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Origins Of Life

Subject : science

Instructions:

Answer 50 questions in 15 minutes.
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Match each statement with the correct term.
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This is a study tool. The 3 wrong answers for each question are randomly chosen from answers to other questions. So, you might find at times the answers obvious, but you will see it re-enforces your understanding as you take the test each time.

1. What are Liposomes?
Vesicles surrounded by a lipid layer. Clay can catalyze formation of liposomes that grow and divide. Liposomes can enclose RNA.
Genetic changes and/or Environmental changes
Genetic changes and/or Environmental changes
A chemical within a mixture of different chemicals has special properties or advantages that cause it to increase in number compared to other chemicals in the mixture.

2. Changes in living organisms are the result of what?
Information Storage. DNA would have relieved RNA of informational role and allowed RNA to do other functions. DNA is also less likely to suffer mutations.
Individuals form a colony OR a single cell divides and stays stuck together.
3.8-3.5 billion years ago
Genetic changes and/or Environmental changes

3. What was the 3rd of the overlapping stages in the origin of life?
Individuals form a colony OR a single cell divides and stays stuck together.
Individuals form a colony OR a single cell divides and stays stuck together.
Vesicles surrounded by a lipid layer. Clay can catalyze formation of liposomes that grow and divide. Liposomes can enclose RNA.
Polymers became enclosed in membranes

4. What was the extraterrestrial/Panspermia hypothesis?
Boundary separated external environment from internal contents. Polymers inside the protobiont contained information. Polymers inside the protobiont had enzymatic function. Protobionts capable of self-replication.
Polymers enclosed in membranes acquired cellular properties.
The building blocks of life on Earth arrived via meteors.
Individuals form a colony OR a single cell divides and stays stuck together.

5. What was the 2nd of the overlapping stages in the origin of life?
13.7 billion years
An aggregate of prebiotically produced molecules and macromolecules that acquired a boundary - such as a lipid bilayer - that allowed it to maintain an internal chemical environment distinct from that of its surroundings.
Nucleotides and amino acids became polymerized to form DNA - RNA and proteins
1.5 billion years ago

6. What was the 3rd of the overlapping stages in the origin of life?
1.5 billion years ago
Nucleotides and amino acids became polymerized to form DNA - RNA and proteins
An aggregate of prebiotically produced molecules and macromolecules that acquired a boundary - such as a lipid bilayer - that allowed it to maintain an internal chemical environment distinct from that of its surroundings.
Polymers became enclosed in membranes

7. According to the seven characteristics of life - are viruses alive?
Cells and organization - energy use and metabolism - response to environmental changes - regulation and homeostasis - growth and development - reproduction - biological evolution
The building blocks of life on Earth arrived via meteors.
No
Metabolism and other cellular functions. Proteins have a greater catalytic potential and efficiency. Proteins can perform other tasks - cytoskeleton - transport - etc.

8. Around when did multicellular eukaryotic organisms first appear?
1.5 billion years ago
Vesicles surrounded by a lipid layer. Clay can catalyze formation of liposomes that grow and divide. Liposomes can enclose RNA.
Preserved remains of past life on Earth
No

9. What was the 4th of the overlapping stages in the origin of life?
An aggregate of prebiotically produced molecules and macromolecules that acquired a boundary - such as a lipid bilayer - that allowed it to maintain an internal chemical environment distinct from that of its surroundings.
It is not possible because hydrolysis competes with polymerization.
4-3.5 billion years ago
Polymers enclosed in membranes acquired cellular properties.

10. What are Coacervates?
Genetic changes and/or Environmental changes
4-3.5 billion years ago
4.55 billion years
Droplets that form spontaneously from the association of charged polymers. Enzymes trapped inside can perform primitive metabolic functions.

11. About how old is the solar system?
4.6 billion years
Preserved remains of past life on Earth
No
Atmospheric water vapor - methane - hydrogen - and ammonia catalyzed by lightning formed precursor molecules. This was tested in the Miller/Urey experiment.

12. What is the advantage of proteins over RNA?
4.55 billion years
Boundary separated external environment from internal contents. Polymers inside the protobiont contained information. Polymers inside the protobiont had enzymatic function. Protobionts capable of self-replication.
Metabolism and other cellular functions. Proteins have a greater catalytic potential and efficiency. Proteins can perform other tasks - cytoskeleton - transport - etc.
Cells and organization - energy use and metabolism - response to environmental changes - regulation and homeostasis - growth and development - reproduction - biological evolution

13. What was the reducing atmosphere hypothesis?
Polymers became enclosed in membranes
2.5-2.0 billion years ago
One of the RNA molecules mutates and has enzymatic ability to attach nucleotides together. A second mutation produces enzymatic ability to synthesize nucleotides.
Atmospheric water vapor - methane - hydrogen - and ammonia catalyzed by lightning formed precursor molecules. This was tested in the Miller/Urey experiment.

14. What was the first macromolecule of protobionts?
4 billion years ago
RNA. It has the ability to store information - capacity for self-replication - and has enzymatic funciton in the form of ribozymes.
3.8-3.5 billion years ago
On clay.

15. What is chemical selection?
4 billion years ago
Polymers became enclosed in membranes
4.6 billion years
A chemical within a mixture of different chemicals has special properties or advantages that cause it to increase in number compared to other chemicals in the mixture.

16. According to the seven characteristics of life - are viruses alive?
Information Storage. DNA would have relieved RNA of informational role and allowed RNA to do other functions. DNA is also less likely to suffer mutations.
No
4 billion years ago
Two prokaryotic cells living symbiotically and merging OR one prokaryote engulfing a smaller one in an endosymbiotic relationship (data supports this one).

17. What have experiments shown about prebiotic synthesis of polymers in aqueous solutions?
Metabolism and other cellular functions. Proteins have a greater catalytic potential and efficiency. Proteins can perform other tasks - cytoskeleton - transport - etc.
13.7 billion years
Atmospheric water vapor - methane - hydrogen - and ammonia catalyzed by lightning formed precursor molecules. This was tested in the Miller/Urey experiment.
It is not possible because hydrolysis competes with polymerization.

18. What is the advantage of proteins over RNA?
4-3.5 billion years ago
Metabolism and other cellular functions. Proteins have a greater catalytic potential and efficiency. Proteins can perform other tasks - cytoskeleton - transport - etc.
Information Storage. DNA would have relieved RNA of informational role and allowed RNA to do other functions. DNA is also less likely to suffer mutations.
Archean eon.

19. Around when did multicellular eukaryotic organisms first appear?
Nucleotides and amino acids became polymerized to form DNA - RNA and proteins
1.5 billion years ago
Polymers became enclosed in membranes
Atmospheric water vapor - methane - hydrogen - and ammonia catalyzed by lightning formed precursor molecules. This was tested in the Miller/Urey experiment.

20. What is the advantage of DNA over RNA?
Vesicles surrounded by a lipid layer. Clay can catalyze formation of liposomes that grow and divide. Liposomes can enclose RNA.
A chemical within a mixture of different chemicals has special properties or advantages that cause it to increase in number compared to other chemicals in the mixture.
Nucleotides and amino acids became polymerized to form DNA - RNA and proteins
Information Storage. DNA would have relieved RNA of informational role and allowed RNA to do other functions. DNA is also less likely to suffer mutations.

21. Prokaryotic life arose during what eon?
A chemical within a mixture of different chemicals has special properties or advantages that cause it to increase in number compared to other chemicals in the mixture.
Biologically important molecules may have been formed in the temperature gradient between extremely hot vent water and cold ocean water.
Archean eon.
RNA. It has the ability to store information - capacity for self-replication - and has enzymatic funciton in the form of ribozymes.

22. What was the 4th of the overlapping stages in the origin of life?
Polymers became enclosed in membranes
Vesicles surrounded by a lipid layer. Clay can catalyze formation of liposomes that grow and divide. Liposomes can enclose RNA.
Nucleotides and amino acids were produced prior to the existence of cells
Polymers enclosed in membranes acquired cellular properties.

23. About how old is the universe?
1.5 billion years ago
1.5 billion years ago
13.7 billion years
No

24. What was the extraterrestrial/Panspermia hypothesis?
4.6 billion years
The building blocks of life on Earth arrived via meteors.
An aggregate of prebiotically produced molecules and macromolecules that acquired a boundary - such as a lipid bilayer - that allowed it to maintain an internal chemical environment distinct from that of its surroundings.
Polymers became enclosed in membranes

25. What are three advantages multicellularity provides for eukaryotes?
Cell specialization (e.g. - somatic and reproductive cells) - bigger (e.g. - to avoid predation) - more efficient at utilizing resources.
2.5-2.0 billion years ago
The building blocks of life on Earth arrived via meteors.
Polymers enclosed in membranes acquired cellular properties.

26. About how old is the earth?
4.55 billion years
Preserved remains of past life on Earth
Nucleotides and amino acids became polymerized to form DNA - RNA and proteins
4.6 billion years

27. What are fossils?
Droplets that form spontaneously from the association of charged polymers. Enzymes trapped inside can perform primitive metabolic functions.
1.5 billion years ago
Preserved remains of past life on Earth
It is not possible because hydrolysis competes with polymerization.

28. Around when did prokaryotic organisms first appear?
13.7 billion years
Cell specialization (e.g. - somatic and reproductive cells) - bigger (e.g. - to avoid predation) - more efficient at utilizing resources.
On clay.
3.8-3.5 billion years ago

29. What was the deep-sea vent hypothesis?
Biologically important molecules may have been formed in the temperature gradient between extremely hot vent water and cold ocean water.
Preserved remains of past life on Earth
RNA. It has the ability to store information - capacity for self-replication - and has enzymatic funciton in the form of ribozymes.
No

30. What is the hypothetical RNA chemical selection scenario?
One of the RNA molecules mutates and has enzymatic ability to attach nucleotides together. A second mutation produces enzymatic ability to synthesize nucleotides.
Cell specialization (e.g. - somatic and reproductive cells) - bigger (e.g. - to avoid predation) - more efficient at utilizing resources.
Droplets that form spontaneously from the association of charged polymers. Enzymes trapped inside can perform primitive metabolic functions.
13.7 billion years

31. Around when did prokaryotic organisms first appear?
Genetic changes and/or Environmental changes
3.8-3.5 billion years ago
The building blocks of life on Earth arrived via meteors.
13.7 billion years

32. Where could RNA polymerization have first occured if not in water?
Two prokaryotic cells living symbiotically and merging OR one prokaryote engulfing a smaller one in an endosymbiotic relationship (data supports this one).
On clay.
13.7 billion years
No

33. Changes in living organisms are the result of what?
Polymers became enclosed in membranes
An aggregate of prebiotically produced molecules and macromolecules that acquired a boundary - such as a lipid bilayer - that allowed it to maintain an internal chemical environment distinct from that of its surroundings.
Genetic changes and/or Environmental changes
RNA. It has the ability to store information - capacity for self-replication - and has enzymatic funciton in the form of ribozymes.

34. About how old is the universe?
4.55 billion years
13.7 billion years
The building blocks of life on Earth arrived via meteors.
Cell specialization (e.g. - somatic and reproductive cells) - bigger (e.g. - to avoid predation) - more efficient at utilizing resources.

35. What are two possible explanations for the origin of multicellularity?
Individuals form a colony OR a single cell divides and stays stuck together.
Nucleotides and amino acids were produced prior to the existence of cells
Metabolism and other cellular functions. Proteins have a greater catalytic potential and efficiency. Proteins can perform other tasks - cytoskeleton - transport - etc.
Preserved remains of past life on Earth

36. What are the seven characteristics of life?
Two prokaryotic cells living symbiotically and merging OR one prokaryote engulfing a smaller one in an endosymbiotic relationship (data supports this one).
Cells and organization - energy use and metabolism - response to environmental changes - regulation and homeostasis - growth and development - reproduction - biological evolution
Information Storage. DNA would have relieved RNA of informational role and allowed RNA to do other functions. DNA is also less likely to suffer mutations.
One of the RNA molecules mutates and has enzymatic ability to attach nucleotides together. A second mutation produces enzymatic ability to synthesize nucleotides.

37. What are two possible explanations for the origin of multicellularity?
An aggregate of prebiotically produced molecules and macromolecules that acquired a boundary - such as a lipid bilayer - that allowed it to maintain an internal chemical environment distinct from that of its surroundings.
Individuals form a colony OR a single cell divides and stays stuck together.
4.55 billion years
4 billion years ago

38. What was the deep-sea vent hypothesis?
Preserved remains of past life on Earth
Cell specialization (e.g. - somatic and reproductive cells) - bigger (e.g. - to avoid predation) - more efficient at utilizing resources.
Biologically important molecules may have been formed in the temperature gradient between extremely hot vent water and cold ocean water.
4.55 billion years

39. About how long ago did the earth's crust cool?
4 billion years ago
No
An aggregate of prebiotically produced molecules and macromolecules that acquired a boundary - such as a lipid bilayer - that allowed it to maintain an internal chemical environment distinct from that of its surroundings.
The building blocks of life on Earth arrived via meteors.

40. About how long ago did life first appear?
4-3.5 billion years ago
Cells and organization - energy use and metabolism - response to environmental changes - regulation and homeostasis - growth and development - reproduction - biological evolution
Individuals form a colony OR a single cell divides and stays stuck together.
Preserved remains of past life on Earth

41. What are Coacervates?
It is not possible because hydrolysis competes with polymerization.
An aggregate of prebiotically produced molecules and macromolecules that acquired a boundary - such as a lipid bilayer - that allowed it to maintain an internal chemical environment distinct from that of its surroundings.
Droplets that form spontaneously from the association of charged polymers. Enzymes trapped inside can perform primitive metabolic functions.
No

42. What was the 2nd of the overlapping stages in the origin of life?
Nucleotides and amino acids became polymerized to form DNA - RNA and proteins
An aggregate of prebiotically produced molecules and macromolecules that acquired a boundary - such as a lipid bilayer - that allowed it to maintain an internal chemical environment distinct from that of its surroundings.
1.5 billion years ago
Two prokaryotic cells living symbiotically and merging OR one prokaryote engulfing a smaller one in an endosymbiotic relationship (data supports this one).

43. What are two possible explanations for the origin of eukaryotes?
Boundary separated external environment from internal contents. Polymers inside the protobiont contained information. Polymers inside the protobiont had enzymatic function. Protobionts capable of self-replication.
Two prokaryotic cells living symbiotically and merging OR one prokaryote engulfing a smaller one in an endosymbiotic relationship (data supports this one).
A chemical within a mixture of different chemicals has special properties or advantages that cause it to increase in number compared to other chemicals in the mixture.
One of the RNA molecules mutates and has enzymatic ability to attach nucleotides together. A second mutation produces enzymatic ability to synthesize nucleotides.

44. What are Liposomes?
Polymers became enclosed in membranes
Individuals form a colony OR a single cell divides and stays stuck together.
4-3.5 billion years ago
Vesicles surrounded by a lipid layer. Clay can catalyze formation of liposomes that grow and divide. Liposomes can enclose RNA.

45. What are two possible explanations for the origin of eukaryotes?
Two prokaryotic cells living symbiotically and merging OR one prokaryote engulfing a smaller one in an endosymbiotic relationship (data supports this one).
4.55 billion years
No
Nucleotides and amino acids became polymerized to form DNA - RNA and proteins

46. About how long ago did life first appear?
4.55 billion years
Nucleotides and amino acids became polymerized to form DNA - RNA and proteins
Polymers became enclosed in membranes
4-3.5 billion years ago

47. About how old is the earth?
Polymers became enclosed in membranes
Polymers became enclosed in membranes
Preserved remains of past life on Earth
4.55 billion years

48. Name 4 characteristics of protobionts.
Polymers became enclosed in membranes
Boundary separated external environment from internal contents. Polymers inside the protobiont contained information. Polymers inside the protobiont had enzymatic function. Protobionts capable of self-replication.
Cell specialization (e.g. - somatic and reproductive cells) - bigger (e.g. - to avoid predation) - more efficient at utilizing resources.
Preserved remains of past life on Earth

49. What is the advantage of DNA over RNA?
Information Storage. DNA would have relieved RNA of informational role and allowed RNA to do other functions. DNA is also less likely to suffer mutations.
13.7 billion years
It is not possible because hydrolysis competes with polymerization.
Droplets that form spontaneously from the association of charged polymers. Enzymes trapped inside can perform primitive metabolic functions.

50. Where could RNA polymerization have first occured if not in water?
Cells and organization - energy use and metabolism - response to environmental changes - regulation and homeostasis - growth and development - reproduction - biological evolution
2.5-2.0 billion years ago
Vesicles surrounded by a lipid layer. Clay can catalyze formation of liposomes that grow and divide. Liposomes can enclose RNA.
On clay.