Earth's Formation and Early Life Quiz

The atmosphere billions of years ago contained little oxygen, and was rich in hydrogen-rich gases like hydrogen sulfide, ammonia, and methane.

An experiment aimed at recreating the early Earth's conditions in a lab. The experiment showed that organic molecules, the building blocks of life, could form spontaneously.

The theory that life arose from simple organic molecules accumulating in the early Earth's oceans.

The experiment's validity is questioned because the early atmosphere's lack of ozone protection would break down essential molecules from the atmosphere. Therefore, the experiment may have been inaccurate in its representation.

A theory proposing that life's building blocks may have formed inside bubbles on the ocean's surface. The bubbles protect the molecules.

The origin of life is estimated to be around 2.5 Billion Years Ago.

The Earth was formed approximately 4.5 billion years ago.

Early earth's atmosphere was largely devoid of oxygen but contained other gases, like hydrogen sulfide, methane, and ammonia.

Structures formed when organic molecules cluster in water.

Simple, single-celled organisms, including bacteria and archaea.

Single circular DNA molecule in the cytoplasm, not enclosed in a nucleus.

Method of cell division in prokaryotes.

Cells with a nucleus and other membrane-bound organelles.

Prokaryotic cells are much smaller than eukaryotic cells.

Eukaryotic cells have internal compartments (organelles), Prokaryotic cells do not.

Prokaryotes cycle minerals, create oxygen, and cause diseases.

A single protein fiber that spins like a propeller, used for movement in prokaryotes.

More complex than prokaryotic flagella, with a 9+2 arrangement of microtubules.

Bacteria come in rod (bacilli), spherical (cocci), and spiral (spirilla) shapes, and some aggregate into filaments or stalked structures.

The primary component of bacterial cell walls.

Bacteria with a thin cell wall surrounded by an outer membrane, resistant to Gram stain.

Bacteria without an outer membrane, with a thicker cell wall, that takes up the Gram stain.

Long protein strands used for bacterial movement.

Shorter strands used by bacteria to dock with other cells.

Likely originated from bats in Asia, similar to SARS, with a high similarity (96.1%) to a bat virus RNA genome.

A virus infecting bacteria, attaching to its surface and injecting its DNA to replicate within the cell, causing the cell to burst and release new viruses.

Animal viruses enter cells by fusion with the membrane (membrane fusion) or by being engulfed (endocytosis).

Protists are eukaryotes with diverse appearances and modes of movement (cilia, flagella, pseudopods, gliding).

Some protists form protective cysts to survive harsh conditions.

Protist cell surfaces may include cell membranes, walls, or glass shells.

Animal viruses replicate their genetic material (DNA or RNA) in the cytoplasm, assemble new viruses, and exit by bursting through the cell membrane.

Animal cells have surface markers which animal viruses utilize to attach and infect. Viruses have matching spikes.

Protists use all methods of nutrition except chemoautotrophy. They can be phototrophs (photosynthetic), phagotrophs (ingesting particles), or osmotrophs (ingesting soluble food).

Fungi cannot produce their own food, they obtain energy from other organisms.

Protists primarily reproduce asexually (like fission and budding), but can also reproduce sexually during stress.

Fungi are composed of hyphae, which form a mass called a mycelium.

Slender filaments that make up a fungus.

Multicellular protists, like some algae, allow cells to specialize and coordinate activities.

Fungi digest food externally, secreting enzymes and absorbing the products.

Protists are very diverse, with hundreds of thousands of different types, including unicellular, colonial, and multicellular forms.

Although considered a kingdom, the protist kingdom is an artificial grouping, as protists are diverse organisms with different evolutionary origins.

Reproduction by producing spores.

Reproduction of two hyphae combining to create a new fungus.

Some protists can cause diseases in humans, like malaria.

Many protists have industrial applications, beyond medicine or food.

Fungi lack chlorophyll and cell walls made of chitin, unlike plants.

Dormant forms with a resistant outer covering, minimizing cell metabolism.

The network of hyphae that make up the entire body of a fungi.

Early earth's atmosphere lacked oxygen but contained gases like hydrogen sulfide, ammonia, and methane.

Replicated early Earth conditions in a lab, creating organic molecules.

Life arose from organic molecules forming in early Earth's oceans.

Life's building blocks may have formed in bubbles on the ocean's surface, shielded from harmful UV radiation.

Life arose approximately 2.5 billion years ago.

Earth was formed about 4.5 billion years ago.

The experiment's validity is questioned due to the lack of ozone protection in early Earth's atmosphere, which would have broken down organic molecules.

The early Earth's atmosphere primarily lacked oxygen but was rich in gases like hydrogen sulfide, ammonia, and methane.

A type of asexual reproduction where a single-celled organism divides into two identical organisms.

A single protein fiber that spins like a propeller, used for movement in prokaryotes.

More complex structures with a 9 + 2 arrangement of microtubules used for movement in eukaryotes.

Bacteria can be rod-shaped (bacilli), spherical (cocci), or spiral (spirilla), or aggregate in filaments or stalked structures.

The primary component of bacterial cell walls.

Bacteria with a thin cell wall surrounded by an outer membrane, resistant to Gram stain.

Bacteria without an outer membrane, with a thicker cell wall, that takes up the Gram stain.

Long protein strands used for movement in bacteria.

A method of cell division in prokaryotes where the cell replicates its DNA and then divides into two identical daughter cells.

A process in bacteria where genetic material is exchanged through a connection called a conjugation bridge.

A parasitic chemical (segment of DNA/RNA) encased in a protein coat (capsid).

A virus that arises in one species and spreads to another, causing a new disease.

A virus that emerged in China in late 2019, rapidly spreading globally and causing a pandemic. Primarily affects the respiratory system.

The protein coat surrounding a virus's genetic material (DNA or RNA).

The process by which a virus takes over a host cell to make more viruses

A highly lethal virus that has caused substantial disease in human history.

Dormant forms of protists with a resistant outer covering, allowing cells to survive harsh conditions.

Protists use all methods of nutrition except chemoautotrophy, including photosynthesis (phototrophs), consuming visible particles (phagotrophs), or absorbing soluble organic matter (osmotrophs).

Protists predominantly reproduce asexually, like fission and budding, but often reproduce sexually during stressful conditions.

Multicellular protists enable cell specialization and coordinated activities allowing for greater complexity.

Protists encompass a vast array of unicellular, colonial, and multicellular forms.

The protist kingdom is an artificial grouping of organisms, as they have diverse evolutionary origins.

Some protists cause human diseases, such as malaria.

Many protists have various industrial applications, besides medical or food uses.

Fungi cannot produce their own food; they obtain energy by consuming other organisms.

Fungi consist primarily of hyphae, which are slender filaments that form a network called a mycelium.

Slender filaments that make up the body of a fungus.

Fungi digest food externally by secreting enzymes and absorbing the resulting nutrients.

A mass of intertwined hyphae.

Reproduction in fungi that involves the creation of spores.

Reproduction involves hyphae of two mating types coming together.

Fungi lack chlorophyll and have cell walls made of chitin, unlike plants.

Fungi are a major group of organisms in the biosphere that break down dead organic matter, together with bacteria.

Fungi whose sexual reproduction hasn't been observed.

Fungal associations with plant roots, that improve nutrient absorption.

Fungi form both parasitic and mutualistic relationships with other organisms.

Fungi have many commercial applications, like making bread, alcohol, and flavoring cheese.