A student claims that the formation of biologically relevant organic compounds during prebiotic simulation experiments does not mean that a similar series of events actually occurred on Earth.Which statement best evaluates this claim?
A) The claim is correct because the simulation experiments were conducted in a lab rather than in a natural setting.
B) The claim is correct because the simulation experiments were conducted by humans rather than occurring naturally without human interference.
C) The claim is correct because the simulation experiments may not have accurately simulated the actual conditions present on early Earth.
D) The claim is incorrect because a simulation can faithfully reproduce conditions as a fair test of whether they could or could not occur.
E) The claim is incorrect because simulations carried out under laboratory conditions can accurately mimic conditions found in natural settings.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The claim is evaluating the relevance of the prebiotic simulation experiments to the actual conditions on early Earth. It is possible that the simulation experiments did not accurately reflect the specific conditions that existed on early Earth, which would weaken the argument that the formation of organic compounds in the experiments implies that they were also formed on early Earth. Choices A, B, D, and E are either irrelevant or make incorrect assumptions about the nature of prebiotic simulation experiments.

A Student Claims That the Formation of Biologically Relevant Organic