2012 FRQ Biology

AP® Biology
2012 Free-Response Questions
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2012 AP® BIOLOGY FREE-RESPONSE QUESTIONS
BIOLOGY
SECTION II
Time— 1 hour and 30 minutes
Directions: Answer all questions.
Answers must be in essay form. Outline form is not acceptable. Labeled diagrams may be used to supplement
discussion, but in no case will a diagram alone suffice. It is important that you read each question completely
before you begin to write. Write all your answers on the pages following the questions in this booklet.
1. The ability to reproduce is a characteristic of life.

(a) Describe the process of embryological development in a typical vertebrate embryo, beginning with a
fertilized egg and ending with the development of three tissue layers.
(b) Identify the developmental origin of TWO of the following tissues in vertebrates:
• central nervous system

• digestive system
• muscle
(c) Identify and explain THREE differences between the embryological development of protostomes and the
embryological development of deuterostomes.
(d) Explain TWO unique properties of human embryonic stem cells that distinguish them from other human
cell types. Describe a current medical application of human stem cell research.
© 2012 The College Board.

GO ON TO THE NEXT PAGE.

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2. An agricultural biologist was evaluating two newly developed varieties of wheat as potential crops. In an
experiment, seedlings were germinated on moist paper towels at 20ºC for 48 hours. Oxygen consumption of the
two-day-old seedlings was measured at different temperatures. The data are shown in the graph below.
(a) Calculate the rates of oxygen consumption in mL/min for each variety of wheat at 7°C and at 17°C. Show
your work (including your setup and calculation).
(b) Explain the relationship between metabolism and oxygen consumption. Discuss the effect of temperature on
metabolism for each variety of seedlings.
(c) In a second experiment, variety A seedlings at both temperatures were treated with a chemical that prevents
NADH from being oxidized to NAD+. Predict the most likely effect of the chemical on metabolism and
oxygen consumption of the treated seedlings. Explain your prediction.
3. Information flow in cells can be regulated by various mechanisms.

(a) Describe the role of THREE of the following in the regulation of protein synthesis:
• RNA splicing
• repressor proteins
• methylation
• siRNA
(b) Information flow can be altered by mutation. Describe THREE different types of mutations and their effect
on protein synthesis.
(c) Identify TWO environmental factors that increase the mutation rate in an organism, and discuss their effect
on the genome of the organism.
(d) Epigenetics is the study of heritable changes in the phenotype caused by mechanisms other than changes in
the DNA sequence. Describe ONE example of epigenetic inheritance.

GO ON TO THE NEXT PAGE.

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4. The element carbon is contained in all organic compounds.

(a) Discuss the role of photosynthesis and cellular respiration in carbon cycling in the biosphere.
(b) For THREE of the following, predict and explain the effect on the carbon cycle if:
• decomposers were absent
• deforestation occurred
• volcanic dust accumulated in the atmosphere
• the average ocean temperature increased
(c) Explain how increased CO2 in the atmosphere results in greater acidification of oceans and describe the
effect on marine organisms. Include in your discussion TWO examples of how human activity can increase
atmospheric CO2.
STOP
END OF EXAM

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AP® Biology

2012 Free-Response Questions

About the College Board

Visit the College Board on the Web: www.collegeboard.org.

Directions: Answer all questions.

1. The ability to reproduce is a characteristic of life.

• central nervous system

© 2012 The College Board.

GO ON TO THE NEXT PAGE.

3. Information flow in cells can be regulated by various mechanisms.

© 2012 The College Board.

GO ON TO THE NEXT PAGE.

4. The element carbon is contained in all organic compounds.

© 2012 The College Board.

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