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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 are Liposomes?
3.8-3.5 billion years ago
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.
Polymers enclosed in membranes acquired cellular properties.

2. Where could RNA polymerization have first occured if not in water?
Two prokaryotic cells living symbiotically and merging OR one prokaryote engulfing a smaller one in an endosymbiotic relationship (data supports this one).
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.
On clay.

3. About how old is the solar system?
4.6 billion years
4 billion years ago
Droplets that form spontaneously from the association of charged polymers. Enzymes trapped inside can perform primitive metabolic functions.
Archean eon.

4. What are Liposomes?
Vesicles surrounded by a lipid layer. Clay can catalyze formation of liposomes that grow and divide. Liposomes can enclose RNA.
Biologically important molecules may have been formed in the temperature gradient between extremely hot vent water and cold ocean water.
4 billion years ago
Nucleotides and amino acids were produced prior to the existence of cells

5. What are two possible explanations for the origin of multicellularity?
4.55 billion years
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.
Two prokaryotic cells living symbiotically and merging OR one prokaryote engulfing a smaller one in an endosymbiotic relationship (data supports this one).

6. What is the hypothetical RNA chemical selection scenario?
4-3.5 billion years ago
Polymers enclosed in membranes acquired cellular properties.
It is not possible because hydrolysis competes with polymerization.
One of the RNA molecules mutates and has enzymatic ability to attach nucleotides together. A second mutation produces enzymatic ability to synthesize nucleotides.

7. What have experiments shown about prebiotic synthesis of polymers in aqueous solutions?
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.
It is not possible because hydrolysis competes with polymerization.
13.7 billion years

8. Around when did multicellular eukaryotic organisms first appear?
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.
Metabolism and other cellular functions. Proteins have a greater catalytic potential and efficiency. Proteins can perform other tasks - cytoskeleton - transport - etc.
Polymers became enclosed in membranes

9. Around when did prokaryotic organisms first appear?
4.55 billion years
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.
1.5 billion years ago

10. What are fossils?
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
Preserved remains of past life on Earth
Polymers enclosed in membranes acquired cellular properties.

11. 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.
Droplets that form spontaneously from the association of charged polymers. Enzymes trapped inside can perform primitive metabolic functions.
Individuals form a colony OR a single cell divides and stays stuck together.
The building blocks of life on Earth arrived via meteors.

12. What was the reducing atmosphere hypothesis?
Biologically important molecules may have been formed in the temperature gradient between extremely hot vent water and cold ocean water.
2.5-2.0 billion years ago
Atmospheric water vapor - methane - hydrogen - and ammonia catalyzed by lightning formed precursor molecules. This was tested in the Miller/Urey experiment.
Droplets that form spontaneously from the association of charged polymers. Enzymes trapped inside can perform primitive metabolic functions.

13. What is a Protobiont?
Nucleotides and amino acids were produced prior to the existence of cells
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.
4.6 billion years

14. About how long ago did life first appear?
4-3.5 billion years ago
Biologically important molecules may have been formed in the temperature gradient between extremely hot vent water and cold ocean water.
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

15. 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.
Nucleotides and amino acids became polymerized to form DNA - RNA and proteins
Preserved remains of past life on Earth
Archean eon.

16. What was the reducing atmosphere hypothesis?
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.
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.

17. About how old is the earth?
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.
Polymers became enclosed in membranes

18. 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.
13.7 billion years
1.5 billion years ago
Polymers became enclosed in membranes

19. 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).
Individuals form a colony OR a single cell divides and stays stuck together.
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.

20. What are three advantages multicellularity provides for eukaryotes?
Polymers enclosed in membranes acquired cellular properties.
1.5 billion years ago
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.

21. What was the extraterrestrial/Panspermia hypothesis?
Polymers became enclosed in membranes
The building blocks of life on Earth arrived via meteors.
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.

22. What have experiments shown about prebiotic synthesis of polymers in aqueous solutions?
4-3.5 billion years ago
It is not possible because hydrolysis competes with polymerization.
Nucleotides and amino acids were produced prior to the existence of cells
The building blocks of life on Earth arrived via meteors.

23. What was the 2nd of the overlapping stages in the origin of life?
On clay.
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
RNA. It has the ability to store information - capacity for self-replication - and has enzymatic funciton in the form of ribozymes.

24. Where could RNA polymerization have first occured if not in water?
RNA. It has the ability to store information - capacity for self-replication - and has enzymatic funciton in the form of ribozymes.
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.
Nucleotides and amino acids were produced prior to the existence of cells

25. According to the seven characteristics of life - are viruses alive?
Nucleotides and amino acids were produced prior to the existence of cells
Individuals form a colony OR a single cell divides and stays stuck together.
No
Genetic changes and/or Environmental changes

26. What is chemical selection?
2.5-2.0 billion years ago
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.
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. 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
Nucleotides and amino acids became polymerized to form DNA - RNA and proteins
Polymers enclosed in membranes acquired cellular properties.
Archean eon.

28. Name 4 characteristics of protobionts.
One of the RNA molecules mutates and has enzymatic ability to attach nucleotides together. A second mutation produces enzymatic ability to synthesize nucleotides.
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.
Two prokaryotic cells living symbiotically and merging OR one prokaryote engulfing a smaller one in an endosymbiotic relationship (data supports this one).

29. What are Coacervates?
Polymers became enclosed in membranes
4 billion years ago
Cell specialization (e.g. - somatic and reproductive cells) - bigger (e.g. - to avoid predation) - more efficient at utilizing resources.
Droplets that form spontaneously from the association of charged polymers. Enzymes trapped inside can perform primitive metabolic functions.

30. Around when did prokaryotic organisms first appear?
3.8-3.5 billion years ago
The building blocks of life on Earth arrived via meteors.
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.

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

32. About how old is the universe?
Archean eon.
13.7 billion years
Polymers became enclosed in membranes
Polymers enclosed in membranes acquired cellular properties.

33. About how long ago did the earth's crust cool?
Archean eon.
Nucleotides and amino acids became polymerized to form DNA - RNA and proteins
4 billion years ago
Vesicles surrounded by a lipid layer. Clay can catalyze formation of liposomes that grow and divide. Liposomes can enclose RNA.

34. What is a Protobiont?
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.
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.
Droplets that form spontaneously from the association of charged polymers. Enzymes trapped inside can perform primitive metabolic functions.

35. About how old is the solar system?
Polymers became enclosed in membranes
Genetic changes and/or Environmental changes
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).

36. According to the seven characteristics of life - are viruses alive?
3.8-3.5 billion years ago
No
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

37. Prokaryotic life arose during what eon?
Archean eon.
Vesicles surrounded by a lipid layer. Clay can catalyze formation of liposomes that grow and divide. Liposomes can enclose RNA.
On clay.
3.8-3.5 billion years ago

38. What are fossils?
4 billion years ago
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.
4.6 billion years

39. What was the 4th of the overlapping stages in the origin of life?
Nucleotides and amino acids became polymerized to form DNA - RNA and proteins
On clay.
Genetic changes and/or Environmental changes
Polymers enclosed in membranes acquired cellular properties.

40. About how old is the earth?
It is not possible because hydrolysis competes with polymerization.
4 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.
4.55 billion years

41. What was the 1st of the overlapping stages in the origin of life?
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
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

42. What is chemical selection?
2.5-2.0 billion years ago
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.
13.7 billion years

43. 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.
Genetic changes and/or Environmental changes
4.55 billion years
Nucleotides and amino acids became polymerized to form DNA - RNA and proteins

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

45. Around when did multicellular eukaryotic organisms first appear?
1.5 billion years ago
Archean eon.
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.

46. What are three advantages multicellularity provides for eukaryotes?
Biologically important molecules may have been formed in the temperature gradient between extremely hot vent water and cold ocean water.
4.6 billion years
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).

47. 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.
3.8-3.5 billion years ago
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.

48. What are the seven characteristics of life?
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.
13.7 billion years
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

49. What are Coacervates?
3.8-3.5 billion years ago
Metabolism and other cellular functions. Proteins have a greater catalytic potential and efficiency. Proteins can perform other tasks - cytoskeleton - transport - etc.
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.

50. What is the advantage of proteins over RNA?
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.
4.55 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.