Origin of Life on Earth Quiz
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Questions and Answers

Which of the following steps is NOT part of the process of life originating on Earth?

  • The packaging of these molecules into protocells
  • The creation of complex multicellular organisms (correct)
  • The polymerization of small molecules into macromolecules
  • The abiotic synthesis of small organic molecules

    • Stanley Miller’s experiment successfully synthesized amino acids from abiotically produced molecules.

    True

    What is the term used to describe a hypothetical set of conditions that led to the transition from the abiotic world to the biotic world?

    primordial soup

    Protocells are described as droplets with ______ that maintain an internal chemistry different from that of the environment.

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

    Match the following steps of life origin to their descriptions:

    <p>Abiotic synthesis = Formation of small organic molecules Polymerization = Formation of macromolecules from smaller units Protocell formation = Droplets maintaining distinct internal chemistry Origins of inheritance = Transmission of self-replicating molecules</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which element has been identified as a catalyst for the polymerization of RNA?

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

    Protocells are considered to be living organisms due to their genetic material.

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

    What phenomenon was used in Miller's experiment to mimic energy conditions on early Earth?

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

    Which of the following is NOT a property of life that can emerge from the abiotic world?

    <p>Respiration in eukaryotes</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Ribozymes can synthesize DNA molecules.

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

    What role do RNA molecules play in the hypothesis of the 'RNA world'?

    <p>RNA molecules can act as catalysts and replicate themselves.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The process through which the relative age of fossils is determined is known as __________.

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

    Match the following dating methods with their descriptions:

    <p>Biostratigraphy = Determines relative age of fossils Radiometric dating = Determines absolute age of rocks Faunal succession = Looks at specific sequences of flora and fauna Geological record = Documents the history of life on Earth</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following statements about the Tree of Life is true?

    <p>It uses fossil records to describe evolutionary relationships.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Natural selection can favor RNA molecules that self-replicate at a slower rate.

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

    Who was Mary Anning, and what is one of her contributions to paleontology?

    <p>Mary Anning was a 19th-century fossil collector known for her discoveries of marine fossils, such as the Plesiosaurus.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which method is used for determining the absolute age of magmatic rocks?

    <p>Radiometric dating</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Biostratigraphy is a method that provides precise and accurate dating of sedimentary rocks.

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

    What are excellent biomarkers for the chronological dating of sedimentary rocks?

    <p>Species with specific ecological requirements that lived for a short geological period.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Isotopes are elements with the same number of protons but a different number of ______.

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

    Match the dating methods with their correct descriptions:

    <p>Biostratigraphy = Determines relative age of sedimentary rocks Radiometric dating = Determines absolute age of magmatic rocks Faunal succession = Specific sequence of fossilized flora and fauna Biomarkers = Species with narrow ecological requirements for dating</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What type of rocks are not suitable for radiometric dating?

    <p>Sedimentary rocks</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Foraminifera are unicellular aquatic eukaryotes that are found exclusively in freshwater environments.

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

    What happens to the carbon uptake of an organism at the time of its death?

    <p>The organism no longer takes up any carbon from the environment.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What percentage of species went extinct during the Cretaceous-Paleogene period?

    <p>75%</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Endosymbiosis is believed to have occurred approximately 635 million years ago.

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

    What was the first major innovation in the fossil record?

    <p>First cells (prokaryotes)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The predicted number of species is greater than ______ million.

    <p>11.75</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Match the following innovations with their approximate time of occurrence:

    <p>First cells (prokaryotes) = 3,500 Mya Endosymbiosis (eukaryotes) = 635 Mya Sexual reproduction = 1,200 Mya Colonization of land = 1,800 Mya</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following statements about the Last Universal Common Ancestor (L.U.C.A) is correct?

    <p>All living organisms use L optical isomers of amino acids.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The number of described oceanic species is higher than 200,000.

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

    What does the term 'asymptote' refer to in the context of species numbers?

    <p>An apparent maximum</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following correctly describes a function of mitochondria?

    <p>Aerobic respiration</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The colonial hypothesis suggests that multicellularity arose from colonies of unicellular organisms that failed to separate.

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

    What is a key feature of organelles like mitochondria and plastids?

    <p>They possess circular DNA.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Cells from different species establishing a mutually beneficial association is known as __________.

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

    Match the following terms with their descriptions:

    <p>Colonial hypothesis = Cells fail to separate or separate and rejoin Symbiosis hypothesis = Cells from different species form a beneficial association Cyanobacteria = Photosynthetic bacteria Heterocyst = Nitrogen-fixing cells in certain cyanobacteria</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the estimated number of species within the Domain of Bacteria?

    <p>~700,000</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Escherichia coli is considered an extremophile.

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

    What type of organism is Pyrococcus furiosus known for being?

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

    The organism LUCA had ______ genes that were likely present in its DNA genome.

    <p>355</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Match the following domains with their characteristics:

    <p>Bacteria = Very diverse metabolism with photosynthetic capabilities Archaea = Includes extremophiles and methanogens Eukarya = Evolved from prokaryotes and contains a nucleus</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What type of environment did LUCA likely inhabit?

    <p>Deep-sea vents</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The Domain of Eukarya has over 11 million species estimated.

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

    Which process is PCR associated with in molecular biology?

    <p>DNA amplification</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Many Archaea are ______, meaning they can produce methane.

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

    Which organism is known for its rapid cell division under optimal conditions?

    <p>Escherichia coli</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which feature distinguishes Gnathostomes from Cyclostomes?

    <p>Jaws derived from gill arches</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Cyclostomes possess jaws.

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

    What is the significance of Hox gene duplication in vertebrate evolution?

    <p>It allows for more complex body plans.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The skeleton of Chondrichthyes is primarily made of ______.

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

    Match the following characteristics with their corresponding groups:

    <p>Cyclostomes = Jawless vertebrates with circular mouths Gnathostomes = Vertebrates with jaws Chondrichthyes = Cartilaginous fish with placoid scales Urochordates = Sea squirts and their larvae</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following features is characteristic of the phylum Cnidaria?

    <p>Radial symmetry</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Ecdysozoans undergo a process called ecdysis to grow.

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

    What type of symmetry do echinoderms exhibit?

    <p>Bilateral symmetry</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Protostome animals with a feeding structure known as a ______ have tentacles surrounding their mouths.

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

    Match the following groups of protostomes with their characteristics:

    <p>Ecdysozoa = Characterized by molting of the exoskeleton Lophotrochozoa = Possess a trochophore larva or a lophophore Arthropoda = Segmented body with exoskeleton made of chitin Platyhelminthes = Typically acoelomate and flat-bodied</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which organism is an example of a lophotrochozoan?

    <p>Dugesia subtentaculata</p> Signup and view all the answers

    All protostomes have a complete digestive tract.

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

    What is the primary function of the notochord in chordates?

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

    Which reproductive mode in Chondrichthyes involves the embryo feeding off the egg’s yolk before hatching in the uterus?

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

    All bony fish have lungs.

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

    What are the primary adaptations of Dipnoi (lungfish) to resist dryness?

    <p>Burrowing in mud and entering a state of torpor.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The group of vertebrates referred to as _______ includes species with four limbs and digits.

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

    Match the following groups of fish with their characteristics:

    <p>Chondrichthyes = Cartilaginous fish with internal fertilization Osteichthyes = Bony fish with a swim bladder Dipnoi = Lungfish with functional lungs Actinopterygii = Ray-finned fish with no internal skeleton</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following statements about lobed-finned bony fish (Sarcopterygii) is true?

    <p>They have an internal skeleton to which muscles attach.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Cyclostomes are considered homogenous to vertebrate teeth.

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

    What is the evolutionary significance of Acanthostega in understanding tetrapod evolution?

    <p>Acanthostega provides evidence for the transition from aquatic to terrestrial life with its four limbs.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a key characteristic of cyclostomes?

    <p>They are vertebrates without jaws.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Hox gene duplication is associated with a more complex body plan in vertebrates.

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

    What structural support system is formed by the vertebral column?

    <p>skeletal system</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The ______ of cyclostomes like lampreys allows them to be parasitic on fishes.

    <p>circular mouth</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Match the following features with their respective groups of vertebrates:

    <p>Cyclostomes = Jawless, circular mouth Gnathostomes = Possess jaws Chondrichthyes = Cartilaginous skeleton Lancelet = Non-vertebrate chordate</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following describes a characteristic of the phylum Ctenophora?

    <p>They have radial symmetry and are diploblastic.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Invertebrates represent 95% of all known animal species.

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

    What is the significance of the notochord in the evolution of vertebrates?

    <p>It provides structural support and acts as a precursor to the backbone.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The absence of a backbone characterizes _____ organisms.

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

    Match the following invertebrate phyla with their descriptions:

    <p>Porifera = Simplest animals with no true tissues Ctenophora = Diploblastic with radial symmetry Cnidaria = Have stinging cells Annelida = Segmented worms</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which innovation is associated with the colonization of land by early tetrapods?

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

    What evolutionary feature is common among vertebrates?

    <p>A backbone or spinal column.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The classification of invertebrates is based on either embryological or anatomical characteristics.

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

    What type of symmetry do Cnidaria exhibit?

    <p>Radial symmetry</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Acoela and platyhelminthes possess a body cavity called coelom.

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

    Cnidarians have a ______ skeleton that consists of a gastrovascular cavity.

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

    Which of the following animals is a member of the Ecdysozoa group?

    <p>Caenorhabditis elegans</p> Signup and view all the answers

    All chordates possess pharyngeal slits at some point in their development.

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

    What is the primary role of the dorsal nerve chord in chordates?

    <p>To transmit neural signals</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which type of reproduction involves embryos that feed from the egg’s yolk and then hatch in the uterus?

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

    All bony fish primarily reproduce through viviparity.

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

    What distinguishes lobed-finned bony fish from ray-finned bony fish?

    <p>Internal skeleton to which muscles attach</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In Cyclostomes, the similarity of teeth to vertebrate teeth is largely due to their shared __________.

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

    Match the following fish groups with their characteristics:

    <p>Cyclostomes = Jawless fish with homologous teeth Chondrichthyes = Cartilaginous fish with internal fertilization Osteichthyes = Bony fish with calcium phosphate bones Dipnoi = Lungfish with functional lungs and gills</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary function of dorsal swim bladders in bony fish?

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

    Tetrapods are characterized by having five limbs without digits.

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

    What adaptation allows lungfish to resist dryness?

    <p>Burrowing in mud (torpor)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following adaptations is NOT associated with the colonization of land by tetrapods?

    <p>Ability to swim efficiently</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The Tiktaalik fossil showcases only fish traits.

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

    What is metamorphosis in amphibians?

    <p>The process of changing from a larval to an adult form, involving loss of tail and formation of legs.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Amniotes have four embryonic membranes: chorion, amnion, allantois, and ______.

    <p>yolk sac</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Match the following groups of vertebrates with their characteristics:

    <p>Urodela = Salamanders with tails Anura = Frogs and toads Apoda = Caecilians or legless amphibians Reptiles = Cold-blooded vertebrates with scales</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Birds are classified as reptiles due to what shared characteristics?

    <p>Genetic similarities</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Feathers in birds originally evolved for flight.

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

    What skin adaptation do reptiles possess to prevent desiccation?

    <p>Dry skin with scales containing keratin</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is a characteristic of mammals?

    <p>Presence of mammary glands</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Humans evolved from modern chimpanzees.

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

    What key feature allows primates to grasp objects effectively?

    <p>Opposable thumb</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Humans have a karyotype of _____ (2n = 46).

    <p>46</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Match the following animal features with their corresponding groups:

    <p>Mammary glands = Mammals Wings and feathers = Archaeopteryx Bipedalism = Humans Opposable thumb = Primates</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following adaptations is NOT typically associated with primates?

    <p>Thick fur</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The first hominins appeared approximately 8 million years ago.

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

    What is believed to be the main benefit of bipedalism in humans?

    <p>Efficient locomotion and free hands</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The first representative of the Homo genus is _____ (Homo habilis).

    <p>Homo habilis</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following statements about the human genome is true?

    <p>99% is identical to that of chimpanzees</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Study Notes

    Learning Outcomes

    • Describe the seven properties of life, using an example organism
    • Justify the importance of C, H, N, and O in organic molecules
    • Explain how specific properties of life emerged during protocell formation
    • List advantages of ribonucleic acid (RNA) molecules for the emergence of life
    • Explain how the fossil record shows the evolution of organisms
    • Compare two fossil dating methods
    • Describe how the Burgess Shale contributes to understanding animal evolution
    • Define mass extinction, with an example
    • Define adaptive radiation, with an example
    • Analyze graphical data to determine changes in taxonomic diversity
    • List the characteristics of the Last Universal Common Ancestor (LUCA)
    • Name characteristics that distinguish the three domains of life
    • Give examples of organisms for each domain
    • Explain eukaryotes' evolution from endosymbiosis
    • Explain the evolution of multicellularity

    7 Properties of Life

    • All living organisms share fundamental properties
    • Viruses aren't considered organisms because they lack cellular organization, internal metabolism, and growth/development

    First Evidence of Life on Earth

    • Age of the universe: 13.8 billion years
    • Age of Earth: 4.6 billion years
    • First direct evidence of life: 3.5 billion years
    • Fossils: Preserved remnants or impressions of past organisms
    • Stromatolites: Layered rock formations resulting from photosynthetic prokaryotes binding sediment

    Life Uses Carbon (C)

    • Carbon (C), oxygen (O), hydrogen (H), and nitrogen (N) are fundamental to biological molecules
    • These elements make up carbohydrates, proteins, fatty acids, and nucleic acids

    How Did Life Originate on Earth?

    • Four necessary steps for life's origins:
      • Abiotic synthesis of small organic molecules (monomers)
      • Polymerization of monomers into macromolecules
      • Packaging of molecules into protocells
      • Origin of inheritance through self-replicating molecules
    • Primordial soup/prebiotic soup: Hypothetical conditions leading to life's emergence from non-living matter

    Stanley Miller's Experiment (1953)

    • Simulated early Earth conditions to create organic molecules from inorganic materials
    • Demonstrated abiotic synthesis of amino acids and other organic compounds

    Formation of Macromolecules

    • Polymers of amino acids and nitrogenous bases can spontaneously form without enzymes or ribosomes
    • Thermal energy (heat) and mineral catalysts (e.g., clay) help speed up polymerization

    Formation of Protocells

    • Protocells: Droplets with membranes that maintained distinct internal chemistries
    • Protocells exhibit fundamental properties, but lack genetic material
    • Experiments show protocells can divide, have internal metabolism, grow, maintain regulated membranes, and respond to the environment, suggesting life's emergence from non-living matter

    Self-Replication

    • Proteins and RNA are synthesized from DNA; RNA can both catalyze reactions and self-replicate (as ribozymes)
    • Passing RNA from a splitting vesicle to daughter vesicles constitutes inheritance

    Using Fossils

    • Fossils reveal evolutionary relationships among organisms
    • Similarities in morphology, anatomy, or genetic sequences group species together
    • Tree topology is continuously refined as we accumulate new data

    Geological and Fossil Records

    • Relative and absolute ages of fossils determine evolutionary history
    • Many fossils belong to extinct species
    • Some fossils resemble existing organisms
    • Organisms can undergo rapid morphological changes
    • Biostratigraphy: determining relative geologic ages of rocks using fossils
    • Radiometric dating: determining absolute geologic ages using radioactive isotopes
    • Faunal succession: vertical sequences of fossils that can be used to identify geologic strata

    Biostratigraphy

    • Species with specific ecological requirements, that lived during a short time period, are good indicators of geologic time
    • For example, foraminifera (unicellular aquatic eukaryotes) often well-preserved, exist in a wide range of habitats and show large morphological diversity

    Radiometric Dating

    • Radiometric dating uses changes in the isotope composition of geologic materials to determine absolute ages
    • Isotopes: elements with same number of protons but different number of neutrons
    • Unstable (parent) isotopes decay to stable (daughter) isotopes at a constant rate, allowing for the determination of age.
    • Half-life: time it takes for half of a parent isotope to decay to a daughter isotope

    The Fossil Record Is Often Incomplete

    • Many fossils were destroyed, and a bias exists towards organisms that existed for a long time and have hard parts
    • Discontinuities in the fossil record reflect geological, ecological, and evolutionary changes

    Mass Extinctions

    • Mass extinctions occur when many species go extinct simultaneously
    • These events are often caused by environmental changes such as dramatic changes in temperature, massive volcanism, meteorites, etc.
    • Mass extinctions lead to a cascade of ecological events, but are always followed by adaptive radiation

    Key Innovations in the Fossil Record

    • First cells (prokaryotes)
    • Increases in atmospheric oxygen concentration
    • Endosymbiosis (eukaryotes)
    • Sexual reproduction
    • Multicellularity
    • Colonization of land

    Number of Species in the Tree

    • Many species are yet to be discovered, and many species went extinct
    • The number of known species of organisms in each taxonomic level tends to reach a maximum
    • The number of prokaryote species is largely unknown

    Last Universal Common Ancestor (LUCA)

    • The LUCA was not the first living organism, but rather the last organism ancestral to all present-day life
    • Identified by the synthesis of amino acids and the universal genetic code
    • Likely a living organism near deep-sea vents, deprived of oxygen and rich in CO2 and hydrogen
    • Its DNA genome was small and circular

    Three Domains of Life

    • The three domains of life are Bacteria, Archaea, and Eukarya.

    Multicellularity

    • Multicellularity evolved about 1.2 billion years ago
    • Colonial hypothesis: Cells remain in a colony because they are unable to separate properly
    • Symbiosis hypothesis: Various cells develop a mutually beneficial relationship

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    Description

    Test your knowledge on the theories and experiments related to the origin of life on Earth. This quiz covers key concepts such as Stanley Miller's experiment, protocells, and the 'RNA world' hypothesis. Dive into the fascinating transition from abiotic to biotic processes!

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