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Question
Which of the following conditions on primitive earth led to the origin of life?
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Solution
Scientists Oparin and Haldane proposed that life on Earth could have originated from organic molecules which in turn were formed from inorganic molecules.
The primitive atmosphere on Earth contained gases like ammonia, methane, and water vapour. The ultraviolet radiation from the sun broke water vapours into oxygen and free hydrogen. Hydrogen being lighter escaped. The oxygen released quickly reacted with methane and ammonia forming water, carbon dioxide and other gases. The atmosphere began to fill with carbon dioxide, ammonia, and water vapour. Chemical reactions on the primitive Earth led to the formation of organic molecules.
The atmosphere of the primitive Earth was reducing and had a sufficient supply of energy such as ultraviolet radiations, high temperature and volcanic storms. This helped in synthesising organic compounds at a wide range. This is known as chemical evolution theory.
Based on the hypothesis by Oparin and Haldane, Stanley Miller conducted an experiment which provided evidence of chemical evolution.
He created primitive Earth conditions in a laboratory. He took a closed flask containing gases like methane, ammonia, hydrogen and water vapour at 800°C and created an electric discharge. He observed the formation of amino acids after a few weeks. In similar experiments, other scientists have reported the formation of sugar, nitrogenous bases, etc. This proves that such synthesis could have occurred in primitive Earth conditions.
The primitive atmosphere on Earth contained gases like ammonia, methane, and water vapour. The ultraviolet radiation from the sun broke water vapours into oxygen and free hydrogen. Hydrogen being lighter escaped. The oxygen released quickly reacted with methane and ammonia forming water, carbon dioxide and other gases. The atmosphere began to fill with carbon dioxide, ammonia, and water vapour. Chemical reactions on the primitive Earth led to the formation of organic molecules.
The atmosphere of the primitive Earth was reducing and had a sufficient supply of energy such as ultraviolet radiations, high temperature and volcanic storms. This helped in synthesising organic compounds at a wide range. This is known as chemical evolution theory.
Based on the hypothesis by Oparin and Haldane, Stanley Miller conducted an experiment which provided evidence of chemical evolution.
He created primitive Earth conditions in a laboratory. He took a closed flask containing gases like methane, ammonia, hydrogen and water vapour at 800°C and created an electric discharge. He observed the formation of amino acids after a few weeks. In similar experiments, other scientists have reported the formation of sugar, nitrogenous bases, etc. This proves that such synthesis could have occurred in primitive Earth conditions.
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