Who gave experimental proof that hydrogenmethane water and ammonia gav...
**Answer:**
Experimental proof that hydrogen, methane, water, and ammonia gave rise to amino acids was provided by Stanley Miller.
**Stanley Miller's Experiment:**
In 1953, Stanley Miller, a graduate student working under the supervision of Harold Urey, conducted an experiment to simulate the conditions thought to be present on early Earth. The aim of the experiment was to test the hypothesis that the building blocks of life, such as amino acids, could have been formed under these conditions.
**Setup:**
Miller set up a closed system consisting of a flask containing a mixture of gases representing the atmosphere of early Earth. He used a mixture of hydrogen (H2), methane (CH4), ammonia (NH3), and water vapor (H2O). The flask was connected to a series of glass tubes representing the ocean or a water source. The purpose of the water vapor was to simulate the presence of water on early Earth.
**Electric Discharge:**
Miller then passed electric sparks through the mixture of gases to simulate the energy provided by lightning or volcanic activity. The sparks provided an energy source that could have driven chemical reactions, leading to the formation of complex molecules.
**Analysis:**
After running the experiment for about a week, Miller analyzed the contents of the flask. He found that the mixture contained a variety of organic compounds, including amino acids, which are the building blocks of proteins. This was a significant discovery because it showed that simple organic molecules, like amino acids, could be formed under the conditions thought to be present on early Earth.
**Significance:**
Miller's experiment provided experimental evidence that supported the hypothesis that the building blocks of life could have formed under the conditions of early Earth. It demonstrated that simple organic molecules, including amino acids, could be produced from basic components like hydrogen, methane, water, and ammonia in the presence of an energy source.
Miller's experiment played a crucial role in supporting the concept of chemical evolution, which suggests that the complex molecules necessary for life could have arisen from simpler compounds through natural processes. It provided a plausible explanation for the origin of life on Earth and opened up new avenues of research in the field of prebiotic chemistry.