Earth Systems: Early Origins Quiz
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Questions and Answers

What did Urey and Miller's experiment attempt to recreate?

  • Ocean floor ridges
  • Conditions of early Earth's atmosphere (correct)
  • The chemical composition of meteorites
  • Life forms from outer space

    • What was one of the primary energy sources used in Urey and Miller's experiment?

  • Solar radiation
  • Electrical sparks (correct)
  • Chemical reactions
  • Geothermal heat

    • What significant color change occurred in the liquid trap after a week in the Urey-Miller experiment?

  • Clear to green
  • Brown to black
  • Pink to deep red (correct)
  • Blue to yellow

    • Which of the following substances were used in Urey and Miller's experiment to simulate early Earth's atmosphere?

    <p>Ammonia, methane, hydrogen, and water</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How did the Urey and Miller experiment contribute to the understanding of organic molecules?

    <p>It synthesized amino acids and life's building blocks.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What role do hydrothermal vents play in the origin of organic molecules?

    <p>They deliver heated metal-rich water essential for molecule synthesis.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does the presence of amino acids in the Urey-Miller experiment suggest about early Earth?

    <p>Earth's early atmosphere had the ability to produce organic compounds.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which celestial bodies are indicated as possible sources of organic molecules on Earth?

    <p>Meteorites and comets</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What percentage of the Earth's atmosphere is composed of nitrogen?

    <p>78%</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which mineral is associated with the oxidation process caused by oxygen in the early Earth's oceans?

    <p>Hematite</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What role did cyanobacteria play in the early atmosphere of Earth?

    <p>They released oxygen as a waste product.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the significance of Banded Iron Formations (BIFs) in geological history?

    <p>They signify the transition from a ferrous to a ferric state in iron due to oxygen.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which source is believed to have contributed most significantly to the water in Earth's oceans?

    <p>Asteroids</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How did water likely get released from the asteroids that contributed to Earth's oceans?

    <p>Via impact collisions with Earth</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Before oxygen entered the atmosphere, what state was iron present in the Earth's oceans primarily?

    <p>Ferrous (Fe2+)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What color did continental sedimentary rocks display before the presence of atmospheric oxygen?

    <p>Green, signaling ferrous iron</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary role of enzymes in DNA replication?

    <p>They facilitate the process of DNA replication.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which molecule is suggested to have preceded DNA in early cellular processes?

    <p>RNA</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What key difference exists between DNA and RNA regarding their structural formation?

    <p>DNA is double helical, while RNA is single-stranded.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following bases is found in RNA but not in DNA?

    <p>Uracil</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a significant feature of RNA that aids in its replication?

    <p>It can replicate itself without specialized enzymes.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Why is the emergence of cell membranes considered crucial for the evolution of life?

    <p>They separate molecules from the external environment.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What concept does the RNA world hypothesis propose about early life forms?

    <p>RNA molecules were the first to undergo evolution.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which process, demonstrated by RNA, resembles metabolism?

    <p>Self-replication</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What are the four major interacting systems of the Earth?

    <p>Hydrosphere, Biosphere, Atmosphere, and Geosphere</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following statements is true regarding the Acasta Gneiss?

    <p>It is located 350km north of Yellowknife, NWT, Canada.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary focus of Topic 3.1 in relation to the biosphere?

    <p>The emergence of life and its building blocks.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which system includes all living or once-living materials?

    <p>Biosphere</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How is the hydrosphere defined?

    <p>All water present on the planet, including oceans.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What event is explored in detail in Topic 3.1.1.1?

    <p>The first solid surface that formed on Earth.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What video is required for additional viewing in this topic?

    <p>RNA WORLD</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does the term 'Geosphere' refer to?

    <p>All solid materials from the surface to the core of the planet.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary characteristic that distinguishes on-axis vent systems from off-axis vent systems?

    <p>Presence of black smokers</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What temperature range do the hydrothermal vent fluids at mid-ocean ridges typically reach?

    <p>250 - 400°C</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which mineral causes the black color of the fluids released at hydrothermal vents?

    <p>Iron sulphide</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is one issue with the hypothesis that minerals from hydrothermal vents could catalyze the formation of organic molecules?

    <p>Created organics would remain bound to the catalysts</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How do the activities on ridge vent systems typically behave over time?

    <p>They tend to become dormant for extended periods</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What distinguishes off-axis vent systems in comparison to on-axis systems?

    <p>Location further from the active spreading ridge</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In the context of their mineral composition, what metal is NOT typically associated with hydrothermal vents?

    <p>Gold</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What might be a challenge for forming delicate organic molecules in the environment of hydrothermal vents?

    <p>High temperatures and acidity</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary function of membranes in cells?

    <p>To concentrate beneficial molecules for reactions</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What characteristic of fatty acids determines their arrangement in water?

    <p>Their hydrophilic and hydrophobic regions</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What structure do fatty acids spontaneously form when placed in water?

    <p>A bilayer</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of liposomes?

    <p>They are living cells</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Where did Darwin suggest life originated?

    <p>In a warm little pond rich in organic molecules</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What type of hydrothermal vent is associated with intriguing characteristics about the origins of life?

    <p>Off-axis alkaline vents</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What distinguishes the flow of fluid in off-axis hydrothermal vents from that in black smokers?

    <p>It moves more slowly through interconnected pores</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which component of cellular membranes has evolved sophisticated machinery for transport?

    <p>Protein channels</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Study Notes

    Early Origins of the Earth Systems

    • Topic 3.1 Rationale: To examine the origins and early history of the Geosphere, Atmosphere, Hydrosphere, and Biosphere.
    • Sample Quiz Questions: Available on Canvas (link provided). This quiz is for practice and doesn't count towards a grade.
    • 2024 Fall Final Exam Focus: Available on Canvas (link provided). This is a list of topics relevant for the final exam preparation.

    Learning Goals

    • By the end of the topic students should be able to: Explain the origins of the non-living biosphere, list possible scenarios for the development of organic molecules, define life and its common features, describe the formation of cell components, and describe possible Earth-based locations and mechanisms for life's origins.
    • Note: Learning Goals act as a guide to help understand main themes, not a rigid list of exam questions.

    Topic 3.1 Outline

    • 3.1.1 Origin of the Non-Living Earth Systems:

      • 3.1.1.1 The Geosphere:
        • The oldest crustal fragment is the Acasta Gneiss (4.04 billion years old).
        • Evidence of zircon crystals exists that are older than the Acasta Gneiss (4.4 billion years old).
        • Initiation of plate tectonics is estimated to have occurred between 800 million to 4 billion years ago.
        • Evidence of this comes from diamonds, which contain information about Earth's mantle composition that shifted roughly 3 billion years ago.
      • 3.1.1.2 The Atmosphere:
        • Early atmosphere composition: roughly 78.08% nitrogen, 20.95% oxygen, 0.93% argon, 0.04% carbon dioxide, and trace amounts of other gases. It differed from today's atmosphere.
        • Early atmosphere obtained from outgassing (emission of gases from Earth's interior), resembling current volcanic emissions.
        • Evidence suggests that oxygen entered the atmosphere around 2.3 billion years ago.
        • The current major components of Earth's atmosphere are primarily nitrogen and oxygen.
      • 3.1.1.3 The Hydrosphere:
        • Asteroids and comets likely delivered significant water to early Earth.
        • Volcanoes were a major contributor to Earth's water, through a process known as outgassing.

    • 3.1.2 The Biosphere:

      • 3.1.2.1 Common Features of Life:
        • Distinguishes living organisms from non-living matter, including characteristics like separation from the environment, growth, reproduction, functional activity, and evolution.
        • Life is an emergent property, with complex behaviours arising from interactions of simple components.
      • 3.1.2.2 Origin of Life's Building Blocks:
        • Carbon is the preferred element for life due to its versatility in forming complex molecules.
        • Potential sources of organic molecules include extraterrestrial (space) sources (e.g., meteorites, comets) and Earth-based sources (e.g., hydrothermal vents).
        • Urey-Miller experiment simulated early Earth's conditions, showing that organic molecules can form abiotically.
      • 3.1.2.3 From Building Blocks to Cells:
        • The RNA world hypothesis proposes that RNA, not DNA, was the initial information-carrying molecule in early life forms due to its ability to self-replicate.
        • Cell membranes were crucial for isolating and concentrating organic molecules, leading to protocells.
      • 3.1.2.4 Where Did Life Emerge?: - Focusses specifically on the potential role of alkaline vents in the emergence of life due to their high pH and stability over long periods. The environments surrounding these vents are crucial for the formation of organic molecules and sustaining a rich environment for the formation of the earliest lifeforms. - Proposes potential scenarios of chemical reactions that drove the emergence of life surrounding hydrothermal vents, emphasizing the importance of these features in the emergence of life. - Reviews evidence of the Last Universal Common Ancestor (LUCA).

    • 3.1.3 Summary: A summary of the essential concepts covered in the early origins of the Earth's major systems.

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    Unit 7 Topic 3.1 Early Origins PDF

    Description

    This quiz explores the origins and early history of Earth's systems, including the Geosphere, Atmosphere, Hydrosphere, and Biosphere. Students will review key concepts related to the development of organic molecules, the definition of life, and the formation of cell components, preparing them for the final exam.

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