Question

Miller successfully demonstrated formation of amino-acids by electric discharge in the mixture of hydrogen, ammonia, water and

• A. Ether
• B. Ethane
• C. Methane
• D. Carbon dioxide

Answer 1

The correct option is C Methane

Miller took molecules which were believed to represent the major components of the early Earth's atmosphere and put them into a closed system. The gases they used were methane (CH${}_4$), ammonia (NH${}_3$), hydrogen (H${}_2$), and water (H${}_2$O). Next, he ran a continuous electric current through the system, to simulate lightning storms believed to be common on the early earth. Analysis of the experiment was done by chromatography. At the end of one week, Miller observed that as much as 10-15% of the carbon was now in the form of organic compounds. Two percent of the carbon had formed some of the amino acids which are used to make proteins. Perhaps most importantly, Miller's experiment showed that organic compounds such as amino acids, which are essential to cellular life, could be made easily under the conditions that scientists believed to be present on the early earth.

Therefore, the correct answer is option C.