Chapter 20 Vocab (History of the Earth)

Question 1

biogenesis

Answer 1

the development of life from preexisting life

Question 2

*Chemosynthesis

Answer 2

process in which chemical energy is used to produce Carbohydrates

Question 3

*Chemotrophic Autotroph

Answer 3

microorganisms that turn inorganic chemicals into energy used to reproduce, grow, and survive

Question 4

*Endosymbiotic Theory

Answer 4

theory proposing that eukaryotic cells formed from a symbiotic relationship among several different prokaryotic cells

Question 5

*Half-Life

Answer 5

length of time it takes for half of the radioactive atoms in a sample to decay

Question 6

*Isotope

Answer 6

the form of a single element that contains a different number of neutrons (with same number of protons)

Question 7

Miller and Urey

Answer 7

scientists that found organic molecules necessary for cells (amino acids, nucleotides, ATP etc.) in an experiment about Biogenesis

Question 8

Panspermia

Answer 8

the theory that life exists and is distributed throughout the universe in the form of germs or spores in the right environment

Question 9

*Photosynthetic Autotroph

Answer 9

an organism that captures light, CO2, and water to convert to chemical energy in the form of glucose