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Origins Of Life

Subject : science

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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 three advantages multicellularity provides for eukaryotes?
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.
2.5-2.0 billion years ago
Cells and organization - energy use and metabolism - response to environmental changes - regulation and homeostasis - growth and development - reproduction - biological evolution

2. What is the advantage of proteins over RNA?
4 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.
Atmospheric water vapor - methane - hydrogen - and ammonia catalyzed by lightning formed precursor molecules. This was tested in the Miller/Urey experiment.

3. Around when did prokaryotic organisms first appear?
Individuals form a colony OR a single cell divides and stays stuck together.
3.8-3.5 billion years ago
Polymers became enclosed in membranes
Polymers enclosed in membranes acquired cellular properties.

4. What is the hypothetical RNA chemical selection scenario?
2.5-2.0 billion years ago
13.7 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.
Individuals form a colony OR a single cell divides and stays stuck together.

5. Where could RNA polymerization have first occured if not in 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.
On clay.
Polymers enclosed in membranes acquired cellular properties.
4 billion years ago

6. About how old is the solar system?
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.
Two prokaryotic cells living symbiotically and merging OR one prokaryote engulfing a smaller one in an endosymbiotic relationship (data supports this one).
Preserved remains of past life on Earth
4.6 billion years

7. What is chemical selection?
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.
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.

8. What are the seven characteristics of life?
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.
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

9. What was the reducing atmosphere hypothesis?
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
Nucleotides and amino acids were produced prior to the existence of cells
Atmospheric water vapor - methane - hydrogen - and ammonia catalyzed by lightning formed precursor molecules. This was tested in the Miller/Urey experiment.

10. Where could RNA polymerization have first occured if not in water?
It is not possible because hydrolysis competes with polymerization.
On clay.
Preserved remains of past life on Earth
4 billion years ago

11. What was the 4th 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.
4.6 billion years
Nucleotides and amino acids were produced prior to the existence of cells
Polymers enclosed in membranes acquired cellular properties.

12. What was the deep-sea vent hypothesis?
On clay.
Archean eon.
1.5 billion years ago
Biologically important molecules may have been formed in the temperature gradient between extremely hot vent water and cold ocean water.

13. What are three advantages multicellularity provides for eukaryotes?
3.8-3.5 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.
Metabolism and other cellular functions. Proteins have a greater catalytic potential and efficiency. Proteins can perform other tasks - cytoskeleton - transport - etc.

14. About how old is the universe?
Droplets that form spontaneously from the association of charged polymers. Enzymes trapped inside can perform primitive metabolic functions.
13.7 billion years
3.8-3.5 billion years ago
Polymers became enclosed in membranes

15. What are two possible explanations for the origin of multicellularity?
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.
Individuals form a colony OR a single cell divides and stays stuck together.

16. About how long ago did the earth's crust cool?
Nucleotides and amino acids were produced prior to the existence of cells
4 billion years ago
Droplets that form spontaneously from the association of charged polymers. Enzymes trapped inside can perform primitive metabolic functions.
Cell specialization (e.g. - somatic and reproductive cells) - bigger (e.g. - to avoid predation) - more efficient at utilizing resources.

17. About how old is the solar system?
4.6 billion years
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.
2.5-2.0 billion years ago

18. What are fossils?
Preserved remains of past life on Earth
Nucleotides and amino acids became polymerized to form DNA - RNA and proteins
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

19. Prokaryotic life arose during what eon?
It is not possible because hydrolysis competes with polymerization.
13.7 billion years
Archean eon.
13.7 billion years

20. About how long ago did life first appear?
3.8-3.5 billion years ago
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.
Polymers became enclosed in membranes

21. What are Liposomes?
Nucleotides and amino acids became polymerized to form DNA - RNA and proteins
Polymers enclosed in membranes acquired cellular properties.
Polymers became enclosed in membranes
Vesicles surrounded by a lipid layer. Clay can catalyze formation of liposomes that grow and divide. Liposomes can enclose RNA.

22. Prokaryotic life arose during what eon?
4.55 billion years
Archean eon.
RNA. It has the ability to store information - capacity for self-replication - and has enzymatic funciton in the form of ribozymes.
13.7 billion years

23. What is a Protobiont?
Cell specialization (e.g. - somatic and reproductive cells) - bigger (e.g. - to avoid predation) - more efficient at utilizing resources.
Polymers enclosed in membranes acquired cellular properties.
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.
13.7 billion years

24. About how long ago did the earth's crust cool?
4 billion years ago
It is not possible because hydrolysis competes with polymerization.
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.

25. Around when did prokaryotic organisms first appear?
3.8-3.5 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 enclosed in membranes acquired cellular properties.
13.7 billion years

26. What was the reducing atmosphere hypothesis?
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.
4-3.5 billion years ago
No
Atmospheric water vapor - methane - hydrogen - and ammonia catalyzed by lightning formed precursor molecules. This was tested in the Miller/Urey experiment.

27. What are fossils?
4.6 billion years
4 billion years ago
On clay.
Preserved remains of past life on Earth

28. Name 4 characteristics of protobionts.
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.
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 3rd of the overlapping stages in the origin of life?
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.
Cell specialization (e.g. - somatic and reproductive cells) - bigger (e.g. - to avoid predation) - more efficient at utilizing resources.
Polymers enclosed in membranes acquired cellular properties.
Polymers became enclosed in membranes

30. What is the advantage of DNA over 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.
Cells and organization - energy use and metabolism - response to environmental changes - regulation and homeostasis - growth and development - reproduction - biological evolution
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.
RNA. It has the ability to store information - capacity for self-replication - and has enzymatic funciton in the form of ribozymes.

31. What was the 1st of the overlapping stages in the origin of life?
Individuals form a colony OR a single cell divides and stays stuck together.
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
Nucleotides and amino acids were produced prior to the existence of cells

32. What are Coacervates?
Droplets that form spontaneously from the association of charged polymers. Enzymes trapped inside can perform primitive metabolic functions.
1.5 billion years ago
Biologically important molecules may have been formed in the temperature gradient between extremely hot vent water and cold ocean water.
Biologically important molecules may have been formed in the temperature gradient between extremely hot vent water and cold ocean water.

33. What is the hypothetical RNA chemical selection scenario?
13.7 billion years
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.
Individuals form a colony OR a single cell divides and stays stuck together.

34. 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.
Vesicles surrounded by a lipid layer. Clay can catalyze formation of liposomes that grow and divide. Liposomes can enclose 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.
1.5 billion years ago

35. What is chemical selection?
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.
4-3.5 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.

36. Around when did 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.
The building blocks of life on Earth arrived via meteors.
2.5-2.0 billion years ago

37. What are Liposomes?
Vesicles surrounded by a lipid layer. Clay can catalyze formation of liposomes that grow and divide. Liposomes can enclose RNA.
Nucleotides and amino acids became polymerized to form DNA - RNA and proteins
Polymers enclosed in membranes acquired cellular properties.
Two prokaryotic cells living symbiotically and merging OR one prokaryote engulfing a smaller one in an endosymbiotic relationship (data supports this one).

38. What are the seven characteristics of life?
Archean eon.
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).
RNA. It has the ability to store information - capacity for self-replication - and has enzymatic funciton in the form of ribozymes.

39. Around when did eukaryotic organisms first appear?
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.
Nucleotides and amino acids were produced prior to the existence of cells
Metabolism and other cellular functions. Proteins have a greater catalytic potential and efficiency. Proteins can perform other tasks - cytoskeleton - transport - etc.

40. What was the extraterrestrial/Panspermia hypothesis?
Droplets that form spontaneously from the association of charged polymers. Enzymes trapped inside can perform primitive metabolic functions.
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.
The building blocks of life on Earth arrived via meteors.

41. What was the 4th 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.
Polymers enclosed in membranes acquired cellular properties.
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

42. About how old is the earth?
Nucleotides and amino acids were produced prior to the existence of cells
4.55 billion years
The building blocks of life on Earth arrived via meteors.
4-3.5 billion years ago

43. What was the 3rd of the overlapping stages in the origin of life?
4 billion years ago
Polymers became enclosed in membranes
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.

44. 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).
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
Nucleotides and amino acids became polymerized to form DNA - RNA and proteins

45. What is the advantage of DNA over RNA?
4.55 billion years
Polymers became enclosed in membranes
Nucleotides and amino acids became polymerized to form DNA - RNA and proteins
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. What was the extraterrestrial/Panspermia hypothesis?
No
The building blocks of life on Earth arrived via meteors.
Genetic changes and/or Environmental changes
2.5-2.0 billion years ago

47. 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.
4 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

48. 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.
1.5 billion years ago
Preserved remains of past life on Earth
Polymers became enclosed in membranes

49. What are two possible explanations for the origin of multicellularity?
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
Individuals form a colony OR a single cell divides and stays stuck together.
4.55 billion years

50. What are two possible explanations for the origin of eukaryotes?
4.55 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 became enclosed in membranes
1.5 billion years ago