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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. What is the advantage of proteins over RNA?
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.
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.

2. 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.
4.55 billion years
Nucleotides and amino acids became polymerized to form DNA - RNA and proteins
2.5-2.0 billion years ago

3. 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.
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.
Nucleotides and amino acids were produced prior to the existence of cells

4. What are Liposomes?
4.55 billion years
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
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. What was the 4th of the overlapping stages in the origin of life?
Vesicles surrounded by a lipid layer. Clay can catalyze formation of liposomes that grow and divide. Liposomes can enclose RNA.
Polymers enclosed in membranes acquired cellular properties.
4.55 billion years
No

6. 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.
It is not possible because hydrolysis competes with polymerization.
No
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.

7. About how long ago did life first appear?
4-3.5 billion years ago
Cell specialization (e.g. - somatic and reproductive cells) - bigger (e.g. - to avoid predation) - more efficient at utilizing resources.
Archean eon.
Preserved remains of past life on Earth

8. What is a Protobiont?
4.55 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.
Nucleotides and amino acids were produced prior to the existence of cells
The building blocks of life on Earth arrived via meteors.

9. Changes in living organisms are the result of what?
3.8-3.5 billion years ago
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).
Genetic changes and/or Environmental changes

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

11. Around when did eukaryotic organisms first appear?
13.7 billion years
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).
2.5-2.0 billion years ago

12. What was the 2nd of the overlapping stages in the origin of life?
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.
Individuals form a colony OR a single cell divides and stays stuck together.
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.

13. About how long ago did the earth's crust cool?
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
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.

14. About how old is the earth?
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.
Nucleotides and amino acids were produced prior to the existence of cells
4.55 billion years

15. What is a Protobiont?
Individuals form a colony OR a single cell divides and stays stuck together.
The building blocks of life on Earth arrived via meteors.
Preserved remains of past life on Earth
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. 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 billion years ago
No
Preserved remains of past life on Earth

17. What is the advantage of proteins over RNA?
Two prokaryotic cells living symbiotically and merging OR one prokaryote engulfing a smaller one in an endosymbiotic relationship (data supports this one).
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.
It is not possible because hydrolysis competes with polymerization.

18. According to the seven characteristics of life - are viruses alive?
4 billion years ago
No
Archean eon.
RNA. It has the ability to store information - capacity for self-replication - and has enzymatic funciton in the form of ribozymes.

19. What are three advantages multicellularity provides for eukaryotes?
The building blocks of life on Earth arrived via meteors.
4-3.5 billion years ago
Polymers became enclosed in membranes
Cell specialization (e.g. - somatic and reproductive cells) - bigger (e.g. - to avoid predation) - more efficient at utilizing resources.

20. 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.
One of the RNA molecules mutates and has enzymatic ability to attach nucleotides together. A second mutation produces enzymatic ability to synthesize nucleotides.
The building blocks of life on Earth arrived via meteors.
On clay.

21. Prokaryotic life arose during what eon?
3.8-3.5 billion years ago
1.5 billion years ago
4.6 billion years
Archean eon.

22. What are three advantages multicellularity provides for eukaryotes?
Polymers became enclosed in membranes
The building blocks of life on Earth arrived via meteors.
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.

23. 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.
No
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

24. 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.
Two prokaryotic cells living symbiotically and merging OR one prokaryote engulfing a smaller one in an endosymbiotic relationship (data supports this one).
Metabolism and other cellular functions. Proteins have a greater catalytic potential and efficiency. Proteins can perform other tasks - cytoskeleton - transport - etc.

25. About how old is the universe?
Two prokaryotic cells living symbiotically and merging OR one prokaryote engulfing a smaller one in an endosymbiotic relationship (data supports this one).
On clay.
Atmospheric water vapor - methane - hydrogen - and ammonia catalyzed by lightning formed precursor molecules. This was tested in the Miller/Urey experiment.
13.7 billion years

26. What are two possible explanations for the origin of eukaryotes?
Polymers became enclosed in membranes
4.55 billion years
No
Two prokaryotic cells living symbiotically and merging OR one prokaryote engulfing a smaller one in an endosymbiotic relationship (data supports this one).

27. Where could RNA polymerization have first occured if not in water?
Metabolism and other cellular functions. Proteins have a greater catalytic potential and efficiency. Proteins can perform other tasks - cytoskeleton - transport - etc.
On clay.
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

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

29. What was the 3rd of the overlapping stages in the origin of life?
Polymers enclosed in membranes acquired cellular properties.
Polymers became enclosed in membranes
13.7 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.

30. About how old is the solar system?
Genetic changes and/or Environmental changes
Droplets that form spontaneously from the association of charged polymers. Enzymes trapped inside can perform primitive metabolic functions.
4.6 billion years
1.5 billion years ago

31. What are two possible explanations for the origin of multicellularity?
Individuals form a colony OR a single cell divides and stays stuck together.
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.
Metabolism and other cellular functions. Proteins have a greater catalytic potential and efficiency. Proteins can perform other tasks - cytoskeleton - transport - etc.

32. About how long ago did life first appear?
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 were produced prior to the existence of cells
The building blocks of life on Earth arrived via meteors.
4-3.5 billion years ago

33. What have experiments shown about prebiotic synthesis of polymers in aqueous solutions?
3.8-3.5 billion years ago
Biologically important molecules may have been formed in the temperature gradient between extremely hot vent water and cold ocean water.
Nucleotides and amino acids became polymerized to form DNA - RNA and proteins
It is not possible because hydrolysis competes with polymerization.

34. What are fossils?
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.
Preserved remains of past life on Earth
Individuals form a colony OR a single cell divides and stays stuck together.
No

35. What are fossils?
13.7 billion years
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.

36. Where could RNA polymerization have first occured if not in water?
4.55 billion years
Cells and organization - energy use and metabolism - response to environmental changes - regulation and homeostasis - growth and development - reproduction - biological evolution
On clay.
Two prokaryotic cells living symbiotically and merging OR one prokaryote engulfing a smaller one in an endosymbiotic relationship (data supports this one).

37. Changes in living organisms are the result of what?
4.6 billion years
On clay.
Genetic changes and/or Environmental changes
Biologically important molecules may have been formed in the temperature gradient between extremely hot vent water and cold ocean water.

38. What are Coacervates?
Droplets that form spontaneously from the association of charged polymers. Enzymes trapped inside can perform primitive metabolic functions.
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.
No

39. What was the extraterrestrial/Panspermia hypothesis?
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.
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.
Cell specialization (e.g. - somatic and reproductive cells) - bigger (e.g. - to avoid predation) - more efficient at utilizing resources.
The building blocks of life on Earth arrived via meteors.

40. 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.
4 billion years ago
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.

41. Around when did eukaryotic organisms first appear?
No
Nucleotides and amino acids became polymerized to form DNA - RNA and proteins
2.5-2.0 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.

42. Around when did multicellular eukaryotic organisms first appear?
On clay.
Biologically important molecules may have been formed in the temperature gradient between extremely hot vent water and cold ocean water.
4.6 billion years
1.5 billion years ago

43. What is chemical selection?
Individuals form a colony OR a single cell divides and stays stuck together.
4 billion years ago
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.

44. About how old is the universe?
4 billion years ago
Cell specialization (e.g. - somatic and reproductive cells) - bigger (e.g. - to avoid predation) - more efficient at utilizing resources.
Two prokaryotic cells living symbiotically and merging OR one prokaryote engulfing a smaller one in an endosymbiotic relationship (data supports this one).
13.7 billion years

45. 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
Cell specialization (e.g. - somatic and reproductive cells) - bigger (e.g. - to avoid predation) - more efficient at utilizing resources.
No
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.

46. About how old is the earth?
1.5 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.
4.55 billion years
Vesicles surrounded by a lipid layer. Clay can catalyze formation of liposomes that grow and divide. Liposomes can enclose RNA.

47. What are Liposomes?
The building blocks of life on Earth arrived via meteors.
Nucleotides and amino acids became polymerized to form DNA - RNA and proteins
Cell specialization (e.g. - somatic and reproductive cells) - bigger (e.g. - to avoid predation) - more efficient at utilizing resources.
Vesicles surrounded by a lipid layer. Clay can catalyze formation of liposomes that grow and divide. Liposomes can enclose RNA.

48. Around when did prokaryotic organisms first appear?
3.8-3.5 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.
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

49. About how old is the solar system?
One of the RNA molecules mutates and has enzymatic ability to attach nucleotides together. A second mutation produces enzymatic ability to synthesize nucleotides.
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.
Atmospheric water vapor - methane - hydrogen - and ammonia catalyzed by lightning formed precursor molecules. This was tested in the Miller/Urey experiment.

50. What is the hypothetical RNA chemical selection scenario?
One of the RNA molecules mutates and has enzymatic ability to attach nucleotides together. A second mutation produces enzymatic ability to synthesize nucleotides.
Two prokaryotic cells living symbiotically and merging OR one prokaryote engulfing a smaller one in an endosymbiotic relationship (data supports this one).
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.