In the first Miller-Urey experiment, an electrical spark was passed through an experimental "atmosphere" consisting of hydrogen gas, ammonia, methane gas, and water vapor.A limitation of this experiment was that it
A) assumed that the spark could catalyze reactions.
B) did not include certain gasses later considered to be part of the early Earth atmosphere.
C) did not freeze the constituents.
D) did not contain atmospheric oxygen.
E) did not correctly simulate the effects of hydrothermal vents.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The Miller-Urey experiment did not include certain gases such as carbon dioxide, which were later considered to be part of the early Earth atmosphere. This limitation may have affected the accuracy of the results and the conclusions that were drawn from them.

In the First Miller-Urey Experiment, an Electrical Spark Was Passed