The APsolute RecAP: Biology Edition

Episode 35 reviews graphing essentials and the relationship to energy. It's important to use the most appropriate graph for the data set (1:10). Do you remember DRY MIX TAILS? (1:50) Energy can be transferred and transformed, but not created or destroyed. (3:00) Imagine yourself walking along an energy graph, over the activation energy hill, and then either up to a plateau for endergonic or down t...

Episode 34 finds the similarities and differences between chloroplasts and mitochondria. The endosymbiosis theory states that these energy transducers were once independent prokaryotes (1:38). Chloroplasts capture light energy in photosynthesis (2:20). Mitochondria break down sugars in cellular respiration (4:00). There are many commonalities between each organelle’s structure and function. The Qu...

Episode 33 recAPs genetic engineering techniques of biotechnology. Electrophoresis separates molecular fragments according to size and charge visually (1:00). PCR amplifies DNA fragments, making thousands of copies from even the smallest sample (2:35). Bacterial transformation introduces foreign DNA into bacterial cells (4:00). DNA sequencing is a part of biotechnology, but typically not working w...

It’s the battle of the nucleic acids in Episode 32! DNA may have all the information, but RNA does all the work. DNA and RNA are made of nucleotide monomers (1:05). DNA and RNA nucleotides differ in their pentose sugar (1:55) and pyrimidine base ( 3:00). DNA forms an antiparallel double helix (3:50) compared to the single strand RNA (5:05), forming mRNA, rRNA and tRNA. The Question of the Day asks...

You hear mutations - but we hear variation! Mutations have several causes and can be positive, neutral or negative to the phenotype. Grab a recap of the Central Dogma before diving in (1:40). Distinguish between point mutations and frameshift mutations (2:50). Mutations have a strong correlation to evolution(3:40). Prokaryotes have been around a long time, with many reproductive techniques (5:08)....

“Water water everywhere, nor any drop to drink.” Episode 30 reviews the passive transport of water and the calculation of water potential - with many water sound effects! Hypertonic solutions have a greater concentration of solutes than a hypotonic solution (1:30). It does not end well for a paramecium placed in freshwater (2:15). Water potential allows us to predict the movement of water (4:00) a...

Melanie wants you to be prepared and calm on May 18th! Episode 29 recAPs test taking tips appropriate to the digital platform. You need to practice timed FRQs in the same location and with the same resources as exam day (1:06). Stop studying and go to bed! (1:45) You can either type or hand write your responses, but don’t work in the redzone (2:40). Keep scrap paper, a calculator and minimal resou...

Episode 28 recAPs some of the great scientific minds of history. Atoms are the building blocks of matter, with work by greats such as Dalton, Rutherford, and Bohr (1:08). Gregor Mendel is now renowned as the father of heredity, but began as a pea farmer (2:30). DNA was identified as the molecule of heredity by comparing chemical properties through experiments by Griffith, Avery, Hershey and Chase...

Episode 27 recaps the connection between the coronavirus and the content on the AP Bio exam. Viruses are nonliving agents (1:05) with a hijacking infection strategy. Coronaviruses are named for their club-like proteins sticking out from the surface (2:45). The viral RNA genome is translated by host cell ribosomes (4:20). Biotechnology, like PCR, is used to test for viral presence in test swabs (5:...

Episode 26 is our first listener’s choice episode! The first recAP is about membrane proteins - both structure and function (1:18). Second, a biotechnology refresher with discussion of bacterial transformation, electrophoresis, and PCR (3:10). Lastly, Melanie reviews each scientist’s contribution to the discovery of DNA as the hereditary molecule (5:51). The Question of the Day asks (7:40) “What p...

Episode 25 recAPs the understandings behind the equations and formula sheet. Topics for discussion are: surface area to volume ratio (1:00), water and solute potential (2:02), laws of probability (3:30), standard deviation and standard error of the mean (4:20), and chi square (5:20). Always make your math have meaning through analysis, biological application, and units! The Question of the Day ask...

Only two FRQs? - Piece of cake! Episode 24 discusses the FRQs on the 2020 exam (1:05) with a few tips and tricks. Practice makes comfort! Set up your exam space now and practice with a timer (2:44). Complete those practice questions in two different colors, to reflect on your timed answers (3:20). Learn how to translate the questions out of AP language and into “I’m sitting at home with my dog” la...

How many lab experiments did you complete this year? Episode 23 recAPs the lab manual published by the College Board. Each lab is reviewed with the guiding question, procedure rundown, and quantitative skills. Labs 1-3 focus on Big Idea #1: Evolution(1:30). Labs 4-6 focus on Big Idea #2: Energetics (3:30). Labs 7-9 focus on Big Idea #3: Information Storage and Transmission (6:18). Labs 10-13 focus...

Deep breath! Episode 22 answers all of your questions about the updated exam structure. When is the exam going to be? (1:12) What is the exam going to cover?(1:46) How is the exam going to be structured? (2:20) What device should I use? (3:22) What about test security? (4:30) Will scoring be different? (5:11). Give it your best! The Question of the Day asks (5:50) “What type of calculator will you...

Operons! Get your operons here! Episode 21 explains how the same DNA instructions can indicate Gene regulation begins with chromatin structure (1:40). DNA has areas of regulatory sequences which control transcription (2:30). Don’t get lost in the promotor, regulator, activator lingo - but focus on the effect of molecules interacting with the DNA strand (4:00). Regulation can also occur through alt...

Episode 20 dives into all things transcription and translation with the Central Dogma! Don’t forget that you are what your proteins produce. The mRNA transcript is named after the Latin word for writing (1:50). RNA Polymerase will synthesize mRNA in the 5’-3’ direction, just like DNA polymerase. Do you know Chargaff’s rules? (3:22). The mRNA transcript will need to go through modification as it ex...

Melanie recAPs DNA Replication by reviewing the role of enzymes. DNA Replication is semiconservative and occurs during the S phase of the cell cycle in eukaryotic cells (1:20). How does the structure of DNA influence the process of replication? (1:40) The CED requires you to know the function of the following enzymes: topoisomerase (2:38), helicase (2:48), DNA polymerase (3:25), and ligase (4:35)....

Episode 18 recAPs all things Mendelian and Non-Mendelian in the genetics world. It's important to remember the Law of Independent Assortment and Law of Segregation when reviewing pea experiments (1:30). Do you know what Pater and Filius mean in Latin? (2:00) The classic monohybrid flower example is broken down with a Punnett square walk through and vocabulary reminders (2:30). Always go back and r...

Melanie recaps DNA in all its coiled and condensed forms during Episode 17. Beginning on the most microscopic level, (1:27) Melanie reviews the nucleotide monomer structure. You can create an antiparallel model with your own arms (2:45). Do you prefer a history or chemistry themed memory hack for nitrogenous bases? (3:40). DNA wraps around histones to form chromatin before condensing into chromoso...

Episode 16 gets some swanky tunes for sex cell and fertilization discussions (1:00). PMAT is coming back into play with new terminology of haploid and homologous pairs. Melanie begins with a recAP of Meiosis (2:39) before contrasting the two cellular division pathways(4:33). There are two main contributors to genetic variation through meiotic pathways (3:14). Melanie recommends organizing this inf...

Melanie reviews several reasons for cell division in Episode 15. The cell cycle contains three main parts: interphase (2:00), mitosis (3:27), and cytokinesis (5:08). Did you know that some cells never finish the cell cycle? (3:15). PMAT will guide you through the stages of mitosis (3:50). Cytokinesis strategies differ in animal and plant cells (5:12). Under normal conditions, the cell cycle is reg...

In Episode 14, Melanie explains why your parents are always telling you to put on a sweatshirt rather than adjust the thermostat in your house! Break it down into stimulus and response (1:41). The two types of feedback mechanisms are discussed by mechanism, their effect on homeostasis and with examples. Negative feedback (2:16) returns conditions to homeostasis while positive (4:22) feedback inten...

In Episode 13, Melanie recAPs the ways in which cells communicate through cellular signals, called ligands. Do you remember playing telephone as a kid?(1:15) Cellular communication is achieved through reception, (1:46) transduction, (2:40) and response (3:27). Signals are classified by the distance that the message has to travel (3:46). Much like the game of telephone, messages are sometimes modif...

Episode 12 begins with a Latin lesson, spirare. Melanie pulls the oldest three stooges trick in the book to remind students of the products of cellular respiration (1:25). The star of the show is introduced (2:20) with a reminder of the importance of surface area to volume ratios. Cellular respiration is explored in three steps: Glycolysis (2:50), the Krebs Cycle (3:55), and ETC (5:08). Melanie ch...

Deep breath! Episode 11 will recAP photosynthesis - the process of converting light energy into chemical energy. Do you know why plants are green? (1:18) Melanie provides an overview of the chemical equation (1:35) before drawing an analogy between the chloroplast and a favorite breakfast treat (2:10). Photosynthesis is divided into two stages - the light and dark reactions (2:40). She warns you o...