Life in the Cosmos

Question 1

How long ago was the big bang?

Answer 1

17 billion years ago

Question 2

What element is primordial?

Answer 2

Hydrogen

Question 3

What are the two places where the build of nuclei can take place?

Answer 3

• Nuclear fusion in the Earth

- In the cores of stars

Question 4

What does it mean by exothermic?

Answer 4

More energy is produced that needed.

Question 5

What does the abundance of elements formed in steller cores depend on?

Answer 5

The mass

Question 6

What does it mean when a star is endothermic?

Answer 6

A star produces less energy than it is receiving

Question 7

How does a star’s supernova explosion work?

Answer 7

• The outer layers of the star collapse until it reaches the iron core
• The core then explodes, dispersing heavier elements back into space.

Question 8

How are complex molecules identified?

Answer 8

Through the radiation that they emit

Question 9

How are proto-stars and proto-planetary disks identified?

Answer 9

Through microwave and infra-red emissions.

Question 10

How long does disk formation usually last?

Answer 10

30 million years

Question 11

What is the 1st stage of planetory formation?

Answer 11

Condensation

Question 12

What happens during the 1st stage of planetory formation? (Condensation)

Answer 12

Dust molecules act as condensation centres which other dust can stick to

Question 13

What is the 2nd stage of planetary formation?

Answer 13

Accretion

Question 14

What is the 3rd stage of planetary formation?

Answer 14

Coalescence

Question 15

How old is the oldest material dated in the solar system?

Answer 15

4.5 billion years

Question 16

Between what two years was the Hadean Era?

Answer 16

3.8 to 4 billion years

Question 17

Give two examples of elements that were driven out of the atmosphere during the Hadean Era

Answer 17

Carbon Dioxide and Water

Question 18

What was going on during the Hadean Era?

Answer 18

• The earth was extremely hot and volcanically active

- Underwent frequent collisions from planetesimals

Question 19

What era was life first clearly discovered on Earth?

Answer 19

The Archean Era

Question 20

What 3 factors describe early life forms on Earth?

Answer 20

• Must replicate
• Must mutate
• Must evolve

Question 21

What chemistry are all life forms on Earth?

Answer 21

Carbon

Question 22

What type of acid is the build blocks for protein?

Answer 22

Amino

Question 23

How long ago was the first life form discovered?

Answer 23

3.5 billion years ago

Question 24

The early atmosphere was mostly composed of which 5 elements?

Answer 24

Nitrogen, Carbon Dioxide, Water, Methane, Hydrogen

Question 25

How long ago was the Earth’s crust cooled and stabilised?

Answer 25

4.2 billion years ago

Question 26

Which 2 aeons make up the Pre-Cambrian era?

Answer 26

The Archean and Proterozoic

Question 27

Name a benefit of oxygen within the atmosphere?

Answer 27

It helps stop the sun’s harmful ultraviolet radiation

Question 28

How long ago was the Cambrian Era?

Answer 28

540 million years ago

Question 29

What is the Burgess Shale?

Answer 29

An era in the Canadian Rockies where a Cambrian rock formation was found to show early phyla life.