Download How Did Life Begin? Unit Objectives Vocabulary: Miller

How Did Life Begin?
Unit Objectives
Vocabulary: Miller-Urey Experiment, Cell Theory, Organic
Molecule, Inorganic Molecule, Amino Acids, Covalent Bonds,
Peptide Bonds, Proteins, Dehydration Synthesis, Hydrolysis,
Catalyst, Enzyme, Catalase Active Site, Substrate, Hydrogen
Peroxide, Oxygen, Lock and Key, Induced Fit, Activation Energy,
Reaction Rate, Stability, Reactivity, Denature, Acid, Base, pH
By the end of this unit students will be able to:
o Describe what it means to be alive using no less than
six criteria.
o List the two components of cell theory and explain how
they apply to the fossil record explored in unit 1 and the
origin of life itself.
o Explain the origin of organic molecules from inorganic
matter.
o Describe the Miller-Urey experiment, what it tested, and
what the results indicate.
o Describe the relationship between monomers,
polymers, proteins, and enzymes.
o Explain the nature of covalent bonds and their relative
strength in living systems.
o Sketch the structure of an amino acid and explain how it
can bond with a neighboring amino acid.
o Explain what an enzyme is, how it causes stable
molecules to react, and why they work well / poorly
under varying conditions (temperature & pH).
o Analyze and draw meaningful conclusions from graphs
depicting enzyme activity in various conditions.