Chemistry of Life 2 - MT1 - Part 1 Flashcards

1
Q

Streetlight effect

A

Is a type of observation bias that occurs when people are searching for something and look only where it is easiest
- drunkards search

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2
Q

Why is there optimism about finding extraterrestrial life?

A

We have already found organisms that live in harsh environments
- eg) high temp or high salinity

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3
Q

Extremophiles

A

Organisms that live in conditions of extreme environment

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4
Q

Halophiles

A

Can grow in high salt waters

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5
Q

Racemization

A

Is the conversion of an enantiomerically pure mixture into a mixture where more than one of the enantiomers are present

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6
Q

Enantiomers

A

Mirror image molecules

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7
Q

Biosignature

A

Is any evidence or indication of life, living or dead

- it can be chemical or morphological

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8
Q

What is an important chemical biosignature?

A

Is the presence of liquid water

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9
Q

What planet moons have water under their frozen crust?

A

Jupiter

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10
Q

What are 4 examples of more complex biosignatures?

A
  1. Carbohydrates
  2. Lipids
  3. Proteins
  4. Nucleic acids
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11
Q

What does it mean if you found a more complex molecule detected?

A

The more likely it is to have a biogenetic origin

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12
Q

What happens at the same rate in order to obtain equilibrium?

A

Forward and back reaction

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13
Q

What is earths atmosphere in?

A

Disequilibrium

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14
Q

Why is earths atmosphere in disequilibrium?

A

Due to the presence of life

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15
Q

What are the 2 waste gases in the atmosphere from organisms?

A
  1. O2

2. CH4

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16
Q

Are O2 and CH4 stable in the atmosphere?

17
Q

What would be good to look at on Mars to find life?

A

Presence of waste gases

18
Q

Mars (4)

A
  1. Stable atmosphere
  2. No O2
  3. 96% CO2
  4. Little bit of methane
19
Q

Formaldehyde

A

A colourless pungent gas in solution made by oxidizing methanol

20
Q

Methanol

A

A toxic, colourless, volative flammable liquid alcohol, can be made through distillation or oxidizing methane

21
Q

What do formaldehyde and methanol break down?

22
Q

What 4 things might you look for in extraterrestrial life?

A
  1. Waste gases
  2. Chirality
  3. Isotopic ratios
  4. Morphological biosignature
23
Q

What are 4 ways to study Mars for evidence of life?

A
  1. Telescope
  2. Uncrewed probes
  3. Meteorites
  4. Human crewed missions
24
Q

What are 5 examples of uncrewed probes?

A
  1. Flybys
  2. Orbiters
  3. Landers
  4. Rovers
  5. Sample returen mission
25
What is an example of a flyby?
Mariner 4 - took pictures along its path - do this if you dont have a lot of fuel
26
What is an example of an orbiter?
Mars express (ESA)
27
What is the advantage of ESA?
Ongoing flow of data
28
What is an example of a lander?
The phoenix lander (2008)
29
What is an advantage and disadvantage to the phoenix lander?
- Advantage = light in weight | - Disadvantage = marsian atmosphere is very thin and the lander normally doesnt land safe
30
What is an example of a rover?
Curiosity rover
31
What is an example of a sample return mission?
Mars sample return mission (projected)
32
What are 3 challenge withs the Mars sample return mission?
1. Blasting off of Mars is harder than the moon 2. Contaminating the instruments 3. Careful on not bringing bugs back to earth