Biology: classification and taxonomy Flashcards
how old is earth?
4.6 billion years
radiometric dating
uses radioactive decay to determine age
atomic number
number of protons in element
isotope
Same element (same # protons), different # neutrons, so different Atomic Mass
radioactive decay
nuclei releases energy until stable
half life
time it takes for ½ unstable isotope to become stable
By comparing ratio of stable isotopes to unstable isotopes, can determine age
radiometric dating
determines half life
biogenesis
All living things come from other living things
Abiogenesis/spontaneous generation
Living things arise from non-living things
when did Small organic molecules synthesized
3.8 billion years
Oparin
Haldane hypothesis about young earth: •Probably H2, NH3, CH4, H2O •NO FREE OXYGEN! •Lots of energy from UVs & lightning •Energy + chemicals + reducing organic soup of small molecules
Miller-Urey Experiment
H2O + H2 + CH4 + NH3 + spark (lightning) 5 some amino acids. + precursor to adenine
Joining of small molecules into polymers
Polymers formed include proteins & nucleic acids
Experiment: Drip solution of amino acids on hot clay, sand, or rock 5polymers
Packaging of molecules
Organic molecules become surrounded by membrane-like structure
Experiment: Combine organic molecules in flask and see what happens
• Lipids spontaneously form spheres called liposomes
• Form membrane around proteins and nucleic acids
RNA is first hereditary material
RNA evolved before DNA
Many hypothesis re: how RNA evolved
Experiments: Put nucleotides in test tube 5 short RNA polymers
More evidence: Ribozymes -
RNA that can copy itself, chop itself up and make more RNA
How did life evolve?
- Anaerobic heterotrophic prokaryotes form from Organic soup
- Due to a mutation, chemosynthetic autotrophic prokaryotes evolve
- Due to mutation, photosynthetic autotrophic prokaryote
- Oxygen and the ozone layer formotes evolve
- Eukaryotes and aerobic organisms form from endosymbiosis
How did life originate?
- Small organic molecules synthesized
- Joining of small molecules into polymers
- packaging of molecules
- RNA is first hereditary material
anaerobic
does not need oxygen to live
prokaryotes
do not have nucleus or organelles