Unit 1 FRQ (Protein Powders) Answers

AP Bio FRQ Answers: Protein Powders

Unit 1 Free Response Question Answers

👋 Welcome to the AP Bio Unit 1 FRQ (Protein Powders) Answers!
Grab your responses and compare them to the rubric below to see how well you did. This guide will help you identify where you might have earned points and where you can improve.

⏱ Remember: The AP Biology exam has 6 free-response questions, and you have 90 minutes to complete the entire FRQ section. Aim to spend about 15 minutes on each FRQ to maximize your efficiency.

Scenario Recap

High-quality proteins are essential for optimal health, especially in the healthcare and fitness industries, where different protein powders are used to meet nutritional needs or support muscle growth and development. Protein powders can come from both dairy and plant sources, such as whey, casein, soy, and peas. A blend of these types is also available to provide a balanced source of protein.

Questions with Answers & Rubric

(a) A nutritionist is working with a patient who is training to run a marathon. In addition to protein, identify which macromolecule will be most essential to their training and explain why.

🏆 Points Awarded:

• 1 pt: Identify – The most essential macromolecule for a marathon runner, besides protein, is carbohydrates.
• 2 pts: Explain – Carbohydrates are crucial for providing readily accessible energy. The structure of carbohydrates, with their branched chains, allows for rapid breakdown during intense activity, which provides a quick energy source for muscle contraction and endurance.

📄 Additional Resources: Learn more about the properties of biological macromolecules to understand the importance of carbohydrates for athletes.

(b) Describe how the structure of amino acids relates to the function of the protein as a whole.

🏆 Points Awarded:

• 3 pts: Describe – Amino acids are the monomers or building blocks of proteins. They link together to form long chains, resulting in the formation of a protein. The sequence and order of amino acids determine the protein’s final shape, which in turn affects its function. The variety in amino acid sequences allows for the diverse range of protein structures, enabling them to perform many different roles, such as catalysis, transport, and structural support.

📄 Additional Resources: Explore the structure and function of biological macromolecules to deepen your understanding of how proteins are formed and how they perform their functions.

(c) Using the template provided, construct a graph showing the availability of methionine across all five protein options.

🏆 Points Awarded:

• 3 pts: Construct a Graph – To earn full points:
  • Label the axes: The x-axis should represent the types of protein powders (e.g., whey, casein, soy, peas, blend), and the y-axis should represent availability of methionine (e.g., in milligrams per serving).
  • Plot accurately: Use a bar graph to illustrate the methionine content for each protein powder. Ensure each bar is accurately scaled.
  • Evenly space units: Make sure units on both axes are spaced evenly for clear and consistent representation.

(d) Collagen peptides are popular for supporting hair, skin, and nail health. However, collagen lacks the amino acid tryptophan, which makes it an incomplete protein. Explain why the absence of tryptophan makes collagen peptides an inadequate primary source of protein.

🏆 Points Awarded:

• 2 pts: Explain – Tryptophan is an essential amino acid, meaning the body cannot synthesize it, and it must be obtained through the diet. All nine essential amino acids are required to build complete proteins that are capable of supporting bodily functions. Since collagen lacks tryptophan, it cannot provide the full complement of amino acids necessary for protein synthesis, making it inadequate as a primary protein source. The absence of tryptophan limits the ability to form certain proteins, reducing collagen’s effectiveness in supporting broader nutritional needs.

Key Takeaways

• Carbohydrates are essential for endurance training because of their efficient energy release.
• The sequence and structure of amino acids are fundamental to determining protein function.
• Graph construction must include accurate labels and scaling.
• Collagen is incomplete as a protein source because it lacks a necessary amino acid, making it unsuitable for meeting all protein requirements.

Practice Tip: Practicing FRQs like this will help you learn how to justify your answers with scientific principles and ensure you include specific examples to demonstrate your understanding. Be sure to use complete sentences and address each part of the question thoroughly to maximize your score.