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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. Changes in living organisms are the result of what?
4.6 billion years
4.55 billion years
It is not possible because hydrolysis competes with polymerization.
Genetic changes and/or Environmental changes

2. Around when did eukaryotic organisms first appear?
No
Nucleotides and amino acids were produced prior to the existence of cells
Polymers became enclosed in membranes
2.5-2.0 billion years ago

3. Name 4 characteristics of protobionts.
Metabolism and other cellular functions. Proteins have a greater catalytic potential and efficiency. Proteins can perform other tasks - cytoskeleton - transport - etc.
Atmospheric water vapor - methane - hydrogen - and ammonia catalyzed by lightning formed precursor molecules. This was tested in the Miller/Urey experiment.
The building blocks of life on Earth arrived via meteors.
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.

4. According to the seven characteristics of life - are viruses alive?
2.5-2.0 billion years ago
No
Genetic changes and/or Environmental changes
It is not possible because hydrolysis competes with polymerization.

5. What was the first macromolecule of protobionts?
RNA. It has the ability to store information - capacity for self-replication - and has enzymatic funciton in the form of ribozymes.
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.
Atmospheric water vapor - methane - hydrogen - and ammonia catalyzed by lightning formed precursor molecules. This was tested in the Miller/Urey experiment.
Metabolism and other cellular functions. Proteins have a greater catalytic potential and efficiency. Proteins can perform other tasks - cytoskeleton - transport - etc.

6. What have experiments shown about prebiotic synthesis of polymers in aqueous solutions?
Two prokaryotic cells living symbiotically and merging OR one prokaryote engulfing a smaller one in an endosymbiotic relationship (data supports this one).
Droplets that form spontaneously from the association of charged polymers. Enzymes trapped inside can perform primitive metabolic functions.
On clay.
It is not possible because hydrolysis competes with polymerization.

7. Where could RNA polymerization have first occured if not in water?
On clay.
Cell specialization (e.g. - somatic and reproductive cells) - bigger (e.g. - to avoid predation) - more efficient at utilizing resources.
4.6 billion years
4-3.5 billion years ago

8. About how long ago did life first appear?
4-3.5 billion years ago
Individuals form a colony OR a single cell divides and stays stuck together.
Preserved remains of past life on Earth
No

9. What are three advantages multicellularity provides for eukaryotes?
Archean eon.
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.
Cell specialization (e.g. - somatic and reproductive cells) - bigger (e.g. - to avoid predation) - more efficient at utilizing resources.

10. What are Coacervates?
Vesicles surrounded by a lipid layer. Clay can catalyze formation of liposomes that grow and divide. Liposomes can enclose RNA.
Droplets that form spontaneously from the association of charged polymers. Enzymes trapped inside can perform primitive metabolic functions.
3.8-3.5 billion years ago
It is not possible because hydrolysis competes with polymerization.

11. What are fossils?
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.
2.5-2.0 billion years ago
13.7 billion years
Preserved remains of past life on Earth

12. What was the 3rd of the overlapping stages in the origin of life?
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.
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 became enclosed in membranes
Vesicles surrounded by a lipid layer. Clay can catalyze formation of liposomes that grow and divide. Liposomes can enclose RNA.

13. About how old is the earth?
13.7 billion years
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.
Droplets that form spontaneously from the association of charged polymers. Enzymes trapped inside can perform primitive metabolic functions.

14. What was the 4th of the overlapping stages in the origin of life?
Polymers enclosed in membranes acquired cellular properties.
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.
4 billion years ago
4 billion years ago

15. What was the extraterrestrial/Panspermia hypothesis?
No
4.55 billion years
Two prokaryotic cells living symbiotically and merging OR one prokaryote engulfing a smaller one in an endosymbiotic relationship (data supports this one).
The building blocks of life on Earth arrived via meteors.

16. What was the deep-sea vent hypothesis?
Genetic changes and/or Environmental changes
No
4.55 billion years
Biologically important molecules may have been formed in the temperature gradient between extremely hot vent water and cold ocean water.

17. About how old is the universe?
13.7 billion years
RNA. It has the ability to store information - capacity for self-replication - and has enzymatic funciton in the form of ribozymes.
4.6 billion years
The building blocks of life on Earth arrived via meteors.

18. Prokaryotic life arose during what eon?
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.
Cells and organization - energy use and metabolism - response to environmental changes - regulation and homeostasis - growth and development - reproduction - biological evolution
Archean eon.
1.5 billion years ago

19. What are two possible explanations for the origin of multicellularity?
4.6 billion years
Cell specialization (e.g. - somatic and reproductive cells) - bigger (e.g. - to avoid predation) - more efficient at utilizing resources.
Individuals form a colony OR a single cell divides and stays stuck together.
Preserved remains of past life on Earth

20. What are the seven characteristics of life?
No
4 billion years ago
2.5-2.0 billion years ago
Cells and organization - energy use and metabolism - response to environmental changes - regulation and homeostasis - growth and development - reproduction - biological evolution

21. What are Liposomes?
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.
Vesicles surrounded by a lipid layer. Clay can catalyze formation of liposomes that grow and divide. Liposomes can enclose RNA.
Cells and organization - energy use and metabolism - response to environmental changes - regulation and homeostasis - growth and development - reproduction - biological evolution
Atmospheric water vapor - methane - hydrogen - and ammonia catalyzed by lightning formed precursor molecules. This was tested in the Miller/Urey experiment.

22. What is chemical selection?
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.
Vesicles surrounded by a lipid layer. Clay can catalyze formation of liposomes that grow and divide. Liposomes can enclose RNA.
Individuals form a colony OR a single cell divides and stays stuck together.

23. What are two possible explanations for the origin of multicellularity?
13.7 billion years
Nucleotides and amino acids were produced prior to the existence of cells
Individuals form a colony OR a single cell divides and stays stuck together.
1.5 billion years ago

24. 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).
Cells and organization - energy use and metabolism - response to environmental changes - regulation and homeostasis - growth and development - reproduction - biological evolution
Archean eon.
Individuals form a colony OR a single cell divides and stays stuck together.

25. What was the first macromolecule of protobionts?
RNA. It has the ability to store information - capacity for self-replication - and has enzymatic funciton in the form of ribozymes.
Polymers enclosed in membranes acquired cellular properties.
1.5 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.

26. What is the advantage of proteins over RNA?
Metabolism and other cellular functions. Proteins have a greater catalytic potential and efficiency. Proteins can perform other tasks - cytoskeleton - transport - etc.
No
RNA. It has the ability to store information - capacity for self-replication - and has enzymatic funciton in the form of ribozymes.
One of the RNA molecules mutates and has enzymatic ability to attach nucleotides together. A second mutation produces enzymatic ability to synthesize nucleotides.

27. What is the advantage of proteins over RNA?
Individuals form a colony OR a single cell divides and stays stuck together.
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.
Polymers became enclosed in membranes

28. According to the seven characteristics of life - are viruses alive?
4.55 billion years
Biologically important molecules may have been formed in the temperature gradient between extremely hot vent water and cold ocean water.
No
2.5-2.0 billion years ago

29. What are three advantages multicellularity provides for eukaryotes?
Polymers enclosed in membranes acquired cellular properties.
Cell specialization (e.g. - somatic and reproductive cells) - bigger (e.g. - to avoid predation) - more efficient at utilizing resources.
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.
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.

30. What are Coacervates?
Metabolism and other cellular functions. Proteins have a greater catalytic potential and efficiency. Proteins can perform other tasks - cytoskeleton - transport - etc.
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.
Droplets that form spontaneously from the association of charged polymers. Enzymes trapped inside can perform primitive metabolic functions.

31. Around when did prokaryotic organisms first appear?
Genetic changes and/or Environmental changes
4-3.5 billion years ago
3.8-3.5 billion years ago
Polymers became enclosed in membranes

32. Prokaryotic life arose during what eon?
Individuals form a colony OR a single cell divides and stays stuck together.
Archean eon.
No
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.

33. What is the hypothetical RNA chemical selection scenario?
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.
One of the RNA molecules mutates and has enzymatic ability to attach nucleotides together. A second mutation produces enzymatic ability to synthesize nucleotides.
Vesicles surrounded by a lipid layer. Clay can catalyze formation of liposomes that grow and divide. Liposomes can enclose RNA.

34. About how long ago did the earth's crust cool?
Metabolism and other cellular functions. Proteins have a greater catalytic potential and efficiency. Proteins can perform other tasks - cytoskeleton - transport - etc.
4 billion years ago
Genetic changes and/or Environmental changes
Vesicles surrounded by a lipid layer. Clay can catalyze formation of liposomes that grow and divide. Liposomes can enclose RNA.

35. 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
4.55 billion years
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.

36. About how long ago did life first appear?
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.
Atmospheric water vapor - methane - hydrogen - and ammonia catalyzed by lightning formed precursor molecules. This was tested in the Miller/Urey experiment.
4 billion years ago

37. What is chemical selection?
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.
4 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.
One of the RNA molecules mutates and has enzymatic ability to attach nucleotides together. A second mutation produces enzymatic ability to synthesize nucleotides.

38. What have experiments shown about prebiotic synthesis of polymers in aqueous solutions?
Two prokaryotic cells living symbiotically and merging OR one prokaryote engulfing a smaller one in an endosymbiotic relationship (data supports this one).
Cell specialization (e.g. - somatic and reproductive cells) - bigger (e.g. - to avoid predation) - more efficient at utilizing resources.
It is not possible because hydrolysis competes with polymerization.
2.5-2.0 billion years ago

39. What are the seven characteristics of life?
Cells and organization - energy use and metabolism - response to environmental changes - regulation and homeostasis - growth and development - reproduction - biological evolution
Cell specialization (e.g. - somatic and reproductive cells) - bigger (e.g. - to avoid predation) - more efficient at utilizing resources.
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

40. Where could RNA polymerization have first occured if not in water?
4.55 billion years
1.5 billion years ago
On clay.
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.

41. 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.
1.5 billion years ago
On clay.
4.55 billion years

42. What was the deep-sea vent hypothesis?
It is not possible because hydrolysis competes with polymerization.
Biologically important molecules may have been formed in the temperature gradient between extremely hot vent water and cold ocean water.
1.5 billion years ago
Nucleotides and amino acids were produced prior to the existence of cells

43. What was the 3rd of the overlapping stages in the origin of life?
2.5-2.0 billion years ago
13.7 billion years
Cell specialization (e.g. - somatic and reproductive cells) - bigger (e.g. - to avoid predation) - more efficient at utilizing resources.
Polymers became enclosed in membranes

44. What is a Protobiont?
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.
Vesicles surrounded by a lipid layer. Clay can catalyze formation of liposomes that grow and divide. Liposomes can enclose 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.

45. About how long ago did the earth's crust cool?
Biologically important molecules may have been formed in the temperature gradient between extremely hot vent water and cold ocean water.
Vesicles surrounded by a lipid layer. Clay can catalyze formation of liposomes that grow and divide. Liposomes can enclose RNA.
Atmospheric water vapor - methane - hydrogen - and ammonia catalyzed by lightning formed precursor molecules. This was tested in the Miller/Urey experiment.
4 billion years ago

46. Around when did eukaryotic organisms first appear?
4 billion years ago
4.55 billion years
2.5-2.0 billion years ago
On clay.

47. About how old is the universe?
The building blocks of life on Earth arrived via meteors.
13.7 billion years
Two prokaryotic cells living symbiotically and merging OR one prokaryote engulfing a smaller one in an endosymbiotic relationship (data supports this one).
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.

48. What is the hypothetical RNA chemical selection scenario?
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.
Vesicles surrounded by a lipid layer. Clay can catalyze formation of liposomes that grow and divide. Liposomes can enclose RNA.
One of the RNA molecules mutates and has enzymatic ability to attach nucleotides together. A second mutation produces enzymatic ability to synthesize nucleotides.
It is not possible because hydrolysis competes with polymerization.

49. What was the reducing atmosphere hypothesis?
Vesicles surrounded by a lipid layer. Clay can catalyze formation of liposomes that grow and divide. Liposomes can enclose RNA.
It is not possible because hydrolysis competes with polymerization.
Atmospheric water vapor - methane - hydrogen - and ammonia catalyzed by lightning formed precursor molecules. This was tested in the Miller/Urey experiment.
4-3.5 billion years ago

50. What is the advantage of DNA over RNA?
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.
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.
4-3.5 billion years ago