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Ramirez 1

Mario Ramirez
Mr. Wozadlo
AP Biology Period 4
23 January 2014
Practice Essay Questions
1. 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. (Active Transport, Chemiosmosis
Fermentation)
Active transport is when proteins embedded in the cell membrane are activated using
ATP to pass certain substances in and out of the cell. Sometimes, the movement will be against
the concentration gradient. One example of active transport is the sodium-potassium pump. The
protein first pumps sodium out of the cell and then takes in potassium to maintain equilibrium in
the cell. Active transport proteins will not function without activation by ATP. ATP breaks one
of its phosphorus bonds to release energy for the protein to function. This turns ATP into ADP
and a phosphorus based molecule, and makes ATP a vital molecule in these processes.
Chemiosmosis is the final step in aerobic respiration and is the process that creates the
most ATP compared to any other process. It takes place in mitochondria and chloroplasts. First,
electrons are used to move H+ ions an inner layer within the organelle, against the concentration
gradient. This forces the H+ ions to move along the concentration gradient and move across the
barrier to return to equilibrium. The only opening for the H+ ions to get to the other side is
through a protein called ATP Synthase. This protein uses the energy gathered from the H+ ion
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moving through it to reconnect the phosphorus based molecule and ADP to make ATP to fuel
other chemical functions.
When oxygen is unavailable, cells still need to produce ATP, and the process of
fermentation is started. This uses other electron acceptors as a replacement for oxygen, and uses
them to repeat glycolysis, a process that does not require oxygen, to produce ATP for the cell. In
humans, lactic acid fermentation takes place when there is little oxygen available. the end
product of glycolysis, pyruvate, is converted to lactate and then sent to the liver to be converted
back to pyruvate for cells to use to produce ATP.
2. The unique properties (characteristics) of water make life possible on Earth. Select three
properties of water and: (A) For each property, identify and define the property and explain it
in terms of the physical/chemical nature for water. (B) For each property, describe one
example of how the property affects the functioning of living organisms.
Water is an amazing molecule, and its polar nature makes life possible. Three important
properties of watercause by its polarity include cohesion, adhesion, and evaporative cooling.
Cohesion is how water molecules are able to attract each other. Water is a polar molecule, having
both positive and negative poles. This allows water molecules to stay connected through weak
bonds.
Adhesion is the property that allows water to stick to other molecules through weak
hydrogen bonds. Both cohesion and adhesion are used in transporting water to different areas of
trees. Trees stand upright, and to move water throughout its entirety, the water molecules need
to defy gravity. Water molecules are able to move upwards by sticking to each other and to the
cell walls of the cells and climb upward to wherever it is needed in the cell.
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Evaporative cooling is an important property in maintaining temperature equilibrium in
organisms. Water is known to absorb more heat than other molecules. This is because unlike
other molecules, water has hydrogen bonds that must be broken to change from solid to water
and water to liquid. when the sun hits our skin, we do not get extremely hot very fast because
water is evaporating off our skin, absorbing a lot of the energy and taking the energy with it as it
turns into a gas and leaves our body. Plants, not having the ability to move to cooler locations on
hot days use evaporative cooling to maintain temperature equilibrium.

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