AP Biology Review
Chapters 37, 38, 40 Review Questions
Chapter 37: Neurons and Nervous Systems
1. Compare the nervous systems of cnidarians, planarians, and annelids.
2. Describe the essential features of a typical vertebrate nervous system.
3. Explain the major adaptations that evolved in the brains of mammals.
4. Describe the basic structure of a neuron, and compare the functions of the three types of neurons.
5. Discuss the changes in ion concentrations inside and outside of a neuron that result in an action potential.
6. Explain why a nerve impulse travels more quickly down a myelinated axon as compared with an unmyelinated
axon.
7. Summarize the role of neurotransmitters in propagating nerve impulses.
8. Analyze how the bite of a black widow spider, which contains a powerful AChE inhibitor, might cause each of
these common symptoms: muscle cramps, salivation, fast heart rate, and high blood pressure.
9. Trace the path of a nerve impulse from a stimulus in an internal organ (such as food in the intestine stimulating
peristalsis) to the brain and back.
10. List the major regions of the brain and describe some major functions of each.
11. List at least two common diseases of the CNS and describe their symptoms and causes.
12. Explain how the somatic system differs from the autonomic system.
13. Contrast the functions of the sympathetic and parasympathetic divisions of the autonomic nervous system.
14. Review the neurological explanation for the observation that, after you touch a hot stove, you withdraw your
hand before you feel any pain.
Chapter 38 Sense Organs
1. Explain the differences between sensory receptors, sensory transduction, and perception.
2. Describe four types of sensory receptors, and list examples of each.
3. List three examples of sensory capabilities found in animals that are lacking in humans.
4. Compare and contrast the senses of smell and taste.
5. List the five types of taste receptors in humans.
6. Discuss what could account for nerve impulses, which are all action potentials, being interpreted as arising
from different sense organs.
7. Compare rods and cones in terms of main functions, light sensitivity, and excitation of ganglion cells.
8. List the three layers of cells in the human retina. Why do you think this arrangement is sometimes described as
“backwards?”
9. Summarize how the shape of the eyeball can result in nearsightedness or farsightedness. Also, describe the
cause of astigmatism.
10. List, in order, the structures that must conduct a sound wave from the time it enters the auditory canal until it
reaches the cochlea.
11. Distinguish between rotational and gravitational equilibrium, and how each is accomplished by the ear.
12. Compare and contrast the functions of proprioceptors, cutaneous receptors, and pain receptors.
13. List specific types of cutaneous receptors that are sensitive to fine touch, pressure, pain, and temperature.
Chapter 40: The Endocrine System and Hormones
1. Compare and contrast the nervous and endocrine systems with regard to function and the types of signals used.
2. Identify the major endocrine glands of the human body.
3. Compare the mechanisms of action of peptide and steroid hormones.
4. Explain how the hypothalamus communicates with the endocrine system.
5. List and describe the functions of the hormones released by the anterior and posterior pituitary gland.
6. Distinguish between the functions of T 3, T4, calcitonin, and parathyroid hormone.
7. Compare and contrast the mineralcorticoids and glucocorticoids.
8. Identify the cause and major symptoms of the major conditions associated with the endocrine system.
9. Describe how levels of melatonin influence our activity level.
Past AP Exam Essay Questions
2001 Question 1
In biological systems, structure and function are related. Choose three of the following components of organ systems.
alveolus
villus
sarcomere
capillary
nephron
neuron
a) For each component, describe the structure of the component and explain how that structure is responsible for the
function of that component.
b) For the three components that you chose in part (a), explain how the structure of the component contributes to the
functioning of the organ system to which it belongs.
2002 Form B Question 2
In mammals, heart rate during periods of exercise is linked to the intensity of exercise.
a) Discuss the interactions of the respiratory, circulatory, and nervous systems during exercise.
b) Design a controlled experiment to determine the relationship between intensity of exercise and heart rate.
c) On the axes provided, indicate results you expect for both the control and the experimental groups for the
controlled experiment you described in part (b). Remember to label the axes.
2003 Form B Question 2
Hormones play important roles in regulating lives of many living organisms.
a) For two of the following physiological responses, explain how hormones cause the response in animals.
 Increase in height
 Adjustment to change in light
 Adjustment to lack of water
b) Describe two different mechanisms by which hormones cause their effects at the cellular level.
2010 Question 1
Homeostatic maintenance of optimal blood glucose levels has been intensively studied in vertebrate organisms.
a) Pancreatic hormones regulate blood glucose levels. Identify two pancreatic hormones and describe the effect of
each hormone on blood glucose levels.
b) For one of the hormones you identified in (a), identify one target cell and discuss the mechanism by which the
hormone can alter activity in that target cell. Include in your discussion a description of reception, cellular
transduction, and response.
c) Compare the cell-signaling mechanisms of steroid hormones and protein hormones.
2012 Question 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 deutersostomes.
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.
2014 Question 6
Information processing involves complex neural pathways that require a certain amount of time
between recognition of a stimulus and the resulting response. For some types of stimuli, a reflex
arc replaces the typical stimulus-response pathway. A representation of a reflex arc is shown.
Based on the figure, describe TWO ways that the reflex arc differs from typical stimulusresponse transmission pathways. Provide reasoning to support the claim that reflex arcs help
organisms avoid serious injury.
2015 Question 7
Smell perception in mammals involves the interactions of airborne odorant molecules from the environment with
receptor proteins on the olfactory neurons in the nasal cavity. The binding of odorant molecules to the receptor
proteins triggers action potentials in the olfactory neurons and results in transmission of information to the brain.
Mammalian genomes typically have approximately 1,000 functions odorant-receptor genes, each encoding a unique
odorant receptor.
a) Describe how the signal is transmitted across the synapse from an activated olfactory sensory neuron to the
interneuron that transmits the information to the brain.
b) Explain how the expression of a limited number of odorant receptor genes can lead to the perception of thousands
of odors. Use the evidence about the number of odorant receptor genes to support your answer.