ap biology water essay

BIOLOGY JUNCTION

Test And Quizzes for Biology, Pre-AP, Or AP Biology For Teachers And Students

AP Essay Questions

Draw a graph of these data and answer the following questions.

• What is the initial rate of this enzymatic reaction?
• What is the rate after 50 seconds? Why is it different from the initial rate?
• What would be the effect on product formation if the enzyme where heated to a temperature of 100° C for 10 minutes before repeating the experiment? Why?
• How might altering the substrate concentration affect the rate of the reaction? Why?
• How might altering the pH affect the rate of the reaction? Why?

4.  Enzymes are biological catalysts.

• Relate the chemical structure of an enzyme to its specificity and catalytic activity.
• Design a quantitative experiment to investigate the influence of pH or temperature on the activity of an enzyme.
• Describe what information concerning the structure of an enzyme could be inferred from your experiments.

Unit 3 (Cell Structure and Function, Cell division)

5.  Describe the fluid-mosaic model of a plasma membrane. Discuss the role of the membrane in the movement of materials through it by each of the following processes:

• Active transport
• Passive transport

6.  Describe the structure of a eukaryotic plant cell. Indicate the ways in which a nonphotosynthetic prokaryotic cell would differ in structure from this generalized eukaryotic plant cell.

7.  Discuss the process of cell division in animals. Include a description of mitosis and cytokinesis, and of the other phases of the cell cycle. Do Not include meiosis.

8.  A laboratory assistant prepared solution of 0.8 M, 0.6 M, 0.4 M, and 0.2 M sucrose, but forgot to label them. After realizing the error, the assistant randomly labeled the flasks containing these four unknown solutions as flask A, flask B, flask C, and flask D.

Design an experiment, based on the principles of diffusion and osmosis, that the assistant could use to determine which of the flasks contains each of the four unknown solutions. Include in your answer (a) a description of how you would set up and perform the experiment: (b) the results you would expect from your experiments: and (c) an explanation of those results based on the principles involved. (Be sure to clearly state the principles addressed in your discussion.)

9.  Cells transport substances across their membranes. Choose THREE of the following four types of cellular transport.

• Active Transport
• Facilitated Diffusion
• Endocytosis/exocytosis

For each of the three transport types you choose,

• Describe the transport process and explain how the organization of cell membranes functions in the movement of specific molecules across membranes; and
• Explain the significance of each type of transport to a specific cell (you may use difference cell types as examples.)

Unit 4 (Photosynthesis and Cellular Respiration)

10.  Describe the similarities and differences between the biochemical pathways of aerobic respiration and photosynthesis in eukaryotic cells. Include in your discussion the major reactions, the end products, and energy transfers.

11.  The rate of photosynthesis may vary with changes that occur in environmental temperature, wavelength of light, and light intensity. Using a photosynthetic organism of your choice, choose only ONE of the three variables (temperature, wavelength of light, or light intensity) and for this variable

• design a scientific experiment to determine the effect of the variable on the rate of photosynthesis for the organism;
• explain how you would measure the rate of photosynthesis in your experiment;
• describe the results you would expect. Explain why you would expect these results.

12.  Describe the light reactions of photosynthesis and, for both a C3 and a C4 plant, trace the path of a carbon dioxide molecule from the point at which it enters a plant to its incorporation into a glucose molecule. Include leaf anatomy and biochemical pathways in your discussion of each type of plant.

13.  Explain what occurs during the Krebs (citric acid) cycle and electron transport by describing the following:

• The location of the Krebs cycle and electron transport chain in mitochondria.
• The cyclic nature of the reactions in the Krebs cycle.
• The production of ATP and reduced coenzymes during the cycle.
• The chemiosmotic production of ATP during electron transport.

14.  Membranes are important structural features of cells.

• Describe how membrane structure is related to the transport of materials across the membrane.
• Describe the role of membranes in the synthesis of ATP in either cellular respiration or photosynthesis.

15. Energy transfer occurs in all cellular activities. For 3 of the following 5 processes involving energy transfer, explain how each functions in the cell and give an example. Explain how ATP is involved in each example you choose.

• cellular movement
• active transport
• synthesis of molecules
• chemiosmosis
• fermentation

16. The results below are measurements of cumulative oxygen consumption by germinating and dry seeds. Gas volume measurements were corrected for changes in temperature and pressure.

• Using the graph paper provided, plot the results for the germinating seeds at 22° C and at 10° C.
• Calculate function the rate of oxygen consumption for the germinating seeds at 22° C, using the time interval between 10 and 20 minutes.
• germinating seeds at 22° C and at 10° C
• germinating seeds and dry seeds
• Describe the essential features of an experimental apparatus that could be used to measure oxygen consumption by a small organism. Explain why each of these features is necessary.

Unit 5 (Meiosis, Mendelian Genetics, DNA Replication)

17.  State the conclusions reached by Mendel in his work on the inheritance of characteristics. Explain how each of the following deviates from these conclusions.

• Autosomal linkage.
• Sex-linked (X-linked) inheritance.
• Polygenic (multiple-gene) inheritance.

18.  Experiments by the following scientists provided critical information concerning DNA. Describe each classical experiment and indicate how it provided evidence for the chemical nature of the gene.

• Hershey and Chase- bacteriophage replication
• Griffith and Avery, MacLeod and McCarty- bacterial transformation
• Meselson and Stahl- DNA replication in bacteria

19.  Discuss Mendel’s laws of segregation and independent assortment. Explain how the events of meiosis I account for the observations that led Mendel to formulate these laws.

20.  An organism is heterozygous at two genetic loci on different chromosomes.

• Explain how these alleles are transmitted by the process of mitosis to daughter cells.
• Explain how these alleles are distributed by the process of meiosis to gametes.
• Explain how the behavior of these two pairs of homologous chromosomes during meiosis provides the physical basis for Mendel’s two laws of inheritance.

Labeled diagrams that are explained in your answer may be useful.

Unit 6 (Protein Synthesis, Gene Expression, DNA Technology)

21.  A portion of specific DNA molecule consists of the following sequence of nucleotide triplets.

TAC GAA CTT GGG TCC

This DNA sequence codes for the following short polypeptide.

methionine – leucine – glutamic acid – proline – arginine

Describe the steps in the synthesis of this polypeptide. What would be the effect of a deletion or an addition in one of the DNA nucleotides? What would be the effects of a substitution in one of the nucleotides?

22.  Describe the operon hypothesis and discuss how it explains the control of messenger RNA production and the regulation of protein synthesis in bacterial cells.

23.  Scientists seeking to determine which molecule is responsible for the transmission of characteristics from one generation to the next knew that the molecule must (1) copy itself precisely, (2) be stable but able to be changed, and (3) be complex enough to determine the organism’s phenotype.

• Explain how DNA meets each of the three criteria stated above.
• Select one of the criteria stated above and describe experimental evidence used to determine that DNA is the hereditary material.

24.  Describe the biochemical composition, structure, and replication of DNA. Discuss how recombinant DNA techniques may be used to correct a point mutation.

25.  Describe the production and processing of a protein that will be exported from a eukaryotic cell. Begin with the separation of the messenger RNA from the DNA template and end with the release of the protein at the plasma membrane.

26.  Describe the steps of protein synthesis, beginning with the attachment of a messenger RNA molecule to the small subunit of a ribosome and ending generalized with the release of the polypeptide from the ribosome. Include in your answer a discussion of how the different types of RNA function in this process.

27.  The diagram below shows a segment of DNA with a total length of 4,900 base pairs. The arrows indicate reaction sites for two restriction enzymes (enzyme X and enzyme Y).

• Explain how the principles of gel electrophoresis allow for the separation of DNA fragments.
• DNA digested with only enzyme X
• DNA digested with only enzyme Y
• DNA digested with enzyme X and enzyme Y combined
• Undigested DNA
• The mechanism of action of restriction enzymes.
• The different results you would expect if a mutation occurred at the recognition site for enzyme Y.

28.  By using the techniques of genetic engineering, scientists are able to modify genetic materials so that a particular gene of interest from one cell can be incorporated into a different cell.

• Describe a procedure by which this can be done.
• Explain the purpose of each step of your procedure.
• Describe how you could determine whether the gene was successfully incorporated.
• Describe an example of how gene transfer and incorporation have been used in biomedical or commercial applications.

29.  Assume that a particular genetic condition in a mammalian species causes an inability to digest starch. This disorder occurs with equal frequency in males and females. In most cases, neither parent of affected offspring has the condition.

• Describe the most probable pattern of inheritance for this condition. Explain your reasoning. Include in your discussion a sample cross(es) sufficient to verify your proposed pattern.
• Explain how a mutation could cause this inability to digest starch.
• Describe how modern techniques of molecular biology could be used to determine whether the mutant allele is present in a given individual.

Unit 7 (Evolution, Population Genetics, Speciation)

29.  Describe the special relationship between the two terms in each of the following pairs.

• Convergent evolution of organisms and Australia.
• Blood groups and genetic drift.
• Birds of prey and DDT.

30.  Describe the modern theory of evolution and discuss how it is supported by evidence from two of the following areas.

• population genetics
• molecular biology
• comparative anatomy and embryology

31.  Describe the process of speciation. Include in your discussion the factors that may contribute to the maintenance of genetic isolation.

32.  Do the following with reference to the Hardy-Weinberg model.

• Indicate the conditions under which allelic frequencies (p and q) remain constant from one generation to the next.
• Calculate, showing all work, the frequencies of the alleles and the frequencies of the genotypes in a population of 100,000 rabbits, of which 25,000 are white and 75,000 are agouti. (In rabbits the white color is due to a recessive allele, w, and the agouti is due to a dominant all, W.)
• If the homozygous dominant condition were to become lethal, what would happen to the allelic and genotypic frequencies in the rabbit population after two generations?

33.  Evolution is one of the major unifying themes of modern biology.

• Explain the mechanisms that lead to evolutionary change.
• Bacterial resistance to antibodies.
• Comparative biochemistry.
• The fossil record.

34.  Genetic variation is the raw material for evolution.

• Explain three cellular and/or molecular mechanisms that introduce variation into the gene pool of a plant or animal population.
• Explain the evolutionary mechanisms that can change the composition of the gene pool.

35.  In a laboratory population of diploid, sexually reproducing organisms a certain trait is studied. This trait is determined by a single autosomal gene and is expressed as two phenotypes. A new population was created by crossing 51 pure breeding (homozygous) dominant individuals with 49 pure breeding (homozygous) individuals. After four generations, the following results were obtained.

• Identify an organism that might have been used to perform this experiment, and explain why this organism is a good choice for conducting this experiment.
• On the basis of the data, propose a hypothesis that explains the change in phenotypic frequency between generation 1 and generation 3.
• Is there evidence indicating whether or not this population is in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium? Explain.

 Unit 8 (Chemical Evolution, Prokaryotes, Eukaryote Evolution, Protista)

36.  Scientists recently have proposed a reorganization of the phylogenetic system of classification to include the domain, a new taxonomic category higher (more inclusive) than the Kingdom category, as shown in the following diagram.

Universal Ancestor

Domain Bacteria             Domain Archaea Domain Eukarya

(Eubacteria)             (Archaebacteria) (Eukaryotes)

• describe how this classification scheme presents different conclusions about the relationships among living organisms than those presented by the previous five-kingdom system of classification
• describe three kinds of evidence that were used to develop the taxonomic scheme above, and explain how this evidence was used. The evidence may be structural, physiological, molecular, and/or genetic.
• four of the characteristics of the universal ancestor.

Unit 9 (Introduction to Plants, Fungi, Invertebrates)

37.  In the life cycles of a fern and a flowering plant, compare and contrast each of the following:

• The gametophyte generation.
• Sperm transport and fertilization.
• Embryo protection.

38.  Describe the differences between the terms in each of the following pairs.

• Coelomate versus acoelomate body plan.
• Protostome versus deuterostome development.
• Radial versus bilateral symmetry.
• Explain how each of these pairs of features was important in constructing the phylogenetic tree shown below. Use specific examples from the tree in your discussion.

Unit 10 (Vertebrates, Basic Animal Structure and Function)

39.  Select two of the following three pairs and discuss the evolutionary relationships between the two members of each pair you have chosen. In your discussion include structural adaptations and the functional significance.

Pair A: green algae—vascular plants

Pair B: prokaryotes—eukaryotes

Pair C: amphibians—reptiles

Unit 11 (Animal Nutrition, Circulation, Respiration, Immune System)

40.  Describe the structure of a mammalian respiratory system. Include in your discussion the mechanisms of inspiration and expiration.

41.  Describe the processes of fat and protein digestion and product absorption as they occur in the human stomach and small intestine. Include a discussion of the enzymatic reactions involved.

42.  Describe the following mechanisms of response to foreign materials in the human body.

• The antigen-antibody response to a skin graft from another person.
• The reactions of the body leading to inflammation of a wound infected by bacteria.

43.  Discuss the processes of exchange of O2 and CO2 that occur at the alveoli and muscle cells of mammals. Include in your answer a description of the transport of these gases in the blood.

44.  Many physioligical changes occur during exercise.

• Design a controlled experiment to test the hypothesis that an exercise session causes short-term increases in heart rat and breathing rate in humans.
• Explain how at least three organ systems are affected by this increased physical activity and discuss interactions among these systems.

45.  The graph below shows the response of the human immune system to exposure to an antigen. Use this graph to answer part a and part b of this question.

• Describe the events that occur during period I as the immune system responds to the initial exposure to the antigen.
• Describe the events that occur during period II following a second exposure to the same antigen.
• Explain how infection by the AIDS virus (HIV) affects the function of both T and B lymphocytes.

Unit 12 (Homeostasis, Reproduction, Development)

47.  Discuss the processes of cleavage, gastrulation, and neurulation in the frog embryo; tell what each process accomplishes. Describe an experiment that illustrates the importance of induction in development.

48.  The evolutionary success of organisms depends on reproduction. Some groups of organisms reproduce asexually, some reproduce sexually, while others reproduce both sexually and asexually.

• Using THREE difference organisms, give an example of one organism that reproduces sexually, one that reproduces asexually, and one that reproduces BOTH sexually and asexually. For each organism given as an example, describe two reproductive adaptations. These adaptations may be behavioral, structural, and/or functional.
• What environmental conditions would favor sexual reproduction? Explain. What environmental conditions would favor asexual reproduction? Explain.

Unit 13 (Endocrine System, Nervous System, Sensory and Motor Mechanisms)

49.  Discuss the sources and actions of each of the following pairs of hormones in humans and describe the feedback mechanisms that control their release.

• Insulin—glucagon
• Parathyroid hormone—calcitonin
• Thyrotropin (TSH)—thyroxine (T4)

50.  Beginning at the presynaptic membrane of the neuromuscular junction, describe the physical and biochemical events involved in the contraction of a skeletal muscle fiber. Include the structure of the fiber in your discussion.

52.  Describe the negative and positive feedback loops, and discuss how feedback mechanisms regulate each of the following.

• The menstrual cycle in nonpregnant human female.
• Blood glucose levels in humans.

53.  Discuss how cellular structures, including the plasma membrane, specialized endoplasmic reticulum, cytoskeletal elements, and mitochondria, function together in the contraction of skeletal muscle cells.

54.  Structure and function are related in the various organ systems of animals. Select two of the following four organ systems in vertebrates:

• respiratory

For each of the two systems you choose, discuss the structure and function of two adaptations that aid in the transport or exchange of molecules (or ions). Be sure to relate structure to function in each example.

Unit 14 (Plant Structure and Function)

55.  Relate the structure of an angiosperm leaf to each of the following:

• Adaptations for photosynthesis and food storage.
• Adaptations for food translocation and water transport.
• Specialized adaptations to a desert environment.

56.  Define the following plant responses and explain the mechanism of control for each. Cite experimental evidence as part of your discussion.

• Phototropism
• Photoperiodism

57.  Describe the structure of a bean seed and discuss its germination to the seedling stage. Include in your essay hormonal controls, structural changes, and tissue differentiation.

58.  Describe the effects of plant hormones on plant growth and development. Design an experiment to demonstrate the effect of one of these plant hormones on plant growth and development.

59.  Trace the pathway in a flowering plant as the water moves from the soil through the tissues of the root, stem, and leaves to the atmosphere. Explain the mechanisms involved in conducting water through these tissues.

60.  Discuss the adaptations that have enabled flowering plants to overcome the following problems associated with life on land.

• The absence of an aquatic environment for reproduction.
• The absence of an aquatic environment to support the plant body.
• Dehydration of the plant.

61.  A group of students designed an experiment to measure transpiration rates in a particular species of herbaceous plant. Plants were divided into four groups and were exposed to the following conditions.

The cumulative water loss due to transpiration of water from each plant was measured at 10-minute intervals for 30 minutes. Water loss was expressed as milliliters of water per square centimeter of leaf surface area. The data for all plants in Group I (room conditions) were averaged. The average cumulative water loss by the plants in Group I is presented in the table below.

• Construct and label a graph using the data for Group I. Using the same set of axes, draw and label three additional lines representing the results that you would predict for Groups II, III, and IV.
• Explain how biological and physical processes are responsible for the difference between each of your predictions and the data for Group I.
• Explain how the concept of water potential is used to account for the movement of water from the plant stem to the atmosphere during transpiration.

62.  Numerous environmental variables influence plant growth. Three students each planted a seedling of the same genetic variety in the same type of container with equal amounts of soil from the same source. Their goal was to maximize their seedling’s growth by manipulating environmental conditions. Their data are shown below.

• Identify three different environmental variables that could account for differences in the mass of seedlings at day 30. Then choose one of these variables and design an experiment to test the hypothesis that your variable affects growth of these seedlings.
• Discuss the results you would expect if your hypothesis is correct. Then provide a physiological explanation for the effect of your variable on plant growth.

Unit 15 (Ecology)

63.  Define and explain the role of each of the following in social behavior.

• Territoriality.
• Dominance hierarchies.
• Courtship behavior.

64.  Describe the trophic levels in a typical ecosystem. Discuss the flow of energy through the ecosystem, the relationship between the different trophic levels, and the factors that limit the number of trophic levels.

65.  Describe and give an example of each of the following. Include in your discussion the selection advantage of each.

• Pheromones.
• Stereotyped behavior (instinct).

66.  Describe the process of ecological succession from a pioneer community to a climax community. Include in your answer a discussion of species diversity and interactions, accumulation of biomass, and energy flow.

67.  Describe releasers, imprinting, and communications, as each of these terms relates to animal behavior. You may include in your answer a discussion of the classical studies of Niko Tinbergen, Konrad Lorenz, and Karl von Frisch.

68.  Describe the biogeochemical cycles of carbon and nitrogen. Trace these elements from the point of their release from a decaying animal to their incorporation into a living animal.

69.  Using an example for each, discuss the following ecological concepts.

• Energy flow between trophic levels.
• Limiting factors.
• Carrying capacity.

70.  Living organisms play an important role in the recycling of many elements within an ecosystem. Discuss how various types of organisms and their biochemical reactions contribute to the recycling of either carbon or nitrogen in an ecosystem. Include in your answer one way in which human activity has an impact in the nutrient cycle you have chosen.

71.  Survival depends on the ability of an organism to respond to changes in its environment. Some plants flower in response to changes in day length. Some mammals may run or fight when frightened. For both of these examples, describe the physiological mechanisms involved in the response.

72.  Interdependence in nature is illustrated by the transfer of energy through trophic levels. The diagram below depicts the transfer of energy in a food web of an Arctic lake located in Alaska (J )

• Choosing organisms from four different trophic levels of this food web as examples, explain how energy is obtained at each trophic level.
• Describe the efficiency of energy transfer between trophic levels and discuss how the amount of energy available at each trophic level affects the structure of the ecosystem.
• If the cells in the dead terrestrial plant material that washed into the lake contained a commercially produced toxin, what would be the likely effects of this toxin on this food web? Explain.

For the data above, provide information on each of the following.

• Summarize the pattern.
• Identify THREE physiological or environmental variables that could cause the slugs to vary their distance from each other.
• Explain how each variable could bring about the observed pattern of distribution.

Choose ONE of the variables that you identified and design a controlled experiment to test your hypothetical explanation. Describe results that would support or refute your hypothesis.

Cumulative Essays

74.  Describe how the following adaptations have increased the evolutionary success of the organisms that possess them. Include in your discussion the structure and function related to each adaptation.

• C4 metabolism
• Amniotic egg
• Four-chambered heart

75.  Describe the anatomical and functional similarities and difference within each of the following pairs of structures.

• Artery—vein
• Small intestine—colon
• Skeletal muscle—cardiac muscle
• Anterior pituitary—posterior pituitary

76.  Discuss how each of the following has contributed to the evolutionary success of the organisms in which they are found.

• mammalian placenta

77.  Angiosperms (flowering plants) and vertebrates obtain nutrients from their environment in different ways.

• Discuss the type of nutrition and the nutritional requirements of angiosperms and vertebrates.
• Describe 2 structural adaptations in angiosperms for obtaining nutrients from the environment. Relate structure to function.
• Interdependence in nature is evident in symbiosis. Explain tow symbiotic relationships that aid in nutrient uptake, using examples from angiosperms and/or vertebrates. (Both examples may be angiosperms, both may be vertebrates, or one may be from each group.

78.  The problem of survival of animals on land are very different from those of survival of animals in an aquatic environment. Describe four problems associated with animal survival in terrestrial environments but not in aquatic environments. For each problem, explain an evolutionary solution.

79.  The survival of organisms depends on regulatory mechanisms at various levels. Choose THREE from the following examples. Explain how each is regulated.

• The expression of a gene.
• The activity of an enzyme.
• The cell cycle.
• The internal water balance of a plant.
• The density of a population.

80.  Photosynthesis and cellular respiration recycle oxygen in ecosystems. Respond to TWO (and only two) of the following:

• Explain how the metabolic processes of cellular respiration and photosynthesis recycle oxygen.
• Discuss the structural adaptations that function in oxygen exchange between each of the following organisms and its environment: a plant; an insect; a fish.
• Trace a molecule of O2 from the environment to a muscle cell in a vertebrate of your choice.

81.  Biological recognition is important in many processes at the molecular, cellular, tissue, and organismal levels. Select three of the following, and for each of the three that you have chose, explain how the process of recognition occurs and give an example of each.

• Organisms recognize others as members of their own species.
• Neurotransmitters are recognized in the synapse.
• Antigens trigger antibody response.
• Nucleic acids are complementary.
• Target cells respond to specific hormones.

82.  Communication occurs among the cells in a multicellular organism. Choose THREE of the following examples of cell-to-cell communication, and for each example, describe the communication that occurs and the types of responses that result from this communication.

• communication between two plant cells
• communication between two immune-system cells
• communication either between a neuron and another neuron, or between a neuron and a muscle cell
• communication between a specific endocrine-gland cell and its target cell

If you're seeing this message, it means we're having trouble loading external resources on our website.

If you're behind a web filter, please make sure that the domains *.kastatic.org and *.kasandbox.org are unblocked.

To log in and use all the features of Khan Academy, please enable JavaScript in your browser.

AP®︎/College Biology

Course: ap®︎/college biology   >   unit 1.

• Hydrogen bonding in water
• Hydrogen bonds in water
• Capillary action and why we see a meniscus
• Surface tension
• Cohesion and adhesion of water
• Water as a solvent
• Specific heat, heat of vaporization, and density of water
• Importance of water for life

Lesson summary: Water and life

• Structure of water and hydrogen bonding

Unique properties of water

• Water is polar. Water molecules are polar, with partial positive charges on the hydrogens, a partial negative charge on the oxygen, and a bent overall structure. This is because oxygen is more electronegative , meaning that it is better than hydrogen at attracting electrons.
• Water is an excellent solvent. Water has the unique ability to dissolve many polar and ionic substances. This is important to all living things because, as water travels through the water cycle, it takes many valuable nutrients along with it!
• Water has high heat capacity. It takes a lot of energy to raise the temperature of a certain amount of water by a degree, so water helps with regulating temperature in the environment. For example, this property allows the temperature of water in a pond to stay relatively constant from day to night, regardless of the changing atmospheric temperature.
• Water has high heat of vaporization. Humans (and other animals that sweat) use water’s high heat of vaporization to cool off. Water is converted from its liquid form to steam when the heat of vaporization is reached. Since sweat is made mostly of water, the evaporating water absorbs excess body heat, which is released into the atmosphere. This is known as evaporative cooling .
• Water has cohesive and adhesive properties. Water molecules have strong cohesive forces due to their ability to form hydrogen bonds with one another. Cohesive forces are responsible for surface tension , the tendency of a liquid’s surface to resist rupture when placed under tension or stress. Water also has adhesive properties that allow it to stick to substances other than itself. These cohesive and adhesive properties are essential for fluid transport in many forms of life. For example, they allow nutrients to be transported to the top of a tree against the force of gravity.
• Water is less dense as a solid than as a liquid. As water freezes, the molecules form a crystalline structure that spaces the molecules further apart than in liquid water. This means that ice is less dense than liquid water, which is why it floats. This property is important, as it keeps ponds, lakes, and oceans from freezing solid and allows life to continue to thrive under the icy surface.

Common mistakes and misconceptions

• Water dissolves everything because it is the “universal solvent." Water has the ability to dissolve many substances but the term “universal solvent" is misleading. Water is able to dissolve other polar molecules and ions, such as sugars and salts. However, nonpolar molecules like oils lack partial positive or partial negative charges, so they are not attracted to water molecules. This is why nonpolar substances like oil remain separate when added to water.

Want to join the conversation?

• Upvote Button navigates to signup page
• Downvote Button navigates to signup page
• Flag Button navigates to signup page

HIGH SCHOOL

• ACT Tutoring
• SAT Tutoring
• PSAT Tutoring
• ASPIRE Tutoring
• SHSAT Tutoring
• STAAR Tutoring

GRADUATE SCHOOL

• MCAT Tutoring
• GRE Tutoring
• LSAT Tutoring
• GMAT Tutoring
• AIMS Tutoring
• HSPT Tutoring
• ISAT Tutoring
• SSAT Tutoring

Search 50+ Tests

Loading Page

math tutoring

• Elementary Math
• Pre-Calculus
• Trigonometry

science tutoring

Foreign languages.

• Mandarin Chinese

elementary tutoring

• Computer Science

Search 350+ Subjects

• Video Overview
• Tutor Selection Process
• Online Tutoring
• Mobile Tutoring
• Instant Tutoring
• How We Operate
• Our Guarantee
• Impact of Tutoring
• Reviews & Testimonials
• Media Coverage
• About Varsity Tutors

AP Biology : Understanding Essential Properties of Water

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for ap biology, all ap biology resources, example questions, example question #1 : ap biology.

The property of water that contributes to its ability to stick to certain surfaces is called __________ .

Polymerization

Water is a polar molecule, and thus can  adhere to different surfaces; thus,  adhesion is the correct answer here. Cohesion is close, as cohesion describes the ability of water to stick to itself due to its polarity. We want the property that allows water to stick to other surfaces, not to itself. Polymerization involves chains of similar molecules, and does not occur in water. Parsimony is the principle that the simplest explanation is usually the reality of a situation (such as when tracing evolutionary histories). Gravity does not play into the properties of water.

Example Question #2 : Ap Biology

Water's ability to create intermolecular hydrogen bonds results in its inability to break up which of the following compounds?

Amino acids

Nonpolar compounds will not be adequately dissolved in aqueous solutions. Lipids are nonpolar compounds that are mainly insoluble in water. This causes lipids to congregate together, rather than be broken apart in aqueous solutions. Lipids will generally come together to form globs or balls called micelles.

Ions, amino acids, and sugars (carbohydrates) are all polar, and will be adequately dissolved and ionized by water.

Example Question #1 : Biochemical Concepts

What property of water allows it to have a very high boiling point?

Van der Waals forces

Autoionization

Hydrogen bonding

Salt formation

Amphoteric nature

Water has an unusually high boiling point for a liquid. This is related to the intermolecular forces between water molecules; when a liquid has particularly large intermolecular forces, it will have a higher boiling point. Large intermolecular forces between molecules will favor the liquid state over the gaseous state.

Water is made up of oxygen and hydrogen and can form hydrogen bonds, which are particularly strong intermolecular forces. These strong intermolecular forces cause the water molecules to "stick" to one another and resist transition to the gaseous phase.

Which of the following intermolecular interactions is easiest to disrupt via a change in temperature?

Hydrogen bonds 

Peptide bonds 

Covalent bonds 

Ionic bonds 

Hydrogen bonding can easily be disrupted by changes in temperature. It is important to note that hydrogen bonding is not a true example of a chemical bond, but rather an intermolecular force. Hydrogen bonds are essential for the formation of protein structure and DNA base pairing. When proteins and DNA are exposed to heat, they degrade as these hydrogen bonds are broken.

Covalent bonds, which include peptide bonds, and ionic bonds are examples of real chemical bonds that require high amounts of energy before they can be easily disrupted. These bonds are considered more permanent interactions than other intermolecular forces.

Example Question #4 : Ap Biology

In reference to water, what to do cohesion, surface tension, and adhesion all have in common?

All are produced by ionic bonding

All are produced by covalent bonding

All are properties related to hydrogen bonding

All are results of the structure of hydrogen atoms

All are aspects of a crystalline structure

These properties of water are all a result of hydrogen bonding. Hydrogen bonds result from the electrical attraction between partially positive hydrogen atoms and partially negative oxygen atoms of adjacent water molecules. The differences in electronegativity between hydrogen and oxygen give rise to the hydrogen bonding and associated properties.

Attraction and polarity in water molecules cause them to "stick" to one another. Attraction between water molecules results in cohesion, and attraction between the water molecules and other compounds in the environment results in adhesion. The high surface tension of water is caused by the "sticking" of water molecules to one another, which keep vapor pressure low.

Hydrogen bonding is a temporary intermolecular force, and is different from covalent or ionic bonding. Covalent and ionic bonding result in permanently joined atoms to build molecular structures.

Example Question #5 : Ap Biology

It is a hot summer day. When you clutch a cold glass of water, how is heat energy transferred?

From the glass to your hand by conduction

From the glass to your hand by radiation

From the air to your hand by convection

From your hand to the glass by radiation

From your hand to the glass by conduction

There are three forms of heat transfer: radiation, convection, and conduction. Radiation is the transfer of heat via electromagnetic waves, such as sunlight of microwaves. Convection is the transfer of heat through a fluid medium, such as water or air currents. Conduction is the direct transfer of heat between environments through physical contact. Since your hand is in physical contact with the glass, heat is transferred by conduction.

Heat is always transferred from a body of higher temperature to a body of lower temperature. Since your hand is warmer than the glass, heat is transferred from the hand to the glass. It can be easier to think of heat transfer in terms of concentration. Like molecules, heat energy will travel from a region of high concentration (hotter) to a region of low concentration (colder) in order to reach equilibrium.

Example Question #6 : Ap Biology

Water often travels between cells and the environment via osmosis, where it diffuses from areas with low solute concentration (where more water is present) to areas with higher solute concentration (where there is relatively less water). Which answer choice is an example of osmosis?

A cell is placed in a hypertonic environment; water flows into the cell and causes it to swell

A normal cell is placed in pure water; water from the environment flows into the cell and causes it to swell

A normal cell is placed in pure water; water from the cell flows out into the surrounding liquid and causes the cell to shrink

A cell is placed in an isotonic environment and immediately loses a great deal of its water content to its surroundings

To select the correct answer, you must understand the difference between hypertonic, hypotonic, and isotonic. A hypertonic solution, such as ocean water with a high salt content, contains more solute than a normal cell. Water will flow out of the cell and into the environment in an attempt to equalize the amount of solute in the two "compartments." An isotonic solution has the same relative amount of solute as the cell to which it is being compared, so no concentration gradient exists and no net diffusion will occur. Finally, a hypotonic solution contains less solute than the cell too which it is being compared.

Pure water will always have less solute concentration than a cell, creating a hypotonic relationship. The solution is hypotonic to the cell (less solute) and the cell is hypertonic to the water (more solute). Water will flow from the hypotonic environment to the hypertonic cell, causing it to swell in size.

Example Question #7 : Ap Biology

What causes water's high heat capacity?

Low density as a solid

Low boiling point

Cohesion is the result of increased strength of hydrogen bonding between many water molecules. This increased strength requires a great amount of heat in order to break the hydrogen bonds between molecules, in order for these molecules to become vapor. Cohesion and hydrogen bonding are the cause for water's low vapor pressure, high boiling point, and high heat capacity.

Adhesion is water's property to adhere to a surface, and is the cause of capillary action. Water does have low density as a solid, which allows ice to float, but is not the reason for water's high heat capacity. Water has a high boiling point, considering its low mass.

Example Question #8 : Ap Biology

Which phase of water in the most dense?

Supercritical fluid

Water has the same density in any of its phases

Water, unlike many other compounds, has several special properties due to its hydrogen bonding between molecules. The hydrogen bonds are relatively strong, leading water to have very low vapor pressure and high surface tension. A side effect of the hydrogen bonding, however, is that when water crystallizes, the molecules will inevitably align so that the hydrogen bonds are maintained. The solid lattice structure of water molecules is, thus, not very tightly packed. The structure is ideal to optimize intermolecular forces, rather than space and volume. The density of the solid (ice) is thus less than the density of the liquid water.

Water vapor (gas) and supercritical water both have lower densities than ice, making liquid water the most dense.

Example Question #1 : Understanding Essential Properties Of Water

What property of water allows it to have an unusually high boiling point?

It contains oxygen

It is in a bent shape

It is a small molecule that can pack tightly

It has a low molecular weight

It can form hydrogen bonds

Boiling point is generally determined by a few factors that are directly related to molecular weight and intermolecular forces. In general, lighter molecules have lower boiling points and molecules with stronger intermolecular forces have higher boiling points.

Water is relatively light, but has very strong hydrogen bonding. Hydrogen bonding is the strongest intermolecular force and will act to pull water molecules closer to each other. The result is a dense liquid that does not easily transition into a less dense gas. In order for water to boil these intermolecular hydrogen bonds must be broken, which takes energy. A greater energy input means a higher boiling point.

The shape and composition of water are not particularly relevant to its boiling point, and being a small, light molecule would be conducive to a low boiling point rather than a high boiling point.

Report an issue with this question

If you've found an issue with this question, please let us know. With the help of the community we can continue to improve our educational resources.

DMCA Complaint

If you believe that content available by means of the Website (as defined in our Terms of Service) infringes one or more of your copyrights, please notify us by providing a written notice (“Infringement Notice”) containing the information described below to the designated agent listed below. If Varsity Tutors takes action in response to an Infringement Notice, it will make a good faith attempt to contact the party that made such content available by means of the most recent email address, if any, provided by such party to Varsity Tutors.

Your Infringement Notice may be forwarded to the party that made the content available or to third parties such as ChillingEffects.org.

Please be advised that you will be liable for damages (including costs and attorneys’ fees) if you materially misrepresent that a product or activity is infringing your copyrights. Thus, if you are not sure content located on or linked-to by the Website infringes your copyright, you should consider first contacting an attorney.

Please follow these steps to file a notice:

You must include the following:

A physical or electronic signature of the copyright owner or a person authorized to act on their behalf; An identification of the copyright claimed to have been infringed; A description of the nature and exact location of the content that you claim to infringe your copyright, in \ sufficient detail to permit Varsity Tutors to find and positively identify that content; for example we require a link to the specific question (not just the name of the question) that contains the content and a description of which specific portion of the question – an image, a link, the text, etc – your complaint refers to; Your name, address, telephone number and email address; and A statement by you: (a) that you believe in good faith that the use of the content that you claim to infringe your copyright is not authorized by law, or by the copyright owner or such owner’s agent; (b) that all of the information contained in your Infringement Notice is accurate, and (c) under penalty of perjury, that you are either the copyright owner or a person authorized to act on their behalf.

Send your complaint to our designated agent at:

Charles Cohn Varsity Tutors LLC 101 S. Hanley Rd, Suite 300 St. Louis, MO 63105

Or fill out the form below:

Contact Information

Complaint details.

AP® Biology

How to answer ap® biology free response questions.

• The Albert Team
• Last Updated On: March 1, 2022

The free response section can make or break any student’s AP® Biology exam score. If you’re wondering what the best tips and tricks for answering AP® Biology free response questions, you’ve come to the right place.

In this article, we extensively cover must know tips for writing effective AP® Biology FRQs, common mistakes made by students when analyzing past AP® Biology scoring guidelines, and how to use past AP® Biology free response questions to start practicing for your exam.

Read on to get the complete scoop when it comes to succeeding on your AP® Biology exam review.

What We Review

5 Steps on How to Write Effective AP® Biology Free Responses

In this section, we’ll give you a strategy to start writing AP® Biology free responses that score you points. 

1. Understand how points are awarded by reviewing the AP® Biology rubrics.

The first step to crafting good AP® Biology free responses that score you points is understanding how points are distributed. The easiest way to do this is by going to the College Board’s AP® Central website and navigating to their past released exams . 

From here, you’ll want to open up the scoring guidelines — these will detail what points were awarded for different parts of AP® Biology free response questions. 

Here’s a screenshot from the 2019 released exam: 

Source: College Board

As you can see in this first section 1 (a), students receive two points, one for properly circling the transcription on the template pathway, and another point for properly identifying the molecule.

2. Underline or circle every bolded and capitalized word.

One of the nice parts of the AP® Biology free response section is that the College Board draws attention to what they are asking you to answer. This means you need to make sure you answer it! 

Bolded and capitalized words are often the easiest way to figure out the root of the question. Typically you can break down how much each question is worth from the bolded and capitalized words. 

One of our best test taking tips is to make sure you check off or star next to the word after you’ve answered it in your free response. This serves as a visual checklist for you to make sure you answered all parts of the question. 

3. Understand what the question is asking you and identify common AP® Biology directive words.

One of the easiest ways students get tripped up in their AP® Biology exam review is not actually answering the question that the test makers are asking. It’s a commonly cited piece of advice from the College Board readers. 

Here are nine common AP® Biology question stems (directive words) to make sure you know cold:

• Calculate: This is where you’ll be asked to solve a problem. Two points are typically awarded for these parts, one for the right answer and one for showing your work. 
• Compare: This is where you must outline similarities between two or more things. It’s important you specifically only outline similarities; don’t get this confused with contrast!
• Contrast : This is where you must show the differences between two or more things.
• Discuss: This is where you’ll want to outline pros and cons on a topic, process, theory or technique. 
• Describe: This sort of question assesses your ability to characterize something; for example: the functions of a certain part of a cell. 
• Explain: This is where you need to demonstrate your ability to make something understandable. 
• Identify: This is where you will need to give a direct answer to the question. It’s usually closely related to reading a diagram or graphical representation. 
• Interpret: This is where you need to analyze something critically or explain something that isn’t clear. 
• Justify: This is where you must explain why something may happen. This is testing similar skills to interpret and explain. 

Stems like calculate, explain, and justify are often associated with two-point problems. 

Notice how some of these stems are open-ended. For example, discuss, describe, explain, and interpret are all generally pretty-open ended. Typically, this should clue you in that your answer should be thorough for this part of the problem. For example, if you’re asked to explain why a certain result may occur from an experiment — you would need to exhaustively cover the set up of the experiment, as well as what makes that particular experimental design an effective way to measure the dependent variable. 

Make sure you do not make the mistake of only providing a single sentence answer when so many points are at stake! 

AP® Biology students most often lose 5+ points when it comes to the first and second problems in the free response section. These are points you can’t get back, and can dramatically impact the way you score. 

There are a handful of other common stems — be sure to review the past AP® Biology released exams to familiarize yourself with them. 

4. Be succinct in your AP® Biology free responses.

This isn’t an AP® English Language free response essay. One of the most common mistakes AP® Biology students make when answering free response questions is thinking if they just write a lot, they can score more points. This is not true. 

For example, if the question asked you to identify four properties of something and you list out nine, you will only get points for the first four you stated. 

It is not the responsibility of your AP® reader to figure out what you meant. It is your responsibility as the AP® Biology test taker to communicate clearly through your writing. 

A few principles to remember when writing your AP® Biology free responses:

• Don’t restate the question. This is unnecessary and will not score you points. 
• Write in complete sentences.
• If doing a calculation, make sure you clearly identify your final answer (this is most easily done by boxing your answer), AND show your work. A point is typically awarded for showing your work.
• Once you answer the question, move on. One of the most common mistakes AP® Biology students make is by making a contradicting statement after they stated the right answer. If there is a contradicting statement made, you can lose out on points. 
• Remember the prior tip for graphing as well. If it asks you to plot, put the data points in the graph. If the question asks you to graph, draw a line or curve. Do not extend beyond the provided data unless you’re explicitly asked in the question to predict or extrapolate a result. 
• When graphing, make sure you follow graphing conventions. This means titling your chart, labeling your axes, scaling appropriately, and selecting the right type of graph.
• Be mindful of your handwriting. While it’s not formally part of the grading process, if your AP® Reader cannot decipher your handwriting in the limited amount of time they have grading your exam, you are making it harder for them to give you points. 

A final overarching principle is to make sure you practice completing your thoughts within a prompt. This has been called “closing the loop” and it is one of the most frequent mistakes students make here is when they’re asked for example to state the direction something is changing in the prompt, but then fail to do so. 

5. Practice, practice, and then practice some more.

Mastering the AP® Biology free response section comes down to two things: understanding how the free response is graded, and then learning how to answer questions that fit those expectations. 

Sometimes students do a great job of learning the rubrics, but don’t practice enough on actually writing sample responses or vice versa. When you’re starting your AP® Biology free response review, it’s helpful to first try out a past set of released questions, then grade yourself with the scoring guidelines. 

See how long it took you to answer each question, how effective you were at answering the actual question posed, and where you missed out on points. 

After a few times of doing this, you’ll begin to be more mindful of what the test makers are looking for in your responses.

Return to the Table of Contents

25 AP® Biology FRQ Tips to Scoring a 4 or 5

Now that we’ve covered how to write effective AP® Biology free responses, we’ll shift gears to cover some tips and tricks to maximizing your FRQ score. 

• When interpreting data, make sure you provide reasoning to support a claim. In recent years of exams, students have struggled in understanding the two-part nature of questions that ask to explain or justify something.
• Interpreting and constructing models are different skills. It is not enough just to be able to create a phylogenetic tree. A student needs to understand what the model they construct actually says. 
• Practice applying fundamental knowledge of basic biology to giving an explanation for why you chose to present data in a certain way. 
• Be specific but with purpose ! Sometimes students include unnecessary specificity that doesn’t actually answer what the question is asking. Provide your reasoning — don’t just repeat something given in the prompt.
• Use “claim-evidence-reasoning”. This is where you break down an argument into these parts to make your point more clear. 
• When asked to make a comparison, make sure to answer the before and after state of the comparison. 
• When reviewing commonly tested topics such as the modeling of a cell signaling pathway, make sure you are able to describe each step of the pathway and anticipate what might happen if a particular step was activated or inhibited.
• Practice reading multiple types of tables, then make sure you also practice creating your own tables with data. Remember the earlier tip to follow standard graphing conventions. Students have missed points in recent years for mistakes like forgetting to have units in their axes or missing labels.
• Building on the prior tip, practice creating graphs from different sources of information — for example, you may have to draw a diagram from a narrative description. You should feel comfortable with creating different types of graphs like bar, dual Y axes, line, semi-log, etc. 
• Practice incorporating evidence from your own knowledge of biology — this can help in thoroughly answering questions that ask you to justify or interpret something.
• Always be thinking about how to apply prior things you’ve learned to a new situation — the College Board is known for asking AP® Biology questions that cover something you’ve never directly learned before, but they are often questions that require you to apply one or two concepts you have previously had exposure to. This was a common mistake made by students in the 2019 exam on question 1 when students often missed points for not applying changes in molecular processes to ecological relationships. 
• Remember that natural selection has two notions: survival AND reproduction. This was a commonly missed point over the course of the last few years. 
• When answering experimental design questions, make sure you practice being specific in stating the change that may occur in an experiment. It’s not enough just to say that a change will occur. Make direct comparisons to the control group. When you fail to explain the different parts of an experiment and how it is designed, it makes it difficult for the reader to believe that you truly understand how to build a meaningful experiment.
• Questions that test you on experimental design should always have a control, a variable to test in a few ways, a hypothesis, expected results, and clear graphs.
• Know the difference between a dependent variable and an independent variable. There can be several independent variables but there can only be one dependent variable in a well-constructed experiment. 
• Remember that hypotheses (predictions) should compare the experimental group to a control group. It is not enough just to say something like “X will change” — it is better to say “X will change by being more Y” — notice how in this latter response, we’re being intentional and specific with directionality of the change. 
• If you don’t remember the exact name of a concept or how to spell it, try describing it or giving your best shot at spelling it. You can sometimes earn points for defining relevant terms. 
• Answer the AP® Biology free responses questions any way you’d like. All you need to do is make sure you’re making clear which question you are answering. Taking this approach is a common strategy for managing your time effectively. 
• Keep your opinion out of your free response answer. Your AP® Bio free responses should be backed by things you learned in class and actual science.
• Wear a watch when practicing and taking the actual AP® Biology exam. You need to be familiar with how to pace yourself in different parts of the FRQs. It’s common sense, but longer questions deserve more time while shorter questions should take you less time.
• If you’re given a parameter, follow it…when questions ask you to state something in a sentence or two, you should not write four sentences. Follow directions!
• Make sure you explain terms when you use them — assume your grader knows little about AP® Biology. 
• Use a black or blue ink pen. Doing so makes it easier for your AP® Biology exam to be graded.
• Try every question. One of the most common pieces of advice from AP® Biology teachers is to make sure you put something down for every question. You do not lose points for getting things wrong, but you miss out entirely on points for not answering a question at all.
• Know your commonly tested diagrams cold. Concepts that often have related diagrams like cell signaling pathways, or Punnett squares are topics to make sure you understand when given different forms of information. For example, with Punnett squares you should be comfortable describing all outcomes in a variety of ways (such as in percentages and ratios, as phenotypes or genotypes). You should be comfortable creating Punnett squares when given information about the parent generation, or the F1 generation. 

Wrapping Things Up: How to Write AP® Biology FRQs

We’ve covered a lot of ground when it comes to answering AP® Biology free response questions. Here are a few key things to remember: 

• Know how AP® Biology FRQ points are rewarded.
• Build the habit of identifying the sources of points in questions. Circle or underline these to figure out how valuable different parts of a question are. 
• Understand the question being asked — learn the directive words the College Board often uses and what they are asking for.
• Master commonly tested skills such as experimental design and graphing (including interpretation of graphs). 
• Review commonly tested AP® Biology topics. Refer to the curriculum and exam description to see the percentage breakdown of different units. 
• Be specific and succinct in your responses. This is not an AP® English Language essay.
• Try every question and be intentional in the order in which you answer each one. Tackle the questions you feel most confident in first.  

We hope you’ve found this extensive guide helpful for your AP® Biology exam review. If you’d like additional free response or multiple choice practice, check out Albert for hundreds of original standards-aligned practice questions.

If you found this post helpful, you may also like our AP® Biology tips here or check out our AP® Biology score calculator here .

We also have an AP® Biology review guide here .

Need help preparing for your AP® Biology exam?

Albert has hundreds of AP® Biology practice questions, free response, and full-length practice tests to try out.

Interested in a school license?​

Popular posts.

AP® Score Calculators

Simulate how different MCQ and FRQ scores translate into AP® scores

AP® Review Guides

The ultimate review guides for AP® subjects to help you plan and structure your prep.

Core Subject Review Guides

Review the most important topics in Physics and Algebra 1 .

SAT® Score Calculator

See how scores on each section impacts your overall SAT® score

ACT® Score Calculator

See how scores on each section impacts your overall ACT® score

Grammar Review Hub

Comprehensive review of grammar skills

AP® Posters

Download updated posters summarizing the main topics and structure for each AP® exam.

AP Biology Practice Exams

We have links to all of the best online AP Biology practice exams. These resources will provide thousands of challenging practice questions to work through. Choose from the listing below to get started with your test prep right now!

AP Biology Practice Test

Varsity tutors, biology (mader) 8th edition, ap biology math review, official practice test, college board 1999 exam, albert ap biology practice, biology (mader) 10th edition.

AP Biology | Practice Exams | Free Response | Notes | Videos |  Study Guides

Chapter 3 A.P. Biology Water Quiz

Do you know about the AP Biology course? Are you preparing for this exam? Play this AP Biology quiz consisting of chapter 3 water-related questions and answers to review your biology knowledge. Do you know everything about water? What are the properties of water? What is water made of? Take this AP Biology practice test and improve your understanding of water. Also, you will get to know many interesting facts about water. Shall we proceed, then? Good luck!

What kind of bonds hold water molecules together?

Rate this question:

What does cohesion state?

Water sticks to other substances

Water sticks to water

Hydrogen sticks to hydrogen

Hydrogen sticks to other substances

What does adhesion state?

What is surface tension.

When pressure in water is higher towards the surface

When the air meets the surface of the water and pushes it downward

When the surface of a body of water spontaneously sinks into itself

When water forms a "skin" on its surface

What is specific heat?

The temperature it takes to raise 1g of a substance by 1 degree C

The temperature it takes to raise 1g of a substance by 1 degree F

The temperature in Celcius to boil 1g of a substance at boiling point

The temperature in Fahrenheit to boil 1g of a substance at boiling point

Describe the specific heat of water.

It has none

What is the specific heat of water?

How does the water on earth regulate the earth's temperature.

It lets heat pass through it, but only increases a few degrees in temp.

It absorbs heat, but only increases a few degrees in temp.

It lets heat pass through it, decreasing in temp.

It absorbs heat, decreasing in temp.

What is a substance's heat of vaporization?

Describe water's heat of vaporization., what is water's heat of vaporization.

2260 Joules

What does perspiration state?

Evaporation/boiling is a cooling process

Evaporation/boiling is a heating process

Evaporation/boiling creates moisture

None of these

Why does ice float?

When water cools, molecules get further away, form more H bonds, thus pushing molecules apart, making water less dense, which makes ice float

When water cools, molecules get closer, form more H bonds, thus pushing molecules apart, making water less dense, which makes ice float

When water cools, molecules get further away, form more H bonds, thus pushing molecules together, making water less dense, which makes ice float

When water cools, molecules get closer, form more H bonds, thus pushing molecules together, making water less dense, which makes ice float

How does water act in most solutions?

It is a universal solute, dissolving mostly ionic or polar covalent substances

It is a universal solvent, dissolving mostly ionic or polar covalent substances

It is a universal solute, dissolving mostly non-polar covalent substances

It is a universal solvent, dissolving mostly non-polar covalent substances

Name the 7 properties of water

Cohesion, Adhesion, Surface Tension, Low Specific Heat, Low Heat of Vaporization, Ice Floats, Universal Solvent

Cohesion, Adhesion, Surface Tension, Low Specific Heat, Low Heat of Vaporization, Ice Floats, Universal Solute

Cohesion, Adhesion, Surface Tension, High Specific Heat, High Heat of Vaporization, Ice Floats, Universal Solvent

Cohesion, Adhesion, Surface Tension, High Specific Heat, High Heat of Vaporization, Ice Floats, Universal Solute

What is water made of?

Negative H ions and positive OH ions

Positive H ions and negative OH ions

Both of these

Neither of these

What can supplement for H+ ions?

Hydronium Ions (H3O+)

Hydronium Ions (H4O+)

Hydroxide Ions (OH-)

Hydroxide Ions (HO-)

What is one defining freature of acids?

They give off OH- ions

They give off H+ ions

They give off H2O ions

They give off H30+ ions

How can one measure H+ concentration

This is choice D

How can one measure OH- concentration?

Which of these is true.

As pH increases, [H+] decreases

As pH increases, [H+] increases

As pH decreases, [H+] increases

Both A and C

If a substance has a pH of 3, what is its OH- concentration?

What is a buffer.

A substance that encourages change in pH

A substance that resists change in pH

A substance that speeds up a chemical reaction

A substance that stops a chemical reaction

What is the normal pH of blood?

What is the ph of normal rain.

Less than 5.2

Greater than 5.8

What is normal rain made of?

Water and Carbon Dioxide (Carbonic Acid)

Water and Sulfate (Sulfuric Acid)

Water and Nitrate (Nitric Acid)

Either B or C

What is the pH of acid rain?

What is acid rain made of.

Quiz Review Timeline +

Our quizzes are rigorously reviewed, monitored and continuously updated by our expert board to maintain accuracy, relevance, and timeliness.

• Current Version
• Aug 25, 2023 Quiz Edited by ProProfs Editorial Team
• Aug 29, 2011 Quiz Created by TheComputinator

Related Topics

• AP Chemistry
• AP Government
• AP Human Geography

Recent Quizzes

Featured Quizzes

Popular Topics

• AP English Quizzes
• AP Physics Quizzes
• AP Psychology Quizzes
• AP US History Quizzes
• AP Vocab Quizzes
• AP World History Quizzes

Related Quizzes

Wait! Here's an interesting quiz for you.

AP Biology FRQ Essay Answer Question: Water Properties and Biological Processes

Also included in

Description

This resource includes a FRQ Essay Question for AP Biology – Unit 1.1, 2.4, 3.6, 6.1, and 8.1 (The impact of water properties on biological processes and molecules).

AP Biology: SYI-1.A, ENE-3.D, ENE-1.K, ENE-2.A.

With this sheet, students will answer (in essay format) a FRQ question related to the impact of water properties on biological processes and molecules.

As part of the sheet, students must describe some properties of water and describe how any of the properties noted contribute to various biological processes and molecules such as cell structure, plasma membrane structure, etc.

This sheet can be done as classwork, homework, an assessment, or as a review sheet.

You may also like:

• AP Biology FRQ Long Answer Question 6.3-6.4: Transcription and Translation
• AP Biology Unit 2.1, 6.3, and 6.4 FRQ Long Answer Question
• AP Biology Unit 6.4 FRQ Essay Questions: Translation
• AP Biology Unit 6.6 FRQ Analyze Model: Gene Expression
• AP Biology Unit 6.3-6.4 FRQ Comparison Questions: Transcription & Translation

Do not forget to follow BellaBees Education Essentials by clicking the green star above. You will receive notifications when new resources are posted and upcoming sales!

Be sure to FOLLOW ME here on TPT!

Click HERE to join the BellaBees Education Essentials EMAIL LIST!

Sign up now to unlock your FREE AP Biology Unit 1.1 resource and be the first to receive updates on our latest offerings!

When you sign up today, you will be among the first to receive emails packed with the latest AP Science and ELA content at BellaBees Education Essentials . Whether you are an educator seeking top-notch resources for your classroom or a tutoring for the exam, our materials are designed to elevate your learning experience and foster academic success.

Questions & Answers

Bellabees education essentials.

• We're hiring
• Help & FAQ
• Privacy policy
• Student privacy
• Terms of service
• Tell us what you think