By discharging electric sparks into a laboratory chamber atmosphere that consisted of water vapor, hydrogen gas, methane, and ammonia, Stanley Miller obtained data that showed that a number of organic molecules, including many amino acids, could be synthesized. Miller was attempting to model early Earth conditions as understood in the 1950’s. The results of Miller’s experiments best support which of the following hypotheses?
A. The molecules essential to life today did not exist at the time Earth was first formed.
B. The molecules essential to life today could not have been carried to the primordial Earth by a comet or meteorite.
C. The molecules essential to life today could have formed under early Earth conditions.
D. The molecules essential to life today were initially self- replicating proteins that were synthesized approximately four billion years ago.
Answer:C
By discharging electric sparks into a laboratory chamber atmosphere that consisted of water vapor, hydrogen gas, methane, and ammonia, Stanley Miller obtained data that showed that a number of organic molecules, including many amino acids, could be synthesized. Miller was attempting to model early Earth conditions as understood in the 1950’s. The results of Miller’s experiments best support which of the following hypotheses?
A. The molecules essential to life today did not exist at the time Earth was first formed. B. The molecules essential to life today could not have been carried to the primordial Earth by a comet or meteorite. C. The molecules essential to life today could have formed under early Earth conditions. D. The molecules essential to life today were initially self- replicating proteins that were synthesized approximately four billion years ago.