Origins of Life
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Origins of Life-Answer Key
15 billion years old
26. His experiment produced some of
4.6 billion years old
the 20 amino acids that are present
Hydrogen & Helium
today and other organic molecules.
All of the other elements found on
27. The primeval sea, the early
the periodic table, excluding
atmosphere, lightning, and rain
hydrogen & helium
28. Monomers
None
29. Through condensation of water
Hydrogen & Helium
vapor as Earth’s crust cooled and
Water vapor, carbon dioxide,
solidified.
nitrogen, hydrogen sulfide,
30. Cohesion is the attraction between
methane, and ammonia
the positive and negative ends of
Time
two different water molecules.
The Universe is older by roughly 10
Adhesion is the attraction between
billion years or 10.4 billion years
the positive and negative ends of a
Hydrogen & Helium
water molecule and a non-water
Through nuclear fusion inside of
molecule.
stars or when the stars exploded.
31. Old meteorites that are found today
Before Earth was formed
contain organic chemicals
They are light molecules with high
32. The oxygen would break many of
velocities, their velocities exceeded
the molecular bonds that tried to
the escape velocity of Earth. H is
form; therefore amino acids and
found bound to O2 as H2O. He is
other organic molecules probably
found in trace amounts.
would not form.
Trapped under Earth’s surface
33. Ability to moderate temperature,
In many compounds, for example
versatility as a solvent, and
water
cohesive behavior
Ultra Violet Radiation
34. Amino acids, sugars, lipids, and
56 million
nucleotides
140
35. Dehydration synthesis
Polymers
36. To make
Polar. They have both a negative
37. A polymer and a water molecule
and positive end.
38. Two monomers
They arrived on Earth from space.
39. A hydroxyl group is removed from
They were created on Earth by
one monomer and a hydrogen atom
chemical reactions.
is removed from the other. A water
In meteorites
molecule.
Hydrogen bonds
40. Hydrolysis
Oxygen
41. To break or split
Comets
42. A polymer and a water molecule
43. One end is polar and one is
nonpolar
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44. Their polar end is in contact with the
water and their nonpolar end is
isolated from the water
45. An early cell (protobiont)
46. Proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, and
nucleic acids
47. Attracted to water or “water loving”
48. Repelled by water or “water fearing”
49. Membranes
50. Last Universal Common Ancestor
51. Any 4 of the following: order,
adaptations, response to the
environment, regulation, energy
processing, growth & development,
and reproduction
52. Cells
53. Light, chemical
54. There are many common features of
all life
55. Order, adaptations, response to the
environment, regulation, energy
processing, growth & development,
and reproduction
56. Microscopic, membrane bound
structures that contain organic
molecules and are the smallest unit
that can be considered life. They
are the “building blocks” for all life
57. An organism’s regulation of its
internal environment.
58. Chemical, mechanical
59. Produce offspring
Free Response
1. Hydrogen and helium were both light weight molecules with high velocities. Their
velocities exceed that of the escape velocity of Earth so they were able to leave
Earth’s early atmosphere. The other elements all formed before early Earth formed.
The other elements formed through nuclear fusion in the stars or when the stars
exploded.
2. Early Earth’s atmosphere did not consist of oxygen and today’s atmosphere does.
Early Earth experienced heavy amounts of UV radiation and although UV radiation
is becoming a problem for us today, we do not experience the same amount of UV
radiation as early Earth did. Early Earth did not initially contain any life forms, but
over time life forms have evolved and have reached very complex levels today.
The primeval sea consisted of only the basic monomers and today our oceans
contain great life forms.
3. Stanley Miller’s experiment sought to replicate the environment of early Earth by
replicating the primeval sea, lightning, Earth’s early atmosphere, and rain. His
experiment produced some of the 20 amino acids that exist today as well as other
organic molecules. The results support the idea that the organic molecules on Earth
could have been derived from chemical reactions on early Earth.
4. Dehydration synthesis and hydrolysis are reverse reactions. Dehydration synthesis
is the joining of two monomers to form a water molecule and a polymer. In the
process of dehydration synthesis, one monomer loses a hydroxyl group and the
other loses a hydrogen atom. Hydrolysis is the breaking down of a monomer to form
two polymers through the addition of a water molecule.
5. Early cells were formed when the first phospholipids formed membranes that
separated the inside of the cell from the surrounding aqueous environment. Inside
these cells more complex molecules were able to form and replicate.
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Origins of Life
6. LUCA stands for the Last Universal Common Ancestor. It is believed that all life
forms on Earth can be traced back to this one common ancestor. The evidence that
supports a LUCA is that all life forms have common properties. Three of these
properties are: (any 3 of the following) order, adaptations, response to the
environment, regulation, energy processing, growth & development, and
reproduction.
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