Chapter 22, Problem 1TY

Summary Introduction

Introduction: The term ‘prebiotic soup’ is used in relation to the formation of life and organic molecules on earth. It is related to the emergence of life on the early earth. It is said that the prebiotic soup majorly helped in the emergence of life on the earth during early times.

Answer to Problem 1TY

Correct answer: Mixing and accumulation of early organic molecules in the oceans over long periods of time led to the formation of a special medium that helped in the emergence of life on earth. This medium was referred to as the ‘prebiotic soup’. Hence, the correct answer is option b.

Explanation of Solution

Reason for correct answer:

In earth, organic molecules were formed slowly. Due to the absence of oxygen and living organisms, these molecules were neither oxidized nor metabolized. This led to their accumulation on earth. When this accumulation started taking place in oceans, it formed a special mixture that supported life formation on the earth. This augmentation of organic molecules in the oceans was called as the prebiotic soup.

Option b. is given as “the accumulation of organic molecules in the oceans of early Earth”.

Accumulation of organic molecules in the oceans of Earth in its earliest stage was called ‘prebiotic soup’. Hence, the correct answer is option b.

Reasons for incorrect answer:

Option a. is given as, “the assemblage of unicellular prokaryotes that existed in the oceans of early Earth”.

The term ‘prebiotic’ refers to the phase before life. However, prokaryotes are living organisms. Hence, option a. is incorrect.

Option c. is given as, “the mixture of organic molecules found in the cytoplasm of the earliest organisms”.

Prebiotic soup relates to the organic molecules that were formed in early Earth before the emergence of life on Earth. Hence, option c. is incorrect.

Option d. is given as, “a pool of nucleic acids that contained genetic information for the earliest organism”.

Prebiotic soup is related to all the organic molecules that were being formed in the early Earth, and not only with nucleic acids. Hence, option d. is incorrect.

Option e. is given as, “none of the above”.

Prebiotic soup was the term used for the mixture of organic molecules in the oceans of early Earth. Hence, option e. is incorrect.

Hence, the options a., c., d., and e. are incorrect.

Conclusion

The mixture formed by the accumulation of organic molecules in the oceans of early earth was called the prebiotic soup.