AP Biology Daily Video Questions

A scientist claims that Elysia chlorotica, a species of sea slug, is capable of photosynthesis. Which of the following observations provides the best evidence to support the claim?

Elysia chlorotica grows when exposed to light in the absence of other food sources.

Researchers propose a model to explain variation in phytoplankton cell sizes in a marine environment. They base their model on the idea that smaller cells absorb nutrients more efficiently. The researchers predict that the mean diameter of phytoplankton cells will change by 50 micrometers for every 5-kilometer increase in distance from the shore because of a gradual decrease in nutrient availability. To test their model, the researchers determine that the phytoplankton cells found closest to shore have a mean diameter of 900 micrometers. Based on the model, what will be the mean diameter of the phytoplankton cells that are found 25 kilometers from shore?

650 micrometers

Which of the following statements best supports the claim that certain organelles within eukaryotic cells evolved from free-living prokaryotic cells?

Some organelles contain their own DNA that is more similar to prokaryotic DNA in structure and function than to the eukaryotic DNA found in the cell's nucleus.

Researchers have proposed a model of the process by which a newly synthesized protein is transported to the plasma membrane and secreted into the extracellular space. The model is represented in Figure 1. Based on the model, the newly synthesized protein is transported directly from the endoplasmic reticulum to which of the following?

The Golgi complex

In addition to the pigments commonly associated with photosynthesis, a certain photosynthetic species contains two additional pigment types. Which of the following best supports the claim that this species is better adapted to environmental changes than other photosynthetic species are?

The additional pigments allow the species containing them to harvest energy from wavelengths of light that the other photosynthetic species cannot use.

The figure shows a model of the exchange of matter between the organisms that live together in an aquarium. The model includes matter exchange between plants, fish, and bacteria. The bacteria are represented as rod-shaped organisms living in the gravel at the bottom of the aquarium. Which of the following statements best describes how molecules released by the fish become nutrients for the plants?

The ammonia molecules released by the fish are converted by the bacteria to nitrates, which are used by the plants to make proteins and nucleic acids.

Cholesterol is an important component of animal cell membranes. Cholesterol molecules are often delivered to body cells by the blood, which transports the molecules in the form of cholesterol-protein complexes. The complexes must be moved into the body cells before the cholesterol molecules can be incorporated into the phospholipid bilayers of cell membranes. Based on the information presented, which of the following is the most likely explanation for a buildup of cholesterol molecules in the blood of an animal?

The animal's body cells are defective in endocytosis.

All eukaryotic cells contain at least one Golgi complex, typically located in the cytoplasm and near the endoplasmic reticulum. Which of the following best describes a process that occurs within the Golgi complex?

Enzymatic modification of newly synthesized integral membrane proteins

A researcher claims that increased atmospheric carbon dioxide levels cause increased growth rates in plants. Which of the following statements best supports the researcher's claim?

Atmospheric carbon dioxide is the raw material for photosynthesis, which plants rely on for producing sugars and other organic compounds.

Which of the following best describes the formation of the bond shown in Figure 1 ?

A covalent bond is formed between a carbon atom and a nitrogen atom along with the formation of H2O

Gelatin is a protein that is derived from collagen which is found in the bones, skin, and connective tissue of animals. To investigate the ability of various enzymes to digest gelatin, a group of students set up an assay involving camera film. Camera film contains gelatin and appears black when exposed to light but turns clear as the gelatin gets broken down. The students incubated pieces of exposed camera film in test tubes, each containing one of three different enzyme solutions (trypsin, lipase, or amylase) as indicated in Figure 1. The students recorded the time it took for the enzymes to digest the gelatin in each test tube, turning the film from black to clear. Which of the following would be the most appropriate control for this experiment?

A test tube containing a piece of exposed camera film submerged in water

A researcher claims that the synthesis of ATP from ADP and inorganic phosphate (Pi) is essential to cellular function. Which of the following statements best helps justify the researcher's claim?

ATP hydrolysis is an energy-releasing reaction that is often coupled with reactions that require an input of energy.

Muscle contraction depends on ATP hydrolysis. During periods of intense exercise, muscle cells rely on the ATP supplied by three metabolic pathways: glycolysis, mitochondrial respiration, and the phosphagen system. Figure 1 shows the rates at which the three metabolic pathways produce ATP following the start of an intense period of exercise. Which of the following correctly uses the data to justify the claim that the phosphagen system is an immediate, short-term source of ATP for muscle cells?

ATP production by the phosphagen system increases and decreases rapidly following the start of the exercise period.

Which of the following statements best predicts the effect of increasing the permeability of the mitochondrial membranes to large molecules?

ATP production will decrease because of an increase in the occurrence of uncontrolled chemical reactions.

An investigator wants to understand whether a newly found membrane protein is involved in membrane transport of a certain particle. Which investigation will help determine whether the new membrane protein is a channel protein involved in membrane transport?

Add more of the proteins to the plasma membrane and measure the rate of the particle movement.

Which of the following best describes the numbered areas?

Areas 1 and 3 are polar, since the membrane molecules are aligned with water molecules.

A researcher claims that only a portion of the light energy captured by green plants is available for growth and repair. Which of the following observations best helps justify the researcher's claim?

As light energy is converted to chemical energy by metabolic processes, some of the energy is lost as heat.

Two different models of a living cell are represented in the figure. Of the two cells represented in the figure, which would likely be more efficient at exchanging substances with the surrounding environment?

Cell A, because it has the larger surface-area-to-volume ratio.

Aquaporins are channel proteins that facilitate the transport of water across the cell membrane. One group of researchers hypothesizes that without functional aquaporins, no water will be able to enter the cell. A different group proposes an alternative hypothesis, stating that even with nonfunctional aquaporins, a small amount of water will still cross the cell membrane. An experiment is set up in which plant cells with mutated (nonfunctional) aquaporins and plant cells with normally functioning aquaporins are both placed in distilled water. Which of the following data would support the alternative hypothesis?

Cells with mutated aquaporins exhibit moderate turgor pressure and are hypertonic.

Alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) is an enzyme that aids in the decomposition of ethyl alcohol (C2H5OH) into nontoxic substances. Methyl alcohol acts as a competitive inhibitor of ethyl alcohol by competing for the same active site on ADH. When attached to ADH, methyl alcohol is converted to formaldehyde, which is toxic in the body. Which of the following statements best predicts the effect of increasing the concentration of substrate (ethyl alcohol), while keeping the concentration of the inhibitor (methyl alcohol) constant?

Competitive inhibition will decrease because the proportion of the active sites occupied by substrate will increase.

A researcher claims that different metabolic pathways allow bacteria to use different molecules as sources of matter and energy. Which of the following statements best helps justify the researcher's claim by providing a relevant example?

E. coli bacteria reproduce in liquid media containing either glucose or galactose.

Which of the following claims is scientifically accurate and consistent with an observation that a decrease in lysosome production within a cell leads to a decline in mitochondrial activity?

Fewer lysosomes will be available to break down macromolecules to provide the necessary nutrients for cellular respiration.

The enzyme hexokinase catalyzes the conversion of glucose to glucose-6-phosphate, which is an important step in glycolysis. The reaction involves the transfer of a phosphate group from ATP to glucose. Either a glucose molecule or a water molecule can fit in the active site of hexokinase. The presence of a water molecule in hexokinase's active site would result in the hydrolysis of ATP to ADP instead of the conversion of glucose to glucose-6-phosphate. Which of the following statements best helps explain the reaction specificity of hexokinase?

Glucose has the right shape and charge to cause hexokinase to undergo a structural change needed for catalysis, whereas water does not.

Figure 1 is a diagram of water molecules at the air-water interface at the surface of a pond. Based on Figure 1, which of the following best describes how the properties of water at an air-water interface enable an insect to walk on the water's surface?

Hydrogen bonds between molecules at the surface of the water provide surface tension, which allows the water surface to deform but not break under the insect.

Plant cell walls are composed of cellulose, while fungal cell walls are composed of chitin. A group of scientists hypothesize that this difference means the cell wall has largely different functions in plant cells and fungal cells. Alternatively, another group of scientists hypothesize that despite their biochemical differences, plant and fungal cell walls serve similar functions. Which of the following observations would best support the alternative hypothesis described above?

In both plant cells and fungal cells, the cell wall surrounds the outside of the cell membrane.

Students conducted a controlled experiment to investigate whether sawdust provides enough nutrients to support plant growth. The students separated ten nearly identical sunflower seedlings into two groups. They grew the seedlings in the first group in potting soil and the seedlings in the second group in sawdust composed mostly of cellulose. After twenty days, the students recorded observations about the seedlings in each group. The students' observations are presented in the table. The observed differences between the groups most likely resulted from differences in the ability of the seedlings to produce which of the following monomers?

In green light, more phycoerythrin molecules are produced, allowing more green light to be absorbed, thus increasing photosynthesis.

Water is constantly diffusing into the cytosol of freshwater single-celled organisms. In order to maintain the proper solute concentrations in the cytosol, contractile vacuoles pump out the excess water. An experimenter placed single-celled organisms into various saline concentrations and recorded the ATPATP used by the contractile vacuole. The data are shown in the graph. Of the following, which additional investigation can be used to determine when the cells are in an isotonic solution?

Increasing the salinity of the environment a little at a time until the ATP usage reaches a minimum

The transport of a substance across a plasma membrane of a specific organelle requires energy. The rate at which the transport takes place also depends on temperature. A scientist isolated the specific organelle and then used the following treatments to determine the conditions that will result in the maximal transport. All treatments contained the extracted organelle and were maintained at 25°C. The data from this experiment indicate that maximal rate of transport of protein X at 25°C occurs at an ATP concentration of 1.0μm/mL Which procedure should be done next to gather data needed to meet the scientist's objective?

Incubate samples containing 1.0μm/mL of ATP at four temperatures other than 25°C .

Which statement best explains why correct protein folding is critical in the transmembrane protein?

Interactions of hydrophobic and hydrophilic amino acids help to anchor the protein in the membrane.

Polypeptides are continuously being formed and degraded. One of these processes is shown. Which statement is the most accurate description of the reaction shown in Figure 1?

It represents a polypeptide chain that is broken down through a hydrolysis reaction.

The CFTR protein is made up of 1,480 amino acids linked together in a chain. Some humans produce a version of the CFTR protein in which phenylalanine (an amino acid) has been deleted from position 508 of the amino acid chain. Which of the following best predicts how the amino acid deletion will affect the structure of the CFTR protein?

It will affect the primary, secondary, and tertiary structures of the CFTR protein.

A researcher claims that increasing the environmental temperature by 10°C will double the rate of an enzyme-catalyzed reaction. To test the claim, the researcher designs an experiment that uses a particular enzyme isolated from plants. The design of the experiment is presented in Table 1. For each test tube in the experiment, the researcher will measure the rate of product formation. Which of the following statements best helps justify the inclusion of test tube 5 as a control in the experiment?

It will provide a measurement of product formation in the presence of a denatured enzyme.

Amylase is a protein that catalyzes the conversion of starch to simple sugars. Amylase activity in an aqueous solution can be measured by using iodine as a starch indicator. A solution containing iodine and starch will have a dark-blue color, whereas a solution containing iodine but no starch will have a light-brown color. The color change of an iodine solution from dark blue to light brown can be used to measure the rate at which starch is converted to simple sugars. A student designs an experiment to investigate the effect of environmental pH on amylase function. The design of the experiment is presented in Table 1. Which of the following statements best justifies the inclusion of test tube V as a control in the experiment?

It will show the color change that occurs in the absence of enzyme activity.

The endosymbiont theory proposes a model for the evolution of mitochondria. According to the model, an ancestral eukaryote engulfed a small, free-living prokaryotic organism. The engulfed prokaryote then formed an endosymbiotic relationship with the eukaryotic host. Which of the following observations best supports the model?

Mitochondria and some prokaryotes share similar metabolic reactions that produce ATP.

Changing the shape or morphology of the mitochondrial inner membrane can change the efficiency of mitochondrial function. Which of the following outcomes will most likely result from a change in the shape of the mitochondrial inner membrane from a highly folded surface to a smooth, flat surface?

Mitochondria will become less efficient because the surface area of the inner mitochondrial membranes will decrease.

In chloroplasts, ATP is synthesized from ADP plus inorganic phosphate (Pi) in a reaction catalyzed by ATP synthase molecules that are embedded in the thylakoid membrane. Which of the following statements provides evidence to support the claim that no ATP will be synthesized in the absence of a proton gradient across the thylakoid membrane?

No ATPATP is synthesized when channel proteins that allow the free passage of protons are inserted into the thylakoid membrane.

Which of the following conclusions is most clearly supported by the representations of nucleic acid #1 and nucleic acid #2?

Nucleic acid #1 contains adenine-thymine base pairs, whereas nucleic acid #2 does not.

Which of the following statements best explains the processes of passive and active transport?

Passive transport is the net movement of substances down a concentration gradient that does not require metabolic energy. Active transport is the movement of substances up a concentration gradient that requires energy.

Protein digestion in humans is primarily carried out by three enzymes. Pepsin is found in the stomach (pH2), where it aids in the breakdown of large proteins into smaller peptides, while trypsin and chymotrypsin are found in the small intestine (pH8), where they aid in the further breakdown of the proteins into amino acids and dipeptides that can be absorbed into the bloodstream. Graph 1 shows the effect of pH on the activity levels of the three enzymes. Which of the following best predicts how the structure and function of pepsin will change as it enters the small intestine?

Pepsin will change in shape because of the basic environment of the small intestine; therefore, its enzymatic activity will decrease.

Which of the following statements best describes how organisms such as rabbits obtain the carbon necessary for building biological molecules?

Rabbits eat plants and break down plant molecules to obtain carbon and other atoms that they rearrange into new carbon-containing molecules.

A researcher claims that different enzymes exhibit maximal function over different pH ranges. To test the claim, the researcher carries out an experiment that includes three different enzymes: pepsin, salivary amylase, and arginase. The results of the experiment are represented in Figure 1. Which of the following actions will provide the most appropriate negative control for the experiment?

Repeating the experiment with denatured enzymes

Cells contain smaller components called organelles that are necessary for a cell's survival. Organelle functions have often been compared to components of larger systems. Which of the following functional differences between the rough and smooth endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is explained by the structural differences between them?

Rough ER can synthesize and package proteins for export, and smooth ER cannot.

Which of the following best describes a structural difference between DNA and RNA?

The backbone of DNA contains deoxyribose, whereas the backbone of RNA contains ribose.

A spherical bacterial cell has a radius of 3μm. The human egg cell has a radius of 100μm1. Which statement correctly indicates the cell that is able to more efficiently exchange materials with the external environment and provides a correct explanation?

The bacterial cell, because it has the largest surface-to-volume ratio.

The carbohydrates glucose, galactose, and fructose have the same chemical formula (C6H12O6) but different structural formulas, as represented in the figure. Which of the following statements about glucose, galactose, and fructose is most likely true?

The carbohydrates have different properties because they have different arrangements of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms.

Researchers compared similar proteins from related organisms in different habitats. They found that the proteins from organisms living in harsh environments had a greater number of cysteine amino acids than did proteins from organisms not living in harsh environments. The structure of cysteine is shown. Bonds can form between the sulfur atom of different cysteine amino acids (S-S bonds). Which of the following best describes the effect of a greater number of cysteine amino acids on the stability of the proteins?

The change leads to increased protein stability because of an increased number of S-S bonds in the tertiary structure of the proteins.

A team of biologists develop a new drug, and one team member hypothesizes that the drug is incapable of freely passing across the plasma membrane and requires the help of membrane proteins to enter cells. Alternatively, another biologist on the team hypothesizes that the drug can diffuse passively across the plasma membrane like O2 and CO2 can. Which of the following, if true about the drug, best supports the alternative hypothesis that the new drug will exhibit simple diffusion across plasma membranes?

The drug is a small nonpolar molecule.

A researcher proposes a model of an enzyme-catalyzed reaction in which a reactant is converted to a product. The model is based on the idea that the reactant passes through a transition state within the enzyme-substrate complex before the reactant is converted to the product. Which of the following statements best helps explain how the enzyme speeds up the reaction?

The enzyme's active site binds to and stabilizes the transition state, which decreases the activation energy of the reaction.

Figure 1 represents a common process that occurs in organisms. Which of the following is an accurate description of the process shown in Figure 1 ?

The formation of a covalent peptide bond in a dehydration synthesis reaction

The model below shows the structure of a portion of a plasma membrane in an animal cell. Which statement best explains the orientation of the phospholipid molecules in this model?

The hydrophilic phosphate groups of the phospholipid molecules are attracted to the aqueous internal and external environments.

Figure 1 represents a nucleic acid fragment that is made up of four nucleotides linked together in a chain. Which of the following characteristics of Figure 1 best shows that the fragment is RNA and not DNA?

The identity of each nitrogenous base

A researcher designs an experiment to investigate the effect of environmental temperature on the function of an enzyme. For each trial included in the experiment, the researcher will add the enzyme and its substrate to an aqueous buffer solution and then measure the amount of product formed over 20 minutes. Which of the following must remain the same for all trials of this experiment?

The initial concentration of the substrate

Muscle cells have high ATP demands. Which of the following is a scientific claim about how the structure of the mitochondria in muscle cells should be different than it is in other cells because of the high energy demands of mitochondria?

The inner membrane of the mitochondria in muscle cells should have more folds to increase the surface area, allowing more ATP to be synthesized.

The figure shows a process by which a cell might absorb food from its surrounding environment and break it down for use as a source of energy and matter. The process involves lysosomes, which are membrane-bound organelles that contain hydrolytic enzymes. Activation of the hydrolytic enzymes requires an acidic pH, and lysosomes maintain an internal acidic pH by using ion pumps. Which of the following outcomes will most likely result from a loss of ion pump function in the cell's lysosomes?

The internal pH of the lysosomes will increase, which will prevent the activation of hydrolytic enzymes and interfere with the intracellular digestion of food.

Water and ammonia interact to form hydrogen bonds, as represented in the figure. Which statement best helps explain the formation of the hydrogen bond represented in the figure?

The nitrogen has a partial negative charge, and the hydrogen attached to the oxygen has a partial positive charge.

Researchers claimed that a particular organelle originated from a free-living prokaryotic cell that was engulfed by a larger cell, as shown in Figure 1 Which of the following provides evidence to best support the researcher's claim?

The organelle has a double membrane

Which of the following statements best helps explain the reaction specificity of an enzyme?

The shape and charge of the substrates are compatible with the active site of the enzyme.

Figure 1. The results of an experiment using aquatic plant cells Which of the following statements best explains the observations represented in Figure 1 ?

There was a net movement of water out of the cell suspended in the sugar solution and a net movement of water into the cell suspended in the distilled water.

Organelles such as mitochondria and the endoplasmic reticulum have membranes that compartmentalize reactions and other metabolic processes. To function properly, the organelles must move substances across their membranes. Which of the following statements describes a feature shared by mitochondria and the endoplasmic reticulum that increases the efficiency of their basic functions?

They have highly folded membranes.

A researcher claims that some bacteria contain factors that influence the function of a particular enzyme but other bacteria do not. To test the claim experimentally, the researcher will grow two different bacterial strains in separate liquid cultures and isolate the contents of the cells in each culture. The researcher will add different combinations of cellular contents, substrate, and enzyme to test tubes containing a buffer solution adjusted to the optimal pHpH of the enzyme and then measure the rate of product formation. The design of the researcher's experiment is presented in Table 1. Which of the following statements best justifies the inclusion of test tubes 3 and 7 in the experiment?

They will show whether the isolated cellular contents have enzymatic activity.

The enzyme peroxidase is found in many organisms. It catalyzes the breakdown of hydrogen peroxide into water and oxygen gas. The rate of peroxidase activity at different pH values was assessed by students in the lab. The students' results are shown in graph 1. If the experiment is repeated at pH 11, the observed activity level of the enzyme will most likely be

lower than the level at pH 9