AP Biology stands for Advanced Placement Biology. In American and Canadian high schools, the Advanced Placement Program has a College Board that offers courses and conduct AP Biology exam. AP Biology Exam helps students earn college-level credits.
AP Biology CED (AP Biology Course and Exam Description)
AP Biology syllabus includes an introductory college-level biology course. AP Biology exam has a duration of one year in 2 semesters. The AP Biology course includes 8 units.
| AP BIOLOGY UNITS | UNIT | TOPICS | WEIGHTAGE |
| AP Biology Unit 1 | Chemistry of Life | 1)Â Â Â Â Structure of Water and Hydrogen Bonding | 8%-11% |
| 2)Â Â Â Â Elements of Life | |||
| 3)Â Â Â Â Introduction to Biological Macromolecules | |||
| 4)Â Â Â Â Structure and Function of Biological Macromolecules | |||
| 5)Â Â Â Â Properties of Biological Macromolecules | |||
| 6)Â Â Â Â Nucleic Acids | |||
| AP Biology Unit 2 | Cell Structure and Function | 1)Â Â Â Â Cell Structure: Subcellular Components | 10%-13% |
| 2)Â Â Â Â Cell Structure and Function | |||
| 3)Â Â Â Â Cell Size | |||
| 4)Â Â Â Â Plasma Membrane | |||
| 5)Â Â Â Â Membrane Permeability | |||
| 6)Â Â Â Â Membrane Transport | |||
| 7)Â Â Â Â Facilitated Diffusion | |||
| 8)Â Â Â Â Tonicity and Osmoregulation | |||
| 9)Â Â Â Â Mechanisms of Transport | |||
| 10)Â Cell Compartmentalization | |||
| AP Biology Unit 3 | Cellular Energetics | 1)Â Â Â Â Enzyme Structure | 12%-16% |
| 2)Â Â Â Â Enzyme Catalysis | |||
| 3)Â Â Â Â Environmental Impact on Enzyme Function | |||
| 4)Â Â Â Â Cellular Energy | |||
| 5)Â Â Â Â Photosynthesis | |||
| 6)Â Â Â Â Cellular Respiration | |||
| 7)Â Â Â Â Fitness | |||
| AP Biology Unit 4 | Cell Communication and Cell Cycle | 1)Â Â Â Â Cell Communication | 10%-15% |
| 2)Â Â Â Â Introduction to Signal Transduction | |||
| 3)Â Â Â Â Signal Transduction | |||
| 4)Â Â Â Â Changes in Signal Transduction Pathways | |||
| 5)Â Â Â Â Feedback | |||
| 6)Â Â Â Â Cell Cycle | |||
| 7)Â Â Â Â Regulation of Cell Cycle | |||
| AP Biology Unit 5 | Heredity | 1)Â Â Â Â Meiosis | 8%-11% |
| 2)Â Â Â Â Meiosis and Genetic Diversity | |||
| 3)Â Â Â Â Mendelian Genetics | |||
| 4)Â Â Â Â Non-Mendelian Genetics | |||
| 5)Â Â Â Â Environmental Effects on Phenotype | |||
| 6)Â Â Â Â Chromosomal Inheritance | |||
| AP Biology Unit 6 | Gene Expression and Regulation | 1)Â Â Â Â DNA and RNA Structure | 12%-16% |
| 2)Â Â Â Â Replication | |||
| 3)Â Â Â Â Transcription and RNA Processing | |||
| 4)Â Â Â Â Translation | |||
| 5)Â Â Â Â Regulation of Gene Expression | |||
| 6)Â Â Â Â Gene Expression and Cell Specialization | |||
| 7)Â Â Â Â Mutations | |||
| 8)Â Â Â Â Biotechnology | |||
| AP Biology Unit 7 | Natural Selection | 1)Â Â Â Â Introduction to Natural Selection | 13%-20% |
| 2)Â Â Â Â Natural Selection | |||
| 3)Â Â Â Â Artificial Selection | |||
| 4)Â Â Â Â Population Genetics | |||
| 5)Â Â Â Â Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium | |||
| 6)Â Â Â Â Evidence of Evolution | |||
| 7)Â Â Â Â Common Ancestry | |||
| 8)Â Â Â Â Continuing Evolution | |||
| 9)Â Â Â Â Phylogeny | |||
| 10)Â Speciation | |||
| 11)Â Extinction | |||
| 12)Â Variations in Populations | |||
| 13)Â Origin of Life on Earth | |||
| AP Biology Unit 8 | Ecology | 1)Â Â Â Â Responses to the Environment | 10%-15% |
| 2)Â Â Â Â Energy Flow Through Ecosystems | |||
| 3)Â Â Â Â Population Ecology | |||
| 4)Â Â Â Â Effect of Density of Populations | |||
| 5)Â Â Â Â Community Ecology | |||
| 6)Â Â Â Â Biodiversity | |||
| 7)Â Â Â Â Disruptions to Ecosystems |
AP Biology Grading Scale
AP Biology includes Grades 1 to 5 in the Grading Scale. Grade 5 is considered the best. Grade 3 is for qualifying the exam.
Exam Pattern in AP Biology- The duration of AP Biology exam is 3 hours. It includes 2 sections.
Section A: AP Biology Multiple Choice Questions (AP Biology MCQs)
Multiple Choice Questions-
- This section includes 50% of exam scores.
- It includes a total of 60 questions in two parts.
- Total score is 60 points. 1 point for each correct answer.
- The duration of time is 1 hour and 30 minutes.
- It includes some weightings (science practices) in MCQs.
| NO. | SETS OF QUESTIONS | EXAM WEIGHTING |
| 1.     | Concept Explanation | 25-33% |
| 2.     | Visual Representation | 16-24% |
| 3.     | Questions and Methods | 8-14% |
| 4.     | Representing and Describing Data | 8-14% |
| 5.     | Statistical Tests and Data Analysis | 8-14% |
| 6.     | Argumentation | 20-26% |
Section B: AP Biology Free Response Questions (AP Biology FRQs)
Free Response Questions-
- This section includes the 50% exam score.
- The duration of time is 1 hour 45 minutes.
- This section includes 6 free response questions (FRQs) in two parts.
- 2 long-form free response questions, and
- 4 short-form free response questions.
- It includes some broader senses.
In simple words, the AP Chemistry Exam has two parts: one with multiple-choice questions, and the other with Free Response Questions or written answers. Both parts together make your final score.
| QUESTIONS | QUESTION TYPES | NUMBER OF POINTS |
| 1.     | Interpreting and Evaluating Experimental Results | 8-10 points |
| 2.     | Interpreting and Evaluating Experimental Results with Graphing | 8-10 points |
| 3.     | Scientific Investigations | 4 points |
| 4.     | Conceptual Analysis | 4 points |
| 5.     | Analyze Model or Visual Representation | 4 points |
| 6.     | Analyze Data | 4 points |
How to get a 5 on AP Biology-
- First, you have to go through the AP Biology syllabus, which is mentioned above.
- Second, solve the AP Biology past papers. Get an idea of the AP Biology exam pattern. Now, focus on AP Biology key concepts.
- Third, make the best study timetable to ace an exam. You can go through the
- Fourth, solve lots of AP Biology practice tests, and AP Biology exam questions. Always ask why the correct answer is correct and the concept behind it.
- Revise your AP Biology notes which you made during self-study AP Biology or AP Biology online course. Also, you can get notes on Biology on the given.
Best Biology Aesthetics Study Notes Bundle (Special Edition)
DOUBTFUL QUERIES
Is AP Biology difficult?
AP Biology exam is difficult when compared to a typical high school-level biology course exam. As the AP Biology exam includes a higher level of concept understanding, students have to analyze and apply that knowledge. This thing makes it hard.
How long is the AP Biology Exam?
AP Biology is a two-semester introductory biology course at the college-level.
What do you learn in AP Biology?
Students can learn a broad range of concepts in AP Biology including Molecular Biology, Genetics, Natural Selection, Anatomy, and Ecology.
What is pre-AP Biology?
Pre-AP Biology is an introductory course that gives foundational concepts of Biology. Pre-AP Biology course develops critical thinking skills about Living Diversity.
What is the future of AP Biology?
Students can get the knowledge to study how the principles of Chemistry and Physics are to be applied in living systems. Moreover, they earned college-level credits. Also, a solid foundation base will be cleared. In addition to this, the GPA of students will be boosted by AP Grades. It also saves time and money on studying the advanced courses during college.
Is AP Biology easy?
AP Biology is slightly easier to pass than any other AP exams. Also, the AP Biology exam has the highest passing rates.
Do you need to take Biology before taking AP Biology?
Yes, students should need to take Biology if they have an interest in gaining knowledge.
How many units are in AP Biology?
There are 8 units in AP Biology.
When is the AP Biology Exam?
In 2023, AP Biology exam was held in May.
When should I take AP Biology Exam?
Students should take the AP Biology exam in Class11th or in Class12th
Is AP Biology worth it?
Beyond the fact that it provides you with college-level credits, it will also give you a better understanding of knowledge, and also helps in the admission process those colleges are highly competitive.
Is AP Biology harder than AP Chemistry?
AP Biology is easier than AP Chemistry. AP Biology includes some topics of Chemistry like Chemistry of Life. Many students attain the highest passing rate in AP Biology than AP Chemistry.
What is AP Biology equivalent to in college?
The AP Biology course is equivalent to a two-semester introductory college-level biology course.
Now, you got all the details related to the AP Biology exam. Just going through all the points, students can crack the exam and enhance their confidence level by earning college-level credits. Don’t go on irrelevant kinds of stuffs and do not waste your time. Just believe in yourself and evolve as beyond your limits.
Riya utwal
