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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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1. What was the 2nd of the overlapping stages in the origin of life?
Polymers enclosed in membranes acquired cellular properties.
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
Vesicles surrounded by a lipid layer. Clay can catalyze formation of liposomes that grow and divide. Liposomes can enclose RNA.

2. 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.
4.55 billion years
4.6 billion years
1.5 billion years ago

3. Changes in living organisms are the result of what?
Genetic changes and/or Environmental changes
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
No

4. According to the seven characteristics of life - are viruses alive?
No
Archean eon.
4-3.5 billion years ago
The building blocks of life on Earth arrived via meteors.

5. What was the 1st 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.
Cells and organization - energy use and metabolism - response to environmental changes - regulation and homeostasis - growth and development - reproduction - biological evolution
Nucleotides and amino acids were produced prior to the existence of cells
No

6. Where could RNA polymerization have first occured if not in water?
On clay.
Archean eon.
4 billion years ago
Genetic changes and/or Environmental changes

7. Around when did multicellular eukaryotic organisms first appear?
Biologically important molecules may have been formed in the temperature gradient between extremely hot vent water and cold ocean water.
One of the RNA molecules mutates and has enzymatic ability to attach nucleotides together. A second mutation produces enzymatic ability to synthesize nucleotides.
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

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

9. What was the reducing atmosphere hypothesis?
Archean eon.
Individuals form a colony OR a single cell divides and stays stuck together.
4-3.5 billion years ago
Atmospheric water vapor - methane - hydrogen - and ammonia catalyzed by lightning formed precursor molecules. This was tested in the Miller/Urey experiment.

10. 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.
Atmospheric water vapor - methane - hydrogen - and ammonia catalyzed by lightning formed precursor molecules. This was tested in the Miller/Urey experiment.
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.

11. About how old is the universe?
13.7 billion years
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.
Preserved remains of past life on Earth

12. About how long ago did life first appear?
Genetic changes and/or Environmental changes
Archean eon.
Droplets that form spontaneously from the association of charged polymers. Enzymes trapped inside can perform primitive metabolic functions.
4-3.5 billion years ago

13. What was the first macromolecule of protobionts?
It is not possible because hydrolysis competes with polymerization.
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.
1.5 billion years ago

14. About how old is the universe?
13.7 billion years
The building blocks of life on Earth arrived via meteors.
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.

15. About how long ago did life first appear?
4-3.5 billion years ago
Atmospheric water vapor - methane - hydrogen - and ammonia catalyzed by lightning formed precursor molecules. This was tested in the Miller/Urey experiment.
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.

16. About how old is the solar system?
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.
4.6 billion years
Biologically important molecules may have been formed in the temperature gradient between extremely hot vent water and cold ocean water.

17. What are three advantages multicellularity provides for eukaryotes?
4.55 billion years
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
Archean eon.

18. What are three advantages multicellularity provides for eukaryotes?
It is not possible because hydrolysis competes with polymerization.
3.8-3.5 billion years ago
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.

19. What have experiments shown about prebiotic synthesis of polymers in aqueous solutions?
Polymers became enclosed in membranes
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.
It is not possible because hydrolysis competes with polymerization.
Droplets that form spontaneously from the association of charged polymers. Enzymes trapped inside can perform primitive metabolic functions.

20. What are fossils?
Metabolism and other cellular functions. Proteins have a greater catalytic potential and efficiency. Proteins can perform other tasks - cytoskeleton - transport - etc.
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.
Archean eon.

21. What are fossils?
Archean eon.
3.8-3.5 billion years ago
The building blocks of life on Earth arrived via meteors.
Preserved remains of past life on Earth

22. 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.
Polymers enclosed in membranes acquired cellular properties.
Preserved remains of past life on Earth
2.5-2.0 billion years ago

23. What are the seven characteristics of life?
Cells and organization - energy use and metabolism - response to environmental changes - regulation and homeostasis - growth and development - reproduction - biological evolution
Archean eon.
Polymers became enclosed in membranes
The building blocks of life on Earth arrived via meteors.

24. What are Coacervates?
Cells and organization - energy use and metabolism - response to environmental changes - regulation and homeostasis - growth and development - reproduction - biological evolution
Droplets that form spontaneously from the association of charged polymers. Enzymes trapped inside can perform primitive metabolic functions.
RNA. It has the ability to store information - capacity for self-replication - and has enzymatic funciton in the form of ribozymes.
2.5-2.0 billion years ago

25. 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.
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.
4.6 billion years

26. About how old is the earth?
4-3.5 billion years ago
Preserved remains of past life on Earth
4 billion years ago
4.55 billion years

27. Changes in living organisms are the result of what?
Genetic changes and/or Environmental changes
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
Polymers became enclosed in membranes

28. About how old is the solar system?
Cells and organization - energy use and metabolism - response to environmental changes - regulation and homeostasis - growth and development - reproduction - biological evolution
No
4-3.5 billion years ago
4.6 billion years

29. Around when did eukaryotic organisms first appear?
2.5-2.0 billion years ago
Archean eon.
1.5 billion years ago
4.6 billion years

30. 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.
Atmospheric water vapor - methane - hydrogen - and ammonia catalyzed by lightning formed precursor molecules. This was tested in the Miller/Urey experiment.
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

31. What was the 4th of the overlapping stages in the origin of life?
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.
Polymers enclosed in membranes acquired cellular properties.
RNA. It has the ability to store information - capacity for self-replication - and has enzymatic funciton in the form of ribozymes.
Cell specialization (e.g. - somatic and reproductive cells) - bigger (e.g. - to avoid predation) - more efficient at utilizing resources.

32. What are Liposomes?
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.
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.
Preserved remains of past life on Earth

33. 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
It is not possible because hydrolysis competes with polymerization.
Biologically important molecules may have been formed in the temperature gradient between extremely hot vent water and cold ocean water.
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.

34. What are Liposomes?
Vesicles surrounded by a lipid layer. Clay can catalyze formation of liposomes that grow and divide. Liposomes can enclose RNA.
One of the RNA molecules mutates and has enzymatic ability to attach nucleotides together. A second mutation produces enzymatic ability to synthesize nucleotides.
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.

35. Around when did multicellular eukaryotic organisms first appear?
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.
One of the RNA molecules mutates and has enzymatic ability to attach nucleotides together. A second mutation produces enzymatic ability to synthesize nucleotides.
Cells and organization - energy use and metabolism - response to environmental changes - regulation and homeostasis - growth and development - reproduction - biological evolution

36. Where could RNA polymerization have first occured if not in water?
One of the RNA molecules mutates and has enzymatic ability to attach nucleotides together. A second mutation produces enzymatic ability to synthesize nucleotides.
No
On clay.
3.8-3.5 billion years ago

37. What are Coacervates?
Droplets that form spontaneously from the association of charged polymers. Enzymes trapped inside can perform primitive metabolic functions.
4 billion years ago
2.5-2.0 billion years ago
13.7 billion years

38. What are two possible explanations for the origin of multicellularity?
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.
Nucleotides and amino acids were produced prior to the existence of cells
3.8-3.5 billion years ago

39. Around when did prokaryotic organisms 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.
3.8-3.5 billion years ago
The building blocks of life on Earth arrived via meteors.
Genetic changes and/or Environmental changes

40. About how old is the 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.
4.55 billion years
Preserved remains of past life on Earth
3.8-3.5 billion years ago

41. What is the hypothetical RNA chemical selection scenario?
Polymers enclosed in membranes acquired cellular properties.
RNA. It has the ability to store information - capacity for self-replication - and has enzymatic funciton in the form of ribozymes.
One of the RNA molecules mutates and has enzymatic ability to attach nucleotides together. A second mutation produces enzymatic ability to synthesize nucleotides.
Metabolism and other cellular functions. Proteins have a greater catalytic potential and efficiency. Proteins can perform other tasks - cytoskeleton - transport - etc.

42. What are two possible explanations for the origin of eukaryotes?
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.
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.

43. What is a Protobiont?
Polymers became enclosed in membranes
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.
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.

44. What was the 3rd of the overlapping stages in the origin of life?
Polymers became enclosed in membranes
Biologically important molecules may have been formed in the temperature gradient between extremely hot vent water and cold ocean 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.
No

45. What are the seven characteristics of life?
It is not possible because hydrolysis competes with polymerization.
Nucleotides and amino acids became polymerized to form DNA - RNA and proteins
Polymers enclosed in membranes acquired cellular properties.
Cells and organization - energy use and metabolism - response to environmental changes - regulation and homeostasis - growth and development - reproduction - biological evolution

46. 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.
On clay.
Nucleotides and amino acids were produced prior to the existence of cells
One of the RNA molecules mutates and has enzymatic ability to attach nucleotides together. A second mutation produces enzymatic ability to synthesize nucleotides.

47. What was the extraterrestrial/Panspermia hypothesis?
4.6 billion years
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).
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 is chemical selection?
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.
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.
1.5 billion years ago

49. What is the hypothetical RNA chemical selection scenario?
Polymers became enclosed in membranes
Preserved remains of past life on Earth
One of the RNA molecules mutates and has enzymatic ability to attach nucleotides together. A second mutation produces enzymatic ability to synthesize nucleotides.
Biologically important molecules may have been formed in the temperature gradient between extremely hot vent water and cold ocean water.

50. What is the advantage of proteins over RNA?
Polymers became enclosed in membranes
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.
Nucleotides and amino acids became polymerized to form DNA - RNA and proteins