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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.
Don't refresh. All questions and answers are randomly picked and ordered every time you load a test.

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?
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.
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.

2. Changes in living organisms are the result of what?
Archean eon.
Preserved remains of past life on Earth
Genetic changes and/or Environmental changes
Cell specialization (e.g. - somatic and reproductive cells) - bigger (e.g. - to avoid predation) - more efficient at utilizing resources.

3. About how long ago did the earth's crust cool?
4.55 billion years
Genetic changes and/or Environmental changes
Archean eon.
4 billion years ago

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

5. About how old is the earth?
Polymers enclosed in membranes acquired cellular properties.
4.55 billion years
4 billion years ago
Vesicles surrounded by a lipid layer. Clay can catalyze formation of liposomes that grow and divide. Liposomes can enclose RNA.

6. Prokaryotic life arose during what eon?
On clay.
The building blocks of life on Earth arrived via meteors.
Archean eon.
3.8-3.5 billion years ago

7. About how old is the universe?
13.7 billion years
Metabolism and other cellular functions. Proteins have a greater catalytic potential and efficiency. Proteins can perform other tasks - cytoskeleton - transport - etc.
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.

8. 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.
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
Individuals form a colony OR a single cell divides and stays stuck together.

9. What are the seven characteristics of life?
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
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.

10. What was the reducing atmosphere hypothesis?
No
No
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.

11. What are Coacervates?
Polymers enclosed in membranes acquired cellular properties.
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.
Droplets that form spontaneously from the association of charged polymers. Enzymes trapped inside can perform primitive metabolic functions.

12. About how long ago did life first appear?
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
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.

13. What was the 2nd of the overlapping stages in the origin of life?
Cell specialization (e.g. - somatic and reproductive cells) - bigger (e.g. - to avoid predation) - more efficient at utilizing resources.
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.
Polymers enclosed in membranes acquired cellular properties.

14. Around when did prokaryotic organisms first appear?
3.8-3.5 billion years ago
4 billion years ago
2.5-2.0 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.

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

16. What is chemical selection?
Nucleotides and amino acids became polymerized to form DNA - RNA and proteins
Polymers became enclosed in membranes
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.
4.55 billion years

17. What are the seven characteristics of life?
4.6 billion years
Droplets that form spontaneously from the association of charged polymers. Enzymes trapped inside can perform primitive metabolic functions.
The building blocks of life on Earth arrived via meteors.
Cells and organization - energy use and metabolism - response to environmental changes - regulation and homeostasis - growth and development - reproduction - biological evolution

18. 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.
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.
Polymers enclosed in membranes acquired cellular properties.

19. Around when did prokaryotic organisms first appear?
Individuals form a colony OR a single cell divides and stays stuck together.
13.7 billion years
3.8-3.5 billion years ago
Cell specialization (e.g. - somatic and reproductive cells) - bigger (e.g. - to avoid predation) - more efficient at utilizing resources.

20. Around when did multicellular eukaryotic organisms first appear?
Biologically important molecules may have been formed in the temperature gradient between extremely hot vent water and cold ocean water.
Two prokaryotic cells living symbiotically and merging OR one prokaryote engulfing a smaller one in an endosymbiotic relationship (data supports this one).
1.5 billion years ago
2.5-2.0 billion years ago

21. Around when did multicellular eukaryotic organisms first appear?
It is not possible because hydrolysis competes with polymerization.
Individuals form a colony OR a single cell divides and stays stuck together.
4.55 billion years
1.5 billion years ago

22. What are two possible explanations for the origin of eukaryotes?
Biologically important molecules may have been formed in the temperature gradient between extremely hot vent water and cold ocean water.
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.

23. 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
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
Polymers became enclosed in membranes

24. Prokaryotic life arose during what eon?
Archean eon.
Two prokaryotic cells living symbiotically and merging OR one prokaryote engulfing a smaller one in an endosymbiotic relationship (data supports this one).
On clay.
Polymers enclosed in membranes acquired cellular properties.

25. What is the advantage of proteins over RNA?
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.
Individuals form a colony OR a single cell divides and stays stuck together.
Archean eon.

26. What are Liposomes?
2.5-2.0 billion years ago
4.6 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.
Vesicles surrounded by a lipid layer. Clay can catalyze formation of liposomes that grow and divide. Liposomes can enclose RNA.

27. What is the advantage of DNA over RNA?
Atmospheric water vapor - methane - hydrogen - and ammonia catalyzed by lightning formed precursor molecules. This was tested in the Miller/Urey experiment.
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.
Vesicles surrounded by a lipid layer. Clay can catalyze formation of liposomes that grow and divide. Liposomes can enclose RNA.
13.7 billion years

28. About how long ago did the earth's crust cool?
1.5 billion years ago
4 billion years ago
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.

29. What was the 3rd of the overlapping stages in the origin of life?
It is not possible because hydrolysis competes with polymerization.
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).
Polymers became enclosed in membranes

30. 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.
Polymers enclosed in membranes acquired cellular properties.
2.5-2.0 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.

31. What are fossils?
Preserved remains of past life on Earth
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.
On clay.

32. What is the advantage of proteins over RNA?
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.
Genetic changes and/or Environmental changes
1.5 billion years ago

33. What was the first macromolecule of protobionts?
1.5 billion years ago
Preserved remains of past life on Earth
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.

34. What was the 1st of the overlapping stages in the origin of life?
Nucleotides and amino acids were produced prior to the existence of cells
On clay.
3.8-3.5 billion years ago
On clay.

35. What are three advantages multicellularity provides for 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.
Cell specialization (e.g. - somatic and reproductive cells) - bigger (e.g. - to avoid predation) - more efficient at utilizing resources.
4.6 billion years
Preserved remains of past life on Earth

36. What is a Protobiont?
Individuals form a colony OR a single cell divides and stays stuck together.
4 billion years ago
Genetic changes and/or Environmental changes
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.

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

38. Changes in living organisms are the result of what?
Nucleotides and amino acids were produced prior to the existence of cells
4.55 billion years
Genetic changes and/or Environmental changes
On clay.

39. What was the deep-sea vent hypothesis?
On clay.
13.7 billion years
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.

40. What was the 1st of the overlapping stages in the origin of life?
On clay.
4 billion years ago
Nucleotides and amino acids were produced prior to the existence of cells
Preserved remains of past life on Earth

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

42. Around when did eukaryotic organisms first appear?
Vesicles surrounded by a lipid layer. Clay can catalyze formation of liposomes that grow and divide. Liposomes can enclose RNA.
2.5-2.0 billion years ago
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.

43. Where could RNA polymerization have first occured if not in water?
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.
Archean eon.
Polymers enclosed in membranes acquired cellular properties.

44. Name 4 characteristics of protobionts.
Nucleotides and amino acids became polymerized to form DNA - RNA and proteins
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.
Individuals form a colony OR a single cell divides and stays stuck together.

45. What was the 4th of the overlapping stages in the origin of life?
4-3.5 billion years ago
Archean eon.
Polymers enclosed in membranes acquired cellular properties.
Genetic changes and/or Environmental changes

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

47. What is the hypothetical RNA chemical selection scenario?
Nucleotides and amino acids were produced prior to the existence of cells
No
One of the RNA molecules mutates and has enzymatic ability to attach nucleotides together. A second mutation produces enzymatic ability to synthesize nucleotides.
RNA. It has the ability to store information - capacity for self-replication - and has enzymatic funciton in the form of ribozymes.

48. About how old is the universe?
2.5-2.0 billion years ago
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.
13.7 billion years

49. What was the 4th of the overlapping stages in the origin of life?
Polymers enclosed in membranes acquired cellular properties.
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.
No
Two prokaryotic cells living symbiotically and merging OR one prokaryote engulfing a smaller one in an endosymbiotic relationship (data supports this one).

50. About how old is the solar system?
4 billion years ago
4.55 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.
4.6 billion years