Explain the significance of the Miller-Urey experiments
The Miller-Urey experiment was the experiment in which the conditions were created that present on the early earth and the chemical origin of life tested under those conditions. This experiment was conducted by the Stanley Miller and Harold Urey in 1952.
In this experiment Ammonia, methane, hydrogen, and water was used. These chemical compounds were placed inside a sterile glass flask (5 liter) and this flask was connected with another flask (500 ml) half filled with water. The smaller flask was heated and its water starts to evaporate and the vapour enter into the larger flask. By the help of electrodes, electric sparks were fired to stimulate the lightning in the vapour and gaseous mixture. After that the stimulated environment was cooled and the water was condensed and dripped into a U-shaped trap. After some days the solution present in the U-shaped trap had turned into red color. After that the boiling flask was removed and to restrict the microbial contamination some amount of mercuric chloride was added. After that sulfuric acid and barium hydroxide added into the solution and evaporated to exclude the impurities. At the end of this experiment Miller identified 5 different amino acids in the solution by using paper chromatography. Those amino acids are α-alanine, β-alanine, glycine, aspartic acid, and α-aminobutyric acid.
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