The AHSGE Biology section contains laboratory questions asking students to identify equipment and select the best piece of equipment for a given task. Students must be able to recognize and select from the most effective equipment for a specific experiment as well as appropriate measurement equipment. Optical instrument questions are also on the test, assessing students' abilities to recognize the most appropriate device such as a microscope or magnifying glass.
Questions regarding cell processes required for homeostasis are bundled with questions regarding other cell processes such as osmosis, diffusion, exocytosis and endocytosis. Students are also asked questions regarding active and passive transport. Diagrams accompany many of the questions.
Photosynthesis questions include the chemical formulas for photosynthesis and respiration. The functions of photosynthesis and respiration are also included, as well as the relationship between the two essential processes. An understanding of what happens in various chemical processes will help students when facing questions regarding the products resulting from cellular respiration -- water, carbon dioxide and energy -- or the products missing from a chemical equation.
Diagrams and tables accompany many of the questions about cell organelles and classification systems. Students are assessed on their abilities to identify parts of the cells, prokaryotic and eukaryotic classification and the similarities and differences between the five- and six-kingdom classifications.
Mitotic and meiotic divisions in cell reproduction are presented in questions that ask students to demonstrate an understanding of those processes and describe their roles in different cell functions. Questions are multiple choice so students will need to select the best answer, sometimes choosing which is correct from a list of seemingly similar options.
Questions about Mendel's law will test skills at using Punnett squares for phenotypic and genotypic percent. Students are asked questions about the dominant and recessive alleles and the roles of these alleles in shaping offspring. Student must demonstrate an understanding of the heterozygous and homozygous traits of these alleles. Students are also asked questions regarding the role of amino acids in making up proteins and the role of proteins as enzymes. Students are asked to identify and compare DNA and RNA.
Animal classification questions involve tasks such as comparing opposites: invertebrates to vertebrates, endoskeletons to exoskeletons, sexual to asexual. Students are asked to classify animals based on a list of characteristic traits such as fertilization and reproduction or type of body coverings.
Protective adaptations include mimicry, camouflage and migration as well as hibernation and beak type. Students are asked questions testing their abilities to identify and apply the different protective adaptation behaviors or changes. Recognizing the differences between beak type will prove helpful in these questions, which present pictures with multiple-choice questions as well.
Questions regarding the flow of energy are asked. The flow of energy refers to energy as it decreases through trophic levels -- classes of animals occupying the same position within a food chain. Students must understand the food chain and energy pyramid concepts and be able to apply this knowledge to the multiple-choice questions on the test.
Biochemical cycles include water, carbon, oxygen and nitrogen cycles. Students are asked questions that involve tracing these cycles in the environment, demonstrating an understanding of each cycle and describing the processes within the cycles. Biochemical processes such as evaporation, transpiration, precipitation and condensation are included.