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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 earth?
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
Atmospheric water vapor - methane - hydrogen - and ammonia catalyzed by lightning formed precursor molecules. This was tested in the Miller/Urey experiment.
Cells and organization - energy use and metabolism - response to environmental changes - regulation and homeostasis - growth and development - reproduction - biological evolution

2. What is a Protobiont?
2.5-2.0 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.
4.6 billion years

3. According to the seven characteristics of life - are viruses alive?
No
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.
Vesicles surrounded by a lipid layer. Clay can catalyze formation of liposomes that grow and divide. Liposomes can enclose RNA.

4. According to the seven characteristics of life - are viruses alive?
Preserved remains of past life on Earth
4.6 billion years
No
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 is chemical selection?
Cells and organization - energy use and metabolism - response to environmental changes - regulation and homeostasis - growth and development - reproduction - biological evolution
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.
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.

6. What was the 4th of the overlapping stages in the origin of life?
Polymers enclosed in membranes acquired cellular properties.
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.
4-3.5 billion years ago

7. What are Coacervates?
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.
RNA. It has the ability to store information - capacity for self-replication - and has enzymatic funciton in the form of ribozymes.
Droplets that form spontaneously from the association of charged polymers. Enzymes trapped inside can perform primitive metabolic functions.

8. 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.
Vesicles surrounded by a lipid layer. Clay can catalyze formation of liposomes that grow and divide. Liposomes can enclose RNA.
No

9. What are fossils?
Biologically important molecules may have been formed in the temperature gradient between extremely hot vent water and cold ocean water.
Preserved remains of past life on Earth
Cells and organization - energy use and metabolism - response to environmental changes - regulation and homeostasis - growth and development - reproduction - biological evolution
Polymers enclosed in membranes acquired cellular properties.

10. What was the extraterrestrial/Panspermia hypothesis?
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.
Genetic changes and/or Environmental changes

11. 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.
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.
Archean eon.

12. What was the 3rd 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.
Archean eon.
Cells and organization - energy use and metabolism - response to environmental changes - regulation and homeostasis - growth and development - reproduction - biological evolution
Polymers became enclosed in membranes

13. 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.
No
4-3.5 billion years ago
Polymers enclosed in membranes acquired cellular properties.

14. What is the advantage of proteins over RNA?
Cell specialization (e.g. - somatic and reproductive cells) - bigger (e.g. - to avoid predation) - more efficient at utilizing resources.
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.
4.55 billion years

15. What was the extraterrestrial/Panspermia hypothesis?
Droplets that form spontaneously from the association of charged polymers. Enzymes trapped inside can perform primitive metabolic functions.
13.7 billion years
It is not possible because hydrolysis competes with polymerization.
The building blocks of life on Earth arrived via meteors.

16. What was the first macromolecule of protobionts?
RNA. It has the ability to store information - capacity for self-replication - and has enzymatic funciton in the form of ribozymes.
The building blocks of life on Earth arrived via meteors.
4 billion years ago
2.5-2.0 billion years ago

17. What have experiments shown about prebiotic synthesis of polymers in aqueous solutions?
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.
Polymers became enclosed in membranes
Individuals form a colony OR a single cell divides and stays stuck together.

18. Around when did eukaryotic organisms first appear?
13.7 billion years
1.5 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.

19. What are the seven characteristics of life?
3.8-3.5 billion years ago
It is not possible because hydrolysis competes with polymerization.
Genetic changes and/or Environmental changes
Cells and organization - energy use and metabolism - response to environmental changes - regulation and homeostasis - growth and development - reproduction - biological evolution

20. About how long ago did the earth's crust cool?
4 billion years ago
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.
Cells and organization - energy use and metabolism - response to environmental changes - regulation and homeostasis - growth and development - reproduction - biological evolution

21. Name 4 characteristics of protobionts.
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.
Nucleotides and amino acids were produced prior to the existence of cells
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.

22. Changes in living organisms are the result of what?
Preserved remains of past life on Earth
Polymers enclosed in membranes acquired cellular properties.
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.

23. What are three advantages multicellularity provides for eukaryotes?
4.6 billion years
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
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.

24. What is the hypothetical RNA chemical selection scenario?
The building blocks of life on Earth arrived via meteors.
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.
Two prokaryotic cells living symbiotically and merging OR one prokaryote engulfing a smaller one in an endosymbiotic relationship (data supports this one).

25. 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
2.5-2.0 billion years ago
No

26. Around when did multicellular eukaryotic organisms first appear?
1.5 billion years ago
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.

27. About how old is the solar system?
Vesicles surrounded by a lipid layer. Clay can catalyze formation of liposomes that grow and divide. Liposomes can enclose RNA.
Archean eon.
4.6 billion years
Biologically important molecules may have been formed in the temperature gradient between extremely hot vent water and cold ocean water.

28. Prokaryotic life arose during what eon?
On clay.
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.
Archean eon.

29. About how old is the universe?
4.55 billion years
4-3.5 billion years ago
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. What was the 4th of the overlapping stages in the origin of life?
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.
Polymers enclosed in membranes acquired cellular properties.
Biologically important molecules may have been formed in the temperature gradient between extremely hot vent water and cold ocean water.

31. What are the seven characteristics of life?
Cell specialization (e.g. - somatic and reproductive cells) - bigger (e.g. - to avoid predation) - more efficient at utilizing resources.
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
4 billion years ago

32. What is the advantage of DNA over RNA?
On clay.
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.
Polymers enclosed in membranes acquired cellular properties.
Individuals form a colony OR a single cell divides and stays stuck together.

33. What are two possible explanations for the origin of eukaryotes?
4-3.5 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).
4 billion years ago

34. About how long ago did life first appear?
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).
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

35. 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 were produced prior to the existence of cells
2.5-2.0 billion years ago
4 billion years ago

36. 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.
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.

37. 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
On clay.
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.

38. Around when did eukaryotic organisms first appear?
It is not possible because hydrolysis competes with polymerization.
2.5-2.0 billion years ago
RNA. It has the ability to store information - capacity for self-replication - and has enzymatic funciton in the form of ribozymes.
Two prokaryotic cells living symbiotically and merging OR one prokaryote engulfing a smaller one in an endosymbiotic relationship (data supports this one).

39. What have experiments shown about prebiotic synthesis of polymers in aqueous solutions?
4-3.5 billion years ago
On clay.
Individuals form a colony OR a single cell divides and stays stuck together.
It is not possible because hydrolysis competes with polymerization.

40. 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
Cell specialization (e.g. - somatic and reproductive cells) - bigger (e.g. - to avoid predation) - more efficient at utilizing resources.
Cell specialization (e.g. - somatic and reproductive cells) - bigger (e.g. - to avoid predation) - more efficient at utilizing resources.

41. What are fossils?
Preserved remains of past life on Earth
4 billion years ago
Individuals form a colony OR a single cell divides and stays stuck together.
RNA. It has the ability to store information - capacity for self-replication - and has enzymatic funciton in the form of ribozymes.

42. 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.
Polymers became enclosed in membranes
4 billion years ago
2.5-2.0 billion years ago

43. What are Liposomes?
Two prokaryotic cells living symbiotically and merging OR one prokaryote engulfing a smaller one in an endosymbiotic relationship (data supports this one).
Vesicles surrounded by a lipid layer. Clay can catalyze formation of liposomes that grow and divide. Liposomes can enclose RNA.
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.
Polymers became enclosed in membranes

44. Changes in living organisms are the result of what?
Genetic changes and/or Environmental changes
No
Two prokaryotic cells living symbiotically and merging OR one prokaryote engulfing a smaller one in an endosymbiotic relationship (data supports this one).
Biologically important molecules may have been formed in the temperature gradient between extremely hot vent water and cold ocean water.

45. What are Liposomes?
4-3.5 billion years ago
4.6 billion years
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.

46. 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.
4.55 billion years
2.5-2.0 billion years ago
1.5 billion years ago

47. Around when did prokaryotic organisms first appear?
1.5 billion years ago
Genetic changes and/or Environmental changes
It is not possible because hydrolysis competes with polymerization.
3.8-3.5 billion years ago

48. 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).
1.5 billion years ago
The building blocks of life on Earth arrived via meteors.
2.5-2.0 billion years ago

49. What was the deep-sea vent hypothesis?
2.5-2.0 billion years ago
Biologically important molecules may have been formed in the temperature gradient between extremely hot vent water and cold ocean water.
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

50. What are two possible explanations for the origin of multicellularity?
RNA. It has the ability to store information - capacity for self-replication - and has enzymatic funciton in the form of ribozymes.
Individuals form a colony OR a single cell divides and stays stuck together.
4.55 billion years
It is not possible because hydrolysis competes with polymerization.