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Origins Of Life

Subject : science

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Answer 50 questions in 15 minutes.
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Match each statement with the correct term.
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1. What was the 4th of the overlapping stages in the origin of life?
Droplets that form spontaneously from the association of charged polymers. Enzymes trapped inside can perform primitive metabolic functions.
It is not possible because hydrolysis competes with polymerization.
2.5-2.0 billion years ago
Polymers enclosed in membranes acquired cellular properties.

2. What are Coacervates?
Genetic changes and/or Environmental changes
Genetic changes and/or Environmental changes
Droplets that form spontaneously from the association of charged polymers. Enzymes trapped inside can perform primitive metabolic functions.
On clay.

3. What is the advantage of DNA over RNA?
It is not possible because hydrolysis competes with polymerization.
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.
2.5-2.0 billion years ago
Metabolism and other cellular functions. Proteins have a greater catalytic potential and efficiency. Proteins can perform other tasks - cytoskeleton - transport - etc.

4. About how old is the solar system?
4.55 billion years
4.6 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.
Preserved remains of past life on Earth

5. 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
Individuals form a colony OR a single cell divides and stays stuck together.
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.

6. What was the 2nd of the overlapping stages in the origin of life?
4-3.5 billion years ago
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.
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

7. What is chemical selection?
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.
Atmospheric water vapor - methane - hydrogen - and ammonia catalyzed by lightning formed precursor molecules. This was tested in the Miller/Urey experiment.
Biologically important molecules may have been formed in the temperature gradient between extremely hot vent water and cold ocean water.

8. What are two possible explanations for the origin of eukaryotes?
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
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.

9. What was the reducing atmosphere hypothesis?
4 billion years ago
1.5 billion years ago
Atmospheric water vapor - methane - hydrogen - and ammonia catalyzed by lightning formed precursor molecules. This was tested in the Miller/Urey experiment.
4.55 billion years

10. Prokaryotic life arose during what eon?
Archean eon.
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
Two prokaryotic cells living symbiotically and merging OR one prokaryote engulfing a smaller one in an endosymbiotic relationship (data supports this one).

11. What is the hypothetical RNA chemical selection scenario?
Cells and organization - energy use and metabolism - response to environmental changes - regulation and homeostasis - growth and development - reproduction - biological evolution
Droplets that form spontaneously from the association of charged polymers. Enzymes trapped inside can perform primitive metabolic functions.
On clay.
One of the RNA molecules mutates and has enzymatic ability to attach nucleotides together. A second mutation produces enzymatic ability to synthesize nucleotides.

12. What are two possible explanations for the origin of multicellularity?
13.7 billion years
Individuals form a colony OR a single cell divides and stays stuck together.
One of the RNA molecules mutates and has enzymatic ability to attach nucleotides together. A second mutation produces enzymatic ability to synthesize nucleotides.
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. What is a Protobiont?
Two prokaryotic cells living symbiotically and merging OR one prokaryote engulfing a smaller one in an endosymbiotic relationship (data supports this one).
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.
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.
Preserved remains of past life on Earth

14. About how old is the solar system?
1.5 billion years ago
4.6 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.
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.

15. What was the extraterrestrial/Panspermia hypothesis?
The building blocks of life on Earth arrived via meteors.
4.55 billion years
Nucleotides and amino acids became polymerized to form DNA - RNA and proteins
2.5-2.0 billion years ago

16. What are fossils?
Cell specialization (e.g. - somatic and reproductive cells) - bigger (e.g. - to avoid predation) - more efficient at utilizing resources.
Cells and organization - energy use and metabolism - response to environmental changes - regulation and homeostasis - growth and development - reproduction - biological evolution
3.8-3.5 billion years ago
Preserved remains of past life on Earth

17. According to the seven characteristics of life - are viruses alive?
4-3.5 billion years ago
No
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.

18. What have experiments shown about prebiotic synthesis of polymers in aqueous solutions?
RNA. It has the ability to store information - capacity for self-replication - and has enzymatic funciton in the form of ribozymes.
Metabolism and other cellular functions. Proteins have a greater catalytic potential and efficiency. Proteins can perform other tasks - cytoskeleton - transport - etc.
Biologically important molecules may have been formed in the temperature gradient between extremely hot vent water and cold ocean water.
It is not possible because hydrolysis competes with polymerization.

19. What are two possible explanations for the origin of eukaryotes?
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).
No
13.7 billion years

20. What was the reducing atmosphere hypothesis?
RNA. It has the ability to store information - capacity for self-replication - and has enzymatic funciton in the form of ribozymes.
Atmospheric water vapor - methane - hydrogen - and ammonia catalyzed by lightning formed precursor molecules. This was tested in the Miller/Urey experiment.
4.6 billion years
RNA. It has the ability to store information - capacity for self-replication - and has enzymatic funciton in the form of ribozymes.

21. What was the 3rd of the overlapping stages in the origin of life?
RNA. It has the ability to store information - capacity for self-replication - and has enzymatic funciton in the form of ribozymes.
On clay.
Polymers became enclosed in membranes
One of the RNA molecules mutates and has enzymatic ability to attach nucleotides together. A second mutation produces enzymatic ability to synthesize nucleotides.

22. About how long ago did life first appear?
Archean eon.
Archean eon.
4-3.5 billion years ago
2.5-2.0 billion years ago

23. 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.
The building blocks of life on Earth arrived via meteors.
Nucleotides and amino acids became polymerized to form DNA - RNA and proteins
4-3.5 billion years ago

24. What are two possible explanations for the origin of multicellularity?
Atmospheric water vapor - methane - hydrogen - and ammonia catalyzed by lightning formed precursor molecules. This was tested in the Miller/Urey experiment.
Individuals form a colony OR a single cell divides and stays stuck together.
4.6 billion years
Nucleotides and amino acids were produced prior to the existence of cells

25. 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.
No
Metabolism and other cellular functions. Proteins have a greater catalytic potential and efficiency. Proteins can perform other tasks - cytoskeleton - transport - etc.
Vesicles surrounded by a lipid layer. Clay can catalyze formation of liposomes that grow and divide. Liposomes can enclose RNA.

26. What was the 2nd of the overlapping stages in the origin of life?
Archean eon.
2.5-2.0 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.

27. Prokaryotic life arose during what eon?
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.
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.
4-3.5 billion years ago
Archean eon.

28. Changes in living organisms are the result of what?
Genetic changes and/or Environmental changes
Nucleotides and amino acids became polymerized to form DNA - RNA and proteins
Droplets that form spontaneously from the association of charged polymers. Enzymes trapped inside can perform primitive metabolic functions.
Preserved remains of past life on Earth

29. What are fossils?
4-3.5 billion years ago
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.
Biologically important molecules may have been formed in the temperature gradient between extremely hot vent water and cold ocean water.

30. Name 4 characteristics of protobionts.
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.
Individuals form a colony OR a single cell divides and stays stuck together.
Cells and organization - energy use and metabolism - response to environmental changes - regulation and homeostasis - growth and development - reproduction - biological evolution
13.7 billion years

31. What was the 1st of the overlapping stages in the origin of life?
Polymers enclosed in membranes acquired cellular properties.
Nucleotides and amino acids were produced prior to the existence of cells
On clay.
4-3.5 billion years ago

32. 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
2.5-2.0 billion years ago
Polymers became enclosed in membranes
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.

33. What are the seven characteristics of life?
The building blocks of life on Earth arrived via meteors.
Archean eon.
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

34. About how old is the universe?
13.7 billion years
4-3.5 billion years ago
No
4.55 billion years

35. What is the hypothetical RNA chemical selection scenario?
Nucleotides and amino acids became polymerized to form DNA - RNA and proteins
Cells and organization - energy use and metabolism - response to environmental changes - regulation and homeostasis - growth and development - reproduction - biological evolution
Biologically important molecules may have been formed in the temperature gradient between extremely hot vent water and cold ocean water.
One of the RNA molecules mutates and has enzymatic ability to attach nucleotides together. A second mutation produces enzymatic ability to synthesize nucleotides.

36. What was the first macromolecule of protobionts?
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.
Cell specialization (e.g. - somatic and reproductive cells) - bigger (e.g. - to avoid predation) - more efficient at utilizing resources.
RNA. It has the ability to store information - capacity for self-replication - and has enzymatic funciton in the form of ribozymes.

37. Around when did eukaryotic organisms first appear?
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.
Archean eon.
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.

38. About how old is the universe?
Preserved remains of past life on Earth
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.
13.7 billion years
On clay.

39. Name 4 characteristics of protobionts.
13.7 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.
The building blocks of life on Earth arrived via meteors.
Biologically important molecules may have been formed in the temperature gradient between extremely hot vent water and cold ocean water.

40. What are three advantages multicellularity provides for eukaryotes?
Droplets that form spontaneously from the association of charged polymers. Enzymes trapped inside can perform primitive metabolic functions.
Polymers became enclosed in membranes
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.

41. Around when did eukaryotic organisms first appear?
2.5-2.0 billion years ago
The building blocks of life on Earth arrived via meteors.
On clay.
Genetic changes and/or Environmental changes

42. What is chemical selection?
Atmospheric water vapor - methane - hydrogen - and ammonia catalyzed by lightning formed precursor molecules. This was tested in the Miller/Urey experiment.
Polymers enclosed in membranes acquired cellular properties.
1.5 billion years ago
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.

43. According to the seven characteristics of life - are viruses alive?
No
13.7 billion years
Polymers became enclosed in membranes
Archean eon.

44. What is a Protobiont?
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
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.

45. What are Liposomes?
Preserved remains of past life on Earth
Vesicles surrounded by a lipid layer. Clay can catalyze formation of liposomes that grow and divide. Liposomes can enclose RNA.
13.7 billion years
13.7 billion years

46. Around when did prokaryotic organisms first appear?
3.8-3.5 billion years ago
Archean eon.
On clay.
4.55 billion years

47. About how long ago did the earth's crust cool?
The building blocks of life on Earth arrived via meteors.
4 billion years ago
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 were produced prior to the existence of cells

48. About how old is the earth?
Droplets that form spontaneously from the association of charged polymers. Enzymes trapped inside can perform primitive metabolic functions.
Cells and organization - energy use and metabolism - response to environmental changes - regulation and homeostasis - growth and development - reproduction - biological evolution
Archean eon.
4.55 billion years

49. 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.
The building blocks of life on Earth arrived via meteors.
Atmospheric water vapor - methane - hydrogen - and ammonia catalyzed by lightning formed precursor molecules. This was tested in the Miller/Urey experiment.
Vesicles surrounded by a lipid layer. Clay can catalyze formation of liposomes that grow and divide. Liposomes can enclose RNA.

50. About how long ago did life first appear?
4-3.5 billion years ago
4 billion years ago
Individuals form a colony OR a single cell divides and stays stuck together.
4.6 billion years