prebiotic formation of carbon compounds

Question 1

Where did carbon compounds likely form before life existed?

Answer 1

Carbon compounds may have formed in hot springs and hydrothermal vents, or in water droplets in the atmosphere creating an organic aerosol haze.

Question 2

What happened to the carbon compounds once they formed in the atmosphere?

Answer 2

The compounds were likely deposited by rainfall into seas, creating a “soup” of organic molecules.

Question 3

What are some of the possible compounds that may have formed in the pre-biotic Earth?

Answer 3

Possible compounds include carboxylic acids, amino acids, and nucleic acid bases.

Question 4

Why are the reactions that produce these compounds no longer possible today?

Answer 4

The conditions on Earth have changed significantly since the early Earth, making those reactions no longer possible.

Question 5

What was the source of activation energy for these early chemical reactions?

Answer 5

Sources could have included lightning, UV radiation, or volcanic activity.

Question 6

What major changes occurred on Earth as living organisms evolved?

Answer 6

• Oxygen concentration increased from 0% to 21%.
• The ozone layer formed, protecting life from UV radiation.
• Carbon dioxide concentration decreased to 0.03%.
• The Greenhouse Effect was reduced.