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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 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.
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
Polymers enclosed in membranes acquired cellular properties.

2. What are Coacervates?
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.
3.8-3.5 billion years ago
It is not possible because hydrolysis competes with polymerization.

3. About how old is the solar system?
4 billion years ago
Vesicles surrounded by a lipid layer. Clay can catalyze formation of liposomes that grow and divide. Liposomes can enclose RNA.
4.6 billion years
Cells and organization - energy use and metabolism - response to environmental changes - regulation and homeostasis - growth and development - reproduction - biological evolution

4. About how old is the earth?
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.
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.
4.55 billion years

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

6. What are two possible explanations for the origin of multicellularity?
4.6 billion years
Individuals form a colony OR a single cell divides and stays stuck together.
Metabolism and other cellular functions. Proteins have a greater catalytic potential and efficiency. Proteins can perform other tasks - cytoskeleton - transport - etc.
Atmospheric water vapor - methane - hydrogen - and ammonia catalyzed by lightning formed precursor molecules. This was tested in the Miller/Urey experiment.

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.
It is not possible because hydrolysis competes with polymerization.
Polymers became enclosed in membranes

8. 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.
No
4-3.5 billion years ago
13.7 billion years

9. 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.
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.
1.5 billion years ago
Genetic changes and/or Environmental changes

10. 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.
Vesicles surrounded by a lipid layer. Clay can catalyze formation of liposomes that grow and divide. Liposomes can enclose RNA.
4-3.5 billion years ago
Polymers became enclosed in membranes

11. What is a Protobiont?
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.
One of the RNA molecules mutates and has enzymatic ability to attach nucleotides together. A second mutation produces enzymatic ability to synthesize nucleotides.
2.5-2.0 billion years ago

12. What are Liposomes?
Preserved remains of past life on Earth
4-3.5 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).
Vesicles surrounded by a lipid layer. Clay can catalyze formation of liposomes that grow and divide. Liposomes can enclose RNA.

13. Around when did prokaryotic organisms first appear?
2.5-2.0 billion years ago
3.8-3.5 billion years ago
On clay.
No

14. 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.
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.

15. What are Coacervates?
On clay.
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.
Droplets that form spontaneously from the association of charged polymers. Enzymes trapped inside can perform primitive metabolic functions.

16. What is the advantage of DNA over RNA?
13.7 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.
4.6 billion years
Cell specialization (e.g. - somatic and reproductive cells) - bigger (e.g. - to avoid predation) - more efficient at utilizing resources.

17. 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.
2.5-2.0 billion years ago
1.5 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).

18. 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).
Polymers became enclosed in membranes
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

19. Around when did eukaryotic organisms first appear?
4 billion years ago
13.7 billion years
Individuals form a colony OR a single cell divides and stays stuck together.
2.5-2.0 billion years ago

20. About how old is the solar system?
4 billion years ago
RNA. It has the ability to store information - capacity for self-replication - and has enzymatic funciton in the form of ribozymes.
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.

21. About how old is the earth?
13.7 billion years
Cells and organization - energy use and metabolism - response to environmental changes - regulation and homeostasis - growth and development - reproduction - biological evolution
4.55 billion years
2.5-2.0 billion years ago

22. What is the advantage of proteins over RNA?
The building blocks of life on Earth arrived via meteors.
Metabolism and other cellular functions. Proteins have a greater catalytic potential and efficiency. Proteins can perform other tasks - cytoskeleton - transport - etc.
Atmospheric water vapor - methane - hydrogen - and ammonia catalyzed by lightning formed precursor molecules. This was tested in the Miller/Urey experiment.
The building blocks of life on Earth arrived via meteors.

23. Name 4 characteristics of protobionts.
4.55 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.
4 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).

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

25. About how long ago did the earth's crust cool?
4 billion years ago
Genetic changes and/or Environmental changes
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.

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

27. 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.
Archean 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.
The building blocks of life on Earth arrived via meteors.

28. Around when did prokaryotic organisms first appear?
3.8-3.5 billion years ago
It is not possible because hydrolysis competes with polymerization.
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.

29. According to the seven characteristics of life - are viruses alive?
Preserved remains of past life on Earth
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.
No

30. What was the reducing atmosphere hypothesis?
3.8-3.5 billion years ago
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.
Atmospheric water vapor - methane - hydrogen - and ammonia catalyzed by lightning formed precursor molecules. This was tested in the Miller/Urey experiment.

31. About how long ago did the earth's crust cool?
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.
2.5-2.0 billion years ago
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.

32. What was the 1st of the overlapping stages in the origin of life?
Polymers enclosed in membranes acquired cellular properties.
Archean eon.
Nucleotides and amino acids were produced prior to the existence of cells
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.

33. About how old is the universe?
Polymers became enclosed in membranes
Cells and organization - energy use and metabolism - response to environmental changes - regulation and homeostasis - growth and development - reproduction - biological evolution
13.7 billion years
Two prokaryotic cells living symbiotically and merging OR one prokaryote engulfing a smaller one in an endosymbiotic relationship (data supports this one).

34. Around when did eukaryotic organisms 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 billion years ago
Individuals form a colony OR a single cell divides and stays stuck together.
2.5-2.0 billion years ago

35. According to the seven characteristics of life - are viruses alive?
The building blocks of life on Earth arrived via meteors.
On clay.
1.5 billion years ago
No

36. What was the 4th of the overlapping stages in the origin of life?
On clay.
Genetic changes and/or Environmental changes
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.

37. What are Liposomes?
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.
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.
On clay.

38. What are the seven characteristics of life?
Vesicles surrounded by a lipid layer. Clay can catalyze formation of liposomes that grow and divide. Liposomes can enclose RNA.
Cells and organization - energy use and metabolism - response to environmental changes - regulation and homeostasis - growth and development - reproduction - biological evolution
2.5-2.0 billion years ago
4 billion years ago

39. About how long ago did life first appear?
Nucleotides and amino acids were produced prior to the existence of cells
4-3.5 billion years ago
Polymers enclosed in membranes acquired cellular properties.
Vesicles surrounded by a lipid layer. Clay can catalyze formation of liposomes that grow and divide. Liposomes can enclose RNA.

40. What was the extraterrestrial/Panspermia hypothesis?
4.6 billion years
The building blocks of life on Earth arrived via meteors.
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

41. About how old is the universe?
1.5 billion years ago
Preserved remains of past life on Earth
It is not possible because hydrolysis competes with polymerization.
13.7 billion years

42. What is the hypothetical RNA chemical selection scenario?
Cell specialization (e.g. - somatic and reproductive cells) - bigger (e.g. - to avoid predation) - more efficient at utilizing resources.
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.
No

43. What is chemical selection?
Two prokaryotic cells living symbiotically and merging OR one prokaryote engulfing a smaller one in an endosymbiotic relationship (data supports this one).
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.
4.55 billion years

44. What is a Protobiont?
4-3.5 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
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.

45. What is the advantage of proteins over RNA?
The building blocks of life on Earth arrived via meteors.
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.
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.

46. What have experiments shown about prebiotic synthesis of polymers in aqueous solutions?
Biologically important molecules may have been formed in the temperature gradient between extremely hot vent water and cold ocean water.
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.
It is not possible because hydrolysis competes with polymerization.

47. Changes in living organisms are the result of what?
The building blocks of life on Earth arrived via meteors.
Metabolism and other cellular functions. Proteins have a greater catalytic potential and efficiency. Proteins can perform other tasks - cytoskeleton - transport - etc.
Genetic changes and/or Environmental changes
Cell specialization (e.g. - somatic and reproductive cells) - bigger (e.g. - to avoid predation) - more efficient at utilizing resources.

48. What was the 3rd of the overlapping stages in the origin of life?
Polymers became enclosed in membranes
Metabolism and other cellular functions. Proteins have a greater catalytic potential and efficiency. Proteins can perform other tasks - cytoskeleton - transport - etc.
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.
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.

49. 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.
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.
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.

50. What was the 2nd of the overlapping stages in the origin of life?
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 became polymerized to form DNA - RNA and proteins
Biologically important molecules may have been formed in the temperature gradient between extremely hot vent water and cold ocean water.
13.7 billion years