Deck 18: Origin and History of Life

Question 1

According to the most widely accepted hypothesis,the origin of the nuclear genome involved:

A)an endosymbiotic relationship between an archaeon and a bacterium
B)an endosymbiotic relationship between two archaeons
C)an endosymbiotic relationship between two bacterium
D)a symbiotic relationship between an archaeon and a bacterium
E)a symbiotic relationship between two archaeons

Answer 1

A

Question 2

Protobionts are thought to be the first nonliving structures that evolved into living cells.A critical characteristic of a protobiont that is found in both modern day prokaryotes and eukaryotes is

A)internal compartments that subdivide metabolic functions.
B)a boundary membrane that separates external from internal environments.
C)the ability to exclude all organic substances.
D)the ability to fuse with any other protobiont for reproduction.
E)the ability to recognize other protobionts for developmental purposes.

Answer 2

B

Question 3

Scientist believe that the formation of organic polymers,like RNA and DNA,had to move from the watery environment of the seas to solid surfaces or evaporating tidal pools because

A)dehydration is necessary for the formation of large organic polymers,too much water competes with dehydration.
B)hydrolysis is necessary for the formation of large organic polymers,dehydration competes with polymerization.
C)tidal pools would provide a concentrated area where more small organic molecules could aggregate.
D)Kusky discovered 1.43 billion year old fossils in shallow water and tidal pools.
E)sugars dissolve in water,ribose is a sugar and is necessary for the polymerization of DNA and RNA therefore being out of the water would speed up the polymerization reactions.

Answer 3

A

Question 4

In eukaryotes,genes involved in transcription and translation are derived from ___________.

A)ancient bacteria
B)primitive RNA
C)archaeal ancestors
D)mitochondrial genomes

Question 5

The major opposition to the Extraterrestrial Hypothesis is ...

A)not enough organic carbon molecules could have been transported to the Earth's surface by comets and asteroids.
B)most organic carbon molecules,including nucleic acids and amino acids,would have been destroyed by the intense heating that occurs when large bodies fall through the Earth's atmosphere.
C)not enough comets and asteroids hit the Earth to deliver organic carbon molecules to the surface.
D)most of the organic carbon molecules would have fallen into the seas,helping life form in the water but not on the lanD.
E)without oxygen in the atmosphere the organic carbons that did fall would have been rapidly reduced to inorganic carbon compounds.

Question 6

You have just invented a time machine and you want to investigate the past (the dream of every paleontologist!).When is the earliest time in Earth's history that you would feel safe visiting without an oxygen tank in order to breathe normally?

A)Cambrian Period
B)Early Archaean Era
C)Late Mesozoic Era
D)Quaternary Period
E)Devonian Period

Question 7

Genetic material (DNA and RNA)are found in three distinct organelles in eukaryotic cells.What are these organelles and which type of relationship may have lead to their formation?

A)Chloroplast,mitochondria,nucleus,endosymbiotic.
B)Chloroplast,lysosomes,nucleus,endosymbiotic.
C)Nucleus,Golgi body,endoplasmic reticulum,symbiotiC.
D)Mitochondria,chloroplast,nucleus,parasitic.
E)Lysosomes,mitochondria,chloroplast,parasitic.

Question 8

The eukaryotic genome is comprised entirely of genes derived from Archean ancestors.

Question 9

The origin of the mitochondrion and chloroplast is hypothesized to have involved

A)the fusion of two archean cells to form an early eukaryote.
B)the absorption of RNA from prokaryotic cells.
C)prokaryotic cells that became internal symbionts within an early eukaryotic cell.
D)the uptake of free DNA from the environment.
E)prokaryotic cells being engulfed and becoming external symbionts within an early bacteria cell.

Question 10

Which macromolecule do the majority of scientists favor as the "first" to be found in protobionts?

A)DNA.
B)RNA.
C)Amino acids.
D)Proteins.

Question 11

Chemical selection occurs....

A)when a catalyst speeds up a process that would normally occur at a slower rate.
B)when covalent bonds are formed between two previously unlinked molecules,increasing their stability.
C)when a chemical within a mixture increases in number compared to other chemicals in the mixture due to a unique property.
D)during the ribozymic phase of coacervate formation.
E)after the formation of a membrane and when the DNA is replicated and transcribed.

Question 12

Which hypothesis about the origin of organic molecules relies on the chemical reaction between hydrogen sulfide (H₂S)and iron (Fe)for the build up of an H₂ concentration gradient to provide energy for the reduction of N₂ to NH₃?

A)Reducing Atmosphere Hypothesis.
B)Extraterrestrial Hypothesis.
C)Deep-Sea Vent Hypothesis.
D)Both Reducing Atmosphere and Extraterrestrial Hypotheses.
E)All three hypotheses use this exact reaction to create a chemical gradient to form amino acids.

Question 13

When you arrive at your biology lab,you notice that your lab bench is set up with containers of clay,Mg²⁺,and nucleotides.What hypothesis do you think you will be testing during the lab,and what is the purpose of the Mg²⁺?

A)Formation of small organic molecules at deep sea vents;Mg2⁺ reacts with hot H₂S
B)Formation of complex organic polymers on the surface of clay;Mg²⁺ catalyzes bond formation between nucleotides and clay
C)Formation of small organic molecules on the surface of clay;Mg²⁺ catalyzes bond formation between nucleotides and clay
D)Formation of small organic molecules in a reducing atmosphere;Mg²⁺ catalyzes redox reactions

Question 14

Alexander Oparin hypothesized that living cells evolved from coacervates.What was the "boundary" material of Oparin's coacervates,and how does it compare with that of most living cells?

A)Oparin's coacervates had a phospholipd bilayer,which is also found in most living cells.
B)Oparin's coacervates were surrounded by a tight skin of water molecules,which is also found in most living cells.
C)Oparin's coacervates were surrounded by carbohydrates and lipids,while most living cells are surrounded only by carbohydrates.
D)Oparin's coacervates were surrounded by a tight skin of water molecules,while most living cells have a phospholipid bilayer.
E)Starch was the main component in Oparin's coacervate boundry,while most living cells have boundaries composed only of lipids.

Question 15

When lipids,phosphates,carbohydrates and RNA were placed on clay,a liposome was formed.Why was the clay an important surface for liposome formation and how is RNA associated with the liposome?

A)Clay acts as a catalyst for the formation of a liposome that can grow and divide.The RNA molecules are enclosed inside the lipid bilayer.
B)Clay causes anions to stick together,while the cations are pulled from the carbohydrates.This chemical reaction causes the formation of a carbohydrate- and RNA-based membrane.
C)The clay surface provides a nutritional media for the growing and dividing liposome.RNA is incorporated into the liposome as a transmembrane catalyst.
D)The positively charged clay surface reacts with the negatively charged phospholipids to create a clay ball.RNA molecules
Adhere to the outside surface of the clay ball.
E)Phospholipds react chemically with the negatively charged clay surface,creating an impermeable membranE.The RNA molecules be incorporated as part of this membranE.

Question 16

Miller and Urey's experiment was ground breaking because

A)it was the first example of an experiment that inserted oxygen into the prebiotic soup.
B)it was the first attempt to apply scientific experimentation to the quest of understanding the origin of life.
C)they hypothesized about the first molecules formed on Earth,but they could not demonstrate this in a scientific experiment.
D)it was the first experiment that used boiling water as a trigger mechanism for the production of macromolecules.
E)it was the first experiment based on the theory that organic carbon actually arrived from outer spacE.

Question 17

The Miller and Urey apparatus produced hydrogen cyanide (HCN),formaldehyde (CH₂O),and glycine (an amino acid)in their first experiment.Why was it important that they use water vapor,methane,carbon monoxide,ammonia and hydrogen as their reactants and an electrical spark as their energy source?

A)They knew these reactants were available in their lab and in today's atmosphere.
B)These reactants were found in today's atmosphere therefore they should be used to try to replicate the early Earth atmosphere.
C)Each of the reactants were readily changed into proteins and DNA.
D)These reactants were useful because their products were able to be predicted before the experiment began,it is always good to know the outcome of an experiment to achieve success with the experiment.
E)These reactants were hypothesized to have made up the early Earth atmosphere,the electricity was used to emulate lightening strikes.

Question 18

Study of the origin of life has resulted in the breakdown of cellular development into overlapping stages,beginning with the synthesis of precursor molecules for the synthesis of nucleotides and amino acids and ending in polymers enclosed in membranes acquiring cellular properties.Which of these stages were a focus of study for Miller and Urey in their FIRST experiment?

A)Stage 1: Nucleotides and amino acids were produced prior to the existence of cells.
B)Stage 2: Nucleotides became polymerized to form RNA and/or DNA,and amino acids became polymerized to form proteins.
C)Stage 3: Polymers became enclosed in membranes.
D)Stage 4: Polymers enclosed in membranes acquired cellular properties.
E)Stage 5: Ribosomes were developed inside the membranE.

Question 19

The early Earth reducing atmosphere is thought to have lacked which of the following gases?

A)N₂
B)O₂
C)CO₂
D)H₂O
E)SO₄

Question 20

You know that RNA is likely the first macromolecule to be enclosed by a membrane,partly because it has the ability to store information and can self-replicate.What else is necessary for simple metabolic processes to occur in a timely manner?

A)A biological catalyst.
B)Energy from ADP.
C)A pump,to drive a concentration gradient.
D)A more stable nucleic aciD.
E)The ability to carry out structural roles.

Question 21

The first living cells were most likely ...

A)aerobic,photosynthetic,eukaryotic.
B)aerobic,photosynthetic,prokaryotic.
C)anaerobic,heterotrophic,prokaryotiC.
D)anaerobic,heterotrophic,eukaryotic.
E)anaerobic,chemotrophic,eukaryotic.

Question 22

The amniotic egg evolved as an adaptation

A)against predation.
B)to insure survival in the uterus.
C)to prevent desiccation.
D)to permit the embryo to develop undisturbed up to the time of hatching.

Question 23

In 2004,Jun-Yuan Chen and David Bottjer found a fossil approximately 580-600 million years old.Why was this particular fossil significant?

A)It was one of the earliest fossils of a single-celled organism.
B)It helped provide a date for the emergence of vertebrates.
C)It provided evidence that the earliest life forms were autotrophiC.
D)It provided evidence that the earliest life forms were heterotrophic.
E)It helped provide a date for the emergence of bilateral symmetry in animals.

Question 24

The chemical composition of the gases surrounding the Earth has changed substantially over the past 4 billion years.One notable change was due to the emergence of photosynthetic organisms.The process of photosynthesis increased the amount of what gas in the atmosphere?

A)Carbon dioxide (CO₂).
B)Nitrogen (N₂).
C)Hydrogen sulfide (H₂SO₄).
D)Oxygen (O₂).
E)Water vapor (H₂O).

Question 25

Which situation would be most likely to form a fossil under normal environmental conditions?

A)An elephant that died at the edge of a waterhole.
B)A bird that died and fell to the forest floor.
C)A slug that died in leaf litter.
D)A jellyfish that died in an estuary.

Question 26

What is the most accurate description of the consequence(s)of the increased oxygen (O₂)in the atmosphere during and after the Silurian Period?

A)Conquest of land by arthropods.
B)Conquest of land by arthropods and vertebrates.
C)Increases in animal body sizes and appearance of shelled organisms.
D)Conquest of land by arthropods and vertebrates,and plants.
E)Conquest of land by arthropods and vertebrates and an increase in animal body sizes.

Question 27

The first bilateral animal emerged during the Ordovician Period.Fossils of this organism were discovered in South Africa.

Question 28

The process by which the major land masses have shifted their positions,changed shapes and separated from each other,is known as

A)cotranslational sorting.
B)continental drift.
C)depolarization of land masses.
D)differential land movement.
E)cyclic land drift.

Question 29

What term describes the time it requires for exactly one-half of a given amount of a radioactive isotope of an element to decay?

A)decay time
B)decay product
C)half-life
D)half-decay
E)useful dating range

Question 30

You uncovered a fossil that you suspect is around 100 million years old.Which of the radioisotope pairs in the table below could you eliminate as an appropriate choice for radioisotope dating the accompanying rock?

A)Potassium-40/Argon-40 (half-life = 1.3 billion years;useful dating range =100,000-4.5 billion years)
B)Rubidium-87/Strontium-87 (half-life = 47 billion years;useful dating range = 10 million-
4)5 billion years)
C)Uranium-235/Lead-207 (half-life = 710 million years;useful dating range = 10 million-4.5 billion years)
D)Carbon-14/Nitrogen-14 (half-life = 5,730 years;useful dating range = 100-50,000 years)
E)Uranium-238/Lead-206 (half-life 4.5 billion years;useful dating range = 10 million-4.5 billion years)

Question 31

Which would be most likely to be fossilized?

A)a common large worm
B)a common thick-shelled crustacean
C)an herbaceous plant that is only found at very high altitudes
D)a rare,desert-dwelling lizard

Question 32

The Carboniferous Period is known for

A)The formation of rich coal deposits.
B)The first examples of terrestrial gymnosperms.
C)The appearance of the first angiosperms.
D)A rapid increase in the diversity of marine invertebrates.
E)The appearance of the first true mammals.

Question 33

Toward the end of the Proterozoic eon,multicellular animals emerged.The first animals were

A)Fish.
B)Reptiles.
C)Invertebrates.
D)Chordates.
E)Tetrapods.

Question 34

The event called the Cambrian Explosion resulted in an abrupt increase in

A)volcanic activity.
B)diversity of major animal groups.
C)algal diversity.
D)the number and size of glaciers.
E)rate of continental drift.

Question 35

A scientist found an unweathered igneous rock that contained 0.025 g of potassium-40 and 0.075 g of argon-40.Using the table above,how old would you estimate the rock to be?

A)2.6 billion years old.
B)0.050 billion years old.
C)1.3 billion years old.
D)0.001875 billion years olD.
E)1.69 billion years old.

Question 36

Stromatolites are

A)layered rocklike structures formed by cyanobacteriA.
B)the earliest known arthropods.
C)autotrophs living around deep sea vents.
D)heterotrophs found in marine environments.
E)fossilized coral reefs.

Question 37

Select the statement that correctly describes differences among these four types of algae.

A)Chlamydomonas reinhardtil and Gonium pectorale cells are biflagellate,Pleodorina californica and Volvox have no biflagellate cells.
B)Chlamydomonas reinhardtil is single celled and biflagellate,while Gonium pectorale,Pleodorina californica and Volvox are multicellular with a single flagella on all cells.
C)Chlamydomonas reinhardtil is single celled,Gonium pectorale is composed of identical cells,and Pleodorina californica and Volvox are composed of two different cell types.
D)Gonium pectorale is single celled,Chlamydomonas reinhardtil is composed of identical cells,and Pleodorina californica and Volvox are composed of two different cell types.
E)Chlamydomonas reinhardtil and Gonium pectorale cells lack flagella,while Pleodorina californica and Volvox have biflagellate somatic cells.

Question 38

How did the earliest single celled microorganisms produce energy to drive metabolic processes?

A)Aerobic cellular respiration.
B)Anaerobic cellular respiration.
C)Sulfuric acid respiration.
D)Both aerobic and anaerobic cellular respiration.
E)Sulfuric acid,aerobic and anaerobic respiration.

Question 39

Changes that have occurred in living organisms over the past four billion years are due primarily to

A)extinction of species.
B)continental drift.
C)changes in atmospheric composition.
D)interaction of genetic and environmental changes.
E)floods and formation of glaciers.

Question 40

Bartel and Szostak hypothesized that among a large pool of RNA molecules,some of them may contain the enzymatic ability to catalyze a covalent bond between nucleotides;these can be selected for in the laboratory.The chart above shows the results from their experiment.The x-axis shows the original pool and 10 pools that were derived from their tagging of RNA with specific enzymatic functions;the y-axis shows the rate of phosphoester (covalent)bond formation.Was their hypothesis supported by this experiment and why?

A)Yes,because pools 1 to 10 show a continual increase in covalent bond formation.
B)Yes,because the original pool shows some covalent bonds were formed.
C)No,because there is only a slight increase from the original pool to the first experimental pool.
D)No,because chemical selection would only increase the rate of covalent bond formation in the first few pools.

Question 41

Although not well understood,the Cambrian Explosion most likely occurred due to changes in sea level and continental drift.

Question 42

The first vertebrates appear in the fossil record during the

A)Cambrian Period.
B)Proterozoic Era.
C)Carboniferous Period.
D)Triassic PerioD.
E)Devonian Period.

Question 43

An unfortunate deer becomes stuck in quicksand at the edge of a lake and dies.A few months later,it is buried by sediment in a massive landslide,but by this time,bacteria have fully decomposed its soft tissues.Several million years later,archeologists are digging at the spot where the deer dies and was buried.Would the archeologists be likely to find a fossil of the deer? Why or why not?

A)No,because it needed to be fully intact when buried to form a fossil.
B)Yes,because its skeleton could have been replaced by minerals to form a fossil.
C)No,because bacteria continued to decompose its skeleton after its was buried.
D)Yes,because it would have fossilized before it was burieD.
E)No,because deer are generally too large to be fossilized.

Question 44

Flowering plants originated during the

A)Permian Period.
B)Tertiary Period.
C)Devonian Period.
D)Cretaceous PerioD.
E)Jurassic Period.