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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 Coacervates?
One of the RNA molecules mutates and has enzymatic ability to attach nucleotides together. A second mutation produces enzymatic ability to synthesize nucleotides.
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.
Droplets that form spontaneously from the association of charged polymers. Enzymes trapped inside can perform primitive metabolic functions.
Two prokaryotic cells living symbiotically and merging OR one prokaryote engulfing a smaller one in an endosymbiotic relationship (data supports this one).

2. What are two possible explanations for the origin of multicellularity?
Vesicles surrounded by a lipid layer. Clay can catalyze formation of liposomes that grow and divide. Liposomes can enclose RNA.
Individuals form a colony OR a single cell divides and stays stuck together.
4.55 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.

3. What have experiments shown about prebiotic synthesis of polymers in aqueous solutions?
Atmospheric water vapor - methane - hydrogen - and ammonia catalyzed by lightning formed precursor molecules. This was tested in the Miller/Urey experiment.
It is not possible because hydrolysis competes with polymerization.
Genetic changes and/or Environmental changes
No

4. What is chemical selection?
On clay.
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.
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 was the extraterrestrial/Panspermia hypothesis?
On clay.
The building blocks of life on Earth arrived via meteors.
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.
Cells and organization - energy use and metabolism - response to environmental changes - regulation and homeostasis - growth and development - reproduction - biological evolution

6. Changes in living organisms are the result of what?
Polymers became enclosed in membranes
No
Genetic changes and/or Environmental changes
Preserved remains of past life on Earth

7. What is the advantage of proteins over RNA?
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.
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.

8. Around when did eukaryotic organisms first appear?
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.
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.

9. 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.
Preserved remains of past life on Earth
Individuals form a colony OR a single cell divides and stays stuck together.
Archean eon.

10. Changes in living organisms are the result of what?
It is not possible because hydrolysis competes with polymerization.
It is not possible because hydrolysis competes with polymerization.
Genetic changes and/or Environmental changes
1.5 billion years ago

11. What was the reducing atmosphere hypothesis?
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
RNA. It has the ability to store information - capacity for self-replication - and has enzymatic funciton in the form of ribozymes.
Atmospheric water vapor - methane - hydrogen - and ammonia catalyzed by lightning formed precursor molecules. This was tested in the Miller/Urey experiment.

12. About how old is the universe?
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.
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.

13. About how old is the solar system?
Atmospheric water vapor - methane - hydrogen - and ammonia catalyzed by lightning formed precursor molecules. This was tested in the Miller/Urey experiment.
Preserved remains of past life on Earth
4.6 billion years
Droplets that form spontaneously from the association of charged polymers. Enzymes trapped inside can perform primitive metabolic functions.

14. About how long ago did life first appear?
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.
4-3.5 billion years ago
Metabolism and other cellular functions. Proteins have a greater catalytic potential and efficiency. Proteins can perform other tasks - cytoskeleton - transport - etc.

15. What are three advantages multicellularity provides for eukaryotes?
Two prokaryotic cells living symbiotically and merging OR one prokaryote engulfing a smaller one in an endosymbiotic relationship (data supports this one).
Cell specialization (e.g. - somatic and reproductive cells) - bigger (e.g. - to avoid predation) - more efficient at utilizing resources.
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.

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.
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.
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.

17. What was the deep-sea vent hypothesis?
Cells and organization - energy use and metabolism - response to environmental changes - regulation and homeostasis - growth and development - reproduction - biological evolution
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.
Biologically important molecules may have been formed in the temperature gradient between extremely hot vent water and cold ocean water.

18. Where could RNA polymerization have first occured if not in water?
4 billion years ago
Nucleotides and amino acids were produced prior to the existence of cells
13.7 billion years
On clay.

19. What are Liposomes?
Preserved remains of past life on Earth
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
Biologically important molecules may have been formed in the temperature gradient between extremely hot vent water and cold ocean water.

20. About how old is the universe?
4 billion years ago
1.5 billion years ago
Genetic changes and/or Environmental changes
13.7 billion years

21. What are two possible explanations for the origin of eukaryotes?
4.6 billion years
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).
1.5 billion years ago

22. What is a Protobiont?
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).
Polymers enclosed in membranes acquired cellular properties.
4-3.5 billion years ago

23. 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.
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.
Polymers enclosed in membranes acquired cellular properties.

24. What is the advantage of DNA over RNA?
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.
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.

25. What are fossils?
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.
Nucleotides and amino acids became polymerized to form DNA - RNA and proteins
Metabolism and other cellular functions. Proteins have a greater catalytic potential and efficiency. Proteins can perform other tasks - cytoskeleton - transport - etc.

26. About how old is the earth?
Nucleotides and amino acids became polymerized to form DNA - RNA and proteins
4.55 billion years
Individuals form a colony OR a single cell divides and stays stuck together.
One of the RNA molecules mutates and has enzymatic ability to attach nucleotides together. A second mutation produces enzymatic ability to synthesize nucleotides.

27. About how long ago did the earth's crust cool?
1.5 billion years ago
2.5-2.0 billion years ago
4 billion years ago
Cell specialization (e.g. - somatic and reproductive cells) - bigger (e.g. - to avoid predation) - more efficient at utilizing resources.

28. According to the seven characteristics of life - are viruses alive?
Polymers enclosed in membranes acquired cellular properties.
Nucleotides and amino acids were produced prior to the existence of cells
4.55 billion years
No

29. 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.
2.5-2.0 billion years ago
Nucleotides and amino acids became polymerized to form DNA - RNA and proteins
Preserved remains of past life on Earth

30. What was the 2nd of the overlapping stages in the origin of life?
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.
Nucleotides and amino acids became polymerized to form DNA - RNA and proteins
Polymers enclosed in membranes acquired cellular properties.

31. Prokaryotic life arose during what eon?
Biologically important molecules may have been formed in the temperature gradient between extremely hot vent water and cold ocean water.
No
Archean eon.
Droplets that form spontaneously from the association of charged polymers. Enzymes trapped inside can perform primitive metabolic functions.

32. Around when did multicellular eukaryotic organisms first appear?
1.5 billion years ago
Droplets that form spontaneously from the association of charged polymers. Enzymes trapped inside can perform primitive metabolic functions.
No
Biologically important molecules may have been formed in the temperature gradient between extremely hot vent water and cold ocean water.

33. What was the 3rd of the overlapping stages in the origin of life?
Preserved remains of past life on Earth
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
Polymers became enclosed in membranes

34. What is a Protobiont?
Genetic changes and/or Environmental changes
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.
RNA. It has the ability to store information - capacity for self-replication - and has enzymatic funciton in the form of ribozymes.

35. About how old is the solar system?
It is not possible because hydrolysis competes with polymerization.
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
Biologically important molecules may have been formed in the temperature gradient between extremely hot vent water and cold ocean water.

36. What was the 2nd of the overlapping stages in the origin of life?
Droplets that form spontaneously from the association of charged polymers. Enzymes trapped inside can perform primitive metabolic functions.
Biologically important molecules may have been formed in the temperature gradient between extremely hot vent water and cold ocean water.
No
Nucleotides and amino acids became polymerized to form DNA - RNA and proteins

37. What have experiments shown about prebiotic synthesis of polymers in aqueous solutions?
Genetic changes and/or Environmental changes
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.
It is not possible because hydrolysis competes with polymerization.

38. What was the 3rd of the overlapping stages in the origin of life?
Polymers became enclosed in membranes
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.
Droplets that form spontaneously from the association of charged polymers. Enzymes trapped inside can perform primitive metabolic functions.

39. Around when did prokaryotic 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.
3.8-3.5 billion years ago
4.55 billion years
No

40. 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.
Vesicles surrounded by a lipid layer. Clay can catalyze formation of liposomes that grow and divide. Liposomes can enclose RNA.
4.55 billion years
Individuals form a colony OR a single cell divides and stays stuck together.

41. Where could RNA polymerization have first occured if not in water?
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.
The building blocks of life on Earth arrived via meteors.
Nucleotides and amino acids were produced prior to the existence of cells

42. What are Liposomes?
4.6 billion years
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.
13.7 billion years

43. Name 4 characteristics of protobionts.
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).
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 enclosed in membranes acquired cellular properties.

44. What are fossils?
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.
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.

45. According to the seven characteristics of life - are viruses alive?
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.
No
4-3.5 billion years ago

46. What was the 4th of the overlapping stages in the origin 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.
Preserved remains of past life on Earth
4 billion years ago
Polymers enclosed in membranes acquired cellular properties.

47. What are two possible explanations for the origin of eukaryotes?
4.6 billion years
On clay.
Two prokaryotic cells living symbiotically and merging OR one prokaryote engulfing a smaller one in an endosymbiotic relationship (data supports this one).
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 was the 4th of the overlapping stages in the origin of life?
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 enclosed in membranes acquired cellular properties.
4.6 billion years

49. What are the seven characteristics of life?
Polymers became enclosed in membranes
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
It is not possible because hydrolysis competes with polymerization.

50. What was the deep-sea vent hypothesis?
Polymers enclosed in membranes acquired cellular properties.
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.
Two prokaryotic cells living symbiotically and merging OR one prokaryote engulfing a smaller one in an endosymbiotic relationship (data supports this one).