AP Biology · Unit 1
Chemistry of Life
In short
Unit 1: Chemistry of Life in AP Biology covers 7 topics: Structure of Water and Hydrogen Bonding, Elements of Life, Introduction to Macromolecules, Carbohydrates and 3 more. Open each one for what you need to know, a self-check list and how it is tested on the exam.
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What is in Unit 1: Chemistry of Life?
Unit 1: Chemistry of Life
1.1 Structure of Water and Hydrogen Bonding
- I can describe how living systems depend on water's polarity, high specific heat capacity, and high heat of vaporization to sustain life and maintain homeostasis.
1.2 Elements of Life
- I can describe the elemental composition of the major macromolecules required by living organisms.
- I can identify that carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen are the most prevalent elements in carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids.
- I can state that sulfur is used in the building of proteins.
- I can state that phosphorus is used in the building of phospholipids and nucleic acids.
- I can state that nitrogen is used in the building of nucleic acids.
1.3 Introduction to Macromolecules
- I can describe how hydrolysis reactions cleave covalent bonds and break down polymers into monomers by adding water.
- I can describe how dehydration synthesis joins monomers together through covalent bonding, resulting in the loss of a water molecule to form a polymer.
1.4 Carbohydrates
- I can explain that monosaccharides are connected by covalent bonds to form linear or branched polysaccharides.
1.5 Lipids
- I can describe how the structure of lipids, including saturated and unsaturated fatty acids, determines their properties.
- I can explain the biological functions of various lipids, including fats, steroids, cholesterol, and phospholipids.
1.6 Nucleic Acids
- I can identify the structural components of a nucleotide and describe how biological information is encoded in nucleic acids.
- I can explain the directionality of nucleic acids (3' and 5' ends) and describe how new nucleotides are added during synthesis.
- I can describe the antiparallel double helix structure of DNA and the specific hydrogen bonding between base pairs.
- I can compare and contrast the structural differences between DNA and RNA.
1.7 Proteins
- I can describe how proteins are formed by peptide bonds between the carboxyl group of one amino acid and the amine group of another.
- I can identify the components of an amino acid and categorize its R group as hydrophobic, hydrophilic, or ionic.
- I can explain how the sequence of amino acids determines a protein's primary structure and overall shape.
- I can describe how hydrogen bonding in the polypeptide backbone forms secondary structures like alpha-helices and beta-pleated sheets.
- I can explain how interactions between R groups form the tertiary structure of a protein.
- I can describe how quaternary structure arises from multiple polypeptides and how all structural levels determine protein function.
Chemistry of Life: common questions
What is in Unit 1: Chemistry of Life?
It covers 7 topics: 1.1 Structure of Water and Hydrogen Bonding; 1.2 Elements of Life; 1.3 Introduction to Macromolecules; 1.4 Carbohydrates; 1.5 Lipids; 1.6 Nucleic Acids; 1.7 Proteins.
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