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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 chemical selection?
Archean eon.
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.
RNA. It has the ability to store information - capacity for self-replication - and has enzymatic funciton in the form of ribozymes.
No

2. What are two possible explanations for the origin of eukaryotes?
Droplets that form spontaneously from the association of charged polymers. Enzymes trapped inside can perform primitive metabolic functions.
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.
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.

3. What are fossils?
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.
Preserved remains of past life on Earth
No

4. What are three advantages multicellularity provides for eukaryotes?
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.
Cell specialization (e.g. - somatic and reproductive cells) - bigger (e.g. - to avoid predation) - more efficient at utilizing resources.
4.55 billion years
Polymers became enclosed in membranes

5. 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.
4-3.5 billion years ago
Nucleotides and amino acids were produced prior to the existence of cells
Polymers became enclosed in membranes

6. What are three advantages multicellularity provides for eukaryotes?
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.
4.55 billion years
Polymers became enclosed in membranes

7. What was the 2nd of the overlapping stages in the origin of life?
On clay.
Polymers became enclosed in membranes
Nucleotides and amino acids became polymerized to form DNA - RNA and proteins
Vesicles surrounded by a lipid layer. Clay can catalyze formation of liposomes that grow and divide. Liposomes can enclose RNA.

8. What was the 3rd of the overlapping stages in the origin of life?
Nucleotides and amino acids became polymerized to form DNA - RNA and proteins
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
1.5 billion years ago

9. What is the advantage of DNA over RNA?
On clay.
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.

10. About how long ago did the earth's crust cool?
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.
Biologically important molecules may have been formed in the temperature gradient between extremely hot vent water and cold ocean water.
4 billion years ago

11. Around when did multicellular eukaryotic organisms first appear?
4.6 billion years
Polymers became enclosed in membranes
1.5 billion years ago
RNA. It has the ability to store information - capacity for self-replication - and has enzymatic funciton in the form of ribozymes.

12. Prokaryotic life arose during what eon?
Polymers enclosed in membranes acquired cellular properties.
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.
Archean eon.

13. What have experiments shown about prebiotic synthesis of polymers in aqueous solutions?
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).
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.

14. What was the 4th 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.
Atmospheric water vapor - methane - hydrogen - and ammonia catalyzed by lightning formed precursor molecules. This was tested in the Miller/Urey experiment.
4-3.5 billion years ago
Polymers enclosed in membranes acquired cellular properties.

15. About how old is the universe?
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.
13.7 billion years
4-3.5 billion years ago

16. About how old is the universe?
Individuals form a colony OR a single cell divides and stays stuck together.
13.7 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.
RNA. It has the ability to store information - capacity for self-replication - and has enzymatic funciton in the form of ribozymes.

17. What have experiments shown about prebiotic synthesis of polymers in aqueous solutions?
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.
It is not possible because hydrolysis competes with polymerization.
2.5-2.0 billion years ago

18. Around when did prokaryotic organisms first appear?
4 billion years ago
Genetic changes and/or Environmental changes
3.8-3.5 billion years ago
Nucleotides and amino acids became polymerized to form DNA - RNA and proteins

19. What was the first macromolecule of protobionts?
Metabolism and other cellular functions. Proteins have a greater catalytic potential and efficiency. Proteins can perform other tasks - cytoskeleton - transport - etc.
RNA. It has the ability to store information - capacity for self-replication - and has enzymatic funciton in the form of ribozymes.
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

20. About how old is the solar system?
13.7 billion years
Vesicles surrounded by a lipid layer. Clay can catalyze formation of liposomes that grow and divide. Liposomes can enclose RNA.
4.6 billion years
Archean eon.

21. What was the 3rd of the overlapping stages in the origin of life?
No
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
It is not possible because hydrolysis competes with polymerization.

22. What is chemical selection?
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.
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

23. 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.
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
It is not possible because hydrolysis competes with polymerization.

24. 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.
4.55 billion years
Droplets that form spontaneously from the association of charged polymers. Enzymes trapped inside can perform primitive metabolic functions.
4 billion years ago

25. 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.
Nucleotides and amino acids were produced prior to the existence of cells
Archean eon.
RNA. It has the ability to store information - capacity for self-replication - and has enzymatic funciton in the form of ribozymes.

26. According to the seven characteristics of life - are viruses alive?
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
13.7 billion years
Archean eon.

27. About how long ago did life first appear?
RNA. It has the ability to store information - capacity for self-replication - and has enzymatic funciton in the form of ribozymes.
Metabolism and other cellular functions. Proteins have a greater catalytic potential and efficiency. Proteins can perform other tasks - cytoskeleton - transport - etc.
Archean eon.
4-3.5 billion years ago

28. 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
Nucleotides and amino acids were produced prior to the existence of cells
Two prokaryotic cells living symbiotically and merging OR one prokaryote engulfing a smaller one in an endosymbiotic relationship (data supports this one).

29. About how old is the earth?
4 billion years ago
4.55 billion years
No
Archean eon.

30. What are fossils?
It is not possible because hydrolysis competes with polymerization.
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.
Preserved remains of past life on Earth
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. According to the seven characteristics of life - are viruses alive?
1.5 billion years ago
Nucleotides and amino acids were produced prior to the existence of cells
4-3.5 billion years ago
No

32. What was the reducing atmosphere hypothesis?
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.
On clay.
Atmospheric water vapor - methane - hydrogen - and ammonia catalyzed by lightning formed precursor molecules. This was tested in the Miller/Urey experiment.

33. 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.
RNA. It has the ability to store information - capacity for self-replication - and has enzymatic funciton in the form of ribozymes.
On clay.
Droplets that form spontaneously from the association of charged polymers. Enzymes trapped inside can perform primitive metabolic functions.

34. What is the advantage of DNA over RNA?
3.8-3.5 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.
Atmospheric water vapor - methane - hydrogen - and ammonia catalyzed by lightning formed precursor molecules. This was tested in the Miller/Urey experiment.
Polymers became enclosed in membranes

35. What was the 1st of the overlapping stages in the origin of life?
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
No
Nucleotides and amino acids were produced prior to the existence of cells

36. What is the hypothetical RNA chemical selection scenario?
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.
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.

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

38. What are two possible explanations for the origin of multicellularity?
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.
Individuals form a colony OR a single cell divides and stays stuck together.
Atmospheric water vapor - methane - hydrogen - and ammonia catalyzed by lightning formed precursor molecules. This was tested in the Miller/Urey experiment.
3.8-3.5 billion years ago

39. What was the extraterrestrial/Panspermia hypothesis?
Polymers became enclosed in membranes
1.5 billion years ago
The building blocks of life on Earth arrived via meteors.
Nucleotides and amino acids became polymerized to form DNA - RNA and proteins

40. Prokaryotic life arose during what eon?
Cell specialization (e.g. - somatic and reproductive cells) - bigger (e.g. - to avoid predation) - more efficient at utilizing resources.
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.
Archean eon.
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.

41. Name 4 characteristics of protobionts.
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
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.

42. About how long ago did the earth's crust cool?
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 billion years ago
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.

43. What is a Protobiont?
No
Cell specialization (e.g. - somatic and reproductive cells) - bigger (e.g. - to avoid predation) - more efficient at utilizing resources.
13.7 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.

44. What was the deep-sea vent hypothesis?
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.
It is not possible because hydrolysis competes with polymerization.
Atmospheric water vapor - methane - hydrogen - and ammonia catalyzed by lightning formed precursor molecules. This was tested in the Miller/Urey experiment.

45. 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.
Droplets that form spontaneously from the association of charged polymers. Enzymes trapped inside can perform primitive metabolic functions.
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.
Individuals form a colony OR a single cell divides and stays stuck together.

46. About how old is the solar system?
Droplets that form spontaneously from the association of charged polymers. Enzymes trapped inside can perform primitive metabolic functions.
4.6 billion years
It is not possible because hydrolysis competes with polymerization.
Genetic changes and/or Environmental changes

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

48. What are two possible explanations for the origin of eukaryotes?
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.
The building blocks of life on Earth arrived via meteors.
Two prokaryotic cells living symbiotically and merging OR one prokaryote engulfing a smaller one in an endosymbiotic relationship (data supports this one).
On clay.

49. Around when did eukaryotic organisms first appear?
2.5-2.0 billion years ago
Cell specialization (e.g. - somatic and reproductive cells) - bigger (e.g. - to avoid predation) - more efficient at utilizing resources.
4.6 billion years
Metabolism and other cellular functions. Proteins have a greater catalytic potential and efficiency. Proteins can perform other tasks - cytoskeleton - transport - etc.

50. What was the extraterrestrial/Panspermia hypothesis?
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.
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.