Origin of Life and Miller-Urey Experiment

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Questions and Answers

What is primarily produced by chemosynthetic organisms during their metabolic processes?

Hydrogen

Nitrogen

Oxygen

Sulfur (correct)

Which of the following locations is debated to have ancient bacteria?

Mars (correct)

Black Smokers

Europa

Titan

What process do microbes in vent ecosystems use to obtain extra energy?

Chemosynthesis (correct)

Fermentation

Photosynthesis

Aerobic Respiration

Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of white smokers?

Superheated water Signup and view all the answers

What are larger animals in vent ecosystems primarily dependent on for energy?

Chemosynthetic microbes Signup and view all the answers

Which compound is one of the organic molecules found in space?

Glycolaldehyde Signup and view all the answers

What did the Miller-Urey experiment demonstrate?

Chemicals can combine with energy to create amino acids Signup and view all the answers

Which moon is noted for having a thick, extended atmosphere that resembles young Earth?

Titan Signup and view all the answers

What significant event occurred during the Silurian Period?

Colonization of land by millipedes and plants Signup and view all the answers

Which theory explains the formation of relationships between prokaryotic bacteria and other cell types?

Endosymbiotic Theory Signup and view all the answers

In which period did the first mammals evolve?

Triassic Period Signup and view all the answers

What was a significant change in Earth’s climate during the Cryptozoic / Precambrian era?

Warming and acid rain Signup and view all the answers

What geological formation occurred during the Permian Period?

Formation of Pangaea Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following organisms dominated the Jurassic Period?

Dinosaurs Signup and view all the answers

What key event is associated with the Archaean Eon?

First life forms being prokaryotes Signup and view all the answers

Which period is characterized by rich deposits of coral and winged insects?

Carboniferous Period Signup and view all the answers

What percentage of solar radiation is absorbed by the land and oceans?

⅔ Signup and view all the answers

What is the role of natural greenhouse gases in the atmosphere?

They trap infrared radiation, warming the atmosphere. Signup and view all the answers

Which atmospheric circulation cell is responsible for warm air converging at the equator and creating a low pressure belt?

Hadley Cell Signup and view all the answers

What phenomenon causes moving objects to be shifted to the right in the northern hemisphere and to the left in the southern hemisphere?

Coriolis Force Signup and view all the answers

What drives deep ocean currents?

Density and temperature differences Signup and view all the answers

What combination of conditions did Oparin and Haldane propose as essential for the origin of life?

Low Oxygen + Methane and Ammonia Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following describes ichnofossils?

Signs of activity such as footsteps Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of Eubacteria?

Presence of nuclear membranes Signup and view all the answers

During which geological period did marine invertebrates dominate?

Paleozoic Era Signup and view all the answers

What significant event is noted to have occurred between 650 to 543 million years ago?

The Vendian Revolution Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following organisms can be classified as a living fossil?

Coelacanth Signup and view all the answers

Which statement about the Phanerozoic Eon is accurate?

It includes the Cambrian Period. Signup and view all the answers

What environmental conditions facilitated the rise of free oxygen in Earth's atmosphere?

The depletion of free iron and increase in photosynthesis Signup and view all the answers

What geological event is associated with the largest volcanic eruption in the Late Paleozoic period?

Siberian Traps Signup and view all the answers

How did climate change impact the supercontinents during the Late Paleozoic?

Resulted in a hot, dry interior Signup and view all the answers

What is one effect of bolide impacts on Earth’s environment?

Dust in the atmosphere blocking sunlight Signup and view all the answers

Which cycle is associated with cooling during the Paleozoic climate changes?

Milankovitch Cycles Signup and view all the answers

What major factor influences climate change according to the Plate Tectonics theory?

Position of continents Signup and view all the answers

What significant geological evidence supports the story of Noah’s Ark?

Rising sea levels of the Black Sea Signup and view all the answers

What is a common characteristic of tektites formed from meteorite impacts?

They contain abundant quartz grains Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following was NOT a potential cause of extinction during the Late Paleozoic?

Rise of human civilization Signup and view all the answers

What primarily differentiates the Pleistocene extinctions from other mass extinctions like K-T and P-T?

It mostly affected large mammals. Signup and view all the answers

What significant change has been observed in global surface temperatures recently?

They have shown an overall increase. Signup and view all the answers

Which atmospheric condition is considered 'normal' in the equatorial Pacific?

Higher air pressure than the eastern Pacific. Signup and view all the answers

What is one of the causes of contemporary atmospheric trends?

Greenhouse warming due to increased CO2. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following describes the ENSO (El Niño) phenomenon?

Involves a warm pool of water moving eastward. Signup and view all the answers

What change has been observed in glacial ice volume in recent years?

Decreasing glacial ice volume. Signup and view all the answers

What has been the trend in sea levels over the last century?

Sea levels have increased by 10-25 cm. Signup and view all the answers

What is a characteristic of the ENSO cool phase (La Niña)?

Increased pressure differences. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Origin of Life

Hydrothermal Vents: Seafloor geysers spewing hot, mineral-rich water support diverse organisms. Form along mid-ocean ridges; discovered 30 years ago, but exist 3.5-4 billion years.
Vent Ecosystem: Microbes use chemosynthesis to extract energy from heat, methane, and sulfur, forming ecosystems beneath seafloor. Chemosynthesis creates sulfur as byproduct.
Chemosynthetic Organisms: Combine vent chemicals and oxygen to create food. They don't rely on sunlight for photosynthesis.
Primordial Soup: Life began as a soup in lakes or ponds 4 billion years ago.

Miller-Urey Experiment

Experiment: Vapor, condensing column, and power supply produce a spark. This converted water into a muddy brown liquid with amino acids.
Problem: Amino acids need to become protein. Early atmosphere composition differed from that used by Urey and Miller.

Life from Space

Panspermia: Theory that life originated outside Earth and was brought to planets by comets.
Comets: May have supplied raw materials for life.
Space: Organic molecules (e.g., water, ethyl alcohol, glycolaldehyde) exist in space.

Earth History

4.6 Billion years: Formation of Earth.
3.9 Billion years: Water formed.
3.5-3.8 Billion years: Life appeared.

Geologic Time

Phanerozoic Eon: 540 million years ago to present; marked by the appearance of macroscopic life.
Paleozoic Era (540-245 Ma): Dominance of marine invertebrates; plants and animals colonize land.
- Cambrian, Ordovician, Silurian, Devonian, Carboniferous, Permian periods.
Mesozoic Era (245-65 Ma): Dominance of reptiles and dinosaurs; splitting of Pangaea.
- Triassic, Jurassic, Cretaceous periods.
Cenozoic Era (65 Ma to Present): Man as agent of extinction; flowering plants and mammals flourish.

Extinctions

Extinction rule: Extinctions are common throughout Earth history.
Volcanism: Flood basalt and acid rain cause climate change, leading to extinctions. Siberian Traps are an example.
Climate Change: Warming and cooling periods impact life dramatically.
Asteroid Impact: A large asteroid impact and the resulting climate change triggers mass extinctions.
Other causes: Overkill by humans (hunting to extinction), degradation of environments and pollutants.

Climate Change

Greenhouse Effect: Increase in atmospheric CO₂ due to industrialization and burning of fossil fuels. Land use changes also play a role.
Greenhouse Gases: Trap infrared radiation, raising global temperatures.
Climate variability: Major climate changes (e.g., El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO)).
Earth Heat Redistribution: Hadley cells, Ferrel cells, Global surface currents.
Ocean currents: Deep ocean currents are driven by differences in water density.

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Description

Explore the fascinating theories behind the origin of life, including hydrothermal vents and the Miller-Urey experiment. Delve into the concepts of chemosynthesis, primordial soup, and the panspermia theory. This quiz will test your understanding of how life may have begun on Earth and beyond.