AP Biology Scoring Guide

Unit 5 Progress Check: FRQ

1. Read each question carefully. Write your response in the space provided for each part of each
question. Answers must be written out in paragraph form. Outlines, bulleted lists, or diagrams
alone are not acceptable and will not be scored.

Primary spermatocytes are diploid ( ) cells with all of the organelles typically found in
eukaryotic animal cells. A representation of spermatogenesis from a primary spermatocyte with
six chromosomes is shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1. A representation of spermatogenesis

(a) Describe the process in meiosis that ensures that both maternal and paternal chromosomes
are passed on to each spermatozoon.

Please respond on separate paper, following directions from your teacher.

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 AP Biology Scoring Guide

Unit 5 Progress Check: FRQ

(b) Explain why the genetic content of individual chromosomes in a spermatozoon most likely
differs from the genetic content of individual chromosomes in a primary spermatocyte.

Please respond on separate paper, following directions from your teacher.

(c) In some instances, meiosis of a primary spermatocyte with six chromosomes results in two
spermatozoa that contain four chromosomes and two spermatozoa that contain two
chromosomes. Predict the most likely cause.

Please respond on separate paper, following directions from your teacher.

(d) A student claims that if the animal producing the spermatozoa has a mutation in a
mitochondrial gene, the probability that any offspring will inherit the mutation is zero. Provide
evidence to support this claim.

Please respond on separate paper, following directions from your teacher.

Part A

Select a point value to view scoring criteria, solutions, and/or examples and to score the response.

0 1

The response indicates that the homologous pairs of chromosomes randomly segregate during meiosis .

Part B

Select a point value to view scoring criteria, solutions, and/or examples and to score the response.

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 AP Biology Scoring Guide

Unit 5 Progress Check: FRQ

0 1

The response indicates that crossing over/recombination occurs between chromatids of homologous
chromosomes during prophase of meiosis .

Part C

Select a point value to view scoring criteria, solutions, and/or examples and to score the response.

0 1

The response indicates that the most likely cause is the nondisjunction (no separation) of one pair of
homologous chromosomes during meiosis .

Part D

Select a point value to view scoring criteria, solutions, and/or examples and to score the response.

0 1

The response indicates that spermatozoa contain no mitochondria and that all mitochondria in an
organism are derived from the ovum.

2. Read each question carefully. Write your response in the space provided for each part of each
question. Answers must be written out in paragraph form. Outlines, bulleted lists, or diagrams

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in print beyond your school’s participation in the program is prohibited. Page 3 of 9
 AP Biology Scoring Guide

Unit 5 Progress Check: FRQ

alone are not acceptable and will not be scored.

The sex of an organism is typically determined genetically, but environmental factors can also
play a role. Scientists examined the roles of genes and environmental temperature in the sex
determination of a lizard species. Individuals with a pair of chromosomes are always
female ( ), while individuals with a pair of chromosomes can be either male ( ) or
female ( ). Scientists mated or females with males and incubated the eggs
produced in 20 clutches at temperatures ranging from to . When the young hatched,
the scientists determined their sexes (Table 1). Among the eggs that did not hatch, the
mortality of embryonic lizards was approximately the same for both males and females.

Table 1. Fraction of female progeny produced as a function of egg incubation

temperature

Egg
Crosses: Crosses:
Incubation
Fraction of Female Fraction of Female
Temperatu
Progeny Progeny
re ( )
23 0

24 0

26 0

28 0

30

32

33

34

35

36

(a) If a particular gene is located on the chromosome of this lizard species, describe why a
lizard with a genotype has a greater probability of expressing the recessive phenotype for
the trait than a lizard with the genotype does.

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 AP Biology Scoring Guide

Unit 5 Progress Check: FRQ

Please respond on separate paper, following directions from your teacher.

(b) Using the template, construct an appropriately labeled graph, including error bars, to
represent the data in Table 1. Based on the data, compare the crosses and the
crosses to determine whether there is a significant difference between the two
crosses in the fraction of female progeny produced at , , and .

Please respond on separate paper, following directions from your teacher.

(c) For each cross, describe whether genetics or temperature determines the sex of progeny
produced from eggs incubated at . For each cross, describe whether genetics or
temperature determines the sex of progeny produced from eggs incubated at .

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 AP Biology Scoring Guide

Unit 5 Progress Check: FRQ

Please respond on separate paper, following directions from your teacher.

(d) Predict the effect of increasing global temperatures on the continued presence of the
chromosome in this species of lizard. Scientists claim that, in this species, the chromosome
is unimportant in sex determination. Instead, proteins that are encoded by a gene or genes on
the chromosome, and that are maximally expressed only at certain temperatures, are
responsible for determining whether embryos will develop as females or males. Use the data to
support this claim.

Please respond on separate paper, following directions from your teacher.

Part A

Select a point value to view scoring criteria, solutions, and/or examples and to score the response.

0 1

The response indicates that the lizard with the genotype has only one copy of the gene, while the
lizard with the genotype has two copies, one of which might be the dominant allele.

Part B (i)

Select a point value to view scoring criteria, solutions, and/or examples and to score the response.

0 1 2 3

The sketched bars or curve meet(s) all of the criteria below.

Correct axis labeling

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 AP Biology Scoring Guide

Unit 5 Progress Check: FRQ

Correct scale and unit

Correctly plotted line graph

Part B (ii)

Select a point value to view scoring criteria, solutions, and/or examples and to score the response.

0 1

The response indicates that there is no overlap of error bars between the two different crosses at or
, so there is a significant difference in the fraction of female offspring produced between the different
crosses at these temperatures. The data are identical for the two crosses at , so there is no
significant difference at this temperature.

Part C (i)

Select a point value to view scoring criteria, solutions, and/or examples and to score the response.

0 1

The response indicates that for both crosses the temperature determines that approximately all embryos
will develop as females if eggs are incubated at .

Part C (ii)

Select a point value to view scoring criteria, solutions, and/or examples and to score the response.

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 AP Biology Scoring Guide

Unit 5 Progress Check: FRQ

0 1

The response indicates that for the cross, genetics determines that about one-half of the
embryos will develop as females if eggs are incubated at . This contrasts with the cross,
in which the temperature determines the sex because none of the embryos will develop as females if
eggs are incubated at this low temperature.

Part D (i)

Select a point value to view scoring criteria, solutions, and/or examples and to score the response.

0 1

The response indicates that the chromosome may disappear from populations of the lizard, especially
those in warmer habitats.

Part D (ii)

Select a point value to view scoring criteria, solutions, and/or examples and to score the response.

0 1

The response indicates that embryos can develop as females without the chromosome and that
embryos can only develop as males in the presence of two chromosomes and only at certain
temperatures. Since one chromosome is insufficient for male development, it is likely that a sufficient
amount of the chromosome–encoded protein is produced only from two copies of the gene(s) on this
chromosome and at lower temperatures.

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 AP Biology Scoring Guide

Unit 5 Progress Check: FRQ

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