AP BIOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -Urey performed an experiment to describe the origin of life on earth. They were of the idea that the early earth’s atmosphere was able to produce amino acids from inorganic matter. The two biologists made use of methane, water, hydrogen, and ammonia which they considered were found in the early earth’s atmosphere.

Detailed explanation-2: -After letting the experiment run for a week, Miller and Urey found that various types of amino acids, sugars, lipids and other organic molecules had formed.

Detailed explanation-3: -Together they put in water to model the ancient ocean. It was gently boiled to mimic evaporation. Along with water vapor, for gasses of the atmosphere they chose methane, hydrogen, and ammonia. These are simple gases which scientists at the time thought were probably abundant on the ancient Earth.