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Origins Of Life

Subject : science

Instructions:

Answer 50 questions in 20 minutes. 2 minutes extra for reading the instructions.
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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 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.
Polymers became enclosed in membranes
Nucleotides and amino acids became polymerized to form DNA - RNA and proteins
The building blocks of life on Earth arrived via meteors.

2. About how old is the solar system?
4.6 billion years
Two prokaryotic cells living symbiotically and merging OR one prokaryote engulfing a smaller one in an endosymbiotic relationship (data supports this one).
Polymers enclosed in membranes acquired cellular properties.
4-3.5 billion years ago

3. Around when did multicellular eukaryotic organisms first appear?
RNA. It has the ability to store information - capacity for self-replication - and has enzymatic funciton in the form of ribozymes.
Cell specialization (e.g. - somatic and reproductive cells) - bigger (e.g. - to avoid predation) - more efficient at utilizing resources.
1.5 billion years ago
Metabolism and other cellular functions. Proteins have a greater catalytic potential and efficiency. Proteins can perform other tasks - cytoskeleton - transport - etc.

4. What is the advantage of proteins over RNA?
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.
Metabolism and other cellular functions. Proteins have a greater catalytic potential and efficiency. Proteins can perform other tasks - cytoskeleton - transport - etc.
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 were produced prior to the existence of cells

5. About how long ago did the earth's crust cool?
It is not possible because hydrolysis competes with polymerization.
Cells and organization - energy use and metabolism - response to environmental changes - regulation and homeostasis - growth and development - reproduction - biological evolution
4 billion years ago
1.5 billion years ago

6. What are two possible explanations for the origin of multicellularity?
Droplets that form spontaneously from the association of charged polymers. Enzymes trapped inside can perform primitive metabolic functions.
Genetic changes and/or Environmental changes
4.55 billion years
Individuals form a colony OR a single cell divides and stays stuck together.

7. What was the 3rd of the overlapping stages in the origin of life?
Polymers became enclosed in membranes
The building blocks of life on Earth arrived via meteors.
Metabolism and other cellular functions. Proteins have a greater catalytic potential and efficiency. Proteins can perform other tasks - cytoskeleton - transport - etc.
Nucleotides and amino acids were produced prior to the existence of cells

8. Prokaryotic life arose during what eon?
Biologically important molecules may have been formed in the temperature gradient between extremely hot vent water and cold ocean water.
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.
Archean eon.

9. 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.
13.7 billion years
Polymers became enclosed in membranes
The building blocks of life on Earth arrived via meteors.

10. 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.
RNA. It has the ability to store information - capacity for self-replication - and has enzymatic funciton in the form of ribozymes.
On clay.
No

11. What are fossils?
Preserved remains of past life on Earth
Biologically important molecules may have been formed in the temperature gradient between extremely hot vent water and cold ocean water.
No
Vesicles surrounded by a lipid layer. Clay can catalyze formation of liposomes that grow and divide. Liposomes can enclose RNA.

12. 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.
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.
No

13. Around when did eukaryotic organisms first appear?
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
Vesicles surrounded by a lipid layer. Clay can catalyze formation of liposomes that grow and divide. Liposomes can enclose RNA.
4.55 billion years

14. What are the seven characteristics of life?
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.
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.

15. What was the 1st of the overlapping stages in the origin of life?
Nucleotides and amino acids became polymerized to form DNA - RNA and proteins
Nucleotides and amino acids were produced prior to the existence of cells
RNA. It has the ability to store information - capacity for self-replication - and has enzymatic funciton in the form of ribozymes.
RNA. It has the ability to store information - capacity for self-replication - and has enzymatic funciton in the form of ribozymes.

16. Around when did prokaryotic organisms first appear?
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.
1.5 billion years ago
3.8-3.5 billion years ago

17. About how long ago did the earth's crust cool?
Polymers enclosed in membranes acquired cellular properties.
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.
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

18. What was the extraterrestrial/Panspermia hypothesis?
Nucleotides and amino acids became polymerized to form DNA - RNA and proteins
It is not possible because hydrolysis competes with polymerization.
The building blocks of life on Earth arrived via meteors.
Genetic changes and/or Environmental changes

19. What is a Protobiont?
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.
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.
4.55 billion years

20. What are Liposomes?
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.
4 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.

21. What was the reducing atmosphere hypothesis?
1.5 billion years ago
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.
The building blocks of life on Earth arrived via meteors.

22. About how old is the universe?
13.7 billion years
Vesicles surrounded by a lipid layer. Clay can catalyze formation of liposomes that grow and divide. Liposomes can enclose RNA.
RNA. It has the ability to store information - capacity for self-replication - and has enzymatic funciton in the form of ribozymes.
4-3.5 billion years ago

23. What was the 4th of the overlapping stages in the origin of life?
Polymers enclosed in membranes acquired cellular properties.
RNA. It has the ability to store information - capacity for self-replication - and has enzymatic funciton in the form of ribozymes.
Polymers became enclosed in membranes
Two prokaryotic cells living symbiotically and merging OR one prokaryote engulfing a smaller one in an endosymbiotic relationship (data supports this one).

24. Changes in living organisms are the result of what?
Polymers became enclosed in membranes
4.6 billion years
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

25. What is the hypothetical RNA chemical selection scenario?
Metabolism and other cellular functions. Proteins have a greater catalytic potential and efficiency. Proteins can perform other tasks - cytoskeleton - transport - etc.
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.
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.

26. About how old is the earth?
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.
On clay.
RNA. It has the ability to store information - capacity for self-replication - and has enzymatic funciton in the form of ribozymes.
4.55 billion years

27. What have experiments shown about prebiotic synthesis of polymers in aqueous solutions?
Nucleotides and amino acids were produced prior to the existence of cells
It is not possible because hydrolysis competes with polymerization.
Vesicles surrounded by a lipid layer. Clay can catalyze formation of liposomes that grow and divide. Liposomes can enclose RNA.
No

28. Name 4 characteristics of protobionts.
Preserved remains of past life on Earth
Archean eon.
On clay.
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.

29. What was the deep-sea vent hypothesis?
1.5 billion years ago
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.
3.8-3.5 billion years ago

30. About how old is the solar system?
4.6 billion years
3.8-3.5 billion years ago
Nucleotides and amino acids were produced prior to the existence of cells
Biologically important molecules may have been formed in the temperature gradient between extremely hot vent water and cold ocean water.

31. About how old is the earth?
Vesicles surrounded by a lipid layer. Clay can catalyze formation of liposomes that grow and divide. Liposomes can enclose RNA.
On clay.
Cells and organization - energy use and metabolism - response to environmental changes - regulation and homeostasis - growth and development - reproduction - biological evolution
4.55 billion years

32. What was the extraterrestrial/Panspermia hypothesis?
Vesicles surrounded by a lipid layer. Clay can catalyze formation of liposomes that grow and divide. Liposomes can enclose RNA.
4-3.5 billion years ago
The building blocks of life on Earth arrived via meteors.
RNA. It has the ability to store information - capacity for self-replication - and has enzymatic funciton in the form of ribozymes.

33. What was the 4th of the overlapping stages in the origin of life?
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.
Polymers enclosed in membranes acquired cellular properties.
Preserved remains of past life on Earth

34. About how old is the universe?
Vesicles surrounded by a lipid layer. Clay can catalyze formation of liposomes that grow and divide. Liposomes can enclose RNA.
No
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).

35. Name 4 characteristics 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.
Preserved remains of past life on Earth
Metabolism and other cellular functions. Proteins have a greater catalytic potential and efficiency. Proteins can perform other tasks - cytoskeleton - transport - etc.
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.

36. What are fossils?
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.
Genetic changes and/or Environmental changes
Cells and organization - energy use and metabolism - response to environmental changes - regulation and homeostasis - growth and development - reproduction - biological evolution
Preserved remains of past life on Earth

37. 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).
4.6 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.
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.

38. Around when did multicellular eukaryotic organisms first appear?
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
1.5 billion years ago
Nucleotides and amino acids were produced prior to the existence of cells

39. What was the reducing atmosphere hypothesis?
Nucleotides and amino acids became polymerized to form DNA - RNA and proteins
4.55 billion years
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.

40. What are Coacervates?
Nucleotides and amino acids were produced prior to the existence of cells
4-3.5 billion years ago
Droplets that form spontaneously from the association of charged polymers. Enzymes trapped inside can perform primitive metabolic functions.
Genetic changes and/or Environmental changes

41. What is the advantage of DNA over RNA?
Biologically important molecules may have been formed in the temperature gradient between extremely hot vent water and cold ocean water.
Droplets that form spontaneously from the association of charged polymers. Enzymes trapped inside can perform primitive metabolic functions.
1.5 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.

42. What is a Protobiont?
Nucleotides and amino acids were produced prior to the existence of cells
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.
2.5-2.0 billion years ago
RNA. It has the ability to store information - capacity for self-replication - and has enzymatic funciton in the form of ribozymes.

43. What have experiments shown about prebiotic synthesis of polymers in aqueous solutions?
It is not possible because hydrolysis competes with polymerization.
RNA. It has the ability to store information - capacity for self-replication - and has enzymatic funciton in the form of ribozymes.
On clay.
4-3.5 billion years ago

44. What are two possible explanations for the origin of multicellularity?
The building blocks of life on Earth arrived via meteors.
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.
4.6 billion years
Individuals form a colony OR a single cell divides and stays stuck together.

45. What is chemical selection?
4 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.
Polymers enclosed in membranes acquired cellular properties.
Vesicles surrounded by a lipid layer. Clay can catalyze formation of liposomes that grow and divide. Liposomes can enclose RNA.

46. 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.
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.
Metabolism and other cellular functions. Proteins have a greater catalytic potential and efficiency. Proteins can perform other tasks - cytoskeleton - transport - etc.

47. According to the seven characteristics of life - are viruses alive?
It is not possible because hydrolysis competes with polymerization.
4.55 billion years
No
Nucleotides and amino acids were produced prior to the existence of cells

48. What are Liposomes?
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
Vesicles surrounded by a lipid layer. Clay can catalyze formation of liposomes that grow and divide. Liposomes can enclose RNA.
On clay.

49. Around when did eukaryotic organisms first appear?
Two prokaryotic cells living symbiotically and merging OR one prokaryote engulfing a smaller one in an endosymbiotic relationship (data supports this one).
It is not possible because hydrolysis competes with polymerization.
4.6 billion years
2.5-2.0 billion years ago

50. What was the 2nd 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.
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.
Nucleotides and amino acids became polymerized to form DNA - RNA and proteins
Biologically important molecules may have been formed in the temperature gradient between extremely hot vent water and cold ocean water.