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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. About how old is the solar system?
4.6 billion years
The building blocks of life on Earth arrived via meteors.
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

2. What is the advantage of DNA over RNA?
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.
4.55 billion years
Droplets that form spontaneously from the association of charged polymers. Enzymes trapped inside can perform primitive metabolic functions.

3. About how old is the solar system?
13.7 billion years
Biologically important molecules may have been formed in the temperature gradient between extremely hot vent water and cold ocean water.
Metabolism and other cellular functions. Proteins have a greater catalytic potential and efficiency. Proteins can perform other tasks - cytoskeleton - transport - etc.
4.6 billion years

4. About how old is the earth?
4.6 billion years
Nucleotides and amino acids became polymerized to form DNA - RNA and proteins
4.55 billion years
Droplets that form spontaneously from the association of charged polymers. Enzymes trapped inside can perform primitive metabolic functions.

5. What is the advantage of DNA over RNA?
RNA. It has the ability to store information - capacity for self-replication - and has enzymatic funciton in the form of ribozymes.
No
4.6 billion years
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. Around when did multicellular eukaryotic organisms first appear?
1.5 billion years ago
4.6 billion years
Cell specialization (e.g. - somatic and reproductive cells) - bigger (e.g. - to avoid predation) - more efficient at utilizing resources.
4-3.5 billion years ago

7. What was the extraterrestrial/Panspermia hypothesis?
1.5 billion years ago
Nucleotides and amino acids were produced prior to the existence of cells
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.

8. What are Liposomes?
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.
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.

9. 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.
Archean eon.
Droplets that form spontaneously from the association of charged polymers. Enzymes trapped inside can perform primitive metabolic functions.
Nucleotides and amino acids became polymerized to form DNA - RNA and proteins

10. Where could RNA polymerization have first occured if not in water?
The building blocks of life on Earth arrived via meteors.
13.7 billion years
On clay.
4.6 billion years

11. What are two possible explanations for the origin of eukaryotes?
Nucleotides and amino acids became polymerized to form DNA - RNA and proteins
Metabolism and other cellular functions. Proteins have a greater catalytic potential and efficiency. Proteins can perform other tasks - cytoskeleton - transport - etc.
No
Two prokaryotic cells living symbiotically and merging OR one prokaryote engulfing a smaller one in an endosymbiotic relationship (data supports this one).

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

13. About how long ago did the earth's crust cool?
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
4 billion years ago
2.5-2.0 billion years ago

14. What was the deep-sea vent hypothesis?
Individuals form a colony OR a single cell divides and stays stuck together.
Biologically important molecules may have been formed in the temperature gradient between extremely hot vent water and cold ocean water.
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.
4.6 billion years

15. What was the extraterrestrial/Panspermia hypothesis?
The building blocks of life on Earth arrived via meteors.
Archean eon.
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.
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.

16. Around when did eukaryotic organisms first appear?
2.5-2.0 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.
Nucleotides and amino acids became polymerized to form DNA - RNA and proteins
Individuals form a colony OR a single cell divides and stays stuck together.

17. About how long ago did the earth's crust cool?
Droplets that form spontaneously from the association of charged polymers. Enzymes trapped inside can perform primitive metabolic functions.
Two prokaryotic cells living symbiotically and merging OR one prokaryote engulfing a smaller one in an endosymbiotic relationship (data supports this one).
4 billion years ago
Droplets that form spontaneously from the association of charged polymers. Enzymes trapped inside can perform primitive metabolic functions.

18. 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
Polymers enclosed in membranes acquired cellular properties.
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.

19. Prokaryotic life arose during what eon?
Individuals form a colony OR a single cell divides and stays stuck together.
Archean eon.
Atmospheric water vapor - methane - hydrogen - and ammonia catalyzed by lightning formed precursor molecules. This was tested in the Miller/Urey experiment.
Cell specialization (e.g. - somatic and reproductive cells) - bigger (e.g. - to avoid predation) - more efficient at utilizing resources.

20. About how old is the universe?
Droplets that form spontaneously from the association of charged polymers. Enzymes trapped inside can perform primitive metabolic functions.
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
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.

21. Around when did prokaryotic organisms first appear?
Polymers became enclosed in membranes
3.8-3.5 billion years ago
On clay.
Droplets that form spontaneously from the association of charged polymers. Enzymes trapped inside can perform primitive metabolic functions.

22. 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.
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.
It is not possible because hydrolysis competes with polymerization.

23. Changes in living organisms are the result of what?
Genetic changes and/or Environmental changes
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.
Biologically important molecules may have been formed in the temperature gradient between extremely hot vent water and cold ocean water.
Atmospheric water vapor - methane - hydrogen - and ammonia catalyzed by lightning formed precursor molecules. This was tested in the Miller/Urey experiment.

24. What are two possible explanations for the origin of multicellularity?
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
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.

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
Nucleotides and amino acids were produced prior to the existence of cells
Polymers became enclosed in membranes

26. What is chemical selection?
Genetic changes and/or Environmental changes
4.6 billion years
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.

27. Around when did prokaryotic organisms first appear?
On clay.
Vesicles surrounded by a lipid layer. Clay can catalyze formation of liposomes that grow and divide. Liposomes can enclose RNA.
Two prokaryotic cells living symbiotically and merging OR one prokaryote engulfing a smaller one in an endosymbiotic relationship (data supports this one).
3.8-3.5 billion years ago

28. What was the 4th of the overlapping stages in the origin of life?
One of the RNA molecules mutates and has enzymatic ability to attach nucleotides together. A second mutation produces enzymatic ability to synthesize nucleotides.
Preserved remains of past life on Earth
Archean eon.
Polymers enclosed in membranes acquired cellular properties.

29. What is the hypothetical RNA chemical selection scenario?
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.
Nucleotides and amino acids became polymerized to form DNA - RNA and proteins
Archean eon.

30. What are Coacervates?
Droplets that form spontaneously from the association of charged polymers. Enzymes trapped inside can perform primitive metabolic functions.
Nucleotides and amino acids became polymerized to form DNA - RNA and proteins
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

31. What was the 2nd of the overlapping stages in the origin of life?
Two prokaryotic cells living symbiotically and merging OR one prokaryote engulfing a smaller one in an endosymbiotic relationship (data supports this one).
Nucleotides and amino acids became polymerized to form DNA - RNA and proteins
4-3.5 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.

32. Where could RNA polymerization have first occured if not in water?
One of the RNA molecules mutates and has enzymatic ability to attach nucleotides together. A second mutation produces enzymatic ability to synthesize nucleotides.
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.
On clay.
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.

33. According to the seven characteristics of life - are viruses alive?
4 billion years ago
Atmospheric water vapor - methane - hydrogen - and ammonia catalyzed by lightning formed precursor molecules. This was tested in the Miller/Urey experiment.
No
4.6 billion years

34. What was the first macromolecule of protobionts?
Two prokaryotic cells living symbiotically and merging OR one prokaryote engulfing a smaller one in an endosymbiotic relationship (data supports this one).
4-3.5 billion years ago
RNA. It has the ability to store information - capacity for self-replication - and has enzymatic funciton in the form of ribozymes.
It is not possible because hydrolysis competes with polymerization.

35. What was the 3rd of the overlapping stages in the origin of life?
Two prokaryotic cells living symbiotically and merging OR one prokaryote engulfing a smaller one in an endosymbiotic relationship (data supports this one).
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

36. According to the seven characteristics of life - are viruses alive?
No
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.
1.5 billion years ago

37. What have experiments shown about prebiotic synthesis of polymers in aqueous solutions?
It is not possible because hydrolysis competes with polymerization.
Two prokaryotic cells living symbiotically and merging OR one prokaryote engulfing a smaller one in an endosymbiotic relationship (data supports this one).
Nucleotides and amino acids were produced prior to the existence of cells
Nucleotides and amino acids were produced prior to the existence of cells

38. What is the hypothetical RNA chemical selection scenario?
Archean eon.
Preserved remains of past life on Earth
4-3.5 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.

39. 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.
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
Two prokaryotic cells living symbiotically and merging OR one prokaryote engulfing a smaller one in an endosymbiotic relationship (data supports this one).

40. What are Coacervates?
Droplets that form spontaneously from the association of charged polymers. Enzymes trapped inside can perform primitive metabolic functions.
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
Cell specialization (e.g. - somatic and reproductive cells) - bigger (e.g. - to avoid predation) - more efficient at utilizing resources.

41. What was the 3rd of the overlapping stages in the origin of life?
2.5-2.0 billion years ago
Polymers became enclosed in membranes
4-3.5 billion years ago
2.5-2.0 billion years ago

42. 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).
No
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.

43. What was the reducing atmosphere hypothesis?
Atmospheric water vapor - methane - hydrogen - and ammonia catalyzed by lightning formed precursor molecules. This was tested in the Miller/Urey experiment.
No
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.

44. What are Liposomes?
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.
Biologically important molecules may have been formed in the temperature gradient between extremely hot vent water and cold ocean water.
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.

45. What are fossils?
Genetic changes and/or Environmental changes
Preserved remains of past life on Earth
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.

46. About how long ago did life 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.
4-3.5 billion years ago
On clay.
Archean eon.

47. What are three advantages multicellularity provides for eukaryotes?
4 billion years ago
Cell specialization (e.g. - somatic and reproductive cells) - bigger (e.g. - to avoid predation) - more efficient at utilizing resources.
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.

48. About how old is the universe?
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
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

49. 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.
Nucleotides and amino acids were produced prior to the existence of cells
Polymers enclosed in membranes acquired cellular properties.
4 billion years ago

50. What was the 2nd of the overlapping stages in the origin of life?
2.5-2.0 billion years ago
13.7 billion years
Cells and organization - energy use and metabolism - response to environmental changes - regulation and homeostasis - growth and development - reproduction - biological evolution
Nucleotides and amino acids became polymerized to form DNA - RNA and proteins