Carbohydrates have been shown to form
A) only in biotic conditions inside living cells).
B) in biotic and abiotic conditions, including outer space.
C) in biotic and abiotic conditions, but only if nucleotides and RNA have already formed.
D) only in biotic conditions, when enough free energy is available to allow their formation.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Carbohydrates have been shown to form in both biotic and abiotic conditions, including outer space. The famous Miller-Urey experiment demonstrated that carbohydrates can form in a simulated early Earth environment with no life present. Additionally, studies have shown that carbohydrates can form through reactions between simple organic compounds in outer space conditions, suggesting that they could be ubiquitous in the universe.

Carbohydrates Have Been Shown to Form