Quiz Vorholt 1

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Questions and Answers

What percentage of a bacterial cell's dry weight is accounted for by RNA molecules?

55%

20% (correct)

What is the primary role of ribosomes in bacterial cells?

Translating mRNAs into polypeptide chains (correct)

Embeddeding in the cell membrane

Catalyzing reactions

Separating the interior from the exterior

Which component contributes the most to the dry weight of a bacterial cell?

Proteins (correct)

RNA

Phospholipids

DNA

What percentage of a bacterial cell's dry weight is represented by the cell membrane's phospholipid molecules?

9% Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes Linnaeus's view of the classification of organisms?

Organisms were created according to a fixed plan Signup and view all the answers

In what year did Carl Linnaeus develop his classification system?

1735 Signup and view all the answers

What hierarchical structure did Linnaeus use to classify organisms?

Nested hierarchies with two kingdoms Signup and view all the answers

Which statement about the contribution of nitrogen to bacterial cell weight is true?

It is not accounted for in dry weight calculations. Signup and view all the answers

Which process is considered a major innovation in Earth history?

Emergence of living matter Signup and view all the answers

What is one of the four main criteria for an organism to be considered alive?

Harnessing energy from the environment Signup and view all the answers

What is necessary for a cell to maintain its function in terms of energy?

Energy can be stored spatially Signup and view all the answers

Which statement best describes the role of membranes in living organisms?

Membranes form barriers that separate inside from outside Signup and view all the answers

What is primarily responsible for the genetic information that is replicated in living organisms?

The nucleic acid DNA Signup and view all the answers

How do organisms pass their genetic information to their offspring?

By replication of nucleic acids Signup and view all the answers

What does the term 'autocatalytic process' in cell proliferation refer to?

Cells can catalyze their own reproduction Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements aligns with Darwinian principles of evolution?

Variability among organisms leads to adaptation Signup and view all the answers

What is the underlying principle that unites all living organisms on Earth?

All organisms share fundamental traits and descend from a common origin. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following describes the concept of symbiosis?

An interaction between organisms that can be beneficial, harmful, or neutral. Signup and view all the answers

In what way do all life forms depend on their environment?

Organisms rely on both abiotic and biotic factors for survival. Signup and view all the answers

What is the estimated range for the number of species on Earth?

50 to 100 million or more Signup and view all the answers

Which statement most accurately defines a mutualistic interaction in symbiosis?

Both organisms benefit from the interaction. Signup and view all the answers

How does the diversity of life forms relate to geological history?

The interactions among organisms have shaped the composition of biomass over time. Signup and view all the answers

What role do photosynthetic organisms play in relation to humans?

They produce oxygen that is essential for human respiration. Signup and view all the answers

What does the phrase 'living together' in the context of symbiosis imply?

Organisms engage in various types of direct interactions. Signup and view all the answers

What led to the establishment of classical fields of biology such as zoology and botany?

The focus on large multicellular eukaryotes Signup and view all the answers

Which scientists are credited with early discoveries of microscopic life?

Antonie van Leeuwenhoek and Robert Hooke Signup and view all the answers

What was the main misconception about prokaryotes before the advent of molecular methods?

They were regarded as a singular group without distinction Signup and view all the answers

What significant development in the 17th century enhanced the study of cells?

The invention of the microscope Signup and view all the answers

What are the two distinct groups or domains of prokaryotes that were identified through molecular methods?

Bacteria and Archaea Signup and view all the answers

How did the focus of scientific attention shift with the invention of the microscope?

From large to small unicellular organisms Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements is true regarding the size of typical prokaryotic cells?

They typically range from 1-5 µm in size Signup and view all the answers

What role did scientists like Robert Koch and Louis Pasteur play in the study of microorganisms?

They developed techniques to culture microorganisms Signup and view all the answers

Which inorganic compounds were believed to be present in the early Earth's atmosphere?

Carbon dioxide and ammonia Signup and view all the answers

What significant experiment did Stanley Miller and Harold Urey conduct in 1953?

They demonstrated how amino acids could be formed from inorganic compounds Signup and view all the answers

What was one of the assumptions corrected by planetary scientists regarding the early Earth's atmosphere?

It was less reducing than previously thought. Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for the hypothetical stage in evolutionary history involving self-replicating RNA molecules?

RNA world Signup and view all the answers

Which type of energy source was simulated in Miller and Urey's experiment to drive chemical reactions?

Electric discharges mimicking natural lightning Signup and view all the answers

What crucial function did RNA molecules serve in the 'RNA world'?

They catalyzed chemical reactions and stored information. Signup and view all the answers

What alternative mechanisms have chemists proposed to synthesize nucleotides?

Using reactive molecules such as cyanide Signup and view all the answers

In which component of cells does RNA remain catalytically active?

Ribosomes Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary mechanism by which natural selection operates?

Heritable traits that enhance survival Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements best describes how mutations influence evolution?

Mutations provide genetic variation for natural selection to act upon Signup and view all the answers

What role did Darwin's finches play in the development of the theory of evolution by natural selection?

They illustrated a variety of adaptations to different environments Signup and view all the answers

How do prokaryotes evolve apart from mutations?

Through horizontal gene transfer Signup and view all the answers

Why are mutations considered neither inherently good nor bad?

Their effects depend on the environment Signup and view all the answers

What does Darwin's theory of gradual descent with modification imply?

Species share common ancestors and evolve over time Signup and view all the answers

What was a significant limitation of Darwin's understanding of evolution?

He lacked knowledge about DNA as a hereditary material Signup and view all the answers

What type of evolution was demonstrated in the E. coli experiment regarding antibiotic resistance?

Experimental evolution through random mutations Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Fundamentals in Biology 1: From Molecules to the Biochemistry of the Cell

Life on Earth is immensely diverse, with estimates ranging from 2 to 100 million species.
All living organisms share fundamental traits and descend from a common origin.
Organisms are related and rely on interactions with biotic (living) and abiotic (non-living) factors.
Species depend on one another and the environment for survival.
Symbiosis describes interactions between organisms. Symbiosis can be neutral, harmful or beneficial.
Parasitism is a relationship where one organism benefits while the other is harmed (e.g., ticks and humans).
Mutualism involves both organisms benefitting (e.g., lichens and mycorrhizae).
Humans have a complex microbiome, consisting of trillions of microbial cells in the gastrointestinal tract, important for digestion and vitamin production.
Microorganisms are fundamental to global biogeochemical cycles.
Global biomass is predominantly plants (82%). Bacteria comprise the second largest group (13%).
Human and livestock biomass significantly outweighs that of wild mammals.
Modern humans emerged relatively recently (200,000 years ago).
Life has evolved through significant changes in global biomass.
The correlation between biomass and number of organisms exists, with plants having disproportionately high biomass relative to other organisms like fish.
Plant and fungal life is primarily found in terrestrial environments. Protists and animals are most abundant in the marine environment.
Bacteria and archaea primarily inhabit deep subsurface environments.
Terrestrial ecosystems have the largest proportion of Earth's total biomass.
Marine ecosystems have a lower biomass but similar primary productivity rates when comparing biomass and primary production values on land.
The study of life depends on understanding the interplay between physics, chemistry, and evolution.
Life is characterized by converting and using energy for survival, maintaining compartments, reproducing, and evolving.
Living organisms require a stable environment over time for evolution.
Life is a consequence of natural selection and neutral change.
Earth's age is estimated at 4.57 billion years old (4.57 BYA).
Methods to ascertain Earth's age utilize radioactive decay in minerals (e.g., zircon), that contain uranium.
The presence of water and elements like hydrogen (H) and oxygen (O) is essential for life.
The evolution of life on Earth is linked to the Earth's geochemistry and physical transformations.
Early life ( ~ 4 BYA) evolved initially from prokaryotic organisms, and later eukaryotes with organelles (e.g. mitochondria, chloroplasts).
The emergence of oxygenic photosynthesis significantly altered the composition of Earth's atmosphere and its geochemical characteristics.
Evolution is based on genetic variation, natural selection, and adaptation.
LUCA (Last Universal Common Ancestor) represents the last, common ancestor of all cells.
Genetic information can be inferred and traced back through genomic comparisons.
The DNA structure and proteins carry the genetic instructions and support cellular function.
Diverse prokaryotes and eukaryotes evolved through numerous stages.
Both top-down (inferential) and bottom-up (synthetic) approaches help explain the complexity of life's origins.
Geochemical processes and conditions can be modeled to attempt recreating past environments.
Biological traits and features can be analyzed and traced through evolutionary history.

Three Domains of Life

Modern biology categorizes life into three domains: Bacteria, Archaea, and Eukarya.
Each domain is distinct evolutionarily.
LUCA was most likely single-celled.
Eukaryotes evolved from prokaryotes in a process of two endosymbiotic events (mitochondria and chloroplasts).

The Origin of Life

Life probably emerged on Earth roughly 4 billion years ago from initially less complex chemical systems.
The development of life is related to the early Earth's reducing atmosphere, the presence of water, and geochemical processes.
Inorganic precursors eventually developed into organic molecules needed for life.
Primordial soup theory proposes early Earth provided abundant organic molecules.
Autocatalytic cycles and molecular replication played a role in the origin of life.
RNA may have been a key molecule that drove the transition from non-life to life.
Many different scientific ideas exist about how life evolved.

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