The University of Melbourne

Semester 1, 2011 Assessment

Faculty of Science

MULT10011
Introduction to Life, Earth and Universe

Reading time: 15 minutes

Exam Duration: 3 hours
This paper has: 7 pages

Authorised Materials: Calculators are permitted in accordance with the rules of the
Faculty of Science. They may be used for the processing of
numerical information only. They must not have been
programmed nor should they store additional information.

Instructions to Invigilators: Students require THREE small script books, one for each
section.
This examination paper is to remain in the examination room.

Instructions to students: Attempt ALL questions. Students should answer each section
of the paper in a separate booklet.
Candidates should answer each section of the paper in a
separate script book.
Candidates should indicate on the cover of each script book
the section to which it refers
The total number of marks is 180, which equates to about one
mark per minute of the examination.

Paper to be held by the Baillieu Library.

MULT10011, Semester 1 2011, page 1 of 7

Part A: Earth Sciences Section

Question 1 [6 x 10 = 60 marks]
Write short notes on 6 of the following questions (~ 10 minutes each)

1) Briefly describe the evolution of the ocean and atmosphere on Earth from 4 billion years to
1 billion years ago.

2) List ten features on Earth supporting plate tectonic theory.

3) When and why did the marsupial megafauna become extinct?

4) What are Milankovitch cycles? How did these cycles influence climate change in the past?

5) Briefly describe the some of the invertebrates that died out at the end of the Permian. What
may have caused this extinction event?

6) Why are the Ediacaran and Burgess Shale faunas important? In your answer briefly
describe each fauna, its age and significance.

7) What triggered and terminated “snowball earth”? What is the relationship between this
event and the evolution of metazoan life?

8) How do we know that the Earth is older than 4,600,000,000 years? In your answer outline
some of the history that lead to this conclusion.

9) Outline the various features on Mars that suggest it is not a dead planet devoid of water.

10) Describe the volcanism on some of the moons of the gas giants. Why does this volcanism
occur?

11) How can you use meteorites to interpret the internal structure of the terrestrial planets?

End of Earth Sciences Section

MULT10011, Semester 1 2011, page 2 of 7

Part B: Biology Section

Question 2 [6 x 1 = 6 marks]
Answer all the following multiple choice questions in your script book. In each case chose
the single best answer. Each question is worth 1 mark, and hence should be allocated about 1
minute.

2.1: In the tree of life

A Organisms that are most closely related have the least similar DNA.
B Organisms that are most closely related have the most similar DNA.
C Organisms that are most distantly related have the most similar DNA.
D Organisms that are not closely related can have identical DNA.

2.2: The endomembrane system of eukaryotic cells

A Is the main site of translation of genetic information from mRNA to proteins.
B Is essentially an elaborate internalisation of the cell membrane that allows a cell to be
larger.
C Is an intricate system of proteins each of which specifically manages a particular
cellular reaction.
D Is an endosymbiotic organelle in which the process of phtosynthesis occurs.

2.3: The original atmosphere of the earth before life existed was probably
A Rich in oxygen and highly oxidizing.
B Rich in methane, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide and hydrogen and highly reducing.
C Similar to today’s atmosphere but with slightly less carbon dioxide.
D Almost devoid of oxygen and therefore strongly oxidizing.

2.4: If a plant and mouse are sealed in a jar and placed in the dark what will the overall
change in O2 levels be?
A Increase
B Decrease
C Remain unchanged
D Cannot say, it depends on the size of the plant

2.5: Stromatolites such as the ones found at Shark Bay (Western Australia) provide evidence
that:
A Multicellular life occurred 3.5 billion years ago
B That life evolved in shallow ocean basins
C That photosynthesis producing O2 occurred 3.5 billion years ago
D A and C

MULT10011, Semester 1 2011, page 3 of 7

2.6: Oxygen is a key molecule for both respiration and photosynthesis. Which statement
about the role(s) of O2 is correct:
A In photosynthesis O2 is derived from CO2 during glucose synthesis
B O2 has a strong affinity for electrons and will accept the low energy electrons in the
mitochondrion after most of the energy has been harvested for ATP synthesis
C O2 is flammable and is the energy source for ATP synthesis in the mitochondrion
D B and C

Question 3 [10 marks]

Describe the features of nitrogen-fixing filamentous cyanobacteria that are consistent with
these organisms being multicellular. In your answer describe what benefit each feature offers
this organism compared to a single-celled cyanobacterium.

Question 4 [5 marks]
List five pieces of evidence that support that endosymbiotic organelles mitochondria and
plastids are derived from a prokaryotic cell.

Question 5 [4 marks]
What is the main difference between a prokaryote and a eukaryote? Which came first in the
evolution of life on earth?

Question 6 [5 marks]
Glucose is the most common fuel used by life. What are the final products that result from
glucose breakdown in the mitochondrion, and why is ATP so useful for this process of
extracting energy from glucose?

Question 7 [10 marks]

Darwin linked three observations about life and used them to deduce that there was a process
of Natural Selection that drives evolution. What were the three things he observed? Write a
couple of sentences about each phenomenon and explain the consequences of these
phenomena for life.

Question 8 [20 marks]

Dan Koshland proposed that there are seven characteristics of life, as we currently know it on
earth. List the seven characteristics and write one or two sentences about each characteristic.

End of Biology Section

Part C: Astronomy Section
Question 9 [10 x 1 = 10 marks]

MULT10011, Semester 1 2011, page 4 of 7

Answer all the following multiple choice questions in your script book. In each case chose
the single best answer. Each question is worth 1 mark, and hence should be allocated about 1
minute.

9.1: How many planets in the Solar System orbit the Sun in the same direction as Earth:
A None
B A few
C Most
D All

9.2: A supernova is the endpoint in the life of a star with mass:

A About the same as Earth
B About the same as the Sun
C About 10 times the mass of the Sun
D All the above

9.3: The main constituent of Jupiter is

A Rock and Metal
B Hydrogen compounds
C Carbon dioxide and Sulphuric acid droplets
D Hydrogen and Helium

9.4: The Cosmic Microwave Background is

A A microwave signal from other civilisations
B The radiation leftover from the Big Bang
C Radio waves from the Milky Way galaxy
D Static noise that we sometimes see in our telescopes

9.5: What is the correct evolutionary order, from earliest to latest time?
A Red giant, protostar, Sun, white dwarf
B Protostar, Sun, red giant, white dwarf
C Protostar, white dwarf, red giant, Sun
D Sun, protostar, red giant, white dwarf

MULT10011, Semester 1 2011, page 5 of 7

9.6: The technique which has found the most confirmed extra-solar planets so far is
A The transit method, using the Kepler telescope
B The Doppler method
C Gravitational lensing
D The Pulsar method

9.7: The atmosphere of Mars

A Doesn’t exist
B Has a strong greenhouse effect
C Is mostly CO2
D Has a similar composition to Earth’s atmosphere

9.8: At the time of the formation of the universe, the universe comprised
A Hydrogen and Helium but not much else
B All the elements in the periodic table, more or less in the ratios we see today
C The key elements needed for life, such as Hydrogen, Oxygen, Carbon etc.
D Just dark matter

9.9: Which type of star would you expect to have the largest habitable zone?
A A type, which is very hot
B G type, which is like our Sun
C K type
D M type, which is the coolest

9.10: The Doppler effect changes an observed light signal from a star by
A Increasing the number of emission and absorption lines
B Changing its sound
C Changing its wavelength
D Making the light travel faster or slower

Question 10 [3 + 3 = 6 marks]
(a) Name three basic requirements for which must be satisfied for life to exist at any
particular location on Earth.
(b) Discuss one location in the Solar System, but not on Earth, where these requirements
might all be satisfied.
Question 11 [4 + 4 + 4 = 12 marks]
The universe is made of three main types of stuff or matter. What are they? Provide a
description of the main properties of each of these.

Question 12 [10 marks]

MULT10011, Semester 1 2011, page 6 of 7

Will Earth-like planets ultimately prove to be rare, common or something in between? Write
a short essay explaining your answer

Question 13 [3 + 3 + 3 = 9 marks]
Suppose we moved the location of a planet in the Solar System. How would you expect that
planet to change? Write a few sentences explaining the changes you would expect to each
planet as it moved to the new location:
(a) A planet like Earth is moved to the distance of Venus
(b) A planet like Saturn is moved to the distance of Mercury
(c) A planet like Earth is moved to the distance of Jupiter

Question 13 [3 + 3 + 3 + 4 = 13 marks]
(a) Why would it be difficult for us to travel to the nearest star?
(b) What conclusions can we draw from the Drake equation, about the existence of life in
the Milky Way?
(c) If you wanted to contact intelligent life outside the Solar System, what would be the
best method?
(d) If you were searching for life on an extra-solar planet, what would you look for?
Explain how easy it would be to observe the things on your list.

End of Astronomy Section

Total marks =180

End of Examination questions

MULT10011, Semester 1 2011, page 7 of 7