Miller Experiment and the gas not used

Miller-Urey experiment was a landmark experiment in the field of origin of life. It was conducted in 1952 by Stanley Miller and Harold Urey. The experiment aimed to simulate the conditions of early earth and to test the hypothesis of the origin of life by chemical evolution. The experiment produced organic compounds such as amino acids, which are the building blocks of proteins, from inorganic compounds.

The gases used in the Miller-Urey experiment were H2O(g), CH4, NH3, and H2. These gases were chosen because they were believed to be present in the early atmosphere of the earth. The mixture of these gases was heated and sparked with electricity to simulate lightning. After a few days, the experiment produced organic compounds that were collected and analyzed.

The gas not used in the Miller-Urey experiment was CO2. This gas was not used because it was believed that the early atmosphere of the earth did not contain significant amounts of CO2. The atmosphere was thought to be reducing, meaning that it had a high concentration of hydrogen and was depleted of oxygen. This was believed to be the case because the early earth did not have any plants or photosynthetic organisms to produce oxygen.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the gas not used in the Miller-Urey experiment was CO2. The experiment used a mixture of H2O(g), CH4, NH3, and H2 to simulate the early atmosphere of the earth. The experiment produced organic compounds such as amino acids, which are the building blocks of proteins, from inorganic compounds. The Miller-Urey experiment was a landmark experiment in the field of origin of life and helped to support the theory of chemical evolution.