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Biol Behind the news > Chemistry of life, here and elsewhere > Flashcards

Chemistry of life, here and elsewhere Flashcards

1
Q

What are we looking for when search for ET life?

A

chemical signatures of life (oxygen and methane)

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2
Q

Copernicus

A

said that the sun is the centre of the universe not earth. We are not that special!

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3
Q

What is the evidence that life came from a single origin?

A

the universality of the genetic code

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4
Q

What are the 6 attributes of life?

A

1) grow/ reproduce
2) selective barrier
3) transform matter and energy (metabolism)
4) produce large, complicated molecules
5) respond to stimuli
6) evolve

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5
Q

free energy

A

energy that has the capacity to do work. can undergo any change except increasing the random motions of particles

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6
Q

disequilibrium

A

because of metabolism, life is in a constant state of disequilibrium

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7
Q

carbon-based

A

life is said to be carbon based as all moleculeles aside from water contain carbon

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8
Q

chiral

A

cannot be superimposed on its mirror image. a carbon molecule with four different atoms/groups bound

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9
Q

how do water molecules stick together?

A

they stick together via it polarity resulting in hydrogen bonds

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10
Q

hydrophyllic vs hydrophobic

A

hydrophillic- soluable in water

hydrophobic- insoluable in water (creates barriers within and around cells)

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11
Q

in what environment do most biochemical reactions take place>

A

aqueous

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12
Q

functions of sugars

A

energy source
energy transport
carbon skeletons for modification

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13
Q

functions of polysaccharides

A

energy storage and structural support

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14
Q

typical structure of lipids

A

hydrocarbons

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15
Q

fatty acids

A

component of larger lipid molecules

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16
Q

triglycerides

A

solid/liquid fats- energy source and storage

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17
Q

phospholipids

A

components of membranes around cells and around compartments within cells

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18
Q

sterols

A

chemical signalling and membrane stabilization

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19
Q

functions of proteins

A 
enzymes
structure and movement- cytoskeleton
transport of materials across membranes
transmission of signals- w/in cells and between cells
defense
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20
Q

nucleic acids

A

DNA and RNA (nucleotides)

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21
Q

functions of nucleic acids

A

information storage and retrieval
energy currency and transfer
electron currency and transfer

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22
Q

structure of DNA

A

double stranded helix- complimentary base pairing and stabalized by weak hydrogen bonds

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23
Q

members of biomolecule classes covalently bound togetehr>

A

glycoproteins and glycolipids

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24
Q

non-covalently bound biomolecules

A

chromatin (DNA and proteins) and ribosomes (RNA and proteins)

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25
hard ones to classify
cofactors, vitamins, and mineral ions
26
extremeophiles
life living in extreme conditions like high temp or high salinity
27
biosignatures
any evidence or indication of life, living or dead. An important example is the presence of water. A more complicated example would be a carb, protein etc
28
A good general biosignature test is?
whether or not the atmosphere is in disequilibrium
29
what are the two waste products in the earths atmosphere?
oxygen and methane
30
Some other biosignatures looked for on martian and other ET places?
formaldehyde and methanol
31
what other things could you look over?
chirality and isotopic ratios
32
a morphological biosignature
things that appear to be in cellular form
33
how to study mars
telescopes, uncrewed probes, meteorites from mars, human crewed missions
34
examples of uncrewed probes
flybys, orbiters, landers, rovers, sample return missions
35
Ancient mars had the following
``` geological activity (volcanoes) liquid core that produced a magnetic field thick CO2 and water vapour atmosphere higher temps large bodies of water ```
36
what was the importance of the thick atmosphere
protected the magnetic core
37
lithopanspermia
life travels on rick from one planet to another
38
panspermia
life can withstand the travel through space
39
Allans Hills 840041
a meteor found in antartica that had polycyclic hydrocarbons, magnetite, shapes that look like nanobacteria
40
what happened to Mars between then and now?
core solidified, geological activity stopped, and the magnetic field weakened. solar wind stripped away atmosphere and that no longer replenished volcanic activity
41
What happend to the water on mars
blasted into space by meteor impacts and the remaining water froze in subsurface layers
42
Current conditions on mars today | atmosphere, temp, geology, radiation
96% CO2 (traces of CO2, O2, CH4) below freezing temp no geological activity lots because of lack of atmosphere?
43
The viking landers
performed experiments to test for presence of living processes but came up empty
44
what experiments was the viking landers were they gunna do?
gas chromatography- Mass spectrometry to seperate martian soil then mass to determine molecular weights and identities labelled release experiment- seven nutrients carried by the probs labelled with C14 was added to the soil and the release of 14co2 into the air above the reaction was then measured
45
Mars express orbiter (2003-2004) and the curiosity rover
ground-based observations and detected methane in varying trace amounts
46
meaning of methane
not very stable so if present it must be gettign release relatively consistently
47
possible sources of
microbes in the soil or water and olivine
48
recurring slope linae
dark colourations that suggest that liquid water still flows periodically on Mars
49
where is ice water currently in existence on Mars now?
lower latitudes under soil surface and polar caps. There is also some vapour in the atmosphere
50
phoenix lander discovered
subsurface water ice, snow, perchlorate
51
perchlorate
a strong oxidant which some organisms can use for energy
52
Curiosity rover (2012-presnt)
detected spike in methane in 2013-2014
53
Important features we know
methane in the atmosphere, subsurface water, streaks, the ocean
54
Europa
moon of jupiter
55
What are some characteristics of europa?
weak magnetic field from a lunar-wide conducting liquid | icy layer atop of a v deep salty water
56
Future tests for Europa?
Eurpa CLipper will analyse material ejected from the gysers and study the ocean a lander with seismometer to measure ice quakes
57
Enceladus
moon of saturn
58
Characterisitics of Enceladus?
has a ocean of salty liquid water underneath an icy surface crust with over 100 geysers shooting water.vapor with organic molecules and salt present
59
Future tests for Enceladus>
collect some of the particles from geysers and bring back to earth
60
Calisto and Ganymede
moons of Jupiter
61
Characteristics of Calisto and Ganymede
perhaps have water oceans between layers of ice
62
Titan
moon of saturn, the first one discovered
63
characteristics of Titan
has a dense atmosphere of N2 and little methane but no CO2, O2 or water. Has some complicated organic chemistry present rocky surface with geological activity and land forms such as mountains and valleys as well as rivers and lakes of hydrocarbons (methane and ethane)
64
What does titan have that is similar to earth
a methane cycle similar to the hydrological cycle on Earth
65
What are the barriers, alothough fatal on earth, do not eliminate the possibility of life on titan?
very cold temperatures and no water
66
James Webb Space Telescope
search the atmospheres of extrasolar earth-like planets, looking for chemical signatures of life
67
Darwins human dethronement
not considered the point of the bioshpere, we are just part of the chain
68
Freud
makes us aware of the unconscience things that drive us

Biol Behind the news (9 decks)

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