10 questions in 10 minutes - AHL only
1. What did Oparin and Haldane propose?
  • A. The idea of a warm little pond as the origin of life.
  • B. The concept of a primordial soup as the origin of life.
  • C. The existence of complex molecules throughout the ancient solar system.
  • D. The formation of amino acids inside living creatures.

2. The necessary requirements for the evolution of the first cells are listed below:

I. Compartmentalisation
II. Catalysis
III. Self-replication
IV. Self-assembly

Which options represent the most likely order of events?

  • A. II→I→III→IV
  • B. IV→I→III→II
  • C. III→II→IV→I
  • D. II→IV→III→I
3. What was the goal of Stanley Miller and Harold Urey's experiment?
  • A. To create life from simple chemistry.
  • B. To simulate early Earth conditions in the lab.
  • C. To study the origin of life through fossil records.
  • D. To test the second step in Oparin's four-step model.
4. In the early Earth, what is a likely energy source which led to pre-biotic formation of carbon compounds?
  • A. Lightning
  • B. Ozone
  • C. Free oxygen
  • D. Volcanic eruptions
5. What did the Miller-Urey experiment reveal after running for one week?
  • A. The formation of organic molecules from inorganic molecules
  • B. The existence of abundant complex gases in the ancient Earth.
  • C. The possibility of life spontaneously generating from non-living matter.
  • D. The importance of water for early life.
6. RNA is presumed to be the first genetic material. Which of the following statements is correct?
  • A. RNA ribozymes have a lower rate of mutation compared to DNA so can adapt to changing environments
  • B.  RNA ribozymes can catalyse biochemical reactions, indicating their potential role in early cellular processes.
  • C. RNA ribozymes increase the amount of energy required for biochemical reactions
  • D. RNA ribozymes have a higher stability and durability compared to DNA molecules
7. Which statement describes how compartmentalisation contributes to the emergence of the very first cells?
  • A. Compartmentalisation allowed for the separation of different metabolic reactions in organelles
  • B. Fatty acids forming single layered vesicles allow molecules to be concentrated for metabolic reactions
  • C. Fatty acids forming bilayers prevented exchange of materials between the early cell and the environment
  • D. Fatty acids forming spherical bilayers allow internal cell metabolism to be separated from the environment
8. How does phylogenetics contribute to our understanding of LUCA and its evolutionary history?
  • A. Phylogenetics helps identify the specific species from which LUCA evolved.
  • B. Phylogenetics allows us to date the exact time when LUCA emerged on Earth from the 355 genes found in LUCA’s genome.
  • C. Phylogenetics provides insights into the genetic relationships between LUCA and modern organisms.
  • D. Phylogenetics proves the hypothesis that LUCA originated from hydrothermal vents.

9. Which of the following provides evidence supporting the hypothesis that LUCA (Last Universal Common Ancestor) originated near hydrothermal vents?

I. Fossilised microorganisms found in ancient hydrothermal vent deposits.
II. Detection of low levels of molecular hydrogen and carbon dioxide in the vicinity of hydrothermal vents.
III. Presence of genes in LUCA related to high-temperature environments.
black smoke hydrothermal vent
  • A.  I and II only
  • B. II and III only
  • C. I and III only
  • D. I, II, and III
10. What does the discovery of organic molecules on meteorites suggest?
  • A. The molecules of life can form in a wide variety of environments.
  • B. The molecules of life are only found on Earth.
  • C. The molecules of life can only be formed inside living creatures.
  • D. The molecules of life are limited to specific starting chemicals and energy sources.