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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.
4.55 billion years
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.

2. What was the extraterrestrial/Panspermia hypothesis?
Polymers enclosed in membranes acquired cellular properties.
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
13.7 billion years

3. Around when did multicellular eukaryotic organisms first appear?
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.
Nucleotides and amino acids became polymerized to form DNA - RNA and proteins
1.5 billion years ago
13.7 billion years

4. Around when did prokaryotic organisms first appear?
Nucleotides and amino acids became polymerized to form DNA - RNA and proteins
13.7 billion years
On clay.
3.8-3.5 billion years ago

5. What was the 1st of the overlapping stages in the origin of life?
Preserved remains of past life on Earth
Biologically important molecules may have been formed in the temperature gradient between extremely hot vent water and cold ocean water.
Nucleotides and amino acids were produced prior to the existence of cells
13.7 billion years

6. Prokaryotic life arose during what eon?
Two prokaryotic cells living symbiotically and merging OR one prokaryote engulfing a smaller one in an endosymbiotic relationship (data supports this one).
3.8-3.5 billion years ago
On clay.
Archean eon.

7. What have experiments shown about prebiotic synthesis of polymers in aqueous solutions?
On clay.
4.6 billion years
Preserved remains of past life on Earth
It is not possible because hydrolysis competes with polymerization.

8. What are fossils?
4.55 billion years
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

9. What is the hypothetical RNA chemical selection scenario?
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.
Archean eon.
One of the RNA molecules mutates and has enzymatic ability to attach nucleotides together. A second mutation produces enzymatic ability to synthesize nucleotides.

10. What are Coacervates?
Droplets that form spontaneously from the association of charged polymers. Enzymes trapped inside can perform primitive metabolic functions.
Metabolism and other cellular functions. Proteins have a greater catalytic potential and efficiency. Proteins can perform other tasks - cytoskeleton - transport - etc.
On clay.
Biologically important molecules may have been formed in the temperature gradient between extremely hot vent water and cold ocean water.

11. 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).
Cells and organization - energy use and metabolism - response to environmental changes - regulation and homeostasis - growth and development - reproduction - biological evolution
4.6 billion years
It is not possible because hydrolysis competes with polymerization.

12. About how long ago did life first appear?
Polymers enclosed in membranes acquired cellular properties.
Polymers became enclosed in membranes
4-3.5 billion years ago
4 billion years ago

13. About how old is the earth?
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.
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.

14. What is a Protobiont?
On clay.
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.
4-3.5 billion years ago

15. What was the extraterrestrial/Panspermia hypothesis?
The building blocks of life on Earth arrived via meteors.
Atmospheric water vapor - methane - hydrogen - and ammonia catalyzed by lightning formed precursor molecules. This was tested in the Miller/Urey experiment.
Nucleotides and amino acids were produced prior to the existence of cells
2.5-2.0 billion years ago

16. What is the advantage of proteins over RNA?
Genetic changes and/or Environmental changes
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.
Metabolism and other cellular functions. Proteins have a greater catalytic potential and efficiency. Proteins can perform other tasks - cytoskeleton - transport - etc.

17. What was the first macromolecule of protobionts?
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.
Vesicles surrounded by a lipid layer. Clay can catalyze formation of liposomes that grow and divide. Liposomes can enclose RNA.
Nucleotides and amino acids were produced prior to the existence of cells

18. What is the advantage of DNA over RNA?
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.
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 became polymerized to form DNA - RNA and proteins

19. About how old is the solar system?
4 billion years ago
4.6 billion years
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.

20. About how long ago did life first appear?
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.
Two prokaryotic cells living symbiotically and merging OR one prokaryote engulfing a smaller one in an endosymbiotic relationship (data supports this one).
4-3.5 billion years ago
Nucleotides and amino acids were produced prior to the existence of cells

21. Where could RNA polymerization have first occured if not in water?
On clay.
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.
Cell specialization (e.g. - somatic and reproductive cells) - bigger (e.g. - to avoid predation) - more efficient at utilizing resources.

22. What is the hypothetical RNA chemical selection scenario?
Droplets that form spontaneously from the association of charged polymers. Enzymes trapped inside can perform primitive metabolic functions.
It is not possible because hydrolysis competes with polymerization.
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.

23. Name 4 characteristics of protobionts.
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.
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.
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.

24. What are Liposomes?
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.
13.7 billion years
Nucleotides and amino acids were produced prior to the existence of cells

25. About how long ago did the earth's crust cool?
On clay.
2.5-2.0 billion years ago
4 billion years ago
Nucleotides and amino acids were produced prior to the existence of cells

26. 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.
3.8-3.5 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.
On clay.

27. What are three advantages multicellularity provides for eukaryotes?
No
Individuals form a colony OR a single cell divides and stays stuck together.
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.

28. Around when did prokaryotic organisms first appear?
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.
3.8-3.5 billion years ago
1.5 billion years ago

29. What was the deep-sea vent hypothesis?
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.
Individuals form a colony OR a single cell divides and stays stuck together.
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.

30. What was the 2nd of the overlapping stages in the origin of life?
On clay.
Two prokaryotic cells living symbiotically and merging OR one prokaryote engulfing a smaller one in an endosymbiotic relationship (data supports this one).
Nucleotides and amino acids became polymerized to form DNA - RNA and proteins
Preserved remains of past life on Earth

31. What are Liposomes?
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
RNA. It has the ability to store information - capacity for self-replication - and has enzymatic funciton in the form of ribozymes.
Polymers enclosed in membranes acquired cellular properties.

32. Around when did eukaryotic organisms first appear?
Genetic changes and/or Environmental changes
Polymers enclosed in membranes acquired cellular properties.
2.5-2.0 billion years ago
The building blocks of life on Earth arrived via meteors.

33. About how old is the universe?
Two prokaryotic cells living symbiotically and merging OR one prokaryote engulfing a smaller one in an endosymbiotic relationship (data supports this one).
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.
13.7 billion years

34. About how old is the earth?
4.55 billion years
Nucleotides and amino acids were produced prior to the existence of cells
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.

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

36. What are two possible explanations for the origin of multicellularity?
4.6 billion years
4-3.5 billion years ago
Individuals form a colony OR a single cell divides and stays stuck together.
4 billion years ago

37. What is a Protobiont?
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.
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.

38. What is the advantage of proteins over RNA?
4.6 billion years
Archean eon.
Metabolism and other cellular functions. Proteins have a greater catalytic potential and efficiency. Proteins can perform other tasks - cytoskeleton - transport - etc.
4.6 billion years

39. What are Coacervates?
Genetic changes and/or Environmental changes
Droplets that form spontaneously from the association of charged polymers. Enzymes trapped inside can perform primitive metabolic functions.
Nucleotides and amino acids became polymerized to form DNA - RNA and proteins
Cells and organization - energy use and metabolism - response to environmental changes - regulation and homeostasis - growth and development - reproduction - biological evolution

40. What is chemical selection?
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.
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.
Droplets that form spontaneously from the association of charged polymers. Enzymes trapped inside can perform primitive metabolic functions.

41. According to the seven characteristics of life - are viruses alive?
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.
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.
No
Biologically important molecules may have been formed in the temperature gradient between extremely hot vent water and cold ocean water.

42. Around when did multicellular eukaryotic organisms first appear?
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.
1.5 billion years ago
3.8-3.5 billion years ago

43. What was the reducing atmosphere hypothesis?
One of the RNA molecules mutates and has enzymatic ability to attach nucleotides together. A second mutation produces enzymatic ability to synthesize nucleotides.
4 billion years ago
Nucleotides and amino acids became polymerized to form DNA - RNA and proteins
Atmospheric water vapor - methane - hydrogen - and ammonia catalyzed by lightning formed precursor molecules. This was tested in the Miller/Urey experiment.

44. What are fossils?
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.
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
13.7 billion years

45. 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).
Biologically important molecules may have been formed in the temperature gradient between extremely hot vent water and cold ocean water.
4.6 billion years
Atmospheric water vapor - methane - hydrogen - and ammonia catalyzed by lightning formed precursor molecules. This was tested in the Miller/Urey experiment.

46. What are the seven characteristics of life?
Nucleotides and amino acids were produced prior to the existence of cells
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
4-3.5 billion years ago

47. Name 4 characteristics of protobionts.
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
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.

48. 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
Preserved remains of past life on Earth
Atmospheric water vapor - methane - hydrogen - and ammonia catalyzed by lightning formed precursor molecules. This was tested in the Miller/Urey experiment.
4 billion years ago

49. What are two possible explanations for the origin of multicellularity?
Metabolism and other cellular functions. Proteins have a greater catalytic potential and efficiency. Proteins can perform other tasks - cytoskeleton - transport - etc.
1.5 billion years ago
Individuals form a colony OR a single cell divides and stays stuck together.
The building blocks of life on Earth arrived via meteors.

50. Prokaryotic life arose during what eon?
3.8-3.5 billion years ago
Preserved remains of past life on Earth
Archean eon.
Nucleotides and amino acids became polymerized to form DNA - RNA and proteins