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AP Biology 2.7.B Osmoregulation and Water Balance

Practise AP Biology 2.7.B questions by explaining how osmolarity, water potential, contractile vacuoles, ADH and aquaporins help organisms maintain water balance.

Syllabus
Effective Fall 2025
Course
AP Biology

Exam points

  • predict osmosis and contractile-vacuole responses from osmolarity or water-potential gradients
  • explain ADH, aquaporins and kidney responses that conserve or excrete water
  • use solute-potential variables to justify water balance and organismal adaptation

2.7.B—Explain how osmoregulatory mechanisms contribute to the health and survival of organisms question 1

[Maximum number: 1]

Questions 13-18 A student peeled the skins from grapes, exposing cells with membranes that are only permeable to water and small diffusible solutes. The student measured the mass of the peeled grapes. The student then placed each peeled grape into one of five solutions. After 24 hours, the student removed the peeled grapes from the solutions, measured their final mass, and calculated the percent change in mass (Table 1).

TABLE 1. PERCENT CHANGE IN MASS OF PEELED GRAPES IN SOLUTIONS

TABLE 1. PERCENT CHANGE IN MASS OF PEELED GRAPES IN SOLUTIONS

In a second experiment (Table 2), the student placed a peeled grape into a solution containing both small diffusible solutes and solutes to which the membrane is impermeable (nondiffusible solutes).

TABLE 2. CONCENTRATION OF SOLUTES IN SECOND EXPERIMENT

TABLE 2. CONCENTRATION OF SOLUTES IN SECOND EXPERIMENT

Assuming a negligible pressure potential, which of the following best predicts the net movement of the small diffusible solutes and water in the second experiment (Table 2) ?

A

Small diffusible solutes will diffuse into the grape cells, followed by water.

B

Small diffusible solutes will diffuse out of the grape cells and water will diffuse into the cells.

C

Small diffusible solutes will diffuse out of the grape cells, followed by water.

D

Small diffusible solutes will diffuse into the grape cells and water will diffuse out of the cells.

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