Earth's processes

Question 1

What is the largest time division called?

Answer 1

An Eon

Question 2

What can each Eon be sub divided into?

Answer 2

Eras

Question 3

What can each Era be sub divided into?

Answer 3

Periods

Question 4

List the Eons of Earth History in reverse Chronological order.

Answer 4

1) The Phanerozoic Eon
2) The Proterozoic Eon
3) The Archaean Eon
4 The Hadean Eon

Question 5

How old is the Earth believed to be?

Answer 5

4.6 Billion years old

Question 6

List what was different from today’s Earth to the Earth of 4 billion years ago.

Answer 6

• Strong U.V rays from the sun
• Atmosphere of water vapour, methane, ammonia, carbon Dioxide, nitrogen, hydrogen.
• NO free oxygen
• Violent Storms - A lot of lightning
• Volcanoes added many gases to the atmosphere.

Question 7

Who proved the concept that “life could appear spontaneously” and when?

Answer 7

Louis Pasteur in 1862

Question 8

What did Louis Pasteur’s experiment consist of?

Answer 8

It consisted of 3 flasks containing a “broth” boiled until sterilised. There was a closed flask, open flask and a flask with a gooseneck.

Question 9

What were the results of Louis Pasteur’s experiment in 1862?

Answer 9

It proved the theory of spontaneous regeneration wrong

Question 10

When the the CELL THEORY OF LIFE established as a scientific principle?

Answer 10

By the 1880’s

Question 11

What did the Cell theory of life include?

Answer 11

All cells (life) come(s) from pre existing cells (life).

Question 12

What is the Panspermia Hypothesis?

Answer 12

The idea of that the first living thing may have come from outer space.

Question 13

What is evidence for the Panspermia hypothesis?

Answer 13

Certain organic chemicals including some which can form amino acids have been detected in comets, meteorites and even interstellar dust clouds.

Question 14

What is wrong with the Panspermia hypothesis?

Answer 14

It does not explain how life started before it came to Earth.

Question 15

When was the Urey-Miller experiment designed?

Answer 15

The 1950’s

Question 16

What was the Urey-Miller experiment designed to test?

Answer 16

The first part of the hypothesis about the origin of life… that the conditions of the primitive Earth could naturally produce the complex molecules necessary for life to start.

Question 17

What did Louis Pasteur’s experiment prove wrong?

Answer 17

That life could spontaneously appear.

“Spontaneous regeneration”

Question 18

Refer to Camera roll for the Urey-Miller experiment diagram.

Answer 18

Ok

Question 19

Who are the Scientists which designed the Urey-Miller experiment?

Answer 19

Harold Urey (Urey) & Stanley Miller (Miller)

Question 20

What did the Urey-Miller experiments produce?

Answer 20

Sugars and Amino Acids

AMINO ACIDS ARE THE BUILDING BLOCKS OF LIFE.

Question 21

What did the Urey-Miller experiment support?

Answer 21

That organic chemicals could have formed spontaneously under the conditions of primitive Earth.

Question 22

When did some cells evolve the ability to make their own food and by which process?

Answer 22

3.3 Ga ago

Chemosyntheis

Question 23

What organisms remain anaerobic in today’s Earth?

Answer 23

Archaea- A type of single celled, anaerobic bacteria

Question 24

Who does the Urey Miller experiment give us evidence for?

Answer 24

That the chemicals necessary for life could have been produced naturally by the chemical conditions of primitive Earth.

Question 25

What is the process called when cells have the ability to their own food from simple chemicals of their environment?

Answer 25

Chemosynthesis.

Question 26

Why would the food supply not last if the organic molecules continued to get food from outside sources?

Answer 26

They would eventually run out of sources as it would not last forever.

Question 27

What does “Ga” mean?

Answer 27

Giga annum | = Billion years

Question 28

What are Archaea?

Answer 28

Single celled, anaerobic, bacteria like organisms which live in a variety of extreme environments.

Question 29

What are Archaea capable of making and from what sources?

Answer 29

Making their own food from simple inorganic sources e.g. CO2 & H20

Question 30

Where does the energy needed for Archaea yo make their own food come from?

Answer 30

Chemical energy

Question 31

What do present day Archaea appear identical to?

Answer 31

Very earliest fossils.

Question 32

What is the chemical equation of Photosynthesis?

Answer 32

Water + Carbon Dioxide ——> Glucose + Oxygen

Question 33

What converts Carbon dioxide into Oxygen in the photosynthetic process?

Answer 33

Light energy from the sun.

Question 34

What is one of the major chemical steps in photosynthesis?

Answer 34

Photolysis

Question 35

What is “Photolysis”?

Answer 35

The first step in photosynthesis involving the chemical breakup of water into oxygen gas & hydrogen atoms.

Question 36

What green pigment absorbs light energy and uses the energy to split water molecules?

Answer 36

Chlorophyll

Question 37

When is the process of Photolysis thought to first have occurred?

Answer 37

2.5 Ga ago