Q. Explain the Stanley-Miller’s Experiment related to origin of life.

(10 marks, 150 words, IAS 2019)

In 1953, Stanley Miller with Harold Urey recreated the probable conditions of primitive atmosphere of early
Earth.

EXPERIMENT

 Under non-oxidizing environment, simple organic

compounds like amino acids, hydroxyl acids,
aliphatic acids, sugars and urea can be synthesized in
the laboratory from a mixture of methane, hydrogen,
water vapour and ammonia.

 They supplied energy by heating the chamber

containing the above gas mixture up to 800OC and
discharges by electric sparks.

 About one week later, the solution was found to

contain a number of amino acids such as glycine,
alanine and aspartic acid.

Molecules that are building blocks of organic compounds

of living organisms are formed spontaneously under
conditions designed by Miller-Urey to simulate primitive
Earth’s atmosphere.

Apparatus set-up by Miller and Urey