Problem
a) Modern theory suggests that the early (pre-life) atmosphere on Earth was a reducing one. Why (for what reasons) is it believed that oxygen was not present when life formed on Earth?
b) What proposed energy sources existed on this early (pre-life) Earth?
c) How was the experiment designed?
d) What were the necessary controls?
e) What was produced in the experiment?
f) What did the results imply about the possible origin of life on Earth?
g) What factors of the physical environment on the early and evolving Earth support these ideas? Changes in which of these were essential to allow life to survive on land?
h) What effect(s) would the increase in oxygen levels of the atmosphere have on the organisms that existed at that time?