Refer to the Figure Below Showing a Cutaway View of a Protocell

question 19

Multiple Choice

Refer to the figure below showing a cutaway view of a protocell, a structure representing a possible intermediate in the evolution of living cells from nonliving molecular building blocks. The structure of a protocell has several effects on the molecules present in its interior.One effect of the protocell structure that could have accelerated the evolution process was

• A) concentrating compounds and increasing their frequencies of collision.
• B) reducing waste and decreasing the risk of toxic compound buildup.
• C) increasing access to small molecules in the environment surrounding the structure.
• D) providing the necessary functional groups needed for catalytic activity.
• E) creating a template that could be used to transfer biological information.

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Definitions:

Axon

Tubelike structure of a neuron that carries the neural message from the cell body to the axon terminals for communication with other cells.

Myelin

Fatty substances produced by certain glial cells that coat the axons of neurons to insulate, protect, and speed up the neural impulse.

Neural Impulse

The electrical signal that travels along a neuron, enabling it to communicate with other neurons or muscles.

Bulbs

Structures found in some plants, serving as storage organs during dormancy and allowing for vegetative reproduction.